memri
February 22, 2012 Special Dispatch No. 4515

Egyptian Revolution Songs: Songwriter/Performer Ramy Essam Sings: 'Bread, Freedom, Social Justice'; Rappers Protest the 'Lies of the Military' against Backdrop of Graphic Images of Security Force Brutality

February 22, 2012
Egypt | Special Dispatch No. 4515

Following are excerpts from the lyrics of a music video titled "Bread, Freedom," performed by Ramy Essam, which was posted on the Internet on September 26, 2011, and from the music video "Liars" by Revolution Records, which shows graphic images of Egyptian security force brutality against demonstrators, and was posted on the Internet on January 26, 2012.

Egyptian Revolution Songs - Egyptian Songwriter/Performer Ramy Essam Sings: "Bread, Freedom, Social Justice"


Titles: "Bread, Freedom"

"Ramy Essam, the Voice of Egypt"

Lyrics: "Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"In the Egyptian dialect, 'bread' means 'life.'

"Egyptians have lived their civilization for years.

"If the Nile shall run dry,

"the Egyptians will water it with their sweat.

"In the Egyptian dialect, 'bread' means 'life.'

"Egyptians have lived their civilization for years.

"If the Nile shall run dry,

"Some day it will overflow and pay its debt.

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Earning a living is for the rich,

"for the peasant, and for the worker.

"Earning a living, not by servitude,

"and all [other] rights will follow.

"Earning a living is for the rich,

"for the peasant, and for the worker.

"Earning a living, not by servitude.

"We will take it – even by force.

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"When you say the word 'freedom,'

"you must raise your hand up high.

"Freedom is earning a living,

"followed by all rights.

"When you say the word 'freedom,'

"you must raise your hand up high.

"Freedom is earning a living.

"We will take it – even by force.

"We will take it – even by force.

"We will take it – even by force.

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice

"Bread, freedom, social justice"

Title: "Egypt – one nation."

Egyptian Revolution Songs - Rappers Protest the "Lies of the Military" Against Backdrop of Graphic Images of Security Force Brutality

Title: "Revolution Records"

"Thawragya"

"Liars"

Lyrics: "We reject the lies of the military.

"They say nothing but lies.

"Our dissent gets us killed or thrown into prison.

"Nothing has changed. Rise up, Egyptians.

"We reject the lies of the military.

"They say nothing but lies.

"Our dissent gets us killed or thrown into prison.

"Nothing has changed. Rise up, Egyptians.

"Our dissent gets us killed or thrown into prison.

"Nothing has changed. Rise up, Egyptians.

"You know that I know that you're the one in trouble.

"What will you do to a people that has become a patient by nature?

"Keep lying from now till tomorrow.

"Turn the revolution into a distant memory.

"Kill us one by one, but I dare you to kill the idea.

"You've been exposed as liars.

"You've been caught red-handed.

"Blood soils your hands, you collaborators.

"Many of us are locked up, but we are content,

"while you hide behind your lies.

"Which one of us is the prisoner now?

"No one protected the revolution, but it is stronger than you.

"You saw that it was likely to win, so you extended your hand to harm it.

"Every oppressor comes to an end, and your turn is coming soon.

"Call me 'a word of truth' in the face of every dictator.

"In the midst of darkness, I'll be a ray of light.

"I will be a word of truth flying above you like an eagle.

"You will find me standing up against every mistake you make.

"You will find me shouting into the microphone:

"We reject the lies of the military.

"They say nothing but lies.

"Our dissent gets us killed or thrown into prison.

"Nothing has changed. Rise up, Egyptians.

"We reject the lies of the military.

"They say nothing but lies.

"Our dissent gets us killed or thrown into prison.

"Nothing has changed. Rise up, Egyptians.

"A year ago, we were all Khaled Said.[1]

"This year, the toll has risen.

"See how many martyrs we are now, and each martyr brings a will of steel.

"We will continue our revolution.

"We have begun to restore our pride.

"Your tanks have crushed us, your army boots have broken us,

"and the military has divided us.

"They forced you to watch a woman being dragged by soldiers.

"The thugs that stripped her made you say that she should not have left her home.

"A gang destroyed [Egypt], divided its revolution.

"So what has the revolution changed?

"The media is still the same, and the Ministry of the Interior is the same.

"On top of it all, you have the military police.

"The corrupt judiciary does nothing but protect the thieves.

"They say a million lies, like calling us "thugs," like saying that we are after our own interests.

"We are the revolution, and we are capable of living in freedom.

"We reject the lies of the military.

"They say nothing but lies.

"Our dissent gets us killed or thrown into prison.

"Nothing has changed. Rise up, Egyptians.

"We reject the lies of the military.

"They say nothing but lies.

"Our dissent gets us killed or thrown into prison.

"Nothing has changed. Rise up, Egyptians.

"You are liars. Your lies are the greatest disappointment to us.

"Build barricades, open more jails, kill rebels, arm the soldiers,

"hide the truth and wipe it out of existence,

"kill in a hundred different ways, and increase the restrictions,

"blind us, make a law to protect the remnants of the regime,

"instate insanity, divide the people, and destroy the bridges.

"It is difficult to reach people's voices to silence us from saying:

"No to humiliation, to justice, to oppression,

"to hopelessness, and to silence.

"We used to believe, we were silent,

"time is running out, and what did we get

"besides promises, speeches and slogans?

"We've had enough!

"The military took over, increased oppression,

"conspired, and ushered evil in.

"They are chicken on the borders

"and brave when it comes to harassing women.

"But the revolution is still ongoing, it still beats in our hearts.

"We will not forget the martyrs who sacrificed their blood for our rights.

"They live on, and we are dead.

"We must take to the streets.

"We must topple the military rule

"And scream at the top of our lings:

"We reject the lies of the military.

"They say nothing but lies.

"Our dissent gets us killed or thrown into prison.

"Nothing has changed. Rise up, Egyptians.

"We reject the lies of the military.

"They say nothing but lies.

"Our dissent gets us killed or thrown into prison.

"Nothing has changed. Rise up, Egyptians.

"We reject the lies of the military…"

Footage of Supreme Council of Armed Forces Chairman Muhammad Hussein Tantawi: "We have not aspired to seize power.

"We reject the lies of the military…"

Footage of Muhammad Hussein Tantawi: "We have not opened fire on any Egyptian citizen.

"We reject the lies of the military…"

Footage of Muhammad Hussein Tantawi: "The Egyptian economy is significantly deteriorating.

"Liars… Liars…

"Liars… Liars…

"Liars… Liars…

"Liars… Liars… […]"


Endnotes:

[1] A young Egyptian man who was beaten to death by Egyptian police on June 6, 2010 and whose name became synonymous with the revolution after a Facebook group 'We Are All Khaled Said" gained widespread popularity.

Share this Report: