Today's video from the backward, repressed Middle East...

[onager]

This one is from Dana. Since I'm still in Egypt, I often catch her videos on Melody-TV from Saudi Arabia...of all places.

http://www.viduz.com/view-H-66q42yhDJYI-T-DOUDOU+DANA%21%21+DANDUNA%21%21%21.php

[opiate69]

1. She's gorgeous! Very, very cool instrumentations as well...

A little more "pop" than my usual tastes, but definitely listenable/watchable.

[Warpy]

2. Funny you should mention that

The top of my hit parade these days is Rashid Taha.

For those who don't know him, he's an Algerian whose stuff is a fusion of rock, jazz and Arabic, with a dose of heavy metal thrown in. It's real jump music. If you can stay sitting down during it, you've got rocks in your socks---or a tin ear.

If he sang in any language but Arabic, he'd be a worldwide superstar.

http://www.viduz.com/search.php?search=Rachid+Taha&submit=submit

The quality is lousy, but you can get the idea.

[GregD]

3. Rachid Taha freaking rocks!

I can't believe how cool this cut is: rachid taha ala jalkoum

Where are these guys from? It looks like Rachid is from Algiers, but I can't tell from their web site where everyone else is from. http://rachidtaha.artistes.universalmusic.fr/ where everyone else is from.

What do you know about them? Have they been to the US? I'd love to see them.

[Warpy]

5. I know little about them beyond sleeve notes

I think the band is mostly Algerian-French.

You're right, this guy blew me away the first time I heard a cut on Beirut Nights streaming radio. Thank goodness the DJ was French and I could understand who did the cut.

They haven't been to the US and they're not likely to in the near future, given the anti Arab and anti French manufactured hysteria on the far right.

Like I said, if he sang in anything but Arabic (and a little French), he'd be the top rocker in the world.

[QC]

4. Why does she keep saying "doodoo"?

This isn't going to turn into a scat video, is it?

[onager]

6. Pun on her name, I think

Some of the lyrics, translated at the Arab Woman Progressive Voice blogspot. BTW, they refer to Dana as "the Arabic Britney Spears." And that's about the NICEST thing they say about her:

I'm Doudou and you'd better know who I am.
Everybody knows me, everybody is after me. I'm at your service, Pasha (sir)...

If you want to read their review of her, go here and page down to "Dana Strikes Again:"

http://arabwomanprogressivevoice.blogspot.com/search/label/Music

[devilgrrl]

7. I have to say, I like a lot of that Arabic pop music...

and you know that this is some of the cheesier stuff too. :wow: