The Micro View of the Best Songs of 1949 @ SoY – Female Solo Songs – Other Singers – Suraiya

Having completed the Male Solo Songs sector of Best songs of 1949: And the winners are?, we now move over to the Female Solo Songs.

The Lata Mangeshkar-monopolistic-domination of Female Solo Songs universe that we could distinctly see in the-post 1950 era already seems to have gained momentum in 1949. But, interestingly, of other female singers, Suraiya, Geeta Roy and Shamshad Begum still have good deal of steam left in the fight for the share of the cake – if not individually, then certainly collectively.

We will first take a detailed look at songs of these OTHER female singers and then sum up the Top Songs of the lot collectively. In the subsequent round we will repeat the cycle with Lata Mangeshkar solos. When we have Top Songs from both the streams in front of us, we will take a call to judge the overall impact these singers have on the female playback singing universe and see whether there are strong validation signals in 1949 for (what we know in hindsight) how the post-1950 scenario has shaped up.

Solo Songs of Suraiya

Suraiya, one of the last singer-actors, has had a good run in 1949 as well – 9 films, 43 solos and 9 duets. We have chosen to pick up only one song from each of the films, since all other songs are very easily available on You Tube. Some of the solo songs were as popular as any other ‘most’ popular songs then, or even now.

Diwali Ki Raat Piya Ghar Aanewale Hain – Amar Kahani – Husnlal Bhagatram – Rajendra Krishna

Woh Pas Rahe Ya Door Rahein, Nazron Mein Samaye Rahate Hain – Badi Behan – Husnlal Bhagatram – Qamar Jalalabadi

Aise Mein Agar Tum Aa Jaate – Balam – Husnlal Bhagatram – Qamar Jalalabadi

Ek Bewafa Ki Yaad Ne – Char Din – Shyam Sunder – Shakeel Badayuni

Char Din Ki Chandani – Dillagi – Naushad – Shakeel Badayuni

In order to cast our net wide enough, I have chosen this song here over the other two fabulously famous songs – Murliwale Murli Baja and Tera Khayal Dil Se Bhulaya Na Jayega.

Woh Aaye Aur Aake Chale Gaye – Duniya – C Ramchandra –

Aaja More Balma Bahana Karke – Naach – Husnlal Bhagatram – Kaif Irfani

Aaja Meri Duniya Main – Shair – Ghulam Mohammad – Shakeel Badayuni

Naya Naino Main Rang – Singaar – Khursheed Anwar –

We will take up Solo Songs of Geeta Roy in our next episode.

Author: ASHOK M VAISHNAV

In July 2011, I opted to retire from my active career as a practicing management professional. In the 38 years that I pursued this career, I had opportunity to work in diverse capacities, in small-to-medium-to-large engineering companies. Whether I was setting up Greenfield projects or Brownfield projects, nurturing the new start-ups or accelerating the stabilized unit to a next phase growth, I had many more occasions to take the paths uncharted. The life then was so challenging! One of the biggest casualty in that phase was my disregards towards my hobbies - Be with The Family, Enjoy Music form Films of 1940s to mid-1970s period, write on whatever I liked to read, pursue amateur photography and indulge in solving the chess problems. So I commenced my Second Innings to focus on this area of my life as the primary occupation. At the end of four years, I am now quite a regular blogger. I have been able to build a few very strong pen-relationships. I maintain contact with 38-years of my First Innings as freelance trainer and process facilitator. And yet, The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. View all posts by ASHOK M VAISHNAV