"Kajaki:" Ahmad Zahir vs. Valy



Ahmad Zahir's most popular Qarsak song is still a staple in Afghan culture. It made Qarsak music more popular in social settings among all Afghans instead of just Penjshir natives. The fact that the song only requires a few instruments also adds to its popularity. "Kajaki's" simple rhythm created by a small number of instruments allows (and resulted in) many artists to pay homage to it; one of the most popular of which being Valy.




Valy is an Iranian artist whose songs are usually in Dari. Unlike most Iranian artists whose lyrics are exclusively Farsi, Valy appeals to young Iranians and Afghans alike because he sings in Dari. He's known for his pop/dance songs that often sample from classics.

"Zim Zim" strays from "Kajaki" instrumentally, but not in its essence. It stays true to "Kajaki's" dance tune except with more autotune and general noise. Valy also remixes the song by adding extra verses and excluding some of the originals. For example, the lines "Kaman abro kamanat ra bebosam/ Senan mozhgan senanat ra bebosam/ Kabab az gham begiram gesoyat raa/ Sadaf dandan labanat raa bebosam" from the original are replaced with "Kajaki zulf tu burchi to gham as/ Kajaki aag tama rahamd ehmas/ Kajaki gard tu jaan fida koonam/ Dar muqubul vafai tu kaam as"

Valy replaced these lines possibly because they do not appeal to his target audience: young people. Zahir's original verses translate to "I want to kiss your eyebrows/ I want kiss your eyelashes/ I will hold on to your hair/ I will kiss your pearl teeth and your lips," these are a more specific and vivid than Valy's usual songs. The lines he chose instead translate to "Scorpion, your hair causes me pain/ Scorpion, you set my heart on fire/ Scorpion, even if I destroy myself for you/ It would be nothing compared to your loyalty" Valy's lines are considerably less descriptive than Zahir's, an indication of two opposing audiences. 

The dancing represented in the "Zim Zim" video is quite different from the kind "Kajaki" was created for, but the two are still successful pop songs. In that sense, Valy stayed true to Zahir only with some 2000s twists like autotune, a faster tempo and party visuals.









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