'Ataba

Atāba" (عتابة; plural atabāt", عتبات) is a vocal form in Arabic music. It is particularly popular in Palestinian and Lebanese music. It is sung unmetered in stanzas comprising four lines, with the last word of the first three lines being homonyms that each have a different meaning, creating a pun.

It is often paired with a refrain called a "mījanā".

References

*Cohen, Dalia, and Ruth Katz (2006). "Palestinian Arab Music: A Maqām Tradition in Practice". Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press.