Dub Yalil
Encyclopedia
"Dub Yalil" is a world music
song performed by Belgian
singer Natacha Atlas
. The melody
and additional lyrics
(the words to the "Adhan
" - or Islam
ic call to prayer - are used in the first half of the song) were written by Atlas and produced by Transglobal Underground
for the Atlas' debut album Diaspora
(1995). It was released as a single
in 1994.
. The song was written during a period when Atlas was rediscovering her faith in Islam
. She began attending the mosque
and fasted during the month of Ramadan
. "Dub Yalil" features the opening lines of the Adhan
, the Muslim call to prayer, over a dub beat
. The song begins with her singing "God is greatest, I witness that there is no god but God," but does not complete the prayer's opening line, which should be followed by "and Muhammad
is the Messenger of God." Instead, Atlas sings, "God, I love you."
CD single
(NR28CD)
Vinyl single
(NR28T)
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
song performed by Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
singer Natacha Atlas
Natacha Atlas
Natacha Atlas is a Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and Western electronic music, particularly hip-hop. She once termed her music "cha'abi moderne" . Her music has been influenced by many styles including Arabic, hip hop, drum 'n' bass and reggae.Atlas began her career as part of...
. The melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
and additional lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
(the words to the "Adhan
Adhan
The adhān is the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin at prescribed times of the day. The root of the word is meaning "to permit"; another derivative of this word is , meaning "ear"....
" - or Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic call to prayer - are used in the first half of the song) were written by Atlas and produced by Transglobal Underground
Transglobal underground
Transglobal Underground is a London-based music collective who specialise in a fusion of western, oriental and African music styles...
for the Atlas' debut album Diaspora
Diaspora (album)
Diaspora is the debut album by Belgian singer Natacha Atlas. It was released by Nation Records in March 1995.-Track listing:All tracks written and composed by Natacha Atlas, Count Dubulah, Hamid ManTu and Attiah Ahlan, except where stated....
(1995). It was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in 1994.
Background and meaning
In "Dub Yalil", Atlas professes her love for AllahAllah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
. The song was written during a period when Atlas was rediscovering her faith in Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. She began attending the mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
and fasted during the month of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. "Dub Yalil" features the opening lines of the Adhan
Adhan
The adhān is the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin at prescribed times of the day. The root of the word is meaning "to permit"; another derivative of this word is , meaning "ear"....
, the Muslim call to prayer, over a dub beat
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
. The song begins with her singing "God is greatest, I witness that there is no god but God," but does not complete the prayer's opening line, which should be followed by "and Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
is the Messenger of God." Instead, Atlas sings, "God, I love you."
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Dub Yalil".CD single
(NR28CD)
- "Dub Yalil" (Alternate version) – 6:39
- "Yalla Chant" (Album version) – 6:01
- "Stotinki" (The Space Cadets featuring Natacha Atlas and Jah WobbleJah WobbleJah Wobble is an English bass guitarist, singer, poet and composer. He became known to a wider audience as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but left the band after two albums...
) – 5:23
Vinyl single
(NR28T)
- "Dub Yalil" – 5:36
- "Yalla Chant" – 6:01
Personnel
The following people contributed to "Dub Yalil":- Natacha Atlas – lead vocals, keyboardsMusical keyboardA musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
- Aggie Demitri – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Kevin Haskins – programming, drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, percussion, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... - Aki Nawaz – samplesSampling (music)In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
- Angus Wallace – engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...