Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs: December, 2017

Mohammad Rafi’s Solo Song From The FIRST Film With The Music Director: 1950-1951

To commemorate Mohammad Rafi’s anniversaries, we commenced a series of articles on Mohammad Rafi that essentially tried to bring the solo song of Mohammad Rafi with the music director.  We had planned to take up one five-year slot in a chronological order to bring all the first films in which Mohammad Rafi had had a solo song with a music director. The first slot of 1944 to 1948 was covered in Part I and Part II in December, 2016. We have covered the year 1949 of the 2^nd five-year-slot of 1949 to 1953.

Presently we will take up years 1950 and 1951 of this 1949-1953 period..

 [For the sake for structured documentation, I will be following the alphabetical sequence of Film names in the post.]

1950

Mohammad Rafi had had 29 solos out of 108 songs in 1950. Of the prominent music directors who had now frequenting Rafi more, Hans Raj Behl had 3 Hindi and Punjabi films with Rafi, Husnlal Bhagatram had 5 films and Naushad had 1, which had Mukesh as lead singer. I find only Akele Mein Wo Gabarate To Honge as the only song that is most recognizable solo.

Hum Ishq Mein Barabad Hai – Aankhen – Madan Mohan – Raja Mahendi Ali Khan

Madan Mohan and Mohammad Rafi’s work together which was to open up a class of its own opens the account. The song is filmed on Shekhar.

Saahil Jo Dubo De Kashti Ko.. Saahil Ki Tamanna Kaun Kare – Baawra – Krishna Dayal – Amar N Khanna

Incidentally, this is one of those songs that Mohammad Rafi has lip-synched for Raj Kapoor.

Jalte Deep Bujh Gaye Chha Gaya Andhera – Jalte Deep – Shardul Kwatra + T K Das – M A Taaj

Here is a song that is pleasant to listen to even though cast in sad mood.

Zamana Jo Aankhe Dikhata Hai Zamana Ko Aankhen Dikhata Chale Chal– Man Ka Meet – Shardul Kwatra – Sarshar Shailani

This song is credited to Shardul Kwatra solely, hence taken up in our present list.

Dekho Dekho Paanv Mein Pahen Ke Paayaliya – Janmashtami – Shyam Babu Pathak – Bharat Vyas

The lyrics do seem playful enough, but difficult to guess how the songs would have been filmed.

Naari Tere Jeevan Ki Ye Karun Kahani – Veer Babruwahan – Chitragupt – Anjum Jaipuri

After a few attempts we get a maiden Chitragupt – Rafi solo combination in this song. Apparently there is not much that would make the song to remember for, except that it is to open one more very fruitful partnership in the years to come.

We end the year with 5 music directors who had had a first solo song recorded for Mohammad Rafi.

1951

Year 1951 has 26 solos from a total of 72 Mohammad Rafi songs. The year had Naushad switching over to Mohammad Rafi for background voice of Dilip Kumar and we have some of the top Mohammad Rafi songs in Deedar. Husnlala Bhagatram also has a twin solo for Mohammad Rafi in Afasana – Duniya Ek Kahani Re Bhaiya – which also was quite popular. Shankar Jaikishan has used Mohammad Rafi for special songs in RK’s Aawara, which is also going to be a very notable trend initself.

Dhanwano Ki Dhan Nagari Ki Sun Lo Ek Kahani – Dashavtar – Avinash Vyas – Sagar Hussain

Avinash Vyas was to use Rafi very selectively in his Hindi and Gujarati film music.

Hey Shankar Hey Pralayankar Rakho Mohe Apni Sharan – Hanuman Patal Vijay – S N Tripathi – B D Mishra

S N Tripathi went onto create a few all-time great of Rafi songs, of which most easily remembered are ghazals of Lal Quila or Ye Hai Janam Janam Ke Phere or a Binaca chartbuster Jara Samane To Aao Chhaliye.or Hatimtai’s Parvar Digar-e-Alam.

Suraj Ghoome Chand Ghoome Ghoome Gagan Sara– Ishwar Bhakti – Sonic – Girdhar – Pt. Narendra Sharma – Trilok Kapoor

1951 seems to be the year of Bhakti Sangeet as far Mohammad Rafi is concerned! Mohammad Rafi was known to deliver his best even for new music directors even when he was at his peak.

Kisiko Iska Pata Ho Na Ho – Jauhri – Pt. Harbans Lal – Tajnath Zaar

For a change, we have a very light song too,

The song has a very interesting second version too:

Poochhiye Na Haal Jee, Palle Nahin Maal Ji – Mukhda – Vinod – Azeez Kashmiri

This is first opportunity when Vinod has been able to use Rafi in a solo (with chorus support) song, that too in a very light situation so tellingly.

Year 1951 also has 5 music directors who scored first solo with Mohammad Rafi. The year, on the whole, seems to be the game turner in the career path of Mohammad Rafi..

We will take up last two years of 2^nd Five-Year period of 1949-1953 in the next installment.

We will continue our search for Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month……..

Disclaimer: All images are sourced from net. All copyrights of the respective image remain with the original owner of the image.

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