921 Shabola on Obama

The Arab world could ask for no cuddlier a spokesman than its most esteemed political philosopher and McDonald’s jingle-writer, Shabola.

Shabola, remember, was an early Obama supporter. But his thoughts on Obama’s victory now rhyme:

??? ???? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ??????? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ?????

Bush, curse him, made us vomit and wasted us for years, but people think Obama will be Salah ud-Din.

Talk about high expectations… Saladin now. The self-appointed Voice of the Arab Street is equating the next U.S. president with Saladin. [More of Shabola’s thoughts on Obama, Hariri, and Sheikh Yassin here]

The reactions I’ve heard from guys in grocery stores and in cafes have been more muted, but still celebratory. People are just glad Bush is gone, and that the American people didn’t vote for four more years.

The day Obama takes office will be a fragile moment of opportunity for the United States in the Middle East. I guess my message to the new U.S. president would be: Please don’t waste it. It won’t come back again soon.

4 Comments »

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  1. correct me if im wrong but isnt Shaben saying “the people think Obama will be Saladin.” Where does Shaben himself say ” Obama is a thoughtful guy?”

    It seems to me that if the whole song is translated Shaben’s views are less explicitly pro-Obama and more broadly anti-Bush, leaving out the possibility that Obama will be the end of the nightmare.

    Comment by rob — November 10, 2008 #

  2. Right you are. Serves me right for posting at 4.30 a.m., half awake. Corrected above.

    And I absolutely agree that the song is anti-Bush more than pro-Obama, which I’d venture is also prob. true of Egyptians in general.

    Comment by The Skeptic — November 10, 2008 #

  3. Hehe, when all those Irish/Bollywood Obama songs were coming out, Abu S was busy trying to come up with a Shabola version (essentially the standard Shabola tune, “Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, heyyyyyyy”). I really want to hear the actual Shabola song.

    Comment by SP — November 10, 2008 #

  4. Me too. I spent too long looking for it on YouTube last night. Might go to the kushk to see if they have it tonight. If so, will try to post an MP3.

    Comment by The Skeptic — November 10, 2008 #

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