Ya Rayah

Ya Rayah (يا الرايح) is a song written and recorded around 1973 by the Algerian Chaabi singer, Dahmane el Harrachi. Its lyrics speak of the pain and longing involved in emigrating from ones native homeland to a foreign and strange country.

Whilst El Harrachi was referring to leaving his native Algeria for France, the universal appeal of his words have seen the song covered by many artists of different nationalities. Here's a pick of some of my favourites...

Goran Bregovic's arrangement for Greek singer George Dalaras, fellow Algerian Rachid Taha's famous adaptation from 1998, as well as a brilliant interpretation by the Israeli group, Orchestre Andalou D'Israel.



Ya Rayah
Dahmane El Harrachi
from Le Chaabi - Volume I (1973)




Ki An Se Thelo
George Dalaras with Goran Bregovic
from Thessaloniki - Yannena with Two Canvas Shoes (1997)






Ya Rayah
Rachid Taha
from Diwan (1998)




Ya Rayah
Orchestre Andalou D'Israel with Emil Zirhan
from Maghreb I (2000)