1998 was a very special year for me, if I was to choose a fave année it would be this one. Part of the reason is because 1997 was not so fun, which made 1998 feel better, but also:
- I spent 3 months at a French School in Rouen, this meant no parents and I was with one of my bestest girls, the perfect life for a 16 year old.
- I fell in Love (properly) for the first time... Sigh.
- I quit the vile college that I hated and had a few extra months before the summer hols, to work in my city and feel grown up; Cash, dollar- bills.
- France won the World Cup. My man Zidane was a fine captain and I was holding on tight to my French connections after my stint en France: "Allez les Bleus!"
The reason that I am travelling back to 98 aujourd'hui, is because it's tuNesday! The song that captures this year for me is a Beautiful number by Khaled Hadj Ibrahim.
This fabtastic tune was actually released in 1996 and was a ridiculously huge hit in France. Drawing from personal experience the French are not always so accepting of other ethnic groups within their culture, so Khaled making it as big as he did was extra fabulous. Opening the door to Raï music in France... Yippee!
Even though this song made it big two years previously, by 1998 I was still obsessed with it and so were my new French School Mates.
Sing it with me: "Comme si j'n'existais pas, Elle est passee a cote de moi, Sans un regard, Reine de Sabbat, J'ai dit, Aïcha, prends, tout est pour toi"
Check out my man Khaled, also known as Cheb Khaled, belting out this gorgeous hit "Aïcha"... أحبه
Here is a little extra tuNesday clip for you. This is the first youtube vid that I fell in love with; a remake of Khaled's "Aïcha", sang by a really fun young lad. So so funny, great if you need a cheer up or just feel like smiling, enjoy!
