Hefny Ahmed Hassan | Alsudfat 'Ahsan Min Mayit Muead (1971, Nefertiti)

Born in Qena, a bit north of Luxor, folk singer Hefny Ahmed Hassan and family moved soon after to Alexandria, on Egypt's northern coast. Especially popular in the 1960s and 70s, he was purportedly visited by President Nasser and recorded a song, "Shafiqa and Metwally," upon which a popular 1979 film of the same title was based.

This recording consists of the same song, "Alsudfat 'Ahsan Min Mayit Muead" ("Coincidence Is Better Than a Hundred Appointments"; thanks to Muhammad [@ssawal7a on Twitter] for the translation) spread across Sides A and B. (We've combined the two sides into a single, nearly seamless track, below.)

It is stripped-down, featuring Hassan's voice (very high in the mix), percussion, a chorus, an Egyptian flute (ney), and a barely perceptible string instrument, possibly an oud. It was most likely released in 1971, the year the Nefertiti single with the catalog immediately following it (31-71026) was released.

(Listen to "Alsudfat 'Ahsan Min Mayit Muead")