Tamer Hosny sings ‘Men Kan Ya Makan,’ a tribute to Egypt’s theater legends. Karim Niyazi and Tarek Ali write the lyrics, while they, along with Sam Mohamed and Moemen Yasser, craft the melody. The song honors icons like Yaqub Sanu, Al-Qabbani, and Aziz Eid.
Released: October 5, 2025
Men Kan Ya Makan
Tamer Hosny
Men Kan Ya Makan Meaning & Lyrics (Tamer Hosny)
The lyricist lists theater greats, translating ‘The stage’s true fortune is having people remember us.’ Tamer Hosny mentions names like Sherihan, Adel Imam, and Mohamed Sobhi. Each line echoes the legacy of Egypt’s golden age of theater.
Men kan ya makanOnce upon a time
Masrahna zamanOur theater from long ago
Sandouq malyan b konouz w er romouzA chest brimming with treasures and symbols
W da mesh tahwilAnd that isn’t an exaggeration
Asmaa alamaatNames that became icons
Sanao el hekayatThey crafted the stories
W saboulna tarikhAnd left us a legacy
Beka ed dehk sarikhWhere tears turned into roaring laughter
Keda geel wara geelJust like that, generation after generation
Yaaqoub Sannu w el Abbani‘Yaqub Sanu’ and ‘Al-Qabbani’
George fatahlak bab ya Rihani‘George’ opened a door for you, O ‘Rihani’
Kan Kish Kish Bey yermi el efieh‘Kish Kish Bey’ used to drop the punchlines
Gomhouro ioullo ermieh taniAnd his audience would tell him to do it again
Ya Aziz wala yom men ayamakO ‘Aziz’, not a single day compares to yours
Youssef Bey masraho oddamak‘Youssef Bey’s’ stage stands right before you
Kanou sala w lobby yesmaou monologueThey’d be in the hall and lobby listening to a monologue,
Yokhrogou hafzin kol kalamakLeaving with every single word of yours memorized
Ya Ali ya Kassar fel madariO ‘Ali el-Kassar’, in all the circles
Be talata geneih madi w shariBuying and selling with just three pounds
Ya Badie sallem ala el IbyariO ‘Badie’, give our regards to ‘El-Ibyari’
W armilna ala Soma salamakAnd send your greetings to ‘Soma’
W yemor zamanAnd time slips by
Yegi bado zamanAnd another era arrives
W el masrah yefdal beit malyanBut the theater remains a house full
Dayman sokkanAlways brimming with its people
Zaki ya Tulaymat‘Zaki Tulaymat’
Endena negmaatWe’ve got our own stars
Kheffet Essad reqet ShweikarThe wit of ‘Essad’ and the grace of ‘Shweikar’
Talla SherihanThe grand appearance of ‘Sherihan’
Ya Fouad hat Madbouly w ioulloO ‘Fouad’, bring ‘Madbouly’ and tell him
Adel Imam el geel kolloThat ‘Adel Imam’ represents the entire generation
W Samir law meet saa le wahdouAnd if ‘Samir’ performed for a hundred hours straight
Omr ennes menno ma haymelloPeople would never get tired of him
Ardash w Karam ashou maana‘Ardash’ and ‘Karam’ lived among us
W Mohamed Sobhi da gouanaAnd ‘Mohamed Sobhi’ stays in our hearts
W Najm w Radi b afshatehom‘Najm’ and ‘Radi’ with all their quips
Ya sett Samiha ya wahshanaO Lady ‘Samiha’, how we’ve missed you
Ya Soheir nadi el bet SekinaO ‘Soheir’, call for the girl ‘Sekina’
Ya Bedir Abd el Aal athar fenaO ‘Bedir’, ‘Abd el Aal’ truly left a mark on us
Ya Said ioul le sett AminaO ‘Said’, tell Lady ‘Amina’
Rezq el masrah nas fakranaThe stage’s true fortune is having people remember us
W hayefdal masrahna b kheiroAnd our theater will always stay prosperous
Dayman leih doro w tathiroIt’ll always have its role and its influence
Da el masrah zay el hawa w el rouhFor the theater’s like the air and the soul,
Omrena ma naish yom men gheroWe’ve never lived a single day without it
Men Kan Ya Makan Music Video
Looking for the ‘Men Kan Ya Makan’ lyrics translation? It celebrates Egypt’s theater icons. The song from Tamer Hosny’s album is a heartfelt ode to the stage and its stars.