Fading Memories….Unforgettable Songs: January, 2016

The songs that we have for the present episode, incidentally, presents quite an interesting mix – both in terms of music directors or playback singers or even the year in which these songs were first released.

Harish Raghuvanshi remembers:

All songs of ‘Saawan’ (1959) – Hansraj Behl – Prem Dhawan

As we listen to this anthology, we get to listen to several songs that have faded up in the memory, along with some which remain evergreen…..

For those who would prefer to listen to each song individually, here is the bouquet of these gems to pick and choose from:

• Bheega Bheega Pyaar Ka Sama – Shamshad Begum, Mohammad Rafi
• Tumne Kahaa Chhu, Maine Chhu Liya – Suman Kalyanpur, Mahendera Kapoor
• Hame Kuchh Ho Gaya Jee – Shamshad Begum, Mohammad Rafi
• Dekho Bina Saawan Baras Rahi Badli – Mohammad Rafi
• Meri Ghaghri Nu Ghungroo Lava De – Shamshad Begum, Mohammad Rafi
• Kaanha Chhedo Baansuri – Lata Mangeshkar
• Murli Teri Payal Meri , Tu Gaye Main Nachun Chham Chham Chham – Lata Mangeshkar, Mahendra Kapoor
• Nain Dwaar Se Man Mein Woh Aa Ke Tan Mein Pyaas Jagaye – Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh
• Tumhe Yaad Kiya Mere Dil Ne – Lata Mangeshkar

Bhagwan Thavrani has remembered a wide range of the songs, with equally interesting commentary:

Mere Laadlo Tum to Fulofalo – Sant Gyanenshwar (1964) – Lata Mangeshkar – Laxmikant Pyarelal

This is a wonderful lori with wonderful words and usual Lata magic, still it’s almost forgotten…

There is a second version of this song.. in Mohammad Rafi’s voice

O Mrignayani Chnadramukhi – Rang Birangi (1983) – R D Burman

It’s a classical song by Pt. Vasantrao Deshpande with (perhaps) Arti Mukherjee…but I like the picturisation of the song and wonderful rendering by the Maestro Om Prakash and Chhaya Deviboth actors enact their “seen it all ” feelings in a deft manner and their love for each other shows…and how !  साथ जियेंगे साथ मरेंगे गाते गाते गाना.. ..lyrics is by Yogesh ( or is it Maya Govind ! )..

Saari Duniya Se Poochha – Milan (1958) – Lata Mangeshkar – Hansraj Behl

We all remember this 1958 film MILAN for that divine Lata number हाए जिया रोए, but listen to this one…it is a wonderful tune which all of you might have heard often …just trying to take it out from the shadows of more famous one….!

Jahanwale Tune Ye Kya Jindagi Di Jo Aaj Tak Hua Na – Gule Bakawali (1963) – Mohammad Rafi – Hansraj Behl – Gulshan Bawra

Immortal Rafi … Raag Darbari tune by Hansraj Behl . same Raag as in . हाए जिया रोए

Alvida Jaan-e-wafa – Benazir (1964) – Lata Mangeshkar – S D Burman

This gem is from Bimal Roy’s BENAZIR, a flop and forgotten film of the 60’s. It was directed by an unknown director Khaled. It was a Muslim social featuring Ashok Kumar, Meena Kumara, Shashi Kapoor and Tanuja among others. Music had the unique combination of Sachin Dev Burman and Shakeel Badayuni. The film had famous Rafi solo ‘ Dil Me ek Jaan-e-Tamanna Ne Jagah Pai hai ‘ and a couple of other Lata solos which are excellent yet not very popular. To me, this Lata song takes the cake. It was deleted from the film, hence only audio of the song is available. The lyric is so meaningful and a bit tragic.

Samir Dholakia remembers songs –

Beeta Hua Ek Sawan – Shokhiyan (1951) – Lata Mangeshkar – Jamal Sen, as remembered by Mahesh Joshi of Rajkot

One of his melodious but lesser known song…… This song was originally created for film “Shokhiyan “of Kedar Sharma, who introduced him in film. But somehow this beautiful song was not included in that film. After the death of Jamal Sen in 1979 , Kedar Sharma utilized the same in tele film named “Pahela kadam” in 1980.

Here are two songs which were the main subject of Arun Kumar Deshmukh’s posts on Atul’s Song A Day

Samaa Ye Pyaar Ka Bahaar Ke Ye Mele – Baaghi Sipaahi – (1958) – Manna Dey, Asha Bhonsle – Shankar Jaikishan –

This is the 2^nd of Manna Dey – Asha Bhosale duets. First one – Raat Gayi Phir Din Aata Hai – was in 1953 film – Boot Polish. Boot Polish also had triad – Thahar Jara O Jaanewale (Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle, Madhubala Zaveri). They went on to record 168 duets till 2005. As against this, Manna Dey – Lata Mangeshkar pair have recorded 106 duets.

Aaja Aaja Aaja Nadiya Kinaare – Raajhath (1956) – Lata Mangeshkar -Shankar Jaikishan – Shailendra –

presented by Helen on the screen

In Four Aces and A Queen, Parag Sankla has presented less remembered songs of Geeta Dutt, by Hansraj Behl, Chitragupt, Bulo C Rani and Avinash Vyas. We have picked up one representative song of each of the music directors mentioned in the article but for which the video links were not provided

Do Roz Ka Jalwaa Hain, Dikhane Ke Liye Hain – Rajput (1951) – Geeta Dutt, Hameeda Bano and Chorus – Hansraj Behl –

An all-female quawaali, indeed a rare one in so far as Geeta Dutt is concerned.

Nadiyaa Kinaare Mora Dera, Mashal Jale Saari Ratiya – Tarang (1952) –

a quartet with Mohammad Rafi, Shamshad Begum, Geeta and composer Chitragupt himself singing a few lines! Between the year 1958 and 1963, this wonderful singer and Chitragupt created as many as fifty plus songs….

Jawaniya Nigodi Sataaye, Ghoonghat Mora Khul Khul Jaaye – Darogaji (1949) – Bulo C Rani – Geeta’s voice could turn so youthful and natkhat…..

Gun Gun Gunjan Karata Bhanwara – Har Har Mahadev (1950) – Avinash Vyas – Gun Gun so creatively succeeds in recreating the humming of the wasp…

K S Bhatia and other readers have been in enriching the post My favourite ‘special’ Asha Bhosle songs by way of quite interesting add-on comments. In fact the avalanche of such songs by all the readers would call for several separate posts to do the justice. We have picked up one song here:

Aap Ki Baaten Aap Ki Kasmen Sab Jhoote – Kala Samunder (1962) – N. Dutta

The discussion also has added a few songs like this one by Suman Kalyanpur as well.

Meri Preet Mera Pyar Bole Aaj Baar Baar – Teerath Yatra (1958) – Suman Kalyanpur – Suresh Talwar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qnkA_d_No4

I had fairly encouraging discussion with Maulika Dersari w.r.t. our December, 2015 episode. While she fondly remembered Zindagi Kitni Khoobsurat Hai, Aayie Aap Ki Zaroorat Hai (Hemant Kumar in 1963 film ‘Bin Badal Brsaat’ ). This one has twin version in Lata Mangeshlar’s voice as well. That led me to search for Hemant Kumar’s duet with Lata Mangeshkar :

Ho Dheere Dheere – Aagosh (1953) – Roshan – Shailendra

We shall conclude our present episode with Mohammad Rafi songs composed by Anil Biswas for ‘Heer’ (1956)

O Khamosh Jamana Hai – with Asha Bhosle – Majrooh Sultanpuri

Le Jaa Uski Duaaen, Jo Tera Na Ho Saaka – Majrooh Sultanpuri

Preet Ka Rogi Ho Ya Jogi, Allah Teri Khair Kare – Rajendra Krishna

We will meet again on 2^nd Sunday of the next month… with more unforgettable songs that have started slipping out of our memory….

If you have such songs to share, you are most heartily welcome…..