By Severin
“This is a land known by two names. The first is Persia, ancient, mysterious, a place of adventure. Of mighty temples and palaces built by powerful kings. A land of unimaginable beauty. The other is Iran. Isolated, proud, defiant, especially of foreign interference.” – From the BBC documentary series The Art Of Persia
It has of course also been a land of democracy. But in 1953 the CIA helped organise a coup against Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister, Muhammad Mosaddegh because he nationalised Iran's oil industry. And so they found themselves with a Shah. Who provoked a revolution. Which gave them the situation we have today.
I won't go over the Landlord's introduction to the topic here and I won't attempt any kind of chronological account of Iran/Persia's musical heritage. This playlist, like any other, is of songs that seem (to me) to flow from one to the next and, hopefully, paint some kind of picture of Persian/Iranian music, old and new. I hope you enjoy them. Feel free to correct any mistakes in spelling, history or attribution.
The list starts with, probably, one of the earliest recordings of Iranian music, which may have been taken from an old 78 record before being put onto a compilation CD in the Secret Music of Mankind series. It's by Iran Dowleh Helen according to the blurb beneath the YT video.
Then we move on many years to a beautiful performance by Mahsa Vahdat. One of the songs she recorded for a whole album of a cappella recordings in 2016. See also the B-list.
There was much discussion this week of Iranian films and the songs and music they feature. The one here is in the film It Was Just an Accident or A Simple Accident (the translation varies) and is by Sadegh Booghi and Soor. In the film a man is annoyed by his daughter's enthusiastic dancing to this popular “Uncle Dasegh” number. The film was only released in the UK last year and was one of my favourites of the year.
I haven't included a great deal of Western music with Persian influences but I could not resist a traditional Persian song performed live by Dead Can Dance, with their regular vocalist Lisa Gerrard singing it. A song that only features on a live album.
I have used the names Manouchehr, Toofan, Nasser as they were described on YT as the performers of the next pick, although the nominator found them listed as Tufan, Monochehar, Naser. At any rate they were one of the Iranian pop groups that thrived in the 1970s before the revolution. Described variously as funky, jazzy and “psych pop” they sport some impressive afros on the record cover. Date of release is some time between 1972 and 1978. Probably.
There were a few nominations for recordings (and videos) by the controversial Iranian rapper Sasy. In the end I went with the first one nommed but they are all worth your time. Equal parts political satire and sexual provocation. One of the Persian language comments beneath the video translates as” “With the direction Sasi is going, the music video should be uploaded to Pornhub next year.“ I wouldn't go that far but another of his videos does feature an actual American porn star.
More modernist Iranian musical culture with some "brutalist, computer-generated, poly-rhythmic and maximalist sounds" courtesy of Sote; the recording name used by Ata Ebtekar. I was advised to turn up the volume for this one but I think it makes its impact at any level.
After which a bit of peaceful, contemplative music is definitely in order. Trio Chemirani is a renowned Persian classical music ensemble formed in 1988, consisting of three members from the Chemirani family. They specialise in Persian percussion of the more traditional kind, particularly the zarb.
Mahan Mirarab is a guitarist, born in Tehran but now based in Austria. He plays guitar both the conventional and fretless type, and does so both here and in another song on the b list. Lovely, laid back jazz rock which also features a beautiful, talented singer.
Erfan Tahmasbi is from a town called Ahvaz, near the border with Iraq. He is known for including sections of the much loved epic Persian poem The Shahnameh (by the 10-11th century poet Ferdowsi) in his songs.
A couple of protest songs here. Firstly one from Parastoo Ahmadi, a dissenting voice who has been arrested for not wearing the hijab, although the charges were eventually dropped after mass protests. And another rapper, Toomaj, who, unlike Sasy doesn't taunt the authorities with displays of sexuality but has been imprisoned, beaten and tortured for “propaganda against the state”.
Googoosh is one of the best known and loved Iranian singers. She is a long-standing opponent of the current regime and left Iran in 2000 but currently is still performing. She has stated recently though that she intends to stop singing until her people are free again.
Zia Atabay is another Iranian female singer who has left the country of her birth. First for Europe and then the USA. The song here was found on a compilation called Pomegranates: Persian pop, funk, folk and psych of the 60s and 70s. And is pretty darn swinging and groovy.
The Kamkars feature on this list and also twice on the B-list. You may have noticed a pattern emerging. I think they're worth it. Lovely performance here from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony honouring Shirin Abadi.
The Tar player Sehtareh Ahmadi is seen here playing her own beautiful composition in Istanbul in 2024. A number of exiled Persians have made their home there. Her skill is quite mesmerising.
And we end with the late Mohammadreza Sharjarian (1940-2020). He had a long career and was one of the few singers to obtain permission to continue singing after the 1979 revolution. This one is an eight-minute epic and one of his most popular songs.
A-List Playlist:
Iran Doweih Helen - Byyatt Turk (TarquinSpodd)
Mahsa Vahdat – The Leili Lullaby (ajostu)
Sadegh Booghi and Soor – Ow Ow (pejepeine)
Dead Can Dance – Persian Love Song (vanwolf2)
Manouchehr, Toofan, Nasser – Dagh Boseh (SweetHomeAlabama)
Sasy – Marmoolak (SongBarLandlord)
Sote (aka Ata Ebtekar) – JNGLGHRSSPXHYRCANIA (TarquinSpodd)
Trio Chemirani (feat Omar Sosa & Ballaké Sissoko) – Azadeh (magicman)
Mahan Mirarab (vocal - Golnar Shahyar) – Say Your Most Beautiful Word (ajostu)
Erfan Tahmasbi – Bandari (magicman)
Parastoo Ahmadi - Az Khoon-e Javanan-e Vatan / From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland (Marconius7)
Toomaj – Maa Hanooz Zendeim (Marconius7)
Googoosh - Talag (pejepeine)
Zia – Helelyos (Nicko)
The Kamkars - Ghasem Kahn (Nicko)
Sargashteh - Sehtareh Amahdi (magicman)
Mohammadreza Sharjarian – Bote Chin (magicman)
B-List Playlist:
Trio Cheminari – Atash (Nicko)
Niaz Narwab – Darya (Nicko)
The Kamkars - Legend of Scheherazade (Nicko)
Nikolai Rimski Korsakov – Voice of Scheherazade (Nicko)
Mahan Mirarab – Unspoken (ajostu)
Mahsa Vahdat – The Sun Rises (ajostu)
Liraz – Zan Bizan (SongBarLandlord)
The Kamkars – Dekay Ambar Dekay Auber (magicman)
Omnadie – Labyrinth (magicman)
Faramarz Payvar and Hoseyn Tehrani – Zard-E Malije (Nicko)
Kourosh Yaghmaei – Leila (Nicko)
Mahsa Vahdat & Skruk - The Tyrants WIll Lose (ajostu)
John Fahey – In a Persian Market (Uncleben)
Anouar Brahem – Persepolis's Mirage (Nilpferd)
Hafez Modirzadeh – Facet Fourteen (ajostu)
Al Di Meola – Isfahan (BanazirGalbasi)
Guru’s Wildcard Picks:
Three songs from Iranian films and one that isn't, as far as I know.
Deyar by Shahram Shabpareh from Hit The Road
Arezooha by Mohammed Nouri and Sogand by Hayedeh both from My Favourite Cake
Ghorobe by Giti, Iranian singer of the 60s and 70s. I genuinely can't remember how I found this one. But I like it.
Parastoo Ahmadi
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: Another Iran: songs from or about Persian culture. The next topic will launch on Thursday after 1pm UK time.
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