Bambi is proud of herself. When Bill C-11 became law, as per the older post below, she predicted that Canada would want to go down the road of “regulating” (or rather controlling) what porn Canadians want to use online. When she shared this thought with her spouse, first he thought she was joking. Then, he teased her saying that she has a distorted brain.
Well, do no laugh please, because it turned out that our federal government does indeed perhaps want to import Canadian content quotas on the internet porn industry, according to the National Post (https://bit.ly/3LytRMV).
Can someone tell Bambi why Mr. Trudeau e al. want to decide what pornography we want to watch now? This is not just intrusive and controlling. This is apparently perverted too.
Thank Goodness, governments and their absurd regulations cannot get into people’s private gardens of sexual or non-sexual fantasies. We will always remain free to think, and even desire, either Canadian or non-Canadian content :). Whatever!
Today, Bambi was sad to learn about the death of a GREAT Lebanese song writer-singer and musician called Mr. Élie Choueri. What a loss for Lebanon and for the Arab world music. May his memory be eternal and may God know how to comfort the hearts of his family members and numerous fans!
Well, among ALL his fans, Bambi would like to extend her heart now to her own dad because he happens to know Mr. Choueiri. Yes, the world is often too small. They grew up together (not sure if they went to the same school in Beirut or was it just the same neighbourhood?). Those memories are old, that is before this artist’s impressive career. If Bambi’s memory is accurate, her dad once shared that Mr. Choueri has always been a fabulous singer with a beautiful voice. Indeed, he used to sing all the time, bringing joy to his peers (e.g., during summer jobs, etc.).
Mr. Choueri is a musical legend. He used to sing and play the oud (oriental guitar). Bambi cannot even dare to count his VERY famous patriotic songs. They all travelled well across the borders of tiny Lebanon. He also has a lovely song on love with a big L called “Ya Nass Hibo el Nass” [People, Love One Another] in addition to melodies about romantic love and so many different topics. He composed the music, and even wrote the lyrics, of songs for great Lebanese singers, including Fairuz, Majida el Roumi as well as the late Sabah and Wadih el Safi. He partnered with the Rahbani brothers in about 25 plays. WOW (https://bit.ly/3NBvjkd)!
If Bambi is not mistaken, we owe Mr. Choueri very famous songs he composed during the darkest civil war years as well as later patriotic songs about Lebanon in general and about a certain famous massacre in particular.
Among his many artistic creations, there is one melody that honours Egypt (i.e., Egyptian women). It is actually a song he composed, both music and lyrics, for Ms. Majida El Roumi. If she may, Bambi would like to pay tribute to Mr. Choueri with this beautiful Arabic song. An English translation, found online (https://bit.ly/42qPTYJ), will follow the song. To conclude, she will dedicate this melody to three readers: Louis, if he happens to be reading this post, because he likes it; and Fatma as well as Laila… They know why.
Thank you, Mr. Choueri, for your legacy. May your memory be eternal… ?.
“A brunette like the night and like the looks of the Sultan’s daughter
Her laugh is like happiness sailing over the
bays;
Like a morning where the sun plays
Like the dance of the winds into my dress.
From the joy of an eternal land, from the ring
tone of an oriental oud
Her light turning… her dancing moves… her
Egyptian dialect.
Leaves of wild flowers… wings of sea birds.
Night, silk and hospice…
And the russet lips say: I am Egyptian.
Like the land, it is warm and glorious;
Like the sun, it is old and young.
And she asks me: would you forget me?
Would you always remember my address?
I am all the ages of love; all the stars of
the East are on my sleeves.
The wind rug is on my hand and the magic
mirrors are in my eyelids.
I am the daughter of the Nile and the glamour
of the generations;
You can’t meet me but with beauty.
You can see me in the night moon, sea waves or
desert sun.
The have written me on the face of the world,
and translated me to all languages;
Bambi is blessed in life: she has two nephews and two nieces. No, her spouse and her did not have the opportunity to disturb this balance of sexes :).
One of Bambi’ nieces is Stéphanie and it is her birthday today!
What can she tell you about, Stéphanie? She is smart (heart-wise, not just mind). She is skilled in her field of training and work. Plus, she is gorgeous.
Bambi has vivid memories from the time she saw her niece about a year ago. They were both visiting their birth country at the same time. Despite being busy and lacking some sleep, Stéphanie insisted on waking up at 4 AM with Bambi to say a final good-bye, for just 15-20 minutes only, before her aunt took a cab to the airport and started her trip back home.
Have a wonderful birthday, Stéphanie! “Akbel el Mieh”! Joyeux Anniversaire ❤️!
Do you know Mr. Patrick Norman? If you don’t know him yet, hurry up! You are missing a beautiful voice, an incredible talent, an inspiring long career (he is 76-year-old now), and a wise yet forever youthful heart that he candidly puts into his bilingual songs.
Indeed, you do not have to be a fan of Canadian country music to enjoy Mr. Norman’s talent and skills in both singing and guitar playing (https://bit.ly/3VqaZ77). Yes, just simply let yourself be lulled to relaxation with his music, which is filled with deep yet simple lyrics.
Among Mr. Patrick Norman’s MANY beautiful songs, there is one that Bambi always enjoys listening to. This melody is a lovely reminder of how human hearts become magically lighter when they fall in love… So why don’t we take life’s rare opportunities of being loved, wonders this great artist? What are we afraid of? If you wish to, below you can listen to the French and English versions of his song.
To conclude this brief post with positive vibes, Bambi would like to wish Mr. Norman a smooth recovery from his heart surgery (https://bit.ly/3AKYQQK). Indeed, he underwent a surgery for a heart valve replacement this morning in Montreal. Thank Goodness, it went well and he is eager to resume his concerts of May 12 and 13 in Calypso, Jonquière, Québec. However, until then, may Mr. Norman take the needed time to rest and heal, even if he is ready to dance :). Indeed, as per the Journal de Québec (https://bit.ly/3AKYQQK), he wrote on his Facebook page the following note: “Hello everyone. Are you going to dance tonight? We’re going to go dancing, he asked his wife in his hospital room. Thanks everyone for your interest. I love you. I look forward to seeing you again”.
Sadly, the Senate has recently endorsed Bill C-11. Indeed, a few days ago, this bill received royal assent. This means it is officially law now (https://bit.ly/3nhC7sz).
What is ironic is that our federal government praises Bill C-11 as it will protect “Canadian content” on the internet. The latter may seem noble until we remember what our Prime Minister thinks of Canada: “a post-national country” in which “there is no core identity, no mainstream” (https://bit.ly/44mTIjx).
Bambi had an earlier post on Bill C-11, shown further below, and many more on similar legal authoritarian moves archived on this blog. Recently, Bambi signed a petition, by the Conservative Party of Canada, to try to kill the bill. Below she will share the thoughtful statement of Mr. Maxime Bernier, from the People’s Party of Canada, about this bill in both English and French.
To conclude this post, there is ONLY one song that comes to Bambi’s mind right now… Yes, it is Ms. Nana Mouskouri’s Liberty song.
Today is May 1st. Except in North America where labour is celebrated in early September, today is a worldwide day meant to honour workers and workers’ rights.
In France and in Bambi’s birth country, it is a public holiday; of note, the latter is shared by all the citizens because it is not a religious day off there. Anyhow, religious or not, this holiday falls on a Monday this year and it is always nice to have a long weekend, especially in the spring :).
Talking about spring, there is an old tradition in France, which consists of offering (or selling) a beautiful flower called lily of the valley, called “Muguet” in Molière’s beautiful language. According to legend, this custom began on May 1st, 1661. It all started when King Charles IX was offered a sprig of this small flower as a symbol of good luck.
A picture of a lily taken from the internet.
Today, Bambi has been lucky because, upon waking up, she received a beautiful virtual lily from her friend Greta :). She is also even luckier because she still has a robust olfactory memory of a lily forever associated with her mom who used to wear a lovely perfume called “Muguet“.
To Bambi’s mom and sisters, Greta, this blog’s readers, the world’s workers and volunteers, and to all those of us called Lily, may this day and the week ahead be a lucky one. If she may, Bambi would like to offer you all the following 1959-French song entitled “Le temps du muguet“. While preparing this blog, she learned that this melody was inspired by a Russian love song called “The Moscow’s nights“, which was composed in 1955 by Mr. Mikhail Matoussovski (lyrics) and Mr. Vassili Soloviov-Sedoï (music). Anyhow, may you be safe, happy, and if you happen to be having bad moments on this May 1st, may you keep hope for better days alive, despite the challenges. Yes, today’s sunset will bring you the promise of a new dawn. With the latter, a renewed hope.
Thank Goodness, music is eternal. So is the memory of Mr. Gregory Lemarchal in the hearts of his faithful fans, not just in France, despite his short artistic career.
If she may, Bambi would like to pause today with all your fans, Mr. Lemarchal, to honour your memory. She will do so by first sharing a moving yet beautiful message by your mom, Ms. Laurence Lemarchal, on Instagram [French content]. Bambi discovered the latter, thanks to Télé-Loisirs (https://bit.ly/44hsn2c). Last but not least, this post will end with your own pure voice.
Thank you, dear Gregory Lemarchal, for having touched the lives of so many people with your beautiful voice and postmortem through your foundation’s work (https://bit.ly/44hsn2c) on cystic fibrosis. For those who are not familiar with this health condition, it is an inherited disorder, which results in severe damage to not just the lungs, but also the digestive system and other bodily systems and organs.
The good news about cystic fibrosis is that, although it is progressive, people living with it can attend school and work too. Through more and more refined screening and daily health care, their quality of life has improved dramatically over the past decades. Many live a longer life than Gregory, into their late 40s, 50s, and maybe even beyond (https://mayocl.in/44djtCH). We can offer people with cystic fibrosis increased hope through better treatments, care, support, and quality of life. This is in line with the essence of the mission of Mr. Lemarchal’s foundation. Long life to it!
Today, Bambi does not have anything specific to write about despite reflecting on more than a topic. However, she does not want this day to end without expressing the following thought: Ms. Ginette Reno, we are so lucky to have a GREAT artist like you. Your voice is like a sunshine for Bambi’s heart.Thanks for existing. Happy belated birthday! C’est à votre tour de vous laisser parler d’amour, Madame Reno ❤️!
Bambi discovered this version of the eternal “Et si tu n’existais pas?” song yesterday while listening to a Lebanese-American internet radio. She was intrigued by the voice and made a quick search on Youtube. She would like to share the song with you.
The group is called Made in KZ and this is the translation of its description: “Made in KZ is a symbiosis of world hits, velvet vocals and age-old dombra sound! Our mission is to introduce the Kazakh folklore to the world, to promote the national values and ideology of the Kazakh people! [“гр.Made in KZ – это симбиоз мировых хитов,бархатного вокала и векового звучания домбры! Наша миссия заключается в том,чтобы познакомить мир с казахским фольклором,пропагандировать национальные ценности и идеологию Казахского народа!]”.
Kazakh people are Turkic-speaking people of Central Asia, living mainly in Kazakhstan and the nearby parts of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China (https://bit.ly/40Zx4ed). As per Britannica (https://bit.ly/40Zx4ed), “the Kazakhs emerged in the 15th century from an amalgam of Turkic tribes who entered Transoxiana about the 8th century and of Mongols who entered the area in the 13th century“. Of note, according to Statistics Canada (2021), about 1415 Canadians reported speaking Kazakh, which is a Turkic language (https://bit.ly/3NmRRoC).
Bearing the above in mind, Bambi is lucky because she once randomly met one of these Turkic- fellow citizens in Toronto, Ontario. If her memory is accurate (after about 19-20 years), the encounter was with one of the sweetest salesperson she has ever met. This lady asked Bambi, while closing a transaction, if she was born in Canada. Bambi replied that she actually was born in Beirut, Lebanon and asked: Do you know this place? The lady said no. Then, Bambi said: It is in the the Western part of Asia. Do you know the Middle East? The lady said no. Bambi thought to herself. Maybe her birth country is too tiny. She asked her if she knows Israel or Syria; Lebanon’s famous neighbours. She said no. Well, Bambi replied then: “Lucky you; you do not know neither Israel nor Syria” :). With all due respect to all the world’s beautiful countries including the two latter, Bambi’s joke stemmed from the fact that back then Lebanon was occupied by its two powerful neighbours. Anyhow, that fun interaction stopped there with mutual smiles, thank you, and a good-bye.
You can guess that when Bambi discovered this talented singer and her two musicians, she recalled the incident reported above. If she may, she wants to dedicate this song to this fellow Canadian citizen, to the Made in KZ artists, and through them to all the people with a Kazakh ancestry, including those back home and around the world.
It is hard to imagine you dead, Mr. Samy Khayat. Your memory will SURELY be eternal…
Bambi just read the sad news in L’Orient Le Jour (https://bit.ly/3Av1QRa). What a loss for Lebanon. Ouf. Her heart goes to your wife Nayla (your colleague as well), family, friends, team, and fans, not just in Lebanon, but also abroad, especially in France and in the entire Francophonie.
You were an integral part of our childhood and youth. You were a lighthouse of creativity with much humour and lovely music, which served as an artistic uprising against war and against warlords.
People literally risked their lives under the shelling to go to the theatre for your performances. They/We sang your songs or advertisements on TV. We all laughed to your satiric jokes.
You gave innocent people caught in the middle of fire a therapeutic space where they just laughed at the absurdity and cruelty of a long bloody civil war, which stole years of their lives (when it did not literally steal the latter or their loved ones).
Since 1960, and according to L’Orient Le Jour (https://bit.ly/3Av1QRa), you created and produced over 62 satiric shows in what you called “franbanais” (French and Lebanese-Arabic).
You also wrote and published several books in French.
L‘Orient Le Jour (https://bit.ly/3Av1QR) reminded us of your beautiful words: “Writers express themselves in writing, painters in painting. As far as I am concerned, I express myself in laughing” [ “Les écrivains s’expriment en écrivant, les peintres en peignant. Quant à moi, je m’exprime en riant“].
You were highly educated: law, political science, modern languages and linguistics (Université Saint-Joseph et École des lettres de Beyrouth).
Not only you cared for arts and people. You also cared for animals, presiding the Lebanese Society for the Protection of Animals (https://bit.ly/3Av1Q).
Of note, in 2020, you received the prestigious Medal of the French Order of Arts and Letters, at the rank of officer. Wow. You made your Lebanon so proud!
To conclude this post, Bambi cannot recall when precisely she listened to your last interview on her favourite Lebanese-American internet radio while working. It seems to her that this took place only a few months or maybe even weeks ago. You made her smile and laugh several times up until the last minute of the interview. Thank you for those fun yet inspiring moments.
For the readers who may be interested in remembering or discovering you, Bambi found a YouTube brief English Al-Monitor documentary (2019) about your career, along with a great interview with you. It is entittled “Samy Khayat: Lebanon’s Culture Comic“. It is filled with wisdom as well as humour.
May you rest in peace… May your memory be eternal, DEAR Mr. Samy Khayat ❤️.
