The story of Ra'na

Ari Siletz
by Ari Siletz
23-Feb-2011
 

 

One story of Ra'na's goes back to the time of Mirza Koochak khaan e Jangali. One of his lieutenants, Kord Agha Jaan, kidnaps the beautiful Ra'na from her village and she ends up falling in love with him. A year later Kord Agha Jaan falls off his horse while crossing a river and drowns. Ra'na is ashamed to go back to her village as she is now a roo siaah (object of scandal). The singer is a man from her village who was heartbroken when R'ana eloped with Kord Agha Jaan. Now he has heard that she is sick and is calling for her to come back.

True story or not, the common attribution of this song to that period in our history is a reference to the Soviet Republic of Gilan established by Mirza Koochak Khan (1920-1921) only to be defeated a year later. Listening to Ra'na we hear a forgiving and loving nation calling Gilan back to the fold--bargard biaa, Ra'na.

Above is the Iranian group Rastak performing this song. The group tours all over Iran collecting, studying, and performing authentic local music. They take great pains to make sure authentic dialect and local accents are preserved in the songs.Here's a youtube link to the above video just in case.  See lyrics and received Farsi translation in comment below. 

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Anahid Hojjati

Thanks Sid.

by Anahid Hojjati on Thu Feb 24, 2011 01:36 PM PST

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Anahid

by Sid Sarshar on Thu Feb 24, 2011 01:16 PM PST

Thanks for the explanation.  Sorry to hear about someone insulting you.  I find you very nice and polite.  Keep up the good work.

sid.


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Anahid Hojjati

Sid, meaning of my 10:47 comment

by Anahid Hojjati on Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:06 PM PST

Previously my comment on this thread (the one that is now only two dots) was addrssed to a user. This user has written an insulting poem about me using another user id and I just reread his poem this morning. It was so insulting and abusrd that I deleted few of my comments to this user (however with different user Ids that he uses). So this is what my 10:47 AM comment means.


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Bavafa

This was superb, many thanks

by Bavafa on Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:04 PM PST

 

Mehrdad


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Great Story

by Sid Sarshar on Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:32 AM PST

Now that I know the story behind this song, I appreciate it much more.  Thanks Ari.

BTW, Can someone explaine the meaning of the comment by Anahid Hojati from 10:47.  I don't understand what this means and have seen it used once in a while.  Thanks in advance.

sid.


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Ari

by Doctor mohandes on Thu Feb 24, 2011 08:01 AM PST

By the way. The friend request that you might have gotten yesterday under the name "perry cox" on FB was from me and not a mardom azar:))

 


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Ari:)

by Doctor mohandes on Thu Feb 24, 2011 07:59 AM PST

I thought she was more technologically sophisticated than that and could accept tweets?!:)


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Ari Siletz

Some replies

by Ari Siletz on Thu Feb 24, 2011 01:08 AM PST

Happy to see friends appreciate this beautiful song, and the tender performance. Also thanks for the related links and lyrics kindly provided.

DM: In other versions of the song, Kord Agha Jaan is totally absent and the lover keeps bragging about how wealthy his is. So in that version both you and the singer have Ra'na's number.

JJ: For a happy ending to episode one, yes she did come back. In episode two we worry that he may lose her again. Ra'na is as independent minded as any Gilaki.

All: this other version of the Ra'na story, attributing an earlier date to it maybe of interest. One day Nassereddin Shah hears a choopaan singing this song and asks Ra'na to be brought before him. Totally disappointed the kings says to the choopan, "you were singing for this siaah sookhteh?" To which the choopan replies, "Siaah sookhteh to you, a precious pearl to me."  (I think the clever choopan brought the wrong girl to Nassereddin Shah, so I get less choked up about this version). 

 

 


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Majid

    ممنون

Majid
Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:09 AM PST

 

 

ممنون برای شعر آهنگ بزبان اصلی، این هم اجرائی نو از یک آهنگ قدیمی گیلکی و اینهم اجرای اصیل تر آهنگ.


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Jahanshah Javid

:)

by Jahanshah Javid on Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:01 AM PST

Loved it.

Did she come back? That's the question :)


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Anahid Hojjati

.

by Anahid Hojjati on Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:47 AM PST

.


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Tee Jaane Goorban

by Doctor mohandes on Wed Feb 23, 2011 09:17 PM PST

Dorood Bar ari.

What a wonderful and romantic story. I guess! Now I am guessing if The heartbroken softee had all the money in the world, Ms. Rana would have scrapped the whole damn deal with the Gooroohban fellow and Would have said: Johny. Let's get married now!

I think the poor man should give online dating a shot and forget about Raannaaa...


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Anahid Hojjati

Thanks Ari and I also love "Raana" by Faramarz Assef

by Anahid Hojjati on Wed Feb 23, 2011 08:39 PM PST

So many Raanas and one great Raana song, is the one that Assef sings.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqUfxoREMIQ 

 


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Faramarz

رعنا، چه بلایی

Faramarz
Wed Feb 23, 2011 08:08 PM PST

مرسی آری!

آهنگ رعنای  ملوک ضرابی


نرمک نرمک از لب چشمه می آید، رعنا
خندان خندان ناز و کرشمه می آید، رعنا
مه رو، رعنا
سیه مو، رعنا
مایه نازی، عمر درازی، گل مایی، رعنا
چه بلایی، رعنا
اندک اندک در سر کویت افتادم، رعنا
لنگان لنگان راه وصالت پیمودم، رعنا
دلبر، رعنا
ستمگر، رعنا
بانگ امیدی، صبح سپیدی، گل مایی، رعنا
چه بلایی، رعنا

دریا دریا در شب هجرت خون گریم، رعنا
یک دم بازآ تا که ببینی چون گریم، رعنا
باز آ، رعنا
خدا را، رعنا
باد بهاری، صبر و قراری، گل مایی، رعنا
چه بلایی، رعنا

 

//www.irxblog.com/files/rana.mp3


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Souri

Only for Mash Ghasem

by Souri on Wed Feb 23, 2011 07:48 PM PST

This is for you from the Rastak, enjoy

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UkhmS0W2dU


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pas-e-pardeh

afarin

by pas-e-pardeh on Wed Feb 23, 2011 07:08 PM PST

Thank you Ari jan.  As always, you awe us with your love of motherland.


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Mash Ghasem

کیف کردیم از این ترانه و اجرای دلنشین

Mash Ghasem
Wed Feb 23, 2011 07:07 PM PST

اولین باری بود که  از این گروه چیزی میشنیدم ، بسیار حرفه ای و
دلبخش،خیلی هم ممنون از "اری" گرامی. حالا پیش خودمون بمونه، ولی این "کرد
آقا جان" هم مثل اینکه کم "پدر-سالار" نبوده ها !

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Souri

Thank you Ari

by Souri on Wed Feb 23, 2011 06:38 PM PST

Once again you astonished us by your vast knowledge about almost anything!

I didn't know the story of Ra'na, but always liked this folk song. The Rastak group is also one of my favorite. I think they are doing a great job, very professionally despite the limited possibilities.

More power to the Rastaks and also to you our daneshmand friend! 


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Ari Siletz

lyrics, sorry about formatting.

by Ari Siletz on Wed Feb 23, 2011 06:19 PM PST

رعنا تی تومان گِله کِشه ،
رعنای تی غصه آخر مَره کوشه ،

رعنای دیل دَبَسی کُردآجانه،
رعنای حنا بَنَی تی دَستانه،

رعنای آی رو سیا ،
رعنا جان !برگرد بیا
رعنای رعنای می شِی رعنا،
سیاه کیشمیشه رعنا

آخه پارسال بوشوی امسال نومی ،

رعنا تی بوشو راه واش دَر بِمَی،
رعنا تی لِنگانِ خاش در بِمَی ،

رعنا آی رو سیا ،رعنا !
برگرد بیا رعنای رعنای می شِی رعنا،
سیاه کیشمیشه رعنا

امسالِ سالِ چاییه ،رعنا
رعنای تی پِِر ،مِه داییه ،

رعنا جان من بوگو، مرگ من بگو
رعنا رعنای گُله رعنای!

گل سنبله رعنای رعنای
بوشو تا لنگرود رعنای،

خیاط بِدِی هیشکی نُدوت ،
رعنای خیاط وَچَی تَر کُت بُدوت ،رعنا

***

رعنا، دامنت رو زمین می کشه،رعنا!
غصه ات آخرش منو میکشه،رعنا!

به کردآقا جان دل بستی ،رعنا!
دستاتو حنا گذاشتی ،رعنا!

آی روسیاه،رعنا!
برگرد بیا ،رعنا!
رعنا مال منه!
کشمشِ سیاهه رعنا!

آخه راهی رو که پارسال رفته بودی
هنوز برنگشتی راهی رو که رفته بودی
علف در اومده

رعنا پدرت ،دایی منه!
جان من بگو رعنا، مرگ من بگو رعنا!

رعنا رفت تا لنگرود یه کت خواست
هیچکس براش ندوخت فقط پسر یه خیاط براش دوخت!
ترجمه از اینجا.


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