Badaara | Helwin Earayas Baladi (Sono Cairo, 1968)

 

Badaara aka Badriyya al-Sayyid was an Egyptian sha'abi singer from Alexandria who released a couple of dozen singles from the 1950s through '70s and passed away in 1989 at the age of 59 or 60. 

While she was very popular, especially in her hometown, her work does not seem to have been given new life in the cassette or CD eras.

This single features one song carried over from Side A to Side B; for ease of listening, we've seamlessly combined the two tracks into one. It's a hard-driving number, with a wild ululating opening and a surprise chorus of women near the end.

(Listen to "Halwin Earays Baladi")