Draft:Revolutionary songs in Iran

Revolutionary songs were composed and performed in opposition to the shah of Iran and in support of the revolutionary movement leading up to, during, and following the victory of the 1979 Iranian revolution. The status of music in Iran was changed by the revolution, as the regime headed by Ayatollah Khomeini banned concerts and other musical expressions before relaxing restrictions later in his rule. Some songs of the revolution are broadcasted on radios or performed by students.

Song examples

The song "Booye Gole Soosano Yasaman," or "It smells like lilies and jasmine" from lyrics by poet Hamid Sabzevari and arrangement by Mojtabi Mirzadeh. It was performed during the height of the Iranian Revolution. The song includes lyrics such as “The fragrance of jasmine of spring now comes from the homeland, the soul of the dead came to the body”. The lyrics have been interpreted as representing new beginnings and a new chapter, since spring is the new year in Iranian culture. These lyrics were chanted in the streets as people marched. In Iran, the spring it represents new beginnings since the trees and nature are also renewing. Another lyric in the song is “Yazid’s eye of time comes out of the ring.” Yazid is a figure in Islam who killed Hasayn, a prophet in the religion. The lyric compares the Shah who was ruling before the revolution as he was deemed a bad person compared to Khomeini who then took over the regime. In the lyric “The demon Chu goes out, an angel comes in” people viewed Khomeini as an angel that came to save the people’s misery since Iranians then viewed the Shah as the demon that left. The Zoroastrian religion, which was dominant in Iranian culture until the fall of the Sasanian Empire, celebrates light and fire. Iranians still have specific phrases, such as “peace be upon Mohammad and his holy family,” that are rooted in the Zoroastrian religion. This song has been used to gather Iranians to march and salute the arrival of Khomeini and the new regime.

Another song, "Iran, the Hope" came from the poet Hushang Ebtehaj, who was known for his songs broadcast on the radio. The lyrics show more of a nationalistic perspective and the people finding freedom. The song has lyrics such as "Look, how out of this bloody path / A lucky sun arrived." The poet has shared songs on the Iranian radio network and was a member of the Iranian Writer’s Association, but because of close ties with the Tudeh Party, an Iranian Communist party, he was removed. He had also been arrested due to his connections and while in jail his song was played on the prison’s system speakers which moved him to tears.