So we’re going to introduce a recurring feature here on TFB. Not sure how often if will actually appear, but if it happens once in a while it’s still recurring right? Anyway, here’s the first installment of Songs of War. If you have any suggestion for future topics, put ’em in the topics section or shoot us an e-mail.

We’re not sure if it’s just the song and the eerie music, the singer’s voice or the movie and real-world events it calls to mind, but we love it. (If you haven’t heard Rachid Taha, his voice—live or in the studio—is a strangely compelling thing reminiscent of too many cigarettes, an old school NCO, the haunting yells of leather-faced men in dusty souks just as evening sets in or perhaps mostly just a motivated grunt five minutes after last call and two hours after seizing control of the karaoke machine.)

If you’ve been living in a box or have recently decided to leave your Amish roots behind, Rachid Taha is an Algerian who gained a lot of notice here in the U.S. when one of his songs was included on the Blackhawk Down album. Here’s the video, and below it are the lyrics as best we can tell (not being any more conversant with Arabic than Imshi, Kef!, Isteslem and the like).

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. When we do the Mad Duo movie Rachid Taha will be on the soundtrack fo’ sho’.

Here’s the live version:

Barra Barra
(Outside outside)

Sadness, hate and the reign of arbitrary
Outside Outside
Destruction, jealousy ; there is no trust left
Outside Outside
Thirst and people are unlucky
Outside Outside
No honor, but oppression and slavery
Outside Outside
Rivers were dried up and seas have ruined everything
Outside Outside
Stars are switched off and the sun went down
Outside Outside
There are no trees left and the birds stopped singing
Outside Outside
There are neither days, nor nights left, darkness only
Outside Outside
Hell; there is no beauty left
Outside Outside

Outside Outside
Time has increased, there is no honor left
Outside Outside
Ruin and war and the blood is flowing
Outside Outside
There are only walls left, walls standing up
Outside Outside
Fear and people remain silent
Outside Outside
Sadness, hate and the reign of arbitrary
Outside Outside
Destruction and jealousy ; there is no trust left
Outside Outside
Rivers were dried up and seas have ruined everything
Outside Outside
stars are switched off and the sun went down
Outside Outside

Outside Outside
There is neither good, nor happiness, nor luck anymore
Outside Outside
There are no trees left; the birds stopped singing
Outside Outside
There are neither nights, nor days left; darkness only
Outside Outside
Desolation, hell, there is no beauty left
Outside Outside
(Silence)

Outside Outside
Time has increased, there is no honor left
Outside Outside
Ruin and war and the blood is flowing
Outside Outside
There are only walls left, walls standing up
Outside Outside
Sadness, hate and the reign of arbitrary
Outside Outside
Destruction and jealousy ; there is no trust left.
Stars are switched off, and the sun went down
Outside Outside
There is neither good, nor happiness, nor luck left
Outside Outside
There are no trees left ; birds stopped singing
Outside Outside
There are no neither nights nor days left; darkness only
Outside Outside
Desolation, hell, there is no beauty left
Outside Outside
Time has increased, there is no honor left

Outsiiiiide! Outside, Outside, Outsiiiide!