Snapshots #308: A Top Ten Middle Eastern Songs

This is a rather blurry photograph of Shakira. Despite being a multi-million-selling global pop superstar, Shakira was still amazed the first time she saw a phone with a camera in it. We take such things for granted these days, but just over 20 years ago, the very idea was revolutionary. 

You may wonder why Shakira is pictured atop a post featuring songs about The Middle East. Well, it turns out that The Queen Of Latin Music is of Middle Eastern descent - her father's family hail from Lebanon. And Rami Malik, pictured yesterday, is American of Egyptian descent. In case you think I just throw these things together.

Here are ten songs about countries and cities in the Middle East...

10. Found in antioxidants and rubbernecking.

AntioxiDANts and rubBERNecking.

Dan Bern - Jerusalem

One of his best songs, always worth another spin.

9. How Miss celebrates her beautiful victory.

Miss World has a Party when she wins.

World Party - Kuwait City

8. Alan, Alan Jr., Cheryl and Diane.

Alan Ladd (Sr. & Jr.), Cheryl Ladd and Diane Ladd.

The Four Lads - Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

The original... although not the best version. That would be this...

They Might Be Giants - Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

7. Emergency Room in Simone, put all in the pot. 

Put an ER in Nina (Simone) and you get Nerina. Put "all" in pot and you get Pallot.

Nerina Pallot - Damascus

6. First seen in Daredevil #77.

The exact issue of the Daredevil comic that Julian Cope took his band name from...

The Teardrop Explodes - The Thief Of Baghdad

5. ...In The City...In Herre...Is On.

Hot In The City

Hot In Herre

The Heat Is On

Put them together and what have you got?

Hot Hot Heat - In Cairo

4. Sounds like Jean Paul... had a little lamb.

Mary had a little lamb, and her surname sounds like Jean Paul Gaultier.

Mary Gauthier - Iraq

3. Friends with Elvis, Steve and Faron.

The King Of Rock n Roll, Steve McQueen (the album) and Faron Young...

Prefab Sprout - Jordan: The Comeback

2. Haulage menu in disorder.

"Haulage menu" was an anagram... yes, that's a very young Phil Oakey.

Human League - The Lebanon

How can you not love the 80s when you watch that?

1. Get tu-tuled up with Black's other half. 

Desmond Tutu and Black & Decker makes...

1. Desmond Dekker - The Israelites

Snapshots will be back next Saturday. Trust me - my hips don't lie!