I was exactly five years old when this golden song was released. My father bought the LP and played it on the radiogram, and it instantly became a forever favourite of mine—and of the entire planet.
Beautiful Sana Yousuf, it’s like the song was written for you. All familiar with the song, read the lyrics once again and let your heart shed a few tears. The song is about a seventeen-year-old who is looking to enjoy life, her youth, the moments, the coming of tomorrow and of what the future may bring.
She is dreaming colourful, vibrant, bright and bold.
She’s not looking for a king, she’s instead, wholeheartedly, celebrating the queen that she is.
She is, in essence, celebrating herself.
You can jive
Having the time of your life
Ooh, see that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen
Friday night and the lights are low
Looking out for a place to go
Where they play the right music
Getting in the swing
You come to look for a king
Anybody could be that guy
Night is young and the music's high
With a bit of rock music
Everything is fine
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance
You are the dancing queen
Young and sweet
Only seventeen
Dancing queen
Feel the beat on the tambourine, oh yeah
You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
Ooh, see that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen
You're a teaser, you turn 'em on
Leave 'em burning and then you're gone
Looking out for another
Anyone will do
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance
You are the dancing queen
Young and sweet
Only seventeen
Dancing queen
Feel the beat on the tambourine, oh yeah
You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
Ooh, see that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen
I was not familiar with the work of Sana Yousuf, but as I was getting ready to write this article I searched her account and watched some of her work. My eyes welled up, I felt a lump in my throat and I heard myself sigh a "hai."
What a beautiful, sweet child Sana Yousuf was. Her content was fun and crisp, laughter like bells ringing, merriment infectious, joy absolutely alive, and her childlike awe; innocent and pure.
Q. Who killed her?
Is it that 22-year-old Wahshi (for all unfamiliar, Wahshi was the murderer of Hazrat Hamza, the Prophet’s PBUH uncle) from Faisalabad, or all the misguided (so-called) guardians of faith?
Who are these degenerates, these enablers, these hell-bound individuals?
I was reading the comments on the announcement of Sana’s death, I could read no further in good conscience.
So much has been written and said about the heinousness of Sana’s murder but will it change anything?
Yes, there is hope, but only if women start raising better boys to men, and men start raising better boys to men, and most importantly if society and media start creating content that is not only entertaining, but also elevates thought and intellect.
Sana’s murder is on everyone. It’s on a mother who encourages misogyny in her son against his wife, sister, cousin or friend; a father or a group of men in a family (uncles, older acquaintances) who talk about multiple marriages in jest and young boys growing up imbibing that thought process. It’s on society that lets misogynists like Danish Taimoor feel entitled to talk about multiple marriages without having any knowledge of it, while his wife sits and listens. It’s resting on all who let men think that women do not mean NO when they say NO!
It’s on all so-called self-proclaimed guardians of faith, holier-than-thou, pathetic cowards who sit in their dark rooms and type vile commentary on women in the public arena. They need to be called out, shut down and held accountable.
Danish Taimoor needs to be held accountable. It’s exactly that attitude that dehumanises women.
Misogyny and chauvinism don’t just spring up in men, it is planted as saplings in little boys, and in little girls (to accept self-dehumanisation from brothers, fiancés and their husband, when they get married).
No more!
Hold people’s feet to fire, do it, call them out. Embarrass them publicly, ask them in public what they mean when they pass a statement dripping in darkness against women.
For all who’ve been seventeen-year-old girls, we know what that’s like. The future feels ours, life invincible; that was Sana reviewing food, travelling, hanging out with friends, having a blast.
Farewell sweet child, may the Heavens welcome you with a song and a kiss.
We wish you had stayed longer with us, we wish.