Known as the hero of the renaissance of Arab music, Egyptian singer and composer Sayed Darwish shines as a pioneer in the artistic realm, leaving a broad legacy that generations of musicians and singers have drawn inspiration from. Through his musical compositions and voice, he profoundly impacted the Arab music world.
Born and raised in a humble working-class family, he was enrolled in a religious school at his father’s request to receive a religious education and memorize the Quran. After a few years he joined a public school, where his musical talent began to surface, thanks to the guidance of one of his teachers who recognized the latent talent within him.
The twists of fate in his life played a pivotal role in his discovery and widespread recognition. Forced to shoulder the responsibility for his family after his father’s death, leaving them without financial resources, Darwish took on various jobs, including working as a construction worker. His humming of songs during work caught the attention of music industry professionals, notably the brothers Salim and Amin Atallah, who were impressed by his voice. They offered him to join their band bound for the Levant, an opportunity Darwish promptly embraced.
Undoubtedly, his artistic journey was fraught with challenges. But it was his exceptional talent in creating musical masterpieces and his brilliant voice that enabled him to overcome obstacles and establish an enduring legacy.
Throughout this extensive journey he met people from all walks of life, including many women. These encounters with the opposite sex significantly impacted his artistic career. Some of the women who crossed his path inspired him to write and compose dozens of songs that continue to be celebrated in the history of romantic melodies. Each melody of those songs carried a unique story leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of many.
Sayed Darwish married for the first time at the young age of sixteen, but as he grew older more women entered his life. In one of his songs he is believed to refer to a girl named “Ferdous” he met while working as a singer on the stages of Alexandria.
But his heart not only became entangled with Ferdous but also with a woman called Radwan. Whenever he had a disagreement with one, he sought solace with the other, and vice versa. There came a time when both left him, and all alone he was writhing in pain from the abandonment.
The story goes that one night, consumed by alcohol and drugs, he was overwhelmed with a burning longing for Ferdous. In an attempt to seek forgiveness and reconciliation, he went to her house, but she refused to forgive him due to his involvement with his second lover. He swore that she held the primary place in his heart and thoughts, but Ferdous demanded proof in the form of a song that had never been heard before. He immediately sang: “O people, I died in love and many angels held me accountable.” The song concluded with the final verse, serving as his plea, saying: “They told me to go to the Garden of Radwan, I chose the Garden of Ferdous.”
Another melody was dedicated to a woman named Jalila, whom he loved deeply and eventually married. She became his muse, inspiring his compositions and singing. However, when she left him for a jeweler in Alexandria, Darwish, feeling angered, contemplated seeking revenge through his music. This marked a unique form of revenge in a lyrical musical style. He channeled his emotions into some of his most beautiful songs like Ana Hwyt W Aintahit and Dayaeat Mustaqbal Hayaati Fi Hawak.
He also met a woman called Hayat Sabry “Aisha Abdel-Al” in one of the musical bands. She sang some of his operettas, and it is rumored that he secretly married her.
Numerous stories and anecdotes affirm that these emotional relationships and the pain of abandonment led him to drug abuse during a period of his life. Despite the challenges he faced during his addiction, he managed to get and stay clean.
While Darwish’s struggles were painful and perplexing for people of the time, the songs born from these experiences in his short life, undoubtedly hold a special place in the hearts of lovers.
