Fairuz's Patriotic Song 'Bahebak Ya Lebnan' Sparks Complex Emotions in Lebanon After 50 Years

The Lebanese singer Fairuz's 1976 song 'Bahebak Ya Lebnan' has become a de facto national anthem over five decades, originally emerging during the early phase of Lebanon's 15-year civil war. The composition expresses love for the nation and has been repeatedly invoked during subsequent crises including conflicts with Israel, the COVID-19 pandemic, sectarian tensions, financial collapse since 2019, and the 2020 Beirut port explosion. While initially symbolizing unity and resilience, the track now evokes ambivalent feelings among many Lebanese, particularly younger generations who associate it with recurring tragedy rather than hope. Lebanese-American musician Leila Milki notes the song has transformed into a lament reflecting exhaustion with cyclical narratives of rebirth. Ethnomusicologist Dr. Nour El Rayes observes that older listeners who experienced Lebanon's mid-20th century cultural flourishing connect differently with the music than younger people who inherited ongoing instability. Some diaspora members use Fairuz's work to maintain connection to an idealized homeland, while others avoid it due to associations with conflict. The song continues to be performed by regional artists including Hussain Al Jassmi, Fadel Chaker, Assala, and Sherine, but questions persist about whether it perpetuates stereotypes of Lebanese resilience that mask current hardships like forced displacements in southern Lebanon and governmental failures. Researcher Dina Ikbal Yunis suggests the composition's enduring appeal relates to nostalgia for an imagined progressive nation rather than contemporary reality.