Dune tunes: the singing sands
Sand dunes "sing" as they make avalanches, according to scientists, who are compiling a CD of sand music:
"Sand dunes in certain parts of the world are notorious for the noises they make as sand avalanches down their sides. Some emit low powerful booms, others sound like drum rolls or galloping horses, and some are even tuneful. These dune songs have been reported to last for up to 15 minutes and can sound as loud as a low-flying aeroplane."
What melodies will the dunes of Dubai be singing? A possible top ten:
1. Bridge Over Troubled Wadi
2. Sweet Camel O'Mine
3. Bye Bye Miss Arabian Pie
4. Sheikh, Rattle & Roll
5. Save The Last Dishdash For Me
6. I Heard It Through the Grapeshisha
7. Smells Like Tent Spirit
8. Rock Around The Clocktower
9. My Hajjar Will Go On
10. You've Lost That Levant Feeling
"Sand dunes in certain parts of the world are notorious for the noises they make as sand avalanches down their sides. Some emit low powerful booms, others sound like drum rolls or galloping horses, and some are even tuneful. These dune songs have been reported to last for up to 15 minutes and can sound as loud as a low-flying aeroplane."
What melodies will the dunes of Dubai be singing? A possible top ten:
1. Bridge Over Troubled Wadi
2. Sweet Camel O'Mine
3. Bye Bye Miss Arabian Pie
4. Sheikh, Rattle & Roll
5. Save The Last Dishdash For Me
6. I Heard It Through the Grapeshisha
7. Smells Like Tent Spirit
8. Rock Around The Clocktower
9. My Hajjar Will Go On
10. You've Lost That Levant Feeling
Labels: environment
65 Comments:
very good!
Knights in White Polyester (Moodhy Al Beluze)
I like speeding in my car (Madness)
Another Day in Sinister Paradise (Mike Davis)
The Lady in Black (Chris de Burj)
Anarchy on the Emitates Road (The Lewd Act Pistols)
Is this the way to Ras Al Khaimah (Beter Kay)
My Funny Keralite (Chet Bakkar)
Jumeirah Dreaming (The Mamas (in the Pajero) and the Papas (still at work))
Sweet Child O' Mine (The Racing Camel Owners)
Paranoia (Black Friday)
"Save The Last Dishdash For Me" O Sweet Camel of Mine"
Cant wait to hear them! I hope they are not Dissing anybody.
Has any body heard the song from Jim - Dubai is a rising star. Is really good!
Speaking of dune tunes, does anyone remember a real gem of song from days gone yonder titled "Back in Dubai"? We're talking back in the late 70s/early 80s (and yes, I have lived here that long). I remember shaking my toddler tailfeather to this whenever disco-dancing Uncle-T threw it on the 45.
The Goggle attempt was futile. Anyone got any ideas?
I want to hold your sand.
Born in the UAE
Oh success! Found some details of the tune, courtesy of GN archives.
It is 'Back in Dubai' and was sung by Sal Davies. It was frequently played on radio stations in Dubai in the late '70s and early '80s. To our knowledge, the record is no longer available. Sal Davies, of Kenyan origin but with Oman nationality, was a frequent visitor to the emirates then, when he appeared in several cabaret acts and on Dubai Channel 33 TV. The song was also used by Emirates airline in their early in-flight promotional films of Dubai."
But has anyone got a copy of it?!
me think the sand dune is really a faux...nothing to scream about.otherwise it will be highly regarded by the world as a natural phenomena...i heard better f#rting.
hahaha...good one!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
balushi - speculating on someone's orientation in a country that criminalises certain orientations borders on defamation, hence the deletion.
Just to let you know... I have my suspicions that this is the exact same Balushi that has already been 'banned' from some other well-known local sites for his aggressive, archaic and annoying rants. If it is, soon we'll all get to see how he has nothing contstructive to say, and how he prowls local sites just looking for places where he can piss people off. Maybe it's not him, in which case I apologise to you, Balushi (mach 2), but so far I'm getting the feeling that I've seen this (insert rude noun of your choice here) somewhere before.
Be careful SecretDubai... if your blog ever spends any more time in the cold, lonely 'blocked-site' dungeon, it will be this guy that takes you there. And what a shame that would be.
Back in Dubai.....theres a Sun and it shines there all the time....I remember that tune from the late 70s when I was getting out of diapers, but I dont remember the lyrics. I had the song back in the audio tape days but tapes seem to almost become obsolete and I got rid of my old collection. :( My bet is that you may be able to find the song at one audio store next to Astoria hotel in Bur Dubai(dunno the name). This owner always has Jim Reeves playing in his store. He's a Jim Reeves collector. Hope that helps.
Secy, He is the one that talks like that not me.
Cheers garthicus and poshboy for the refs. Can't seem to find this song anywhere - think I might just have to give good ol' Marky a shout.
SD - sorry about digressing from the subject!
Now thats what I call SANDMUSIC!Brilliant that.Ok on a more personal note I am going a bit mad trying to insert a link onto my blog and I know it a piece of cake for you guys but bear with me,I am emerging from a 7 year hibernation and the gray cells are ...(NONEXISTENT)umm rusty.
Balushi was a well-known 'toilet contents'-stirrer who created havoc on the ExpatMum.com chatboard and the BritishExpats.com/forum Middle East Section. I believe his posts on the latter site are still searchable, if you are curious in seeing the sort of things he does.
balushi - I don't know if you are the same balushi that others are mentioning.
What I do think is that it would be a very good idea for you to get your own blog as well, because you clearly have a lot of thoughts about things, and it would give you a chance to express them without the limitations in place here (which are playing safe within UAE law). And no one could delete you or censor you in your own blog!
Why not give it a go?
gee...my worst fear is indeed confirmed...balushit is a bona fide toilet stirrer...anyway, fully agreed u should start your own blog and named it my bullshit..
relax...we are just rehearsing for Lord of the Flies...someone has to be the victim right? dont be a spoilt sport...LOL
Hi twisted,
Thanks for the pointer about calming down. Just stick around... you'll soon get to see why Balushi is so notorious. He really is a pest of staggering proportions.
(and btw, I don't think you can search for his previous posts on Expatwoman.com - he was banned from the site and I think all his previous posts were removed due to fear of the site being blocked).
I think that Balushi starting his own blog is a fine idea.
Secy, I would start my own blog but people will only come to talk bad about me. I am not bad, its my english that is not good.
and those expatmum are better off taking about diapers. I was getting bored there anyway.
balushi - if you put up interesting and well-written content - your English needn't be perfect - then people will respond favourably. Obviously when a strong opinion is expressed some would disagree.
I just think that you would enjoy blogging, and you wouldn't be kind of "chased away" from site to site as you seem to have been.
balushit,
u must stop running like a refugee..and seeking asylum..there are people who actually like shitty stuff...go for it!
balushit,
talking bad about u is perfectly ok and theurapatic..it can be a healing process for u...u know like a mirror..it's a reflection after all..JUST DO IT! i promise to be the 1st to give my 2 cents worth..u bet...hmmmmmmmmmmm....(rubbing my palms together)
Secy, why are you allowing pussycat call me with names?
Balushi - I really don't want anyone calling anyone names.
I can only urge again that I really think you should get your own blog - I'm happy for you to comment on mine within the bounds of appropriateness, but you seem to have so much to say I think there would be more space and exposure for you in a blogspot blog.
I would greatly prefer it if people bickered about issues rather than one another in their comments.
Secy, I would start my blog today but the problem is my computer knowledge is not good :(
I had so much troubles to know how to post comments on your humble site. My dad once send me to computer course and gave me 300 dirhams for the course but i took the money and spend it in game shop playing snooker... i regrat it now.
Balushi - clearly if you are able to post comments here and in the dozens of other forums you have apparently frequented then you have enough ability to have your own site. Don't take us for fools!
Go to Blogger.com and just sign up.
Secy, I like your site! But If you don't like me coming here, I won't.
secret dubai,
me think u have a problem of a different kind here..apparently this balushit guy/gal is infactuated with u..LOL
he is stalking u...lol
pussycat, I like the website from secy! i just eat hamburger i dont care to meet the cow!
what is meaning of infactuated?
balushit,
tweety bird..dont u smell a pussycat behind u? LOL
well..bird brain like yours will need your mummy to explains the meaning to u..LOL
black feline - I am trying to curb balushi's behaviour on here, if you could avoid anything that might provoke it, I would greatly appreciate your taking the high road and rising above it.
Pussycat, If you like to make joke please try to make us laugh! not urself zzzZZZzzzzzzZZZ.
point taken..i shall try my very best not to provoke IT.
I anyone has the song Back in Dubai, please please please post it on the net.
I actually found a vinyl of the song "Back In Dubai" by Sal Davis hidden a drawer at home this week. I also found a tape of a Duo called the Establishment that wrote a great song, that we all used to sing along to, called "Life In the Emirates" If I remember rightly (as I was only a small lad at the time) they used to sing in the Falcon Bar at the old Hilton Hotel.
Ok, now you have my attention; I've been trying to get that song (Back in Dubai) everywhere online, but not able to.
I doubt the radio stations here may still have it, or bother helping a 1980s Dubai boy, trying to re-create a bit of nostalgia.
Any chance we could get a copy of the song?
Thanks,
Sam
I'm also looking for this song 'Back in Dubai' I was born there in 79 and remember this distinctly, I'm sure my parents had it on repeat! I can't get a copy anywhere but would love one for posterity
Has anyone had any luck yet?
As I said, I do have it on tape and record, but not sure how I can post it on the net. Any ideas?
Anonymous: not sure whether you're based in Dubai or back in your home country, but it should be possible to convert the tape and the record to a digital file. If you don't want to tackle it yourself (you would probably need some special software and a way to connect your music player to your computer) then there are any number of people offering services to convert vinyl to digital and so on, if you are in the UK.
If you are in Dubai, then what I recommend is calling a radio station who will probably be interested in playing the song, and would certainly have appropriate equipment to convert it to digital.
Once you have it in digital format it's easy to stick on YouTube, or if you prefer just to email to me, I can put them on YouTube for you.
Email me at secretdubai at gmail and I can try to give further help. I would certainly love to hear these songs.
If you do get a copy emailed to you I'd certainly appreciate one too. I am subscribed to the comments here so fingers crossed. If anyone needed help getting it converted I have the facilities to do it here (work at Newcastle University) so if you can get a copy to me I can sort it out!
I found this post trying to find a better version of the track(s). I have a copy of the tape mentioned in mp3 format. the quality isn't the best but the tape is 20+ years old. I have the following tracks
The Establishment - Life In The Emirates & The Legend Of Matty Groves.
Sal Davis - Back In Dubai & You Took A Lifetime To End And A Minute To Loose.
You should be able to download a zipped copy of the 4 tracks from mediafire.
The URL is:
http://www.mediafire.com/?dnj1wmux41g
Cheers
Brilliant! It's not quite as I remember it but that could be 20 years of not hearing it. Still, great song :)
aaah, had to post again, thanks again for that, what memories! The wife thinks I'm a nutter now but hey ho :)
Danny, glad the tracks brought back some memories! I remembered about the song when I found a facebook group for my old school in Abu Dhabi (Al Khubairat), seeing photos from back in the early eights got me all nostalgic!! The songs always remind me of my dad driving down the corniche on the way to the "club".
Anyway glad they're of some use, Cheers
Chris
fantastic! just downloaded 'Life in the Emirates' and 'Back in Dubai' - thank you so much for putting those out there. fantastic memories. i also remember a husband and wife duo called the Jolly Balls who used to sing 'Take me home Sharjah road' and one with words 'it's away to Satwa, my dear Fatima...'
Thanks for the songs! Does anyone have Happy Christmas UAE? I thought it was by the same band as did Life in the Emirates.
"As Santa...something...with his reindeer team of five, we think he would do better in a sleigh with four-wheel drive. And it's, happy Christmas, to the UAE again, happy Christmas to the sun..."
My father is Sal Davis.... does anyone have access to more of his songs? I am his youngest daughter, Nicky, and I dont have any of his recordings. Thanks for the link to the two songs, but I would love to have more.
Hi, I was in the band that recorded Happy Christmas UAE in about 1981, 1982! The band was called Second Story. Two teachers at the Choeuifat School in Sharjah started the band up, Frank Phillips (guitar and vocals) and Gramae Scott (vocals) were the core of the band, the rest of the instumentalists were teachers from the school and me, I was a student at the time. I played the guitar on the record. I've got the tape that we recorderd somewhere, I'll try to get it converted to digital and then let you know! Excellent memories!
Hi Sonia,
That would be wonderful if you could digitise the recording, I would love to post a link (and lyrics if you have them) to it here.
I am looking for those songs... life in dubai and back in dubai but the link to them is no longer working...
anyone else got them anywhere???
Hi Louise,
I have the Sal Davies and the Establishment tracks at home. If no one beats me to it I'll put them up on a website and post here.
Cheers
Dan
Oh would you. I'll keep checking back :)
Thank you!!!!
Good job you posted! I completely forgot :)
You can get the tracks from my website here - http://www.wddn.co.uk/saldavies
None of the links to the Sal Davies song work. Can someone please repost?
Here's a link to Back in Dubai by Sal Davies and The Establishment.
Enjoy!
You can still get Back in Dubai and Life in the Emirates from my website here - http://www.wddn.co.uk/saldavies
Cheers
You wouldn't happen to have the Establishment doing "The Legend of Matty Groves", would you? That was a fun little ditty.
And thank you SO much for those two songs! I've been searching for YEARS (literally) for "Life In The Emirates", and I still can't believe people actually remember it!
'The Legend of Matty Groves' and 'You Took A Lifetime To Find And A Minute To Loose' added
http://www.whatdandidnext.co.uk/saldavies
Utterly brilliant, thank you SO very much. So many many memories here!
Its just plain Nostalgia!!!!!
For those still looking for Sal Davies and/or The Establishment my website has now moved to http://www.hookdesignalter.co.uk/saldavies Sorry for any inconvenience!
I am really trying to find the Legend of Matty Groves song. All the links mentioned above have expired. I cant find it anywhere. If you could help I would greatly appreciate it!
Email me - secretdubai@gmail.com
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