The tears of Arabesque flowed for Ferdi Tayfur

Ferdi Tayfur, one of the most important names in Arabesque music, has been laid to rest. The artist's melancholic songs flowed like a flood in the tears of his fans.

Ferdi Tayfur is one of the most significant representatives of Arabesque music. He is a name who left his mark on the Arabesque of the 1970s in particular. He was an artist who captured the hearts of the people with his melancholic lyrics and sorrowful melodies. Of course, songs were not the only reason he won the public's affection. When the public identifies with someone, they embrace them more deeply. The public identified with Ferdi Tayfur. With his lifestyle and his struggle for life, he was one of them, and therefore, he was able to become the voice of the people.

Ferdi Tayfur was a reflection of the social change process of the 1960s and 70s in music. He gave voice to the crisis caused by the migration from rural areas to cities. With his songs, he perhaps provided a glimmer of hope to the despair of being displaced, yet unable to find a place. With his poignant voice, he perhaps became a companion and a kindred spirit to the new urbanites who had not yet been accepted in the city and were on the fringes.

The Turkey of the 1970s was caught unprepared for the migration from rural to urban areas, which led to great chaos in society due to unemployment, poverty, and homelessness. Shantytowns surrounded major cities, especially Istanbul. People were trying to hold onto life and adapt to their new lives in makeshift houses they built with their own means, lacking infrastructure, electricity, water, and transportation. They had broken away from the countryside, but they had not become urbanites either. It was the sorrowful lyrics of Arabesque songs that became the voice of this state of being stuck in between. The issue was not the music, but the words expressed in the music—lyrics that sometimes offered hope and sometimes wove despair. "I have no peace left, the setting sun, homeless birds, you burned me, leave this exile, there is a wound in my heart..."

The artist's lifestyle was also important. This is exactly where Ferdi Tayfur integrated with his fan base. The people in the shantytowns loved Ferdi. They saw him as one of their own. After all, he was reflecting his own life struggle in his songs. It was not difficult for Ferdi to empathize with his listeners, to understand them, and to reach them. He, too, had come to Istanbul from the countryside and from poverty, trying to hold onto life, to make himself accepted, and to adapt. It was difficult, very difficult. But it would happen by striving and nurturing hope. It had to. His own life struggle, his pains, and his writhing from despair to hope were expressed in his songs. Consequently, Ferdi Tayfur was able to become the voice of the people. His records were snapped up, and hundreds of thousands attended his concerts. For some, he became "Brother Ferdi," for others, "Father Ferdi." He was even declared the king of Arabesque.

On the other hand, discussions about this new musical form had begun. While those who received education in the best music schools and produced the highest quality music did not receive as much attention from the masses, what was the reason for this new style receiving such interest? Musicians, music researchers, sociologists, and social psychologists took action to learn the truth of the matter. Many studies were conducted, and much was written. What was it that affected the masses so much? Many musicians had come and gone from this world and this society. Folk songs, traditional sayings, classical music, art music, etc. But for the first time, a musical form was receiving mass-level interest. Father Ferdi, Father Orhan, Father Müslüm, etc. The public loved these artists. I don't think it's very important to discuss the artistic value of the music they made. We passed those stages long ago. They captured the masses in some way and attached them to themselves. It would not be right to evaluate this as an empty or meaningless event. It means they were able to enter the emotional world of the masses. But to enter the emotional world and integrate with the masses, it is actually very important to have the same life experiences. This is perhaps the most fundamental reason why Ferdi Tayfur, Orhan Gencebay, and Müslüm Gürses were embraced by the masses.

On the other hand, there is the difficulty of ensuring the continuity of mass attachment or loyalty. Masses embrace quickly, but they also give up quickly. Perhaps the difference in Ferdi Tayfur's relationship with the masses lies here. They embraced him and never gave up on him. Because he always managed to remain in them and stay with them. He never changed his lifestyle or his musical form, nor did he try to change them. Therefore, he never lost the love of the masses. The masses do not want change. Because it is difficult for them to adapt. That is why they run to those who resemble them. I think this is one of the most fundamental reasons why Arabesque artists receive so much attention.

As I mentioned at the beginning, Arabesque is more of a mass phenomenon than a musical genre. It is a mass culture or, in today's terms, a popular cultural genre. There, the subtleties of the art of music, notes, instruments, and the style of singing are not very important; what is important is who the artist is, what living conditions they came from, how they live, and what they say. This is exactly what makes Ferdi Tayfur, Ferdi Tayfur.

Another point is that what is mass-oriented can also be political and ideological. This is also an important reason why Arabesque music and its artists gained mass-level appreciation. Artists or artistic events that attract the public's interest and are embraced by the masses can often be turned into instruments of popular politics and be loaded with ideological value. We see that the Arabesque phenomenon in Turkey has become a tool of popular politics, especially since the beginning of the 1980s. For this reason, Arabesque music artists have often been positioned politically as well. It can be said that most artists who gained mass-level popularity were positioned politically and interpreted ideologically in one way or another. However, over time, we see that Arabesque music, at least in Turkey, has found its own style and taken its place within the art of music as a unique musical form. This required a difficult struggle process. Perhaps the most difficult struggles of Arabesque music artists were in this direction. Bans, restrictions, but in the end, it was accepted that a music with its own audience has a right to exist.

Ferdi Tayfur, as one of the pioneering names in this struggle, contributed greatly to the development and establishment of Arabesque, which is Turkey's popular music. He became the voice of the people. He won the love of the people and gathered the appreciation of the masses. His efforts were not in vain; the love and loyalty of the masses continued. Indeed, he was sent off on his final journey with tears, songs, and applause.

May he rest in light. May his songs live on forever.