Guest
The Iranian patriotic anthem Ey Iran (Oh, Iran!) was composed in 1944 in Tehran. The lyrics were written by Hossein Gol-e-Golab and the music was composed by Ruhollah Khaleqi; it was first performed and recorded by the classical Persian music singer Gholam-Hossein Banan. For the same title but with different lyrics, the Iranian Diaspora’s most popular singer Shahkar Bineshpajooh made a new arrangement of the world famous Oh Fortuna, which is the first part of Karl Orff’s Carmina Burana. With lyrics of patriotic, pro-monarchist and pre-Islamic contents, Shahkar gives his audience a new boost of Iranian confidence and pride. The lyrics are full of references to pre-Islamic kings, mythical heroes, and legendary fighters, thus totally minimizing the Islamic aspects of today’s Iranians’ culture. The adaptation serves therefore as a nationwide call for socio-political change, monarchical restoration, and brighter perspectives.
