His Life Story
What was Abdel Halim's nickname, meaning "the Dark Nightingale"?
Al-Andaleeb al-Asmar.
Which Egyptian president was Abdel Halim closely tied to, becoming his unofficial "voice"?
Gamal Abdel Nasser.
What is the English name of his famous last song "Qariat al-Fingan"?
The Cup Reader
How did the crowd treat him at his first big concert in Alexandria in 1951?
They booed him and threw tomatoes and eggs.
Rapper Jay-Z sampled an Abdel Halim song in his hit "Big Pimpin'." True or false?
True (the song "Khosara")
Why was he raised by his uncle?
He was orphaned. His mother died the day he was born and his father died before he turned one
Name one of his patriotic songs celebrating Nasser's Egypt.
Any of "The High Dam," "The Story of a Nation," or "Our Egyptian Revolution."
Which famous poet wrote the words to that song?
Nizar Qabbani.
What event a year later turned that same song into a hit?
The 1952 revolution.
About how old was Abdel Halim when he died in 1977?
47
Which instrument did he train on at the Arabic Music Institute in Cairo, graduating in 1948?
The oboe
Israel's defense minister reportedly wanted to "remove this hand," meaning Abdel Halim's influence. Who was he?
Moshe Dayan.
What unusual sound opens the song, and later sparked a famous concert moment?
Whistling.
At London's Royal Albert Hall he sang "Christ" in support of which city?
Jerusalem
During which 2011 uprising were his patriotic songs sung in the streets again?
The Arab Spring (the January 25 revolution in Egypt).
Roughly how many times did Abdel Halim and his team rehearse "The Cup Reader" before performing it?
About 18 times.