Ya Tabtab...Wa Dallaa

Untitled

Ya Tabtab...Wa Dallaa (Arabic: "يا طبطب ... ودلع") is the fifth studio album by Lebanese recording artist Nancy Ajram, released February 15, 2006.

The album continues with Nancy's earlier style, with nine Egyptian traditional tracks and two Lebanese-inspired songs, one of which, "Lawn Ouyounak" (The Color of Your Eyes) became a massively successful single.

Inspired by a humorous Egyptian traditional vibe, Ya Tabtab was a remarkable turn in Nancy's career. Its lead single and title track was released as a response for critics who had accused Nancy of singing "with [her] body." Ironically, the singer appeared in the lead single's video fully dressed as a clown, showing no skin and wearing baggy clothes.

Background and release

After her international breakthrough with albums Ya Salam and Ah w Noss, Ajram's next move became a highly anticipated Pop event in the Arab World and media speculation about a fifth Nancy Ajram album rose shortly after the release of the final Ah W Noss single, "Inta Eih." On New Year's Eve 2006, Nancy Ajram's manager and Ya Tabtab's executive producer Jiji Lamara confirmed that Nancy would be releasing an album and compared the new project to a "stunning circus act."

A circus-themed Coca Cola commercial featuring Nancy had been airing for a while, with "Moegaba" being sampled in the high-cost clip. "Moegaba" went number one before "Ya Tabtab," the lead single, despite not being released initially. Both singles ended up topping charts in Lebanon and Egypt.

In February 2006, the music video for the lead single, "Ya Tabtab," was released and was directed by longtime collaborator and friend Nadine Labaki. The music video was highly praised by critics and began a circus phenomenon. With the video, the full EP was released with 11 songs, to be yet an even bigger success for Ajram.

Collaborations and style

Ayman Bahgat Amar, a frequent Nancy Ajram collaborator returned for the writing sessions of the fifth album. Tarek Madkour also returns for music and production. His studio hosted Nancy for months during the recording of the album. The pair are responsible for Ajram's Egyptian traditional anthems including "Akhasmak Ah," "Ah w Noss" and later on hits like "Ma Tegi Hena."

Lebanese pair Nizar Francis and Samir Sfeir offered "Ana Yalli Bhebbak" and appeared again later several times in Ajram's career.

Bahaa el Deen Mohamed wrote "Moegaba" and "Ool Hansaki". Waleed Saad, also a frequent collaborator, gave music to "Moegaba" and "Sabrak Alayya."

For the Khaliji song, "Meshtaga Lek," Ajram worked with Sheikh Sabah Nasser el Sabah and Yaaquoub el Khubeizi. New collaborators include Fares Eskandar and Fawzi Ibrahim.

The album is sung mostly in Egyptian dialect. It features two Lebanese-inspired songs and one Khaliji song.

Singles and impact

Official Singles

Ya Tabtab Wa Dallaa marked a shift in Ajram's career. The seductive small town Egyptian girl style Ajram had employed for the previous two albums was toned down and Ajram instead opposed the general Arabic Pop current. For the album cover, she appears wearing a black cut with a circus hat and a red background.

• "Ya Tabtab Wa Dallaa", (Translation: Pat & Pamper) also shortened as "Atabtab" was released in the form of a music video single in February 2006. The video was directed by Nadine Labaki and features Nancy in a clown's outfit and makeup in a nomadic circus bus in a small Egyptian town. In the story, Ajram is on tour with her love interest, a tough and built guy of the jealous and needy type, to whom Nancy is submissive and obedient. During the funny family video, Nancy dances and sings and performs circus acts alongside her lover, whom gets jealous when a clown offers Nancy a flower. They all get into a fight and Nancy ends the video while medicating her bruised up lover.

The song went number-one in Lebanon, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It continued a chain of chart-topping hits by Ajram, which started with "Akhasmak Ah" and would go on continuously until 2014.

• "Ehsas Jdeed" (Translation: A New Sentiment) was released to radios as the second official single from Atabtab. The high-cost video was directed by Said el Marouk. The song is performed by Nancy in sign language in a storyline where she falls in love with a deaf/silent lover. A love of which the parents in the story disapprove. Filming took place in a romantic natural setting featuring a lake and a hill-side small shack where Nancy and her love interest reside.

• "Moshtaga Lek" (Translation: I Miss You) was released as the official third and final single. The song became a Top 10 hit and its video aired for a full year before the release of Ajram's following album, the children's Shakhbat Shakhabeet.

Commercial Singles

The following songs were released as singles after their success due to commercial ad features that Nancy Ajram collaborated in.

• "Moegaba", (Translation: Admirer) was sampled in 2005 in a Coca Cola commercial. The song became a radio smash before the lead single, despite its release being delayed. Its music video is set inside a big circus tent with Ajram trying on numerous outfits inspired by the circus. The music video is credited as one of the most expensive videos of all time. "Moegaba" became another big hit and a number one across the Arab Nation.

• "Ana Yalli Bhebbak" (Translation: I'm the One Who Loves You) was made available for radio stations due to its high demand after being featured in a jewelry commercial by Nancy Ajram in collaboration with DAMAS Jewelery and the World Gold Council. The song is yet another big smash hit. Its video is in a resto-cafe where Nancy performs while youngsters fall in love, dance and celebrate.

• "Elli Kan" (Translation: All That Was) was released as another gold commercial with a traditional-themed video.

Track listing

International edition

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Producer	Length
1.	"Ya Tabtab wa Dallaa" (Pat & Spoil)	Ayman Bahgat Amar	Tarek Madkour	Madkour	4:22
2.	"Ehsass Jdeed" (A New Sentiment)	Fares Eskandar	Salim Salamah	Hadi Sharara	4:30
3.	"Moegabah" (Admirer)	Bahaa el Deen Mohamed	Walid Saad	Tarek Madkour	3:37
4.	"Moshtaga Leik" (I Miss You)	Subah Nasser el Subah	Yaaquoub el Khubeizi	Omar Abdul Aziz	3:28
5.	"Ana Yalli Bhebbak" (I'm the One Who Loves You)	Nizar Francis	Samir Sfeir	Tarek Madkour	3:28
6.	"Ashtiki Menno"	Complain About Him	Walid el Issawi	Hamdi el Seddeek	3:24
7.	"Ooh Hansaki" (Say You'll Forget Me)	Bahaa el Deen Mohamed	Hasan Abou el Soud	Mohamed Moustafa	5:24
8.	"Elli Kan" (What Used to Be)	Hani Abdel Kareem	Walid Saad	Karim Abdul Wahab	4:32
9.	"Ya Si el Sayed" (Master)	Fawzi Ibrahim	Mohamed Saad	Tarek Madkour	4:20
10.	"Sabrak Alayya" (Have Some Patience)	Hani Abdel Karim	Walid Saad	Mohamed Moustafa	4:52
11.	"Law Dallalooni" (Whatever They Do)	Elias Nasser	Souheil Fares	Joe Baroudjian	4:32

Personnel

• Photography: David Abdallah, Fares el Jammal
• Digital Mastering: Tony Haddad
• Design and artwork: George Youssuf
• Makeup: Fadi Kataya
• Hairdressing: Wassim Morkos for Pace & Luce
• Sound engineering: Mohamed Sakr, Hadi Sharara, Khaled Raouf, Sameh el Mazini, Moustafa Raouf, Joe Baroudjian
• Guitarists: Yehia el Mouji, Tamer Ghouneim, Omar Abdul Aziz, Hani Farhat, Bassem Rezk

Charts

Chart (2006)	Peak position
Virgin Lebanon Chart	1
Virgin Egypt Chart	1
Virgin UAE Chart	1
Virgin Maroc Chart	1
Nogomi Stars Digital Chart	1
HiTMARKER Albums Chart	1
iTunes Arabia Chart	1
Saudi Albums Chart	2

Year-end Chart (2007)

Chart (2007)	Peak position
Lebanon	2
Egypt	1
Emirates	1
HiTMARKER Year End Hot 100	2

External links

• Official Website