The Song
Each of the 31 phrases begins with the Persian word barāye , which means “for,” or “because of.” The word thus encompasses both “reason” and “beneficiary.” Every line has its origin in Iranians’ messages on social media. Together they form a catalogue of the problems the Iranians are facing, pointing to the oppressive situation after 43 years of Islamic rule.
The problems are not new, but the artistic and coherent way in which Shervin has put them together has a huge emotional impact. People long for freedom and these sentences show how Iranians have been deprived of the most basic human rights.
The song shows what is at stake, what people have been deprived of, and the desire for change in the current ideological theocratic system. It is not just about the restrictive dress code and gender segregation, but also about poverty and environmental pollution, the consequences of the ubiquitous corruption, and years of mismanagement.
Shervin’s song does not mention the dress code for which the 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested and murdered by the morality police. He does mention the ban on dancing and kissing. Dancing and music have been problematic from the beginning of the 1979 Revolution. It is not surprising that girls dance when they remove and burn their headscarves. Both taking off the headscarf and dancing exemplify the desire to be able to express oneself freely.
Another important theme is poverty. While Iran as an oil-producing country is one of the richest in the region, very little of the profit ever reaches the population. Obviously, the sanctions imposed by the US and other Western countries play a role here, but the Islamic Republic spends the money, principally on its own people or on ideological objectives abroad, especially in countries such as Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
From time to time, Iranians come across news about how the state elites smuggle millions of dollars abroad and who let their children, shouting “death to America,” live a life of luxury in the West. The luxurious life of these children with their expensive sports cars, large villas and extravagant parties is in stark contrast to the poverty-stricken Iranian population struggling with astronomical inflation, poor infrastructure, unemployment and increasing water shortages.
The contrast between what the Islamic Republic is doing and what it is demanding from the Iranian people has become too stark. Against this background, the longing for an “ordinary life” expressed in the song has tragic connotations.