To shed some different light on Arabic culture, I thought I should
reprint here a transliteration of an old Umm Kulthum song from 
1925.
 

* " Ya Karawan We'Nabi Sallim,
    3ala El Habeeb We Ib'aa Itkallim,
    We Qulu Hebbak Mitallim,
    Min hagrak Sabah Fe Haal,
 
    Ya Karawan Sallim,

    Ya Karawan Qullu We'Tigeeny,
    Ya Helw sawtaq YiHeeny,
    Khalley Habaybey Tihaneeny,
    We Dah Kullu Gharam We Dalal,

    [Repeat *]

    Ya Karawan Ghanney We tawwil,
    We 3an El Qamar La TaTaHawwil,
    toul 3mr 3uzzaly Tehawwil,
    We Qalby Bardou Laka Mayyal,

    [Repeat *]

    Ya Karawan Qullu We'Idalla3
    We'Allah Ana Qalby Muwalla3,
    Ana tirT Fawq Abkey Italla3,
    We'Aghanney Feh Hobby Mawal. "

  -- Thoughts from EL SETT (1925).

  This recording is very interesting. In alternations, one can hear
  her father and brother accompanying her. They later understood
  that her success in the Urban culture was contingent upon their 
  leaving the Firkah, and so her father and brother left voluntarily,
  without imposing upon Umm Kulthum this difficult decision.


Regards,

John Absood

           " Ya gaarat al aykie, ayam ul hawa dhahabat "

                       -- Ahmad Shawqi for Umm Kulthum