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| Farhad Ibrahimi |
Farhad Ibrahimi, the lyricist of “Ayrılıq,” one of the most famous songs in the Turkic world, passed away at the age of 84 in Ardabil, Iranian Azerbaijan.
Renowned songwriter and poet Farhad (Rajab) Ibrahimi was born in 1935 in the village of Korabazli, located in the Yurtchu region of Ardabil.
Ibrahimi is the lyricist behind songs such as Ayrılıq (Separation), Açıl Səhər (Awaken, Morning), and Ağlama (Don’t Cry), composed by Ali Salimi.
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| Creators of the Song Ayrılıq: Farhad Ibrahimi, Fatma Qannadi, and Ali Salimi |
The song Ayrılıq, composed by Ali Salimi with lyrics by Farhad Ibrahimi, was first performed in 1958 on Tehran Radio by the composer’s wife, Fatma Qannadi.
In 1963, when Rashid Behbudov performed the song during his visit to Tehran, Ayrılıq began to gain fame beyond Iran’s borders, becoming one of the most celebrated songs in the Turkic world. To this day, Ayrılıq has been performed by numerous renowned artists across Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Central Asia, and East Turkestan.
According to some sources, the song was initially rehearsed with different lyrics before being broadcast on Tehran Radio:
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For years, I’ve been far from my homeland,
A nightingale separated from its rose,
Forced away from my sweet-talking tongue,
Separation, separation, bitter separation,
Of all pains, separation is the worst...
However, due to the political implications of the lyrics, the song was censored, and poet Ibrahimi rewrote the words, transforming it into the love poem that is widely sung today.
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| Farhad Ibrahimi |
Link to the original text in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
‘Ayrılıq’ mahnısının müəllifi vəfat edib