Filed under: Algeria
Brothers Rachid and Fethi Baba Ahmed were from the Northwestern town of Tlemcen in Algeria.
They formed their first band in the 1960’s, which was called The Vultures. Althought I have been unable to find any recordings by the band, they were supposed more Western styled rock ‘n’ roll.
After The Vultures, they released a few records as Rachid et Fethi (here’s one other that I know of), and made a number of appearances performing on Algerian television in the 1970’s.
Since that time, Rachid and Fethi became the most well known Raï producers in Algeria. They openned one of the first 24 track studios in the country, which is in the town of Oran. They were the first to introduce the synthesizer and drum machine into Raï in 1982, which would galvanize that music’s signature sound.
Sadly, Rachid Baba Ahmed was killed on 15 February 1995 in his car with shots from a submachine gun in Oran.
Thanks to Anis Bousbia for his help.
Catalog number 28846 Editions Rally of Tlemcen, Algeria. No release date given.
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UPDATE: 05/27/23 This song – as well as it’s flip side – can be found on the Sublime Frequencies compilation 1970’s Algerian Folk And Pop. You can also find one of their other records that has eluded me for ages – the “Youk Baba Jeïm” / “Maghboun” single – over at Gary Sullivan‘s Arabic Singles Going Steady blog.
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Radiodiffusion Internasionaal Annexe 
allay yerham rachid baba hmed
Comment by faical July 5, 2008 @ 2:40 pmThank you for this nice single. I’m surprised, as the music is identical to the song “Leylim Leylim” by the Turkish singer Fikret Kizilok, released 1972. http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=ptbUinBGJOU
Comment by Akin Ercan October 31, 2008 @ 4:09 pmKizilok was one of the member of the so-called “Anatolian Pop” movement in Turkey.
I don’t know who borrowed from whom, but this version is also very good.
Yes very strange lets solve this mystery ok?Rachid and fethi have a turkish song entitled yuk baba jim can you hear it and tell me if you have already heard it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8VAHN4niq4&translated=1
Comment by Anis October 12, 2009 @ 11:47 amRachid Baba-Ahmed tell me his family had
Comment by yves thibord November 11, 2009 @ 10:21 amsome turkish roots, even relatives in today Turkey ,Algeria for 3 centuries was under Ottoman “influence” or colonisation …
I did spend months in Tlemcen where was the Studio (not in Oran)with Rachid in 88-89
Would be nice to hear the A side too.
Comment by xophe May 5, 2013 @ 1:14 pm[…] was sure to have heard this song before and thanks to the omniscient internet and the notorious Radio Diffusion blog, I found out. It’s the wonderful track “Leylim Leylim” by the Turkish band Fikret Kizilok […]
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