Mohamed Abdel Wahab (), also
transliterated
Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one writing system, script to another that involves swapping Letter (alphabet), letters (thus ''wikt:trans-#Prefix, trans-'' + ''wikt:littera#Latin, liter-'') in predictable ways, such as ...
''Mehammad Abdelwehab'', (March 13, 1902 – May 4, 1991), was a prominent 20th-century
Egyptian singer,
actor
An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
, and composer. He is best known for his
Romantic and
Egyptian patriotic songs.
He was known for his
Egyptian nationalist and
Arab nationalist and revolutionary songs like "Ya Masr Tamm Elhana" (O Egypt, happiness is here), "Hayy Ala Elfalah" (The call of
duty), "
Elwatan Elakbar" (The Greater Homeland), "El Geal El Saed" (The rising generation) "Masr Nadetna fa labbena Elnedaa" (Egypt Called us and we Have Answered), "Ulo le Masr" (Tell Egypt), "Hobb Elwatan Fard Alayya" (Patriotism is my Obligation), "Sot Elgamahir" (Voice of the Masses), "Ya Nesmet Elhorriyya" (O The Breeze of
Freedom
Freedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws".
In one definition, something is "free" i ...
), "Sawa'ed men Beladi" (Arms from My Country).
He also composed the
national anthem of
Libya
Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
which was adopted from 1951 to 1969 and again since 2011.
Life

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was born in 1898 in
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, Egypt,
in a neighborhood called Bab El-Sheriyah, where there is now a statue of him. He began his singing career at an early age and made his first public performances at age seven at local productions. He was 13 when he made his first recording. Mohamed Abdel Wahab was a very close friend to compatriot singer
Abdel Halim Hafez.
Film career
In 1933, Abdel Wahab began composing his own style of
Egyptian film musical after visiting Paris and familiarizing himself with French musical film.
He introduced a lighthearted genre of musical film to Egyptian culture eventually composing eight musical comedies between 1933 and 1949. His films portrayed Western social elite and included music that veered off from the traditional Egyptian tune. He starred in his 1933 film ''
The White Rose'' which broke records in attendance and still plays frequently in Egyptian theaters. In 1950 Abdel Wahab left film to focus on being a more profound singer.
Contribution to Egyptian and Arabic music
Abdel Wahab composed more than 1820 songs.
Abdel Wahab is considered to be one of the most innovative Egyptian musicians of all time, laying the foundation for a new era of Egyptian music with his use of non-local rhythms and refined
oud playing.
Despite the fact that Abdel Wahab composed many songs and musical pieces of classical Arabic music, he was notably criticized for his orientation to
Western music. In fact, he introduced Western rhythms to Egyptian songs in a way appropriate to the known then very classical forms of Egyptian songs. For example, in 1941, he introduced a
waltz
The waltz ( , meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom dance, ballroom and folk dance, in triple (3/4 time, time), performed primarily in closed position. Along with the ländler and allemande, the waltz was sometimes referred to by the ...
rhythm in his song "El Gandol," and, in 1957, he introduced a
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
rhythm in
Abdel Halim Hafez's song "Ya Albi Ya Khali". In 1950s, he also produced an infamous Palestinian nationalist song, "Akhi Jawiz Alzaalimun Almadaa" (Brothers, the oppressors has gone to far).
He composed some of the best hits of
Nagat El Saghira, including four poems by
Nizar Qabbani.
Abdel Wahab played
oud before the prominent
Egyptian poet,
Ahmed Shawqi, and acted in several movies. He composed ten songs for
Umm Kulthum
Umm Kulthum (; 31 December 1898 – 3 February 1975) was an Egyptians, Egyptian singer and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title (). Immensely popular throughout the Middle East and beyond, Umm Kul ...
. He was the first Egyptian singer to move from silent-era acting to singing.
Abdel Wahab also composed songs for the Lebanese icon
Fairuz whom he famously called "Our Ambassador to the Stars" and stated in 1958 that he was the leader of her fan club in Cairo.
Death
Mohamed Abdel Wahab died in his hometown
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, Egypt of a stroke on May 4, 1991.
Legacy
Abdel Wahab was fundamental in establishing a new era of
Egyptian music in his homeland and across the Arab world. He also left a mark on the Western world by exposing Egyptian music to Western classical and popular traditions.
He composed
Libya, Libya, Libya, the Libyan national anthem.
Tribute
On March 13, 2012, Google celebrated his 110th birthday with a
Google Doodle.
Filmography
;As actor
* ''
The White Rose'' (1933)
* ''Doumou' el Hub'' (''Love's Tears'') (1936)
* ''
Yahya el Hub'' (''Long Live Love'') (1938)
* ''
Yawm Sa'id'' (''Happy Day'') (1939)
* ''Mamnou'a el Hub'' (''Love Is Forbidden'') (1942)
* ''
Rossassa Fel Qalb'' (''A Bullet in the Heart'') (1944)
* ''Lastu Mallakan'' (''I'm No Angel'') (1947)
* ''
Ghazal Al Banat'' (''The Flirtation of Girls'') (1949)
Honours
Egyptian national honours
Foreign honors
References
External links
*
Biography
Selected Mohammed 'Abd al-Wahhab compositions from YouTube Web site:
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdel Wahab, Mohammed
1901 births
1991 deaths
Egyptian male composers
20th-century Egyptian male singers
Egyptian nationalists
Musicians from Cairo
Singers from Cairo
Egyptian oud players
EMI Classics and Virgin Classics artists
20th-century Egyptian composers
Egyptian male film actors
National anthem writers
Singers who perform in Egyptian Arabic
Arabic-language singers of Egypt