Morqe Sahar (Persian: مرغ سحر, often romanised as Morgh-e Sahar, variously translated as Dawn Bird, Bird of the Morning,[1] The Nightingale) is an Iranian tasnif often sung in protest of injustices, dictatorship and tyranny in Iran.[1][2][3] Often regarded as the "anthem" of struggles for freedom in Iran,[3][4][5] the tasnif was written by Mohammad-Taqi Bahar and composed by Morteza Neidavoud in the early 20th century under the wake of Iranian constitutional revolution.[2] The song's lyrics centre on the metaphor of the bird of dawning or morning that initiates a lament. As the song progresses, it appeals to the caged bird to sing and break free,[6] symbolising the termination of a period of oppression ("night") and the commencement of liberation ("day").[7]
Whilst the first stanza of Morqe Sahar has been described as more lyrical, the second stanza has been described as "dealing with social and political issues". The second stanza was banned by Reza Shah Pahlavi since 1925 until his overthrow in 1941. This came after the song was performed at a home gathering of the Shah's minister Teymourtash, during which the Shah heard the song.[3] According to a Kayhan article, the second stanza was sung at private parties, where the atmosphere was more suited to political debate in comparison to the preceding stanza that was often sung publicly.[3]
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The first recording artist to sing Morqe Sahar was Qamar-ol-Moluk Vaziri who sang it in 1924 at a Tehran hotel during her first formal vocal performance.[3] Morqe Sahar was first recorded in 1927 by Iranoddole Helen or Taj Esfahani. One of the first recording is also attributed to the signing of Moluk Zarrabi.[8] It was later performed by numerous Iranian singers including Qamar-ol-Moluk Vaziri, Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, Leila Forouhar, Homayoun Shajarian, Farhad Mehrad, Shakila, Mohsen Namjoo,[2] Reza Sadeghi, and Hengameh Akhavan.
The song is regarded as a hit and a "signature" piece of the highly respected singer Mohammad Reza Shajarian[9][10] who was often regarded as a public figure voicing for democracy.[6] It was incorporated as the closing segment in all of his concert presentations.[11][7] In 2020, crowds of mourners congregated to express their sorrow over the passing of Shajarian at the Jam Hospital, where he had been undergoing medical care. During this gathering, the attendees sang Morqe Sahar - often referred to as his "signature" creation - and vocalised slogans denouncing authoritative rule, which led to an encounter with Iranian authorities.[10]