Bambi heard this song on her Lebanese-American internet radio that plays French songs twice per day (for a whole hour). She cannot recall when precisely, today or was it yesterday? Anyhow, since then, it has been on her mind.
The song was written in 1989, a year before the end of a bloody 15-year civil war. Mr. Guy Béart visited Lebanon on a famous boat trip from France to show his solidarity with the civilians of his parents’ birth country.
Mr. Béart’ song is entitled “Liban Libre” [which means The Free Lebanon]. It is against war and violence. It is for peace, love, and especially for freedom in Lebanon and for its children. It also mentions the hospitality of Lebanon to the persecuted populations and it pays tribute to all the Lebanese war victims, “Christians and Muslims” (as per the song’s lyrics). Mr. Béart performed his song in both Paris and Beirut.
Many French artists have supported Lebanon during its civil war (and beyond). Thus, Bambi has always thought that Mr. Béart was a talented French songwriter and singer. Today, she learned that he was Lebanese too (born in Egypt): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_B%C3%A9art. His real name was “Guy Béhart-Hasson (originally spelled Béhar-Hassan)“. Indeed, his parents were “Jewish (of Shephardic Jewish assent)”, according to Wikipedia. As usual, it is moving to see the love of Lebanese people for their birth country (whomever they are or from wherever adoptive country they came from)!
Mr. Béart left our world in 2015 at age 85 (may his memory be eternal). Bambi does not know if he heard about the synagogue of Beirut before his death. It was renovated post-war (+ re-fixed after the surrealistic port blast of August 4, 2020). It is called the Maghen Abraham synagogue and it is beautiful, as you can see in 961 below.
The Jewish community is one of the 18 different religious-based communities of Lebanon. Before 1948, there were over 20,000 Lebanese families from this community, it seems. Today and tragically, there are just about 30 Jewish families left, most likely living discreetly (https://www.nouvelobs.com/rue89/rue89-rue89-culture/20091219.RUE4044/les-juifs-du-liban-une-partie-oubliee-de-l-histoire-du-pays.html) .
Anyhow, thanks to Mr. Béart for his beautiful song dedicated to his beloved Lebanon. Below you can listen to it and read the French lyrics, if you wish.
To conclude this post, what is both reassuring and moving is to witness the concern/respect of the younger Lebanese generations for the collective historical memory of their fellow citizens of Jewish faith. This memory is like a missing or weaker piece of the puzzle of their beautiful country, historically a land of pluralism and tolerance. For Bambi, all this gives her hope for both Lebanon and humanity…
Liban Libre
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Enfants libres
Libres enfants
E tous les martyrs
Chrétiens Musulmans
Avant de partir
Ont crié ce chant
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Enfants libres
Libres enfants
Toi qui nous montras
Tant d’humanité
Qui ouvris les bras
Aux déshérités
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Si ton rivage fraternel
A Dieu ne plaise allait mourir
Je ne crois pas que l’arc-en-ciel
Sur Terre pourra revenir
Pour qu’un beau jour le monde entier
Ne vive pas dans la terreur
Je ne dois jamais oublier
Le petit Liban au grand cœur
Qui offrit l’hospitalité
A tous les peuples poursuivis
De l’eau vive aux persécutés
De la vie
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Enfants libres
Libres enfants
Libre sur la mer
Libre sur les routes
Dans les cœurs ouverts
Et libre à Beyrouth
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Ah ya Loubnane
Ya salame ya zamane
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Enfants libres
Libres enfants
Tes montagnes pures
On les a salies
Avec les blessures
De l’argent folie
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Avec la drogue avec les armes
Au lieu des fruits de tes vallées
On fait de l’or on fait des larmes
On fait du sang avec du lait
On s’est même payé la corde
La corde pour être pendu
Payé pour la miséricorde
Et payé pour être vendu
Payé pour devenir esclave
Payé pour être massacré
Payé pour vivre dans les caves
Enterré
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Ton chant vivre
Vibre ton chant
Vibre dans nos cœurs
Vibre dans nos corps
Pour que le bonheur
Nous survive encore
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Ah ya Loubnane
Ya salame ya zamane
Ah ya Loubnane
Ya salame ya zamane
Que tous tes enfants
Avec l’harmonie
Du ciel et du temps
Retrouvent leur nid
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Levons le vert de l’espérance
Ensemble partout mieux qu’avant
Réunis pour la renaissance
Du monde en paix pour les enfants
Liban libre
Libre Liban
Ah ya Loubnane
Ya salame ya zamane
Ah ya Loubnane
Ya salame ya zamane
