An Arabian nightingale is still in vogue - just ask Google

The legacy of legendary Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez is finally being acknowledged, and appreciated, by the rest of the world.

'Ahwak, wa atmana law ansak, ansa rohy wayak ..." roughly translates to "I love you, and I wish I can forget you, and forget my soul with you ..."
I say "roughly" because there are no exact English words to reflect the emotion captured in these lines. There are so many ways to say love in Arabic. "Ahwak" is more than just love, it is related to sadness, the soul and air.
These are the first few lines to one of the Arab's world most romantic songs, Ahwak, sung by one of its most famous crooners, Abdel Halim Hafez, who was appropriately dubbed "al andaleeb al asmar" - the tan nightingale.
We were reminded of this tragic figure this week when Google decided to celebrate his birthday, June 21, with a black and white "Google Doodle" of him on its main search page.
Facebook and Twitter were filled with comments about his music, with YouTube posts of his films and songs. Women remembered their crushes on the man who often played the shy romantic hero in the golden age of Egyptian cinema.
He was one of my favourites, and I also liked one of his co-stars, Soad Hosny, the "Cinderella of Egyptian cinema", who was rumoured to have married him in secret. On his birthday, June 21, 2001, she was found dead on the pavement below her building. And, like in many love stories, despite a dispute over whether her death was murder or suicide, most are inclined to believe that she killed herself over Hafez.
The reminder that appeared on Google's main page certainly inspired me and others, and I went looking for my old collection of cassettes and replayed Ahwak on my Walkman. I also realised that I probably have to update my music collection, seeing as other Arab singers' cassettes are gathering dust.
Hafez remains one of Egypt's legendary singers alongside greats like Umm Kulthum and Mohammed Abdel Wahab. It is refreshing to see a major western company such as Google paying attention to the Arab world in a cultural sense, instead of just focusing on oil and politics. On May 27, there was also a colourful doodle of Ibn Khaldoun, the influential Muslim scholar from Tunis, celebrating his 678th birthday. Some of us couldn't help but Google for more information, which might explain the search engine's grand plan.
Recently, there have been several Arab-related Doodles, covering Saudi Arabia's national day and Jordan's independence, in addition to events with an international significance like the moon eclipse on June 15.
But sometimes creativity can be misinterpreted. Google's celebration of the 117th birthday of the choreographer Martha Graham - with an animated doodle showing a woman dancing to create the Google logo - outraged Saudi newspaper columnists, who thought the image depicted a woman covered in an abaya taking off her clothes.
With the Arab Spring in the air, some believe that now Arabs are in vogue. I feel we never went out of vogue, even when struggling with political and economic problems; people sang, they joked and lived life to the fullest.
I have heard many non-Arabs, who have moved to the region and remained for decades, say they somehow fell in love with the culture despite its many peccadilloes.
Perhaps I am a little biased, but there is something special about the Arabian culture, especially when you get to know the history and people within the natural setting.
Since I come from a mixed background of Arab and European roots, it is always fun listening to the impressions some family members have of their Arab relatives. "It is all or nothing with you, and always drama and passion," one French relative often says. He also listens to Umm Kulthum songs, even though he may not understand all the words.
Like the rest of the world, we have our artists, scientists, warriors, leaders and villains. It is nice to see a non-violent figure remembered for a change. Sometimes we need a reminder of our own history, and thanks to a doodle by Google, many will be inspired to look through our own archives - even our cassette collections - and remember the songs and the stories that once touched us.
 
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