The year that punk broke | Haba Fouk We Haba Taht (1974)

May 26, 2024

Still from the 1974 film "Al-Fatina Wal-Sa'look"

"A Little Bit Up, A Little Bit Down" was, according to the singer himself and those who appreciated him, "a sincere comment on class disparities resulting from Egypt's economic opening." However, some of Ahmed's critics deemed the song "nonsense" and the singer himself, in the words of one journalist, "a foul outcome of the infitah, not one of the phenomenon's most astute observers."

Ahmed releases another three 45 RPM 7" singles in 1974; he also cameoes in two films and likely releases two cassettes through Sout El Hob.

Mohamad al-Masri, who wrote 1973's "Aha Ahu," pens his first huge hit for Ahmed, "Haba Fouk We Haba Taht," the first of the three 1974 discs listed by Discogs,

As Andrew Simon explains, "A Little Bit Up, A Little Bit Down" was, according to the singer himself and those who appreciated him, "a sincere comment on class disparities resulting from Egypt's economic opening." However, some of Ahmed's critics deemed the song "nonsense" and the singer himself, in the words of one journalist, "a foul outcome of the infitah [economic opening], not one of the phenomenon's most astute observers."

حبه فوق وحبه تحت

البدر ساكن فوق وانا اللي ساكن تحت

بصيت لفوق بشوق مال قلبي وانجرح

ياهل الله ياللي فوق طب طلوا على تحت

والا خلاص اللي فوق مش داري باللي تحت

طب حبه حبه فوق وحبه حبه تحت

نظره نظره فوق ونظره نظره تحت

ياللي فوق

شباكها بالستاير ومزينه بعنبايه

وقفص فيه طير وحاير بيفكرني بحكايه

حكاية قلب حب والشوق حاكم عليه

بنظره عين يحب ولاحد يحس بيه

ياهل الله ياللي فوق طب طلوا على تحت

والا خلاص اللي فوق مش داري باللي تحت

طب حبه حبه فوق وحبه حبه تحت

نظره نظره فوق ونظره نظره تحت

ياللي فوق

The song, which I would think could also be translated "Some Above, Some Below," is strong enough to get Ahmed a star turn in the 1974 film Al-Fatina Wal-Sa'look, where he lip-syncs to the track while ladling what one imagines is ful or another cheap Cairo eat for a crowd on the street. It's the first of what will be some three dozen film appearances for the singer over the years.

Andrew Simon again: "'A Little Bit Up, A Little Bit Down' ... revolves around a man and a woman who resides above him ... . Adaweya plays the part of the man, who glances up at the "gorgeous" girl only to have his flirtatious gestures unrequited. 'Oh, people upstairs,' he singer pleads, 'go on and look at who is below, or is the up not aware of who is down anymore?'"

Three versions of this single are released; two from Sout El Hob and one from the French label Chandor.

The B Side, simply titled "Mawwal" on the Sout El Hob Release becomes "Ya Naghma" on the Chandor. It's a short, sonically freaky track that employs subtle bursts of organ and a layer of reverb on Ahmed's voice.

My Sout El Hob copy is trashed, but I've ripped it for completion's sake; listen below. Or save your ears and scroll down to hear my copy of the Chandor.