Artist: Zoe Viccaji
Song: Ishq Kanaara and Uskudar’a Gider Iken – Love’s haven — عشق کنارہ
Featuring: Sumru Ağıryürüyen
Lyricist: Sabir Zafar
Language: Urdu & Turkish
Song Info:
In connecting musical roots, Zoe Viccaji brings her version of a melody that has traveled across the globe in many forms to now be presented as ‘Ishq Kinara’. She had heard the song in its Turkish equivalent – ‘Üsküdar’a Gider İken’ – and upon delving into the origin of the song, was inspired by not only the melody but the universality of its tune in the way that it has been reinvented in many different cultures across the globe. Given the driving inspiration behind Zoe’s connection with the melody was in her Turkish experience of the song, the composition was bridged with the vocals of Sumru Ağıryürüyen bringing the traditional Turkish song to the fold lending a link to its root. Sumru states that while ‘Üsküdar’a Gider İken’ stems from the old, Anatolian neighborhood of Üsküdar in Istanbul, the Turkish version’s roots connect even further to several other countries – Bosnia, Scotland and beyond. This fact was further confirmed by members of L’Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio in Rome, Italy, who had heard versions of the same melody. The Turkish version of the song primarily dealt with the theme of the despair caused by Loss in the name of Love, however Zoe, in connecting with the song personally, lyrically made her version about the idea of independence and self-realization in the name of Loss. ‘Ishq Kinara’ talks of the last moment of vulnerability as a relationship is severed, and looks on to being complete within one’s Self after the Loss. With an upbeat mixed canvas of instrumentation from Italy, Turkey, Morocco and Pakistan, the song becomes Pakistan’s version of the mysterious melody.
Song Credits:
L’Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio
MARIO TRONCO | Italy – Artistic Director
EMANUELE BULTRINI | Italy – Guitars
PEPPE D’ARGENZIO | Italy – Sax
ERNESTO LOPEZ MATURELL | Cuba – Drums
OMAR LOPEZ VALLE | Cuba – Trumpet
PINO PECORELLI | Italy – Basses
LEANDRO PICCIONI | Italy – Piano and Keyboards
PAP YERI SAMB | Senegal – Percussion
RAUL SCEBBA | Argentina – Percussion
KAW DIALY MADI SISSOKO | Senegal – Kora
ZIAD TRABELSI | Tunisia – Oud
Babar Ali Khanna | Dholak
Göksel Baktagir | Kanun
Kamran ‘Mannu’ Zafar | Bass
Hassan El Khouni | Darbooka
Backing Vocal
Rachel Viccaji
Dhol Group
Babar Ali Khanna
Zeeshan Haider
Irfan Ali
Salman Javed
Download Mp3!
Watch video song below:
Lyrics:
Üsküdar’a gider iken aldı da bir yağmur
euskedudara gider iken alda da bir ya’moor
On the way to Uskudara, it suddenly started to rain
Kâtibimin setresi uzun eteği çamur
kaatibimin setresi uzun ete’i chamur
My handsome katib’s coat was long, and its hem became muddy
Kâtibimin setresi uzun eteği çamur
kaatibimin setresi uzun ete’i chamur
My handsome katib’s coat was long, and its hem became muddy
عشق کنارہ تو تھا یارا
‘ishq kanaarah tu tha yaara
You were my shore, my beloved
عشق کنارہ تو
‘ishq kanaarah tu
You were my shore
دیکھ کے تجھ کو زندہ تھی میں
dekh ke tujh ko zinda thi main
I lived for the sight of you
نین نظارہ تو
nain nazaarah tu
The very vision of my eyes was you
میری ساری تنہائی میں پیار سہارا تو
meri saari tanhaai men pyaar sahaara tu
In all my loneliness, my one hope of love was you
عشق کنارہ تو تھا یارا
‘ishq kanaarah tu tha yaara
You were my shore, my beloved
عشق کنارہ تو
‘ishq kanaarah tu
You were my shore
عشق کنارہ تو تھا یارا
‘ishq kanaarah tu tha yaara
You were my shore, my beloved
عشق کنارہ تو
‘ishq kanaarah tu
You were my shore
میں تیری باتوں میں کھو جاتی تھی
main teri baaton men kho jaati thi
In your words, I would lose myself
پھر تیرے جیسے ہی ہو جاتی تھی
phir tere jaise hi ho jaati thi
Lose all sense of myself until there was nothing but you
سپنے تیرے اوڑھے سو جاتی تھی
sapne tere oṛhe so jaati thi
I would go to sleep wrapped in your dreams
جانے کھونے سے میں کیا پاتی تھی
jaane khone se main kya paati thi
I wonder what I would gain by losing myself in you?
کچے دھاگوں جیسے یہ ناتے ہیں
kacche dhaagon jaise yih naate hain
The bond between us is like a fragile thread
پر لگتے ہی پنچھی اڑ جاتے ہیں
par lagte hi panchhi uṛ jaate hain
As soon as they grow wings, birds leave their nest
جیون میں یہ لمحے کیوں آتے ہیں
jeewan men yih lamhe kyoon aate hain
Why is life filled with these flimsy moments?
کیا یہ سوچا جیتا یا ہارا تو
kya yih socha jeeta ya haara tu
Have you ever thought whether you won or lost?
کتنا جاگی سوئی عشق اندر میں
kitna jaagi soyi ‘ishq andar main
I passed restless nights in the path of love
ہنستے ہنستے روئی عشق اندر میں
hanste hanste royi ‘ishq andar main
My laughter turned to tears in the path of love
اب آ کے کھوئی ہوں عشق اندر میں
ab aa ke khoyi hoon ‘ishq andar main
I’ve now lost myself in the path of love
Üsküdar’a
euskeudara
Uskudara
Üsküdar’a
euskeudara
Uskudara
Üsküdar’a
euskeudara
Uskudara
Üsküdar’a gider iken aldı da bir yağmur
euskeudara gider iken alda da bir ya’moor
On the way to Uskudara, it suddenly started to rain
Kâtibimin setresi uzun eteği çamur
kaatibimin setresi uzun ete’i chamur
My handsome kaatib’s coat is long, and its hem became muddy
eteği çamur
ete’i chamur
Its hem became muddy
eteği çamur
ete’i chamur
Its hem became muddy
عشق کنارہ تو
‘ishq kanaarah tu
You were my shore
عشق کنارہ تو
‘ishq kanaarah tu
You were my shore
عشق کنارہ تو
‘ishq kanaarah tu
You were my shore
