Video clips of popular Lebanese and Egyptian singers -- Myriam Fares, Sherine, Haifa Wehbe and Ruby -- dancing to the song "Misirlou" played by Dick Dale & his band in 1962. This recording was used in the movie "Pulp Fiction" (1994). Dick Dale is a Lebanese-American whose birth name was Richard Mansour. In Greek, "Misirlou" means an "Egyptian girl." The word "misirlou" comes from the Turkish word "mısırlı" which comes from the Arabic word for Egypt, "Masr." This song is an old Greek tune that was turned into a surf guitar hit by Dick Dale in the early 1960s. The origin of the melody is uncertain, but it may have derived from a Turkish or Arabic folk song. Dick Dale restyled it and played it "insanely fast" on electric guitar. Misirlou is Greek (Μισιρλού, "Egyptian Girl") from Turkish "mısırlı" ("Egyptian") from the Arabic word "Miṣr" ( مصر "Egypt") How Dick Dale turned a Middle Eastern song into a surf guitar classic: http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2006/September/20060914165844ndyblehs0.0821802.html Here's a video of Dick Dale & The Del Tones playing "Misirlou" in 1963: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIU0RMV_II8 Here is Greek singer Anna Vissi belting out a stirring rendition of "Misirlou" at the Athens Olympics in 2004: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AURm7GY-Uj4 "Masr" is Arabic for "Egypt," which is the origin of the word "misirlou." According to one music writer, "The vaguely Middle Eastern sound of all surf music is directly attributable to Dale's Arabic ancestry; and Dale's brilliant rendition of Misirlou ensured that it would become the surf anthem. It's difficult to imagine a musical genre that was as shaped by one man as surf rock was by Dale." The lyrics to "Misirlou" translated from Greek: My Misirlou [Egyptian girl], your sweet glance It's lit a flame in my heart Ah, ya habibi, Ah, ya haleli [in Arabic: Oh, my love, Oh, my night] Your lips are dripping honey, ah Ah, Misirlou, magical, exotic beauty Madness will overcome me, I can't take any more Ah, I'll steal you away from the Arab land My black-eyed, my wild Misirlou My life changes with one kiss Ah, ya habibi [my dear], one little kiss, ah from your sweet little lips, ah. ______________________________________ From the Wikipedia entry about the song "Misirlou": The song was rearranged as a solo instrumental guitar piece by Dick Dale in 1962. Dale was of partially Lebanese background, and often credited Armenian music as the inspiration for his guitar style. The tune has at times been mistakenly described as a Lebanese or Armenian folk song. The song's oriental melody has been so popular for so long that many people, from Morocco to Iran, sometimes claim it to be a folk song from their own country. The Greek word "Misirlou" refers specifically to a Muslim Egyptian woman (as opposed to a Christian girl); thus this song refers to a cross-faith, cross-race, relationship, a risqué subject at its time. The song was first performed by the Michalis Patrinos rebetiko band in Athens, Greece in 1927. The song's actual composer was never identified. The melody was most likely composed collaboratively by the group. Initially, the song was composed as a Greek zeibekiko dance, at a slower tempo and a different key than the orientalized performances that most are familiar with today. This was the style of the first known recording by Michalis Patrinos in Greece, circa 1930. In 1941, Nick Roubanis, a Greek-American music instructor released a jazz instrumental arrangement of the song, crediting himself as the composer. Since his claim was never legally challenged, he is still officially credited as the composer today worldwide, except in Greece where credit is variably given to either Roubanis or Patrinos. Roubanis is also credited with fine-tuning the key and the melody, giving it the oriental sound that it is associated with today. The Beach Boys recorded a Dale-inspired "Miserlou" for the...