I have decided to share a folk song, Bãmé Boland, from Shiraz, Iran! I obtained the recording of this performance from the Smithsonian Folkways album “Folk Songs and Dances of Iran”. Bãmé Boland means “the high rooftop”, and an ivory tower or “high roof” is referenced often in the lyrics. I chose to share this song due to the intriguing interplay between the relatively cheerful feel of the piece and the rather tragic lyrics that accompany the performance. The lyrics are as follows:

“That high roof which you see is my roof

That white veil which you see is my lover

Don’t do that, Dear, Don’t do that

Don’t fall from the high roof 

Or you will become a vagabond

Your husband will die and you will be

overcome by grief”

Bãmé Boland also professes many captivating musical elements. An aerophone (very reminiscent of a trumpet) and chordophones provide an instrumental introduction prior to the vocal performance. After the vocalist begins to sing, the performer is accompanied by a predominant, bright-sounding chordophone. While one vocalist sings the majority of the piece, a group refrain follows. I find it interesting that some of the “slides” between notes performed on the chordophone appear to be mimicked by the vocalists in order to accent the end of a phrase.  Underlying the sung performance, I can detect ornamentations that sound like plucked strings. I believe these ornamentations to be produced by striking the strings of a santur with wooden mallets in a rapid fashion. The individual playing the santur may also produce the repeating “low-to-high” interval that can be distinctly heard in the introduction of the performance. Lastly, I believe that I detect a drum of some form throughout the sung portion of the piece; however, percussion is not a predominating element. 

Link to Recording:

Sources:

“Folk Songs and Dances of Iran.” Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, https://folkways.si.edu/folk-songs-and-dances-of-iran/central-asia-islamica-world/music/album/smithsonian.

Shay, Anthony B. “Folk Songs and Dances of Iran: Notes on Persian Music.” Folkways Records, https://folkways-media.si.edu/docs/folkways/artwork/FW08856.pdf.