Dear friends,

Here are 10 of the best and most iconic ancient/old-school Iranian songs:
1. Morq-e Sahar (Bird of Dawn): A powerful, historical political anthem often considered the unofficial national anthem of Iran’s artistic resistance.
2. Ey Iran (Oh Iran): A patriotic hymn written in 1944 that holds deep patriotic emotional value for many Iranians, acting as a historical national anthem.
3. Elaheyeh Naz (Goddess of Love) by Gholamhossein Banan: A deeply sentimental classical masterpiece, often hailed for its pure traditional melody.
4.Bordi Az Yadam (You Forgot Me) by Delkash and Vigen: A nostalgic, iconic song representing the “Golden Age” of Iranian popular music in the 1950s/60s YouTube.
5. Gole Yakh (Ice Flower) by Kourosh Yaghmaei: A defining, melancholy rock-ballad from the 1970s that bridged Western influence with Persian sentiment.
6. Soghati (Souvenir) by Hayedeh: An emotional anthem of homesickness and love, performed by one of Iran’s most revered female voices.
7. Jamal Jamaloo (Oh My Beloved): A traditional Shiraz folk song popularized in the 1950s that recently achieved global recognition.
8. Mard-e Tanha (The Lonely Man) by Farhad Mehrad: A haunting, atmospheric song that became a cultural mainstay.
9. Hamsafar (Companion) by Googoosh: A catchy pop song from the 1970s reflecting the modernizing, vibrant era of pre-revolutionary Iran.
10. Majnoon Naboudom (I Was Not a Madman) by Sima Bina: A traditional Khorasani folk song showcasing the deep roots of Iranian folk music.
These songs bridge the gap between classical Iranian poetry (Radif) and modern melodic forms, retaining their popularity across generations.

Ey Iran is an Iranian patriotic song, often regarded as the de facto national anthem of Iran. The music was composed by Ruhollah Khaleghi, and the lyrics were written by Hossein Gol-e-Golab. It was first performed by Gholam-Hossein Banan in 1944.

History

The anthem was created during World War II. In September 1941, Allied forces occupied Iran following the Anglo-Soviet invasion that overthrew Reza Shah. Hossein Gol-e-Golab was inspired to write a poem on Iranian nationalism when he saw Allied flags waving from an Iranian military barracks in Tehran, an image that strengthened his resolve to compose a patriotic piece reflecting Iranian spirit in spite of the occupation. According to Gol-e-Golab, a confrontation between a British soldier and an Iranian officer further encouraged him to write the poem. Khaleghi later set it to music, and Banan recorded the vocal performance.

Lời bài hát – Vietnamese translation from English

Oh Iran! Hỡi vùng đất trù phú!
Đất đai của Người nuôi dưỡng những bậc thầy hào phóng.
Phương pháp của kẻ thù hãy tránh xa Người

pNguyện cho Người trường tồn và vĩnh cửu.
Hỡi kẻ thù, nếu ngươi là đá, ta là thép.
Ta hi sinh cả đời mình vì mảnh đất cao quý của quê hương.

Điệp khúc:
Tình yêu của Người đã trở thành kim chỉ nam của con,
Tâm trí con không bao giờ xa Người.
Vì Người, cuộc đời con có thể vô giá trị và vô vọng,
Nguyện cho đất nước Iran trường tồn!

Những đỉnh núi của Người được tạo nên từ đá quý và châu báu,
Đất đai của Người giàu hơn vàng.
Hãy nói cho con biết con phải làm gì nếu thiếu tình yêu của Người?
Nếu tình yêu ấy rời khỏi trái tim con.
Trong khi vũ trụ và bầu trời xoay chuyển,
Ánh sáng thiêng liêng sẽ mãi soi đường cho chúng con.

Điệp khúc

Ôi Iran, hỡi mái ấm xinh đẹp của con!
Số phận con tươi sáng là nhờ Người.
Dù lửa có rơi xuống thân xác con,
Con vẫn sẽ hết lòng hân hoan với tình yêu của Người.
Con là nước và đất của tình yêu Người,
Nếu tình yêu rời bỏ con, trái tim con sẽ trở nên đất đá.

English translation

O Iran! O land of gems abound!
Thy soil nurtureth masters liberal.
Far be from Thee the enemies’ method;
May Thou remain lasting and eternal.
O enemy, if thou art of rock, I am of steel.
My life I sacrifice for my land’s noble soil.

Chorus:
Thy love hath become my lead,
My thoughts are never far from Thee.
For Thee my life worthless and hopeless may be,
May the land of Iran eternal be!

Thy peaks are of gems and jewels made,
Soil of Thy fields richer than gold.
Tell me what to do without Thy love?
If ever from my heart departed.
Whilst the universe and heavens wheel,
Forever shall the Divine Light lit our trail.

Chorus

O Iran, O my beautiful hearth!
Bright is my destiny because of Thee.
Even if fire on my body raineth,
Only shall I exult with Thy love heartily.
Of Thy love, water and Thine earth I am,
Should love depart, earthen shall my heart become.

Chorus

Below I have the clips of Ey Iran at Arash Fouladvand in Concert, April 29, 2022 in London, UK, and the clip by The Duke of Canada, for your enjoyment.

Phạm Thu Hương

o0o

Ey Iran – Arash Fouladvand in Concert
Live at the Wesminster Central HA, England
April 29, 2022 London

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Ey Iran – The Duke of Canada