Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs: December 2021

Mohammad Rafi’s First Duet Song With The Music Director: 1947-1948

1947-1948

The Google Doodle by Mumbai-based illustrator Sajid Shaikh, on Mohammad Rafi’s 93^rd birthday [B: 24-12-1924 | D: 31-7-1980] depicted Mohammad Rafi as the king of playback singing in Bollywood. It shows the journeys of famous Rafi songs as they progressed from the studio, onto the silver screen and into the hearts of fans forever.

The second part of the First Five-Year Period of Mohammad Rafi’s career, covering the years 1947 and1948, that we presently take up for our series Mohammad Rafi’s First Duet Song with Music Director can be said to be period when he was still in the music recording rooms. As we have seen in the first part covering years 1944 to 1946, Mohammad Rafi was at the initial phase of ‘being under test’. More and more music directors were giving him a solo here or a duet there.

As we shall presently see, the definite trend of Mohammad Rafi trying to create his own space by discovering his own style to the confident delivery of his lines against more experienced female singers of vintage era under the batons of wider range of music directors has started emerging by the end of First- Five Year Period.

1947

Six more music directors have offered Mohammad Rafi diets with as many as eight different singers – three of which are the male singers – in the year 1947.

In so far as Mohammad Rafi’s career is concerned, the year 1947 had opened the door – in the form of the solo, Duniya Mein Meri Aaj Andhera Hi Andhera (Do Bhai- Music: S D Burman – Lyrics: Raja Mahendi Ali Khan) – that led to a strong association with S D Burman.. 1947 had also Mohammad Rafi singing his first, and the only duet with Noor Jehan – YahaN Badala Wafa Ka Bewafai Ke Siwa Kya Hai (Jugnu – Music Firoz Nizami – Lyrics: Azhar Sarhadi). This also was Mohammad Rafi’s first ever playback for Dilip Kumar.

Datta Davjekar, (15-11-1917 | 19-9-2007) a fairly known name in the then Marathi films, debuts with Aap Ki Sewan Mein in Hindi Films. He composed music for 5 Hindi films, 51 Marathi and around 500 documentary films. The film, Aap Ki Sewa Mein, has other record, in the form of. Lata Mangeshkar’s maiden songs as a playback singer with the song Paa Laagoon Kar Joree Re, to its account.

Desh Mein Sankat Aaya Hai, Ab Kuchh Kar Ke Dikhalana Hai – Aap Ki Sewa Mein – with G M Sajan – Lyrics: Mahipal

The song reflects the mood of pre-independance era, as it ends with “Chheen lo , chheen lo ……..” hinting  ‘Azaadi chheen lo”. Otherwise, the lyrics are mainly about food shortages, or maybe it is talking about famine, in Bihar or Bengal, that rampaged India in that period..

There is a male-female duet son too.

Main Teri Tu Mera Dono Ka Sang Sang Basera – Aap Ki Sewa Mein – with Mohantara – Lyrics: Mahipal

Mohammad Rafi has handled the eagerness of a longing lover on his way to meet his beloved in a controlled high-octave scale rendition. The beauty of the composition is in its vibrant freshness after so many years.

Aside Trivia:

Datta Dawjekar worked as an assistant to C Ramchandra from 1952 to 1961. As such, the source of inspiration for C Ramchandra’s popular song Eenaa Meena Deekaa. . . (Aasha, 1957) is originally created for the Marathi song “Ina Mina Mona Baass” from a children’s play for Marathi stage, by Datta Dawjekar, who also wrote the lyrics for the Marathi song.

Source Credit: Shishir Krishna Shrama’s post on Datta Dawjekar

Prakash Nath Sharma does not seem to be a known name as a music director. The only film for which he seems to have composed music, Ek Kadam, does have one Mohammad Rafi – Shamshad Begum duet. Tu Bhi Rah Main Bhi (Lyrics: Avtar Visharad), that does not seem to have a digital presence on net.

C(hitalkar Narhar) Ramchandra (12 January 1918 – 5 January 1982), is another music director who went on to have a strong presence in the subsequent period of Golden Era.

Kisko SunauN Hal-e-Dil. Ham ko Tumhara Hi Aasra Tum Hamare Ho Na Ho – Saajan – with Lalita Deulkar – Lyrics: Moti B A

The duet, and Mohammad Rafi’s solo version, were immensely popular and the both has the future imprint of Mohammad Rafi’s singing style that was later identified as his unique style during his post vintage-era career of ‘50s..

The film has one more duet Main HuN Jaipur Ki Banajaran, Chanchal Mera Naam, with Lalita Deulkar (Lyrics: Qamar Jalalabadi) and two triads, Hum Banjare Sang Hamare Dhoom Macha Le Duniya (Lyrics: Moti B A) and Sambhal Sambhal Ke Jaiyo Banjare, Dilli Door Hai (Lyrics: Ram Murti Chaturvedi) with Lalita Deulkar and Geeta Dutt (Roy).

Khemchand Prakash, a doyen of ‘40s, made two most significant contributions for which the Golden Era remains indebted. One was introduction of Kishore Kumar in Ziddi (1948) – Jeene Ki Tamanna Kaun Karein …….  Marne Ki Duaein KyoN Maangein  . and gave Lata Mangeshkar a defining identity in Aayega Anewala (Mahal, 1949).

Aji Maat Poochhco Baat Ki College Albeli, Indrapuri Sakshat Colege Albeli – Samaj Ko Badal Dalo – with Arunkumar and Manna Dey – Lyrics: ?

We have only audio clips here, but the knowledgeable bloggers note that Mohammad Rafi has sung his own lines on the screen.

Part 1:

Part 2

Pt. Ramakant Paingankar-Karnad, one more of those unknown names., except that Ramakant Paigankar was known to be a part of C Ramchandra orchestra team.

Chalo Ho Gayi Taiyyar.. Thehro Jee…. – Shaadi Se Pehle – with Lata Mangeshakar – Lyrics: Pt. Mukhram Sharma

This is a simple fun song that shows the lady making a big shopping list that her beloved readily agrees to buy for her with all the strapping. The song has the distinction of being the first ever Rafi Lata duet.

K(oregaonkar) Datta is said to have given Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle a chance to sing with the then reigning queen Noor Jehan. He scored music for 17 Hindi films

Nainon Se Naina Milaake Sota Prem Jagaate – Shahkar – with Rajkumari – Lyrics: Arzoo Lakhanavi

HFGK does not mention singers for the song. The song seems to be composed as a tong-song. The singing by both the singers rhymes exactly with rhythm of the song.

Ye Duniya Sab Prem Ki Tu Prem Kiye Jaa – Shahkar – with Shamshad Begum – Lyrics: Arzoo Lakhanavi

HFGK mentions the song as Parody song (record no. GE 3729 /31), though I must confess that I could not make it why it was so. However, the song has experimented with one singer overlapping the main singer on a different scale  in the mukhada, which must have called for some very innovative recording skills on the part of the sound recordist as well the music arranger.

1948

In 1948, on the first anniversary of Indian Independence, he was awarded a Silver Medal by Jawaharlal Nehru for his, a marathon 4-part, song on Mahatma Gandhi, Suno Suno Ae Duniyawaalon Bapu Ki Amar Kahani (Music: Husnlal Bhagatram – Lyrics: Rajinder Krishna)

1948 has once again a very rich crop in so far as our present subject goes, with eight music directors and as many as ten co-singers, Except for Shamshad Begum and Ameerbai Karnataki, in the female singer section, GM Durrani in the male singer section, and Geeta Dutt and Beenapani Mukherjee one triad earlier, all other singers have partnered Mohammad Rafi first time.

Ram Ganguly (1928-1983) was part of Prithvi Theatre team. His choice of music director for Raj Kapoor’s maiden film Aag was thus a natural choice. However, because of some misunderstanding during the days when Barsaat was being planned, Aag remained the only film RK and Ram Ganguly di together,

Solah Baras Ki Bhayee Umariya – Aag – with Shamshad Begum – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Mohammad Rafi gets his chance in the maiden Raj Kapoor film Aag,. Since then, even if he has not been a main singer for RK films, he has always got a song or two in almost every film, some of which have become most notable songs of Rafi’s entire career.

The visuals of the song can be seen with a typical Raj Kapoor touch.

Hans Raj Behl has used Mohmmad Rafi for duets in two films in 1948 – Chunariya and Satyanarayan.

Phool Ko Bhul Le Ke Baitha Khar, Tera Kaanto Se Hai Pyar – Chunariya – with Geeta Dutt – Lyrics: Mulk Raj Bhakhari

The song seems to be some type of beggar or a fakir song.

Dilliwale Sahab Gajhab Kar Daala Re – Satyanarayana – with Beenapani Mukherjee – Lyrics: Pt. Indra

This is a thoroughly enjoyable fun song.

The film had two more duets of Mohammad Rafi and Beenpani Mukherjee – Kya Yaad Hai Tumko Wo Din Ji (Lyrics: Sewak) and Mera Dil Ghayal Karke Bairi Jag Se Dar Ke (Lyrics: Surjeet Sethi).

Ghulam Mohammad has paired Mohammad Rafi to sing with Suraiya, one of the top actress-singing star of that time. The pair then went on to sing 24 duets, some of which remain the most memorable duets, which can be a subject for a separate article in the future.

TaaroN Bhari Raat Hai Par Tu Nahi – Kajal – with Suraiya – Lyrics: D N Madhok

On the face of it the lyrics seem to express pain of the two being away from each other. However, the song runs on a fast pace, normally used for happy songs. In the absence of this dichotomy remains unresolved. However, listening to Mohammad Rafi as if he were singing a song almost after half a decade later in the time in the style of ‘40s and matching Suraiya’s exhortations for clearly expressing the love is such a pleasant surprise.

Gyan Dutt is also a very respected ‘40s name in music direction arena. We have two duets here. Of the two, Chalo Jamuna Ke Paar  … Dil Ki Dukanein Lagi JahaN Par NainoN Ke Bajar (Lal Dupatta – with Shamshad Begum, Sulochana Kadam, Chorus- Lyrics: Shewan Rzvi (?))being a very sweet-to-listen-to triad with chorus, Rafi does no get much exposure. So, I have opted for the other one for the present article.

Ari O Albeli Naar Kyon Chhupakar Kare Vaar – Lal Dupatta – with Shamshad Begum, Chorus – Manohar Khanna

This is a chhed-chhad-cum-appeasement light mood duet, the first line of the mukhada and each interlude representing chhed chhad. Mohammad Rafi seems to enjoy seriously matching Shamshad begum’s mischievous tone

Dhumi Khan, is one more of an unknown music director, even though he is shown as ‘supporting actor, music director’. YT has an interesting video clip on Dhumi Khan, that gives some more vital pieces of information. The famous duet song Ambuwa Ki Daali Daali Jhoom Rahi Hai Ali (Vidyapati, 1937- Music: R C Boral) has Dhaumi Khan as co-singer with Kanan Devi. Hopefully, the Dhumi Khan is same person.

Ek Abr-e-Siyah Chhaya Aaja Mere Saathi – Rahnuma – with Shamashad Begum- Lyrics: Dhumi Khan

The song is a simple love song, Mohammad Rafi expressing the sincere intent of the lover for his loved one.

Ek Aisa MahaL Banayenge (with Rekharani- – Lyrics: Habib Sarhadi) from the same film is not traceable on net.

Ameerbai Karnataki, a renowned playback singer, has composed songs for ‘Shahnaz’,  wherein Mohammad Rafi had two solos and three duets in the film.

Mujhe Tumse Mohabbat Hai, Ye Meri Chak Damani – Lyrics: Fiza Kausari Banaglori

Mohammad Rafi very deftly handles a medium spaced composition.

Nazaaron Se Kheloon Bahaaron Se KhelooN, Mera Bas Chale To Chand TaaroN Se KhelooN, Yahi Chahta Hai BaharoN Se KhelooN Machalatae Hue AabsaaroN Se KhelooN – Lyrics: Akhtar Pilibhiti

In response to Amirbai’s high scale singing, Mohammad Rafi comes up with a lower scale singing.in this very small clip that is available.

Tere Nazdeek Jaate Hein Na Tujhse Door Hote Hain, Mohabbat Karanewale.. Is Tarah Mazboor Hote HaiN – with Ameerbai Karnataki – Lyrics: Akhtar Pilibhiti

Mohammad Rafi gets to sing a qawwali composition early in his career.

Rasheed Attre was one of the music directors who went on to hit immense popularity even after migrating Pakistan. His composition of Faiz Mohamamd Faiz’s ghazal Mujh Se Pahale Si Muhabbat Mere Maheboob Na Mang remains the hallmark of Noor Jehan’s career.

Koltaar Mein Rang De Piya Mori Chundariya – Shikayat – Khan Mastana, G M Durrani, Aslam, Chorus – Lyrics: Ibrahim Khan ‘Momin’

Mohammad Rafi is a minor partner in this MM triad.

Statically speaking, the first Five-year-period of 1944-48 has seen Mohammad Rafi working with 26 music directors for first time for a duet song.  Each of the song has given Mohammad Rafi a different experience of singing. That perspective apart, the fact remains that the journey had taken off well and was gaining the required velocity.

We will end 1944-48 five-year-period with what I consider as Mohammad Rafi’s most iconic song, which also happens to be my most favorite among Mohammad Rafi’s songs…

Vatan Ki Raah Mein Vatan Ke Naujawan Shaheed Ho – Shaheed – with Khan Mastana, chorus – Music: Ghulam Haider – Lyrics: Raja Mahendi Ali Khan

Mohammad Rafi’s finely controlled delivery of so high passion would be hallmark of his sing style in the future.

Our journey of Mohammad Rafi’s first duet with a music director continues……

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Both episodes of the 1^st Five-Year Period of Mohammad Rafi’s First Duet with a Music director – 1944-1948 can be downloaded as one file by clicking on the link.

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All 12 episodes from January to December 2021 of the series Fading Memories, Unfading Songs-2021 can be read /downloaded by clicking on the hyperlink.

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We will continue remembering Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month next year too……..

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

Sahir’s Songs of Romance – One Film Association(s)

This is the year of Sahir Ludhianvi’s birth (March 8, 1921) centenary. As can be expected, there was an avalanche of articles in magazines, newspapers and blogs in the month of March 2021. At first glance, that gave me the impression that everything that needs to be said about Sahir Ludhianvi has been already covered in all these articles. One easily remembers many of his 724 songs, particularly of his most productive decades of 50’and ‘60s, too. As such, I was not able to figure an approach where I can get to know Sahir’s songs, in more details, more intensely, and more systematically.

As I kept pondering through the commemorative articles, two aspects attracted my attention –

• One, apart from the Golden Era music directors S D Burman, N Dutta, Ravi, Roshan, O P Nayyar, Madan Mohan, Khayyam, Jaidev or Kalyanji Anandji, Laxmikant Pyarelal and R D Burman of second generation, or Rajesh Roshan of the still next generation of music directors, he has worked with many other music directors as well.
• Two, he is generally remembered for his poems of rebel. However, as a lyricist he would certainly have written songs of pure romance as well.

These two aspects have led me to pen the present series of articles under the title, Sahir’s Songs of Romance. I plan to cover all music directors with whom Sahir Ludhianvi has worked in his career spanning from his inception to the world of HFM in 1948 till his passing away, including the films which were either released thereafter or even not released.

I have selected the songs that have different happy forms of expressions of love, whether sublime or mundane. Thus, the songs that have feelings of pathos or bitterness are excluded. I have also chosen not include qawwalis here.

I have studiedly maintained my intervention to the minimum. I have selected as much of the lyrics of first lines of the song that Sahir uses to set the tone of romance in the song. Then, I have also presented the selected lines from each song, which in my view, manifests Sahir’s versatility as poet and as a lyricist. Listening to the YT clip provides the charm of the entire song.

We will begin the series with Sahir’s Songs of Romance, composed by the music directors who had only one film association with Sahir Ludhianvi and then will proceed with ascending numbers of associations.

One Film Association(s)

Sahir Ludhianvi has penned lyrics for 122 films, spanning his association with 31 music directors. Of these 31 music directors, as many as fourteen music directors have had one film association with Sahir. Sahir’ first step into the Hindi Film Music world was in 1948, which, incidentally, happens to be a one film association with music director G D Kapoor. In his most prolific decade, 50s, Sahir had six one-film associations, the highest for any decade. Of these, three films were in 1953 only, just as he was settling into a successful association with S D Burman. 60s have only two one-film associations. The decade of 70s when Sahir had done 26 films, four were one-film associations. 80s has one one-film association. Thus, the present episode also provides us a vintage view of the entire career of Sahir Ludhianvi’s entire carrier.

Here, I have not been able to include any song, composed by G D Kapoor (Azadi Ki Raah Par, 1948), Nirmal Kumar (Lal Nishan, 1959) and Robin Chatterjee (Masoom, 1960). Azadi Ki Rah Par and Masoom had subjects wherein a romantic film had, in fact, no place. Lal Nishan has only one Sahir song, which is a qawwali. As such, the music directors of these films, G D Kapoor, Robin Chatterjee and Nirmal Kumar are not represented in this episode.

Meri NaghmoN Mein …. Un Mastaanaa Aankhon Ki Kahaani Hai, Mohabbat Hi Mohabbat Hai Jawani Hi Jawani Hai – Alif Laila (1953) – Talat Mehmood – Shyam Sundar

Mohabbat meri duniya hai
Mohabbat shaayari meri
Mohabbat mera naghmaa hai
Mohabbat zindagi meri
Mohabbat ke sahaare…
ek nayi duniyaa basaani hai

mohabbat hi mohabbat hai
jawani hi jawani hai……

Kisi Ne Nazar Se Nazar Jab Mila Di…..Meri Zindagi Ha Ha Meri Zindagi, Jhum Kar Muskara Di Meri Zindagi – Humsafar (1953) – Talat Mahmood, Asha Bhosle – Ali Akbar Khan

zubaN se to hum kuchh na bole the lekin,…

nigahoN ne dil ki kahani suna di

.. har ek sans masti me dubi huyi hai….
khuda janta ki kya se pila di

meri taza duniya pe rang aa gaya hai
kisi ne khayalo ki mehfil saza di

Ye Mausam Ye Hawaye Ye Rut Suhani Fir Na Aayegi…. Jawani Mauj-e- Dariya Hai Jawani Jo Laut Ke Na Aayegi – Shole (1953) – Hemant Kumar, Geeta Dutt – Dhaniram

nigahe mila or ek jam lele …

jawani ke sir koi lizam lele….

nigahe mila….

nigaho ke saaye me palti hai duniya….

hasino ke hamraah chalti hai duniya…

hasino ke pehlu me aaram le lo…nigahe mila…..

Aaj Kisi Ke Dil Ke Haatho Ne, Dil Ke Taaro Ko Chhed Diya – Savdhan (1954) – Asha Bhosle – Vasant Ramchandra

aaj meri tanhaai apne aap se bhi sharmaane lagi
dil ki dhadkan nagama bankar, hontho par lahraane lagi

jo saahil ko saath baha le
un dhaaro ko chhed diya

har jhokhe se mujhko unake saath ki khushbu aati hai
tanman mein ek thandi thandi aag bikharti jaati hai
jaane kisaki shokh najar ne…

angaaro ko chhed diyaa

Dil Ki Duniya Mein Aa Ke Na Jaana … Tujhe Meri Qasam Na Rulana, Ya Rabba Teri Teri… Yaad.. – Chingaari ( (1955) – Lata Mangeshkar, Unknown male voice – Manohar

aaja pyar ke tarane gaye…
aaja aisa ek jaha basaye

chand ka diya ho
jismein tare loriya sunaye….
sapno ke dole mein jhula jhulaye hamein bag-e- sama

bhigi bhigi rat ye najare
dil ki bat kahte hai sitare
aankho me nur bhar de dil me sarur bhar de

arzu yahi hai meri justzu yahi hai
na ja dilbar na ja ankhyio me aake
o mere dilruba mere dil se
na ja hai ye dil ki dua

Kashti Ka Khamosh Safar Hai, Shaam Bhi Hai Tanhayi Bhi, Dur Kinare Par Bajati Hai Laharo Ki Shahnayi Bhi ….. Aaj Mujhe Kuchh Kahena Hai – Girl Friend (1960) – Kishore Kumar, Sudha Malhotra  – Hemant Kumar

kabse tumhaare raste pe main phul bichhaaye baithi huN
kah bhi chuko jo kahna hai mani aas lagaaye baithi huN

dil ne dil ki baat samajh li, ab munh se kya kahana hai
aaj nahi to kal kah lenge, ab to saath hi rahna hai

kah bhi chuko, kah bhi chuko jo kahna hai

chhodo ab kya kahna hai

Umr Huyee Tumse Miley Phir Bhi Jaane Kyun Aisa Lage Pahli Baar Mile HaiN – Bahurani (1963) – Lata Mangeshkar, Hemant Kumar – C Ramchandra

jhum uthaa tan, man me ek aisi baat aa gai
jiski thi lagan, ….
aaj vo milan ki raat aa gai

akele rah gaye, akhiyaan bah gayi

umr hui tumase mile phir bhi jaane kyo
aise lage jaise pahali baar mile hai

Chor Hamne Fasaya… Haye…. Ke Bach Na Paya, Aaha…. Pakad Mein Aaya – Bhai Ho To Aisa (1972) – Lata Mangeshkar – Sonik Omi

haye re kabhi nain ghumaye kabhi hoth chabaye
maine iska pyar bhadkane ko sabhi teer chalaye
maiN thi tak mein

kabse fasa aaj sabab se
ho ab to chakha du maja

Ab Se Pehle To Ye Dil Ki Haalat Na Thi…Aaj Kya Ho Gaya … Zindagi Dusaro Ki Amanat Na Thi – Nawab Sahib (1978) – Usha Mangeshkar – C Arjun

apne andaaz par naaz karte the hum

humko apni qasam
gair se baat karne ki fursat na thi

aaj kya ho gaya

Baahon Mein Teri Masti Ke Ghere, Saanson Mein Teri Khushboo Ke Dere – Kala Patthar (1979) – Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi — Rajesh Roshan

khvabo me jisako tanha javani baraso se takati thi,

tu vahi hai

chhune se jisako sine me meri lau jag sakati thi,

tu vahi hai

kuchh khvab mere, kuchh khvab tere

 yun milate jate hai

dil khilate jate hai,

lab gun-gunate hai

sason me teri, khushabu ke dere khushabu ke dere

Ye Aankhein Dekhkar Hum Saari Duniya Bhool Jate Hain – Dhanwaan (1981) – Lata Mangeshkar, Suresh Wadkar – Hridaynath Mangeshkar

tum apni mahki mahki julf ke pecho ko kam kar do
musafir in mein girkar apna rasta bhul jaate hai

… …..  … …. ….. …. …

bahut kuch tumse kahne ki tamanna dil me rakhte hai
magar jab saamne aate ho to kahna bhul jaate hai

Mohabbat mein zuba chup ho to aankhein baat karti hai

ye kah deti hai vo baate jo kahna bhul jaate hai

With this we come to the end of the present one-film association phase of Sahir Ludhianvi’s collaboration with different music directors. As can be expected, the range of music directors, films and film subjects, is very wide. Even the span of years also spreads over Sahir Ludhianvi’s entire career. Apparently, the duets – one of the most popular and universal formats for expression of romance on the screen – is predominant in the present episode. However, we easily get to feel Sahir’s creativity, his range of words, ease of use of different languages and different forms specific to such languages. 

We wil take up Sahir’s Songs of Romance with two-film association music directors in our next episode.

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – January 2021

Welcome to January 2021 edition of IX^th Volume of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

The year 2021 opened on a very unusual note for Blog World of Hindi Film Music with a post Hans Akela: A song that stood tall amid the ruins on SoY. Rahul Bhagwanrao Muli presents the songs that are only the surviving link to the memory of the film. The song is then “Hans Akela“ which is still floating freely, liberated from the mortal debris of the film.

And of course, a post on 26^th January – Republic Day: Reading between the lyrics of five patriotic Hindi film songs – The better and more enduring ones of this gnre, however, make room for other sentiments – celebration with caution, pride tinged with anxiety, a love for the country that is firm but not blind.

We now move on to other tributes and memories:

Boss of Bombay Talkies: How Devika Rani fought innuendo and personal tragedy to get back on her feet – Kishwar Desai presents Edited excerpts from a biography – The Longest Kiss: The Life and Times of Devika Rani, Westland Books – of the movie star and pioneering studio owner.

Mahendra Kapoor: The playback singer who did not need a sound system – Ajay Mankotia – January 9, 2021 was the 86th birth anniversary of the singer who owned the bastion of patriotic and religious songs in Bollywood

Sajjad Husain, the ‘Unsung’ Maestro – Rajan NS – Sajjad Husain was a priceless asset to Hindi film music but could not get the recognition that was his due, despite his prodigious talent.

The Masters: Naushad Ali – After a few forays into working as an instrumentalist in films, Naushad got his first big break when music director Khemchand Prakash took him on as an assistant. It was 1940 before he got his first film as an independent composer – Prem Nagar, for which, Naushad says, he did a lot of research on the folk music of Kutch. Soon, other films followed, but it was with Rattan (1944) that Naushad first tasted success.

The Unlucky Genius N Datta: His songs for ‘other’ singers is a rounding-off article after Hans Jakhar ‘s articles on N Datta’s principal singers, Asha Bhosle and Rafi

The Masters: C Ramchandra – Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar was born on January 12^th 1918 and died on January 5^th 1982. His debut in Hindi films, as an independent music director was in Jeevan (1942), on the strength of his bond with Master Bhagwan. While the film only did average business, the music was appreciated, and Ramchandra had his foot in the door in the Hindi film industry as well. Bhagwan and he would collaborate professionally on a further 15 films.

Rafi sings for Chitragupt – Part 1 is the solo songs whereas part II is his duets.

How Guru Dutt became the reluctant hero of his masterpiece ‘Pyaasa’ – Excerpted with permission from Guru Dutt – An Unfinished Story, Yasser Usman, Simon & Schuster India.

Shailendra Sharma @ Golden Era of Bollywood has posted following memorial tribute posts:

• O P Nayyar- The Creator of Timeless Classics
• Conversation Songs of Dev Anand
• Streets Named after Bollywood Celebrities
• Vijay ‘Goldie’ Anand- A Filmmaker with Unique Cine…
• Accordion in Hindi Film Songs
• Javed Akhtar- Guru Dutt was his Inspiration
• Shakti Samanta- The Maker of a Classic ‘Amar Prem’
• Anarkali was a Musical Milestone for C Ramchandra
• The Journey of Bollywood Through Film Posters
• Story Behind the Song ‘Jhooth Bole kauwa Kate’
• Qamar Jalalabadi- A Forgotten Lyricist
• Nanda- The Journey of Baby Nanda to the Leading Ac…
• IRFAN KHAN- An Acting Powerhouse
• Laxmi Chhaya- Maar Diya Jaye Ke Chhod Diya Jaye
• Jaidev- He was Initially Signed for Guide
• Mukri – A Unique Comedian of Bollywood
• Piya Tu Ab To Aja- One of the Gems of R D Burman
• Haqeeqat-
• Bollywood songs that celebrate New Year!

Ae Nargis e Mastana – Remembering Sadhana on her 5^th anniversary on 25^th December.

My favourite ‘Rafi-Suman Kalyanpur’ duets is a tribute to Suman Kalyanpur on her 84^th birthday. Here is one duet that I have picked up as my choice, and the other one is at then end of this episode –

Zara Thehro Ji Abdul Gafaar – Satta Bazaar (1959) – Kalyanji Anandji – Hasrat Jaipuri

January 2021 episode of Fading Memories, Unforgettable Songs takes up Jaidev: Brilliant, But Underrated, Composer:  1972-1973 that covers Jaidev’s music in films Bhavna, Maan Jaaiye (both in 1972) and Prem Parbat (1973). We have covered, the years –

• In 2018, we listened to his songs from the most successful films phase of 1955 to 1963.
• In 2019, we listened to his more remembered songs from his less remembered films for 1964 to 1970, and
• in 2020, we listened to highly appreciated songs from the films that did not succeed in 1971

in the form of our commemorative annual series in the month of Jaidev’s death anniversary month.

We will now take up the articles on other subjects:

Film Songs Based on Classical Ragas (14) – The Melodious Trio: Bageshri, Rageshri and Malgunji – Subodh Agrawal – All three ragas are very sweet and pleasant – ideal for shringar rasa. Malgunji is perhaps the sweetest, while Rageshri has a touch of gravity.

Songs of Music (!) explores different facets of music or where music plays a very important role in the song and / or the movie. For example – Manbhaavan Sangeet Suhavan (Chandramukhi, 1960 – Manna Dey – S.N.Tripathi – Bharat Vyas) , a song based on Raag Basant Bahar, is a perfect tribute to music. It refers to the various gods and goddesses who espouse the cause of music,

Heroine introduces herself! follows up on Hero introduces himself!

In the Micro View of Songs of 1945  we have carried forward the micro view of solo songs of Female singers  – now in the form of Naseem (Banu) | Naseem Akhtar | Munnavar Sultana, Other female singers – Part I and Part II and the Summing up post on Female Solo songs – My TOP female solo songs. We, then, commenced the Micro View of the Duets for the year 1945 with Duets (+) of Golden Era (Male +) Singers.

In continuation to our tradition of ending the post with a few songs of Mohammad Rafi, each one of which basically has a link with the topics discussed in the present post.

Sambhal Sambhal Kar Jaiyo O Banjare.. Dilhi Door Hai – Saajan (1947) – with Lalita Deulkar, Gereta Roy – C Ramchandra – Ram Murti Chaturvedi

Tum Ho Jaao Hamare, Hum Ho Jaaye Tumhare – Roop Lekha (1949) – with Surinder Kaur – Sajjad Hussain – Khumar Barabankvi

Chhin Ke Pher Li Aankhein Jaan Gaye Ham Jaan Gaye – Chandani Raat (1949) – with Shamsahd Begum –  Naushad Ali – Shakel Badayuni

Ghata Mein Chhup Kar….Jo Dil Ki Baat Hai..Nazar Tak AAyee Jaati Hai – Baaz (1953) – with Geeta dutt – O P Nayyar – Majrooh Sultanpuri

Sambahl Ke Baitho Jhara, ChhaoN Mein BaharoN Ki,,,,Chand Hai Taare Bhi Aur Ye Tanhai Bhi – Roop Lekha (1962) – with Suman Kalyanpur – Nashad – Farooq Qaiser

I look forward to your inputs to enrich the contents of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

Disclaimer: This monthly series of posts is my best-effort-based compilation of posts on Hindi film songs that I normally visit regularly. As I record my sincere thanks to all the original creators of these posts, any other posts that I have nor covered herein shows my lack of awareness of existence of such posts and is by no means any disrespect to their work. The copyrights to the posts, images and video clips remain the properties of the original creators.

“The Micro View of the Songs of 1948 @ SoY – MY Top Music Director(s)

Having gone through the exercise of micro-reviewing the songs  for the six years – in this case from 1955 backwards to the present 1948 – I have observed that the task of choosing MY TOP of Music director every year has become more tough as year goes down. That is mainly because older I go into the timeline, less I was found conversant with either the film itself or the context in which the song was played (situational context vs.song composition relevance) or even the popularity /approval of the film’s song as a whole from listeners  / critics respectively.

So, I kept on devising some or other tests to come up with rational judgement to moderate my inherent biases.

The first of such test is the logo picture posted by SoY at the very opening of the overview post, which invariably places six films in the frame. For the present case, ‘Best songs of 1948: And the winners are?’, Naushad has two films – Mela and Anokhi Ada whereas Anil Biswas (Anokha Pyar), C Ramchandra (Nadiya Ke Paar), Ram Ganguli (Aag) and Ghulam Hiader (Shaheed) have one film each.

I then run through posts relating to Male Solos, Female Solos and Duets to make amental note of music directors whose songs continues to strike chord even now. I observe that Naushad’s songs in Anokhi Ada and Mela or Anil Biswas’s songs in Anokha Pyar, Gajre and Veena, those of C Ramchandra in Nadiya Ke Paar and Khidk’ or those of Husnlal-Bhagatram in Pyar Ki Jeet or certainly Ghulam Haider in Shaheed, to a great extent Ram Ganguly in Aag or Khemchand Prakash in Ziddi standout for the everlasting songs. For the year, Ghulam Mohammad in Grihasthi and Pugree, or Shyam Sundar in Actress have also pitched in well.

Then I have out the songs that appeared in the respective category of MY Top listings. The number of songs composed by differenet music directors appears as given herebelow:

Music Director	Male Solos	Female solos	Duets	Total	SoY Total
Hansraj Behl	1			1
Husnlal Bhagatram	1	2		3	3
Naushad	1	1	2	4	10
Ram Ganguly	1	1	1	3	2
Anil Biswas	1	3	1	5	1
S D Burman	1	1	1	3	1
Khemchand Prakash	1	1	1	3	2
Ghulam Haider		1	1	2	3
Avinash Vyas		1		1
C Ramchandra		1	1	2	3
Snehal Bhatkar		1		1	1

If we place the results of the Total in the descending order, then Anil Biswas comes at the top, followed by Naushad and then Husnlal Bhagatram, S D Burman, Khemchand Prakasha and Ram Ganguly share the next spot, followed by Ghulam Haider and C Ramchandra.

Apart from the simple quantitative perspective, one of the most noteworthy feature of Ghulam Haider’s songs in Shaheed and those of C Ramchandra in Nadiya Ke Paar is that they have used relatively not very popular singers like Surinder Kaur or Lalita Deulkar for a very popular heroin Kamini Kaushal. And yet the songs did attain very high acceptance- both the by the critics as well as by the listing public in general.

SoY, @ Best songs of 1948: Final Wrap Up 4, also adopted a smilar matric for quantifying the process of evaluating the share of different music directors in the Top lsting of songs under different categories. The last column in the foregoing table reflects the Total score. Based on this evaluation The Songs of Yore Award for the Best Music Director of 1948 has been conferred on Naushad.

How would have you analyzed the Songs of 1948?

I am sure you will certainly join me to take up a similar detailed Micro View when SoY takes up 1947 next in this Best songs of year series.

P.S.

All the posts that have appeared on this subject can now be accessed form one file @ The Songs of 1948 @SoY

More Than Bollywood: Studies in Indian Popular Music

–Guest Article by  Tadatmya Vaishnav^#

I recently had opportunity to read through most of the book titled “More than Bollywood: Studies in Indian Popular Music “. It is a collection of essays on popular, film and non-film, Indian music. The book is edited by musicologists Gregory D. Booth and Bradley Shope. The essays are in a scholarly style and were meant to be a formal study of Indian film music as well as certain non-film music genres, such as pop, rap and rock.

‘More than Bollywood’ includes many of the leading scholars currently working on Indian popular music and culture. The volume offers a wide perspective on contemporary and historical popular music in India, and confronts the inescapable importance of the Indian film song; but it also offers the largest collection to date of research on “non-film” popular music in India. It can be treated as one of the most comprehensive single volume on a subject that is of growing interest to scholars and students in music, ethnomusicology, film studies, popular music studies, and South Asian studies. It is intended to stand on its own as a work of scholarship, but it is also simultaneously intended as a fundamental resource for courses on popular music and music in India.

All the chapters were not, in fact, interesting, as far as I am concerned. So, I take up the three chapters that I did find interesting.

Chapter 1 – A Moment of Historical Conjuncture in Mumbai

In this chapter, Gregory Booth presents an interesting case of how the Hindi film song, as we knew it until 1990 or so, was shaped substantially in the five year period of 1948-52, immediately after Independence. He treats the 1931 – 1947 period as a period of aesthetic and professional transition. Among major changes, he identifies growing sophistication in cinematography of song sequences and a change in the sound of the female voice in film songs. During this period, the film song also got to occupy the role of the most important form of popular song. He has taken a set of three representative music directors – Naushad Ali, Shanker Jaikishan and C Ramchandra- and two arrangers – Antonio Vaz and Sebastian D’Souza and only one full-time playback singer (Lata!) as having played a major complementary role in shaping the Hindi film song. Collectively, they effected sophistication of film song orchestration, explicit engagement with classical Indian and foreign popular music and redefinition of the sound of female playback singing, among others. Destiny seemed to have chosen them as ‘right person in the right place at right time.’

The musical and professional patterns that were established during 1948 and 1952 remained almost unchanged till at least until 1970. For a further 20 years, the rise of a new generation of musicians took over major roles. The shift in the basic structural composition of the film music is seen by examining the proportion of composers who composed more than one film in a year. Only a few, generally two or three, music directors dominated the year in terms of those soundtracks that were ‘most heard’. By 1952, the percentage of music directors with multiple releases had increased to 62%. For the next ten years this figure hovered around 50%, declining back to 30% in in 1967. The corresponding figure for 1932-1947 was seen in the range of 60%. Of the 60 highest net grossing films during 1947 to 1957, 32 % were during 1948-1952. Of these, Naushad, SJ and C Ramchandra had 68% share.

The rise of an oligarchy in the world of playback singers was also equally pronounced. Among male singers it was Mohammad Rafi who ruled the roost before Kishore Kumar took over in 1969. Nevertheless, the number of important male singers was greater as compared to that of female singers. In the case of female singers, the shift was far more dramatic and extreme. 1952 was the year that virtually brought an end to the richly textured and individually timbred voices of the earlier era. Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt collectively recorded slightly over one-third of the songs recorded in 1951. With the fading away of Geeta Dutt, by end of 1950s, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle shared between them more than one-third of all songs. Having given a quantitative background, the author has taken up the examination of more interactive musical, aesthetic and industrial practices in this chapter.

One may disagree, as I did, with some of the conclusions – that it was Naushad who “tightened” the concept of a ‘film song’, as distinct from ‘singing in the film’, by way instrumental interludes, tempo, orchestral size, recording techniques and professionalization of the singers. Or, that the style of the male voice in Hindi film songs followed mainly from Saigal’s style while the style of the female voice changed radically with Lata (I agree only with the latter part).

The statistics quoted at various places are useful and some of the points do note important conclusions. The last point about the technology that enabled separation of on-screen voice and playback voice and the emergence of the playback singer as a distinct role, is well-made and pivotal to Hindi film music.

Chapter 2 : Global Masala – Digital Identities and Aesthetic Trajectories in Post-Liberalization Indian Film Music is written by Natalie Sarrazin.

It is a very well-written account of how globalization, as well as new technologies, has influenced the creation of popular music, mainly film music, in India since the 1990s.

The author goes into a very detailed, second-by-second, analysis of the prelude music of the title song of Roja, in order to show how digital recording techniques can marry the audio to the video much more effectively than in the past.

Another good section is the one titled “Aesthetic Decisions”. It shows how the role of the music director has changed and how the sound engineer may be the most influential person behind the final finished song. This change may be revolutionary, but like many revolutions, the outcome may not be anything to be proud of. The author seems to take this major change in her stride, perhaps because she is a Westerner and does not have emotional ties to old music.

In her concluding remarks, the author notes that ‘Hindi film must project carefully crafted identities and desires onto the world stage, embodying Indian values in musical idioms palatable to an international music market and appealing to interesting non-Diaspora audiences. India’s active embrace of and enactment upon the promise of globalization require new Indian sonic agents, ones that portray India’s current energy, as well as image as a suitable global economic partner. Such music, to be successful, must create space for dreams and desires of Resident Indians and NRIs, while offering up musical fantasy escapism to the rest of the world.’

In Chapter 10: Latin American Music in Moving Pictures and Jazzy Cabarets in Mumbai, 1930-1950 Bradley Shope explores the period between mid-1930s and early 1950s when Latin American music in Hollywood films influenced jazzy cabarets that some of the Indian communities like Goans, Anglo – Indians and Parsis. The first half of the chapter traces the popularity of a native Brazilian dance, the Carioca – introduced to the world in the 1933 release Flying Down the Rio[i] in Mumbai and explores the relationship between this film and development of Hindi film songs containing Latin American sounds and images. The second half of the article uncovers the relationship between live cabarets in Mumbai and the development of Hindi films songs containing Latin American sounds and images.

The film Flying Down to Rio (1933) was successfully screened in urban India in 1934. The carioca dance shown in this films attracted vast audiences in Mumbai in nightclubs, restaurants, hotel ballrooms, social clubs and cabarets. Audiences learned the dance by watching the film or through lessons at local dance schools. By the 1940s, many jazz orchestras understood that learning Latin American repertoire could help secure jobs in a larger scope of avenues. It was no coincidence that when C Ramchandra composed Gore Gore O Banke Chhore (Lata Mangeshkar, Amirbai Karnataki, Samadhi, 1949),

he heavily borrowed from Chico Chico from Puerto Rico (Doll Face, 1945).

Latin characteristics were heard as early as in Naushad’s score for 1943 film Kanoon in the song Ek Tu Ho, Ek Main Hoon (Suraiya). The staged cabaret sequence Deewana Yeh Parwana from 1951 film Albela showcased great fusion of the chief arranger of ‘His Music Makers’, Chic Chocolate, and C Ramchandra. Chic Chocolate and his orchestra are dressed in stylized Latin American costumes in this song.

Carmen Miranda’s song sequence of ‘Week-End in Havana’ from 1941 film of the same name bears noticeable similarities to this song. And that includes not only the music, sounds or dance, but even Geeta Bali’s costumes as well.

One can find a similar beat of three+two clave (Dil Dhadake Nazar Sharamaye) or a music sound of rolling piano (Mere Dil Ki Ghadi Kare Tick Tick) in some other song sequences of ‘Albela’. Since the audiences of Hindi films were not typically exposed to these Latin American films or songs. That helped in creating that tantalizing element of fantasy in the Hindi film songs which brought up the entire effect far above real-life limitations of mundane restriction in the Indian society.

To be sure, other thematic, such as Hawaiian, Island, Spanish, Arab, French and the like, also suitably found way into Hindi films songs. Barring a few cases, the credit should also be given to director or music director that these adaptations were seen as highly innovative depictions that completely fused into the Indian cultural environment.

To illustrate each chapter author’s points, and to make available music not easily accessible in North America, the book is ably and vividly supported by Oxford web music companion website of audio and video tracks.

Bibliographic Information:

Print publication date: 2013 ǁ 380 pages ǁ Print ISBN-13: 9780199928835

Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: January 2014

Paperback edition: Published: 12 December 2013 | 384 Pages | ISBN: 9780199928859

Other books:

Behind the curtain: making music in Mumbai’s film studios – Gregory Booth

American Popular Music in Britain’s Raj – Bradley G Shope

^# Tadatmya Vaishnav can be contacted @ tavaishnav@gmail.com

[i]

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – December 2015

Welcome to December, 2015 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

We will begin our present issue with a post that could well have been included in our last episode –

Four Aces and A Queen – Geeta Dutt’s songs with 4 ace music directors that may be missed because of the dominance of SD Burman, Hemant Kumar, OP Nayyar in her list of hit songs. On the birth anniversary of Geeta Dutt, the Queen of Bhaav Gayaki, Parag Sankla explores her lesser heard gems from the repertoire of four music directors Hansraj Behl, Chitragupt, Bulo C Rani and Avinash Vyas.

And since we are on that very site, we certainly get more to read on Geeta Dutt:

• The Queen of Bhaav Gayaki – Geeta Dutt
• Moments with ‘Geetu Pishi’ – Remembering Geeta Dutt
• The Language Versatility of Geeta Dutt – A Rare Depth of Feeling
• Eternal Wait: The Story Of The Dark Girl By The Meghna (Geeta Dutt)
• Geeta Dutt – The Skylark Who Sang From The Heart
• Geeta Dutt – The Singer with the Golden Heart

Geeta Dutt’s list of her best songs in 1957 – For some reason, may be because C.H. Atma sang it first (?), she did not include Preetam Aan Milo

Raj Kapoor – Musically – Raj Kapoor with different instrument in each of the song is remembered here. We have picked up the less heard song from the ones presented here.

• Tera dil ka makaan – Do Ustad (1959) – Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi – OP Nayyar

Remembering Raj Kapoor- The Showman And His 7 Iconic Heroines – Nargis, Nimmi, Simi Garewal, Zeenat Aman, Dimple Kapadia, Mandakini, Padmini Kolhapure – on his 91st birthday.

C Ramchandra as Chitalkar – continuing the series on the Year of Naushad (with C Ramchandra in tandem), SoY presents the songs of CR as a singer. C Ramchandra has also sung for other music directors, such as Mir Saheb (Lal Haveli, 1944), Anil Biswas (Jwar Bhata, 1944; Veena, 1948), Husnlal-Bhagatram (Apni Chhaya, 1950), Hemant Kumar (Samrat, 1954; Lagan, 1955), Roshan (Baraati, 1954), Usha Khanna (Faisla, 1965), Laxmikant-Pyarelal (Chhaila, 1967. We have picked up some of the less heard songs:

• Kahte hain pyar kisko panchhi zara bata de – Baarish (1957), lyrics Rajendra Krishna
• Chali bhi aa ke tera intezaar kab se hai – Shatranj (1956), lyrics Rajendra Krishna
• Koi Shyam rang koi gori – Veena (1948), lyrics Narendra Sharma, music Anil Biswas

Naushad’s gems before ‘Rattan’ (1944) – a very fine researched article that brings up the (real) vintage Naushad – Before Rattan, Naushad did over a dozen films, having over 120 songs…. The Internet (YouTube) has brought to us a large number of his early songs….. a large number of his early songs are of outstanding quality. One for one, these songs are no less melodious and enjoyable than Rattan’s.

Upperstall has presented profiles of Saeed Jaffrey by Shoma A Chatterji; Shyam Benegal by Karan Bali and Dharmendra also by Karan Bali.

We also have a couple of more pieces to celebrate Dharmendra’s birthday:

Just be yourself: Dharmendra in Guddi, and other reflections on his 80^th birthday.

[A related piece here: the Amitabh cameos. And an earlier post about Dharmendra is here]

Happy Birthday Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore! Here are our favourite films featuring the pair – Anupama (1966), Devar (1966), Satyakam (1969), Yakeen (1969), Mere Humdam Mere Dost (1968), Chupke Chupke (1975), Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka (1975), Sunny (1984). Devdas (1976), a Gulzar venture did not go beyond mahurat.

“Thoda Sa Dil Laga Ke Dekh” – Shammi Aunty (nee Nargis Rabadi) passionately looks back on her long career . We see her playing sitar in Ye Hawa Ye Raat Ye Chandani (Talat Mahmood – Sangdil -1952 – Sajjad Hussain). In our December, 2015 episode of Fading Memories….Unforgettable Songs we had listened Thoda sa muskara ke dekh apana bana ke to dekh (Musafirkhana (1955) – with Shamshad Begum – O P Nayyar).

We now move over to other regular posts.

Bengal’s Music and Its Influence in Hindi Film Music – Antara Nanda Mondal and Peeyush Sharma take us on to a journey of discovering and enjoying gold nuggets of Bengal’s music strewn in Hindi film songs – a presentation made at the Romancing the Song Meet in India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, November 14, 2015.

In our last episode we had first time landed upon a couple of posts on the Silhouette, the magazine section of Learning & Creativity. It is time to catch up with some of the several interesting posts:

• The Pathbreaking Non-conformist – The Music of RD Burman – this story lists some songs that went into oblivion because the films didn’t do well.
• Journey Through Lata’s Melodies – mellifluous Lata melodies and the analysis of the parallel with author’s life
• Madan Mohan: The Composer of the Classes – the versatility of Madan Mohan going beyond his ghazals

We have three posts by Arun Kumar Deshmukh on Atul’s Song A Day, which also throw quite an insight into the topic that is intrinsically related to the song under discussion. Even as we will listen to the songs mentioned in these posts in our next issue of Fading Memories.. Unforgettable songs (10^th January, 2016), here is the brief take on each of the posts:

Tu mera copyright main teri copyright – Mohammad Rafi has given playback to Kishore Kumar more number of times than others.

S No.	Movie	Song	Co-singer	Music Director
1.	Miss Mala (1954)	Chori chori aana naa*	Asha Bhosle	Chitragupta
2.	Bhagam Bhag (1956)	Chale ho kahan	Asha Bhosle	O P Nayyar
3.	Bhaagam Bhaag (1956)	Hamen koi gham hai	Asha Bhosle	O P Nayyar
4.	Raagini (1958)	Man mora Bawra		O P Nayyar
5.	Shararat (1959)	Ajab hai dastan teri aye zindagi (happy and sad versions )		Shanker Jaikishan
6.	Sharaarat (1959)	Tu mera copyright	Lata Mangeshkar	Shanker Jaikishan
7.	Baaghi Shahzada (1964)	Main is masoom chehre ko	Suman Kalyanpur	Babul
8.	Pyar Diwana (1972)	Apni aadat hai		Lala Asar Sattar

Incidentally, the other singers who gave playback to Kishore Kumar are Manna Dey ( 3 times), S D Batish (1), Amanat Ali (1) and Asha Bhosle (once in film Baap Re Baap-1955).

[*The video clip shows some other actor singing this song.]

Samaa ye pyaar ka bahaar ke ye mele traces the most creative period – years 1955-60 – of SJ. The author attributes the loss melody in the din of popularity in post-1960 period to the growing differences between the partners.

Aa jaa aa jaa aa jaa nadiyaa kinaare – Author Ganesh Anantharaman, in his book “Bollywood melodies” says, “Perhaps success came too early to them from the very first film, depriving them to develop a bond which comes after struggling together for success.” Over and above the support of RK, quality lyricists and singers, the strong arrangers like Sebastian D’Souza played a major role in SJ’s great success. The post has quite succinctly presented a full range of ranking arrangers of that time.

Incidentally, I have been also able to locate a very interesting clip, on the subject of ‘Conviction and Leadership: Insights from the World of Bollywood Music’, in which Ganesh Anantharaman presents his ‘evolving thoughts on what can be learnt from the world of Bollywood music about conviction and leadership.

Three versions of a song – Man Mor Machaye Shor – Ladki (1953) – Lata Mangeshkar and Geeta Dutt . The Hindi version sounds a bit different from the Tamil (by T.S. Bhagavati and M.S. Rajeshwari) and Telugu (by T.S.Bhagawati and P.Suseela) versions.

Scroll.in continues to provide a variety of posts:

Bollywood raags: Hindustani classical vocalists who made film music – Featuring Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Amir Khan, DV Paluskar and other legends – Aneesh Pradhan :

• Begum Akhtar : Six songs from Roti 
• Saraswati Rane : Bina Madhur Madhur Kachu Bol
• Amir Khan and DV Paluskar : Aaj Gaawat Man Mero Jhoom Ke
• Bade Ghulam Ali Khan : Prem Jogan Ban Ke Sundari

Incidentally, I watched Ankahee (1985) a few days back. The film has a Tulsidas bhajan, composed by Jaidev, rendered by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi – Raghuvir Tumko Meri Laaj

HMV studios: In Kolkata, the home of India’s melodious past struggles for relevance

Some say it was Satyajit Ray’s favourite place. Now, the dappled HMV studio complex wears a mostly deserted look. – Chandrima Pal  · Fading tune – Next year, Mumbai will lose a significant piece of its musical history when Rhythm House at Kala Ghoda shuts down for good. Some 1,652 km or more away, in the dusty neighborhood of Dum Dum north of Kolkata, another icon of the country’s musical legacy awaits the inevitable. [I was a regular visitor to Mumbai’s Rhythm House from 1974 till 1979. I had also occasion to visit Rhythm House sometime in 2009, when I was in that area in a case relating to a customs case. I had purchased a couple of film CDs then.]

Music and the monument: Songs inspired by the Taj Mahal – The seventh wonder of the world has always fired up the imagination – Nate Rabe  · sunday sounds :

• Umie Aida : Salam Taj Mahal
• Sam Roberts : Taj Mahal
• Mighty Mo Rodgers : They Bombed the Taj Mahal!
• Taj Mahal, Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt and N Ravikiran : Johnny Too Bad
• Django Reinhardt : Taj Mahal

The Carnatic vocalist who sings Urdu blues – Hariharan has invented a whole new genre in ghazal singing – Manish Gaekwad – Hariharan’s singing career began with a ghazal. Jaidev signed him to sing for the movie Gaman (1978). Hariharan sang Ajeeb Sanehaa Mujh Par Guzar Gaya Yaro, written by poet Shahryar. Hariharan later came to create a new genre within the ghazal called Urdu Blues. He incorporated elements of jazz and blues music in the song Yeh Aaine Se (Kaash, 2000). Guitars and drums play on a slow beat alongside the sitar and sarangi moving into a noir space.

We would conclude our Blog Carnival 2015 with a post that was originally published on 31^st July, 2015, but I landed up only this month. So welcome an opportune coincidence!

Mohammed Rafi: For The Record By Gajendra Nand Khanna – During my of vinyl records purchasing years in mid 70s, I had collected a fairly large collection of Mohammad Rafi’s LP records. At least so I believed till I came across this post. This collector’s collection documented here is simply mind-blowing. In one of the responses to the article, Antara very aptly comments that this article has become a reference point for many. (What) an eclectic collection of Rafi’s versatility!!!

As we continue our pursuit of the golden period of Hindi Film Music …….

Wishing you all a most fruitfully joyous and happy 2016….

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – September, 2015

Welcome to September, 2015 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

We begin our recall of the anniversaries with Fearless Nadia (?)singing a romantic song 1943, apparently sung by Rajkumari and Mansoor), from Hunterwale Ki Beti , composed by Chhannalal Naik – Chanchal Dhara Nadi Kinara AND An Evening With Nadia – Karan Bali – Fearless Nadia films, produced by Wadia Movietone, were a genre unto themselves, a certain draw to many more visits to Movies at the Museum…

Another important memory is rekindled in “Guzra Hua Zamana Aata Nahin Dobara” – S. Mohinder. The interview presented herein no doubt is worth reading. But I have not been able to resist temptation of reproducing here the songs presented in the article. The songs pan S. Mohinder’s career.

• Aye dil uda ke le chal – Sehra (1948)
• Hum dil ki kahani kya kehte – Shaadi ki raat (1950)
• Chori chori aana ho raja more dil ke – Neeli (1950)
• Do naina tumhare pyare pyare  – Shrimati ji (1952)
• Aye jazba-e-mohabbat itna asar dikha de – Paapi (1953)
• Kagwa re ja balma ke deswa – Bahadur (1953)
• Zakhmi hain paon mere – Alladin ka beta (1955)
• Jawaani jhoolti hai – Naata (1955)
• Qurbaan gaye tujhpe gori – Sau ka note (1955)
• Aati hai mere saamne aanchal ko thaam kar – Shahzada (1955)
• Aye raat ke musafir – Kaarwaan (1956)
• Guzra hua zamana aata nahin dobara – Shirin Farhaad (1956)
• Tere ghunghroo jo chham chham baaje – Naya Paisa (1958)
• Jawaan aankh me kitna suroor hota hai – Sun to le aye haseena (1958)
• Chupke se kuchh dil ne kaha – Khoobsoorat dhokha (1959)
• Gar tum buran a maano – Mehlon ke khwaab (1960)
• mere pyaaron – Zameen ke taare (1960)
• Shama se koi keh de – Jai Bhawani (1961)
• Chale ho kahan kaho – Reporter Raju (1962)
• Raat ki dulhan saji saji – Captain Sheroo (1963)
• Shaam ki tanhaaiyan hain – Zarak khan (1963)
• Mausam lehra gaya – Picnic (1966)
• Ye jawani badi badnaam hai – Sunehre Kadam (1966)
• mittar piyare nu – Nanak naam jahaaz hai (1969)
• Tum sultan kahan ho miyan – Mughlani Beghum (1979)

Some more songs are also available @ S.MOHINDER SONGS.

Quite interestingly, Samir Dholakia also has remembered Sudhir Kapoor’s article – Kyun Chamke Bijuriya Saawan Ki posted on the birthday of S Mohinder and Asha Bhosle. This gem of a song is from film Bekhabar (1965). The article also leads us to Phool Muskuraye Kyon, Chand Jagmagaye Kyon. . . which is a duet by Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle from ‘Sarfarosh’ (1964).

Asha Bhosle with reluctant Naushad and C Ramchandra: Part 1 (solos) : The two dominant composers of the era, Naushad and C Ramchandra, gave a look-up to Asha Bhosle very sparingly in the early years. From the array of songs presented in the article, we have picked up some of the songs that may be fading up from the memory –

• Ik baat kahun mere piya sun le agar tu – Amar (1954) – Naushad
• Lahraye jiya bal khaye jiya – Sharda (1957) – C Ramchandra
• Main teri dil tera re mitwa – Tasweer (1966) – C Ramchandra : Happy Version and Sad Version

Asha Bhosle with reluctant Naushad and C Ramchandra: Part 2 (duets) : Asha Bhosle’s duets, too, composed by them are no less memorable. Therefore, to have a complete picture of the songs that Naushad and CR composed for Asha Bhosle, we have been presented with her duets made by the two reluctant Masters.

Happy 89th Birthday, Madam Noor Jehan! 21^st September was Noor Jehan’s 89^th birthday. Here is the list of previous posts: 83rd Birthday (2009) || 84th Birthday (2010) || 85th Birthday (2011) || September 2012 – Noor Jehan and Lata, with a clip of one fine song from each. || 87th Birthday (2013) || 88th Birthday (2014) .

India’s loss, Pakistan’s gain: The journey of singing great Noor Jehan after 1947 – Karan Bali – It took Noor Jehan until 1951 to appear in a movie in Pakistan. We have picked those songs from the article that represent her (second) acting career.

• Tere Mukhde Da Kaala Kaala Til Wey – Chan Wey reunited Noor Jehan with her music director from Jugnu, Feroz Nizami.
• Chandni Raaten – Dupatta (1952) – Firoz Nizami
• Kalli Kalli Jaan Dukh Lakh Te – Patey Khan (1955)
• Jis Din Se Piya Dil Le Gaye – Intezar (1956) – Khwaja Khursheed Anwar – Among its outstanding tunes were Chand Hanse Duniya Base. Other great songs include Aa Bhi Ja and O Janewale Re Thahero Jara Ruk Jao. The film got her the President’s Award for Best Singer.
• Dil Ka Diya Jalaya – Koel (1959) – Khursheed Anwar – the duo goes well beyond the earlier film with one great song after another: Rhim Jhim Rhim Jhim Pade Puhar, Sagar Roye Laharein Shor, Mehki Hawaen Gati Fizayen, Tere Bina Sooni Sooni Laage Re Chandani Raat.

Shailendra was the proverbial moth who got burned too quickly – The lyricist died 49 years ago, leaving behind a legacy of exquisite songs that make you cry and think.- Akshay Manwani [Akshay Manwani is the author of Sahir Ludhianvi: The People’s Poet (HarperCollins India 2013)]– Shailendra would have been 92 on August 30. In Ganesh Anantharaman’s National Award-winning book Bollywood Melodies: A History of the Hindi Film Song, eminent lyricist and filmmaker Gulzar said about Shailendra: “In my view he was the lyricist, who understood films as a medium distinct from poetry and theatre perfectly, and adapted to it beautifully. For his ability to know the medium, understand the situation, get into the characters, and writing in a language suiting the character, he was without peer… I’d go as far as to say that among all the lyricists of Hindi cinema, only Shailendra became a part of the film medium, expertly and successfully. All others remained poets who wrote for films.”

Dolls and puppets, child-like(?) dances, sprightly singing by Lata, Shankar Jaikishan… A series of songs that come to mind because of a number of associations, all described in the title here… The last is quite different from the first, but it’s interesting how the songs actually progress from the first to the last – while being in chronological order, too!

• Dil Mein Tu Mere Dil Mein Tu – Kali Ghata (1951)
• Main Hoon Tere Sapnon Ki Raani – Aas (1953)
• Jahan Main Jaati Hoon, Wahan Chale Aate Ho – Chori Chori (1956)
• Bol Ri Kathputli Boli (Happy Version) – Kathputli (1957)

We now move over to other posts from our regular blogs.

Ten of My Favorite Background Songs is an interesting compilation of a very popular genre of background songs. Excluded here are the songs that appear in the credit titles of the film. The readers have further enriched the collection.

R.D. Burman – The Man, The Music is a follow up of the review of reading Gaata Rahe Mera Dil .

Basant (1960) : While not one of OPN’s best and popular score, it has some very fine tunes. And we would certainly enjoy – Chori Chori ik ishaara ho gaya hai, Naino mein suraj ki kiranein, Raaste mein ik haseen.

Bells and Whistles – “Bells and Whistles” is a popular English idiom. It means extra or fancy add-ons. However, when you hear bells or whistles in some Hindi film songs, they seem very much an integral part of the song and not something fancy or extra.  There are literally hundreds of songs that feature bells and whistles. We have here a playlist of 15 lively and popular songs with bells and whistles. These songs have been picked from movies from the mid 1960s to the mid 2000s.

From back-up to the front row: Reintroducing Bollywood dancer Edwina Lyons – Nandini Ramnath – Surjit Singh’s book ‘Edwina An Unsung Dancer of the Bollywood Era‘ focuses attention on a minor Anglo-Indian dancer who shimmied across the screen between the 1950s and the ’70s.

Before we pay visit to MUSINGS, we have Nigahen Milane Ko Ji Chahta Hai – The combination of Roshan’s admirable music, Sahir Ludhianvi’s beautiful words, Asha’s flawless rendition, Nutan’s lovely expressive face and the Qawwali style makes this quite irresistible. Here is the song:

rAz kI bAt hai mehfil mE.n kahE.n yA na kahE.n
bas gayA hai kOI is dil mE.n kahE.n yA na kahE.n

nigAhE.n milAnE kO jI chAhtA hai
dil-O-jA.n luTAnE kO jI chAhtA hai

While we went visiting other sections of the blog, MUSINGS has added the film reviews – Laat Saheb (1967), Grahan (1972), Anjaam (1978) and Kasturi (1978).

Now we move over songs remembered by our friends in this month –

Bhagvan Thavrani

• Masoom Chehra Ye Qatil Adayen – Dil Tera Deewana (1962) – Lata Mangeshkar, Mohd Rafi – Shanker Jaikishan – Raag Bhimpalasi

[Asides: Here is one of a very rich list of songs on Raag Bhimpalasi].

• Kanha Bole Na – Sangat(1976) – Manna Dey, Lata – Salil Choudhary – Janisar Akhtar

Samir Dholakia has referred songs wherein the actor has also rendered the song or the singer has acted in the film. This should pertain the period after vintage era, when playback singing by specialist singers had become the rule. This can be a very long list, which we will take up separately in due course:

• Laagi Nahi Chhoote Rama – Musafir (1957) – Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar – Salil Choudhary
• Raat Ne Kya Kya Kwab Dikhaye – Ek Gaon Ki Kahani (1957) – Talat Mahmood – Salil Choudhary

Sumant (Dadu) Vashi form Chicago (U S A) had sent in these songs

• Yeh jalwe yeh adaa : Passing Show (1956) – Geeta Dutt, S Balbir – Manohar
• Ye Hawaein Sanam – Passing Show (1956) – Geeta Dutt – Manohar
• Bachna zara Teer       Chale – Passing Show 1956 – Geeta Dutt- Manohar
• No…No Don’t Say Goodnight – Miss Goodnight (1960) – Geeta Dutt and Chorus – Hansraj Behl
• Saath Ho Tum Aur Raat Jawan Neend Kise Ab Chain Kahan – Kanch Ki Gudiya (1961) – Mukesh & Asha – Suhrad Kar
• Kit Gayi Man Ki Naav—Kamal Roy (Habib Wali Mohammed) – O P Nayyar – This is a non-filmy song rendered by Kamal Roy also known as Habib Wali Mohammed during the Lahore HFM, in the late 40’s…

We have been posting a series of posts on the widely discussed and participated exercise of annual review of songs of a particular year – Best songs of 1950: And the winners are?. We have covered up documentation of the further micro-review of the songs C Ramchandra, Husnlal Bhagatram and Ghulam Mohammad, Anil Biswas and other Music directors’ Lata Mangeshakar’s songs, as well as those of Suraiya and Shamshad Begum in June 2015 and Rajkumari, Geeta Roy and Other female Singers in July 2015.. We had then continued to explore Male Solo Songs of Mukesh, Talat Mahamood, Mohammad Rafi, G M Durrani and Chitalkar, Manna Dey, Arun Kumar, Manmohan Krishna and Others as well as Songs by several other playback singers for Raj Kapoor in July 2015. For August-, 2015, we covered Male Female Duets of Mukesh, Mohammad Rafi, Talat Mahmood, G M Durrani, and those of Chitalkar and other Male Singers.

Our onwards journey had:

• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Male – Male And Female – Female Duets
• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Triads and Triads +

We have concluded the series with.…

• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Summing Up – I : Female and Male Solo Songs
• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Summing Up – II: Duet Songs and The Best Music Director

I have also prepared an edited compilation of all the posts @ The Songs of 1950 @ SoY

SoY has also published Best songs of 1950: Wrap Up 2, covering ‘Other’ Female Singers

In the end, we have (our customary) very special songs of Mohammad Rafi taken out from the songs.

• A Rafi-Khursheed duet from 1947 – Composed by Sudhir Phadke, Sawan Ki Ghatao Dheere Dheere Aana is rendered by (very young) Dev Anand and Khursheed in Aage Badho.
• We also pay a visit to Nasir-eclectic.blogspot.com to have a look at Rafi’s Peppy Songs: main albela jawaaN hooN rangeela… || dhokaa khaayegee naa yaaroN kee nazar…
• To end, we will take Sumant (Dadu) Vashi’s recall of Sawan Ke Mahine Mein (Sharabai -1963- Madan Mohan), one of the invaluable gems form Madan Mohan – Mohammad Rafi collaboration. Even as the clip here has both versions, our refrence is to the pensive pathos mood version.

We continue our pursuit of the golden period of Hindi Film Music …….

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – June 2015

Welcome to June, 2015 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

It is a matter of great pleasure to commemorate Songs of Yore completing quite a trail-blazing journey of 5 years. The article contains an excellent write up, including some very light to some quite erudite pieces on the subjects ranging from “Hemantkumar’ Ravi, Discovering after three decades, Auto-inspiration or Laziness, Joyous Jaunpuri, Darbari Delights, Darbari and Mukhtar Begum. Chitrapatsangeet has added two excellent illustration of Raag Jaunpuri – one of them is Meri Yaad Mein Na Tum Aansoo Bahana – Madhosh (1954) – Talat Mahmood – Madan Mohan. We will look at the other one at the end of present episode of the blog carnival in our regular section on Mohammad Rafi.

Naushad’s “The Singing Girl Next Door”: Suraiya pays tribute to Suraiya with some of her most melodious songs by Naushad on her 86^th birth anniversary (15 June 1929 – 31 January 2004).

Sajjad Hussain’s birthday also coincides with that of Suraiya, So, Happy Birthday, Suraiya and Sajjad! has presented Suariya’s songs for film 1857, for which Sajjad has scored the music. Suraiya and Sajjad Hussain worked together in Suraiya’s swan song film : Rustm Sohrab.

My favourite Hemant Kumar Songs is a tribute to Hemant Kumar on his 95^th birthday. He had many other, quite notable, songs under several other music directors as well. Here are a few solo songs that come to my mind:

C Ramchandra:

Aye baad-e-shaba jara ahista chal, tahan so hui hai Anarkali – Anarkali (1953)

Jindagi Pyar Ki Do Char Ghadi Hoti Hai – Anarkali (1953)

Zameen Chal Rahi, Aasman Chal Raha Hai – Pheli Jhalak (1954)

Ital Ke Ghar Tital – Bahurani (1963)

Madan Mohan:

Kho Gaya Jaane Kahan Arzoon Ka Jahan – Mohar (1959)

Shankar Jaikishan :

Ham Kathputle Hai Kath Ke – Shikast (1953)

Rula Kar Chal Diye Ek Din Hasin Ban Kar Jo Aaye The – Badshah (1954)

Chitragupt :

Aasman Aasman Tu Kya Jaane – Daakaa (1959)

N Dutta :

Ye Baharon Ka Shama, Kho Na Jaayen Aa Bhi Jaa – Milaap – 1955 ( A solo and duet with Lata Mangeshakar)

R D Burman

Aaja Mere Pyar Aaja – Heeralal Pannalal (1978)

On Hemanta Mukherjee’s birthday, Upperstall on hemanta kumar has recalled one of the immortal composition of Hemant Kumar – Saqiya Aaj Mujhe Neend Nahin Aayegi – Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) – Asha Bhosle and an equally memorable duet, composed by C Ramchandra – Jaag Dard-e-Ishq Jaag, Dil Ko Bequarar Kar – Anarkali (1953)

Two songs by Hemanta kumar presents O Nadi Re Ekti Kothai and Ganga Aaye Kahan Se.

On her 79^th birthday on 4^th June 2015, My favourite Nutan songs has consciously left out songs which show her weeping. This wonderful list brings Man Mohana Bade Jhoothe (Seema (1954) – Lata Mangeshkar – Shanker Jaikishan – to the memory.

For the records Let’s talk About Bollywood has an exclusive page dedicated to articles on Nutan. Nutan’s intelligence is a brief treatise on Nutan’s all-round virtuosity, that sets her apart as an artist. Nutan-bollymusings.com/ informs of the official launch of MUSINGS, a new blog by S. Basu which he has announced will deal chiefly with Nutan.

Musings has posted reviews of two of Nutan;s movies– Aagosh (1953) and Heer (1956) till date.

We now move over to other posts:

The video leads to other Geeta Dutt songs : Jaaongi maike jaaongi : Geeta Dutt, G M Durrani – Paatal Bhairavi (1952) Ghantasala This video is made by superimposing Hindi audio on the original Telugu clip.

Two Geeta Dutt Duets : Ta Thaiya Kar Ke Aana O Jagugar More Saiyan – Panchayat (1958) – Iqbal Qureshi – with Lata Mangeshkar and Jaanu Jaanu Re Kahe Khanake Hai Tora Kangana – Insan Jaag Utha (1959) – S D Burman – with Asha Bhosle

Anil Biswas and Meena Kapoor (via Arun Kumar Deshmukh) – Some of their songs together

• Rasiya Re Man Basiya Re – Pardesi (1957)
• Rim Zim Barse Paani – Pardesi (1957)
• Kachichi Hai Umaraiya – Char Dil Char Rahen (1959)

I have picked up following two songs from My Favourite Cycle songs

• Michael hai to cycle hai (Bewaqoof, 1960, Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle, S.D.Burman):
• Aanchal ko udne do (Picnic, 1966, Asha Bhosle, S. Mohinder)

Ten Ganga songs from classic Hindi cinema is a good collection of songs from pre-70s (mostly, with one minor exception from 1971) Hindi films which mention the Ganga, in different contexts, to different extents. I have picked up Ganga Ki Reti Pe Bangla Chhwaii De (Sudha Malhotra – Mirza Ghalib (1954) – Ghulam Mohammad ) and Ganga Ki Bhari God Mein (Manna Dey – Mere Apne (1971) – Salil Chaudhary) from the comments of the readers.

“Cricket Se Cinema Tak”- Mac Mohan captures the accidental journey of Mac Mohan (a.k.a. Mohan Makhijani). Here is the songs wherein Mac Mohan plays a lead joint-lead role:

Ye jhuki jhuki jhuki nigahein teri – Mohammad Rafi – Aao Pyaar Karein (1964) – Usha Khanna

(Very Very Interesting Trivia: Sanjeev Kumar can be seen as a very insignificant artist in some of the long shots !!!!)

Johnnie Walker in Bollywood – is a continually updated collection of some of Johnny Walker bottles …. found over the years from various Hindi (and maybe some Tamil and Telugu) filums.

Talat Mahmood: singer, actor, gentleman – Talat Mahmood was in demand not only in the recording studio but also on the screen – Manek Premchand – The article is a brief peep into the book.

Listen to virtuosos of an instrument once banned on All India Radio – Since it was introduced to the subcontinent by missionaries, the baajaa ki peti has become a part of the Indian soundscape. – Aneesh Pradhan – Meend (or a glide between notes) and gamak (or rapid oscillation of a note) are two important embellishments that cannot be produced on this instrument.  It was for this reason that the instrument was banned for broadcast on the All India Radio in 1941. Here are a few early recordings of harmonium solo recitals.

• Govindrao Tembe – Raag Multani in Tarana Multani and Raag Tilang
• Vitthalrao Korgaonkar – Raag Todi in ‘Ja Ja Re’

Three pioneering musicians who helped turn the harmonium into a solo instrument – Bashir Khan, Shankarrao Kalpeshwari and P Madhukar demonstrated that the ‘baaja ki peti’ wasn’t just meant for accompaniment. – Aneesh Pradhan

• Bashir Khan – Ab Na Maanugi (Tori Malhar)
• Shankarrao Kalpeshwari – Dhani (Dhani Thumri)
• P Madhukar – Mishra Dhun

I remember a short, sharp, sweet, opening harmonium notes of Raat Bhi hai kuchch bheegi bheegi, which is repeated over several times.

A tribute to Guide in its 50th year – Vijay Anand’s Guide is now 50 years old and yet timeless, this is one of our cinematic landmarks, and a testament to the possibilities of artistic collaboration within a commercial system. [A longer post about “Tere Mere Sapne” is here. And more about RK Narayan’s “Misguided Guide” here]

Now we move over songs remembered by our friends in this month –

Bhagvan Thavrani

• Kiseeko Yoon Tamannaon Mein Uljhaaya Nahin Karte – Meena Kapoor -Return of Superman (1960) – Anil Biswas: ‘This forgotten Meena Kapur solo is a stunt film nobody knows or remembers..it is picturised on Jayraj and Shila Ramani ( taxi driver and railway platform fame.. ) ….Surprise of surprises, the music is by Anil Biswas…perhaps the last flicker before he vanished..! The film has a duet sung by Anil da and Mubarak Beghum ! This song is written by films producer Manmohan…this film came and went in 1961….
• Aap Ki Inayatein Aap Ke Karam – Lata Mangeshkar -Vandana (1975) – Ravi: ‘A simple, soothing song from a forgotten film…!’
• Kaho Aa Ke Bahar Kare Mera Singar Mujhe Pyar Mila – Mukesh & Asha Bhonsle – FORTY DAYS (1959) – Babul Bose – ‘Film चालीस दिन was famous for that sweet Asha – Manna Dey duet ” Naseeb hoga mera meharbaan kabhi na kabhi ” and great Asha solo ” baithe hain rehguzar pe dil ka diya jalaaye “. This sweet duet of Asha – Mukesh is lesser known but so sweet…Asha is at her playful mischievous best…music director Babul Bose gave a very few but memorable films..in a few films, he teamed with Bipin and gave music under the name ” Bipin Babul ‘.
• Na Phoolon Ki Duniya – Lata Mangeshkar – Saaz Aur Awaaz (1966) – Naushad Ali : PALKI, LEADER and SAAZ AUR AAWAZ were supposed to be Naushad’s twilight years movies and hence the Music of these films was said to be weak as compared to old Naushadian standards….A Lata chorus..it has a mystic aura about it and the chorus female voices add to the atmosphere.. Based on raag SOHINI (perhaps )..’

[Side Note: I landed up on a Suman Kalyanpur number – Poonam Ki Raat Aayi – which I am not able to recollect very easily now. Hence brought it up here.]

• Aye Saba Unse Kah Jara – ‘A rare Rafi- Asha duet from “Alibaba 40 chor ” . The music credit is given to S N Tripathi and Chitragupta but none of the film songs seem to have Chitragupta touch. Maybe , he gave background music only…..Strangely, in the same year 1954, a film named 40 BABA EK CHOR was also released with music by S D Burman with good, average, songs……Enjoy the lilting Arabian tune…!’

In the last episode of our carnival, we had talked about the very widely discussed and participated exercise of annual review of songs of a particular year – Best songs of 1950: And the winners are?. We have taken up documentation of the further micro-review of the songs therein. Here are the posts published during the present month:

• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Setting the stage
• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Female Solo Songs– Lata Mangeshkar songs of C Ramchandra
• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Female Solo Songs– Lata Mangeshkar songs of Husnlal Bhagatram and Ghulamm Mohammad
• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Female Solo Songs– Lata Mangeshkar songs of Anil Biswas and other music directors
• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Female Solo Songs– Other Singers – Suraiya
• The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Female Solo Songs– Other Singers – Shamshad Begum

We will continue with the series in the next couple of months as well……

In the end, we have picked up (our customary) very special songs of Mohammad Rafi from the lead we get from the articles / films discussed here before in the present episode of our blog carnival –

• Chitrapatsangeet has provided this song as a Raag Jaunpuri illustration in the comment to the article – Songs of Yore completes five years – referred to at the beginning of the present episode of our blog carnival – Maine Ae Jaane Wafa Tumse Muhabbat Ki Hai – Bedaagh -1965 – Roshan.

That incidentally takes us to two more songs from the same film – a solo by Mohammad Rafi, Zindagi Ke Mod Par, Akele The Ham, Mil Gaye Tum To Dil Ka Sahara Mila, and a duet of Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle, Aankhon Mein Na Jaane

• Recall of Mohammad Rafi songs from Saaz Aur Awaz

Pyaar Ki Raah Bahaar Ki Manzil – Mohd.Rafi & Asha Bhonsle – – A tonga song – after a long time.

Kisne Mujhe Sada Di (part i) – Mohd.Rafi & Suman Kalyanpur – Another haunting song, which typically has more than one version (part ii) in the film.

We continue our pursuit of the golden period of Hindi Film Music …….

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – April 2015

Welcome to April, 2015 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

Come 1^st April and rest assured that SoY will come up with something brilliant. For the present, Some thoughts on taxonomic-mathematical analysis of Hindi films and songs has a fairly lashing tongue in the cheek, but that would not take away the merits of three core ideas – viz. Duet Balance Index (DBI) – ‘Duets that are really solos’, Popularity-Quality Index (PQI) – Popularity versus quality and Mathematical Analysis of Bollywood Triangles and Other Films presented therein.

We turn our sails to our regular fair –

Shamshad Begum songs by Naushad – SoY’s tribute to Shamshad Begum on her 96^th birth anniversary (14 April 1919 – 23 April 2013). Shamshad Begum’s entry is credited to Ghulam Haider. Nonetheless she sang with same élan with most of the music directors of the vintage era. When Naushad used her voice first time in Shahjehan (1946) , Shamshad Begum was already at her peak. As she went on to sing a wide range of moods and scales in around 60 songs with Naushad, her portfolio was concurrently getting richer with other music directors like C Ramchandra, S D Burman, Ghulam Mohammad and others. She blazed a scorching trail with O P Nayyar. It remains a very typical irony of the vagaries of Hindi Film Music that she was quite easily replaced with Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle by Naushad and O P Nayyar respectively in course of 50s.

SoY has picked up Shamshad Begum songs of C Ramchandra in Shamshad Begum songs by C Ramchandra as a tribute on the 2^nd death anniversary of the legendary singer.” During a brief period in the late 1940s, before Lata Mangeshkar happened in a big way to C Ramchandra, Shamshad Begum was his most important singer, and he was at his creative best. The combination gave some everlasting songs, which are an important part of our musical legacy.”

We recall our April 2013 episode of our blog carnival, wherein we carried a few more articles and a downpour of obituaries on her passing away. We add a few more here:

Naushad on Shamshad Begum in an interview on BBC, shared by Raza Ali Abidi on his youtube channel.

Shamshad Begum Interview, Part 1 of 2 and 2 of 2

By selecting a range of songs form films of different time scale, Asha Parekh-A charming and talented actress provides a fan’s insight to Asha Parekh’s career graph. To this we supplement Unknown Facts About Asha Parekh.

Words by Anna Morcom on Pakeezah (with accompanying videos from Tommydan) – looks back at (main) songs as interestingly seen in the book, Illicit Worlds of Indian Dance on 43^rd anniversary of Meena Kumari’s death.

We pick up two songs from My favourite Meena Kumari songs:

• Lau Lagati geet gaati (Bhabhi ki Chudiyan, 1961, Lata Mangeshkar, Sudhir Phadke)
• Chand Hai Wohi (Parineeta, 1953, Geeta Dutt, Arun Kumar)

Uff Ye Beqaraar Dil Kahan Luta Na Poochhiye is a tribute to (Smt.) Bela Bose Sengupta on her 74^th birthday on 18^th April, 2015. We pick up a few of the songs listed out at the end of the article:

• Yeh Na Thi Hamari Kismat – Main Nashe Mein Hoon (1959) – Shanker Jaikishan – Usha Mangeshakar
• Saakiya ek Jaam Woh Bhi to De De – Neend Hamari Khawb Tumhare (1966) – Madan Mohan – Asha Bhosle, Mubarak Begum
• Hai Nazar Ka Ishara Sambhal Jaiye – Anita (1967) – Laxmikant Pyarelal – Lata Mangeshakar, Usha Mangeshakar
• Uff Ye Beqaraar Dil Kahan Luta Na Poochhiye – Dil Aur Mohabbat (1968) – O P Nayyar – Asha Bhosle

The Lost Films of Helen – This video slideshow shines a light on some Helen films that haven’t been seen since they were originally released many years ago. They are presumed to be lost forever.

Tune, Composer, Language – It’s All the Same attempts at highlighting some examples where a wide arrange of music directors have re-use their tunes within the same language, within the same period of 1940s -1950s.

Double delight with Fusion – Fusion in this post is to mean something totally different from a mere fusion of instrumental music – a mix of two different singing styles in the vocals in the same song. 12 of these ‘Fusion’ songs (from 1950s to 2010) are placed in the player.

Now we move over to Samir Dholakia ‘s choice for the month –

• Mere do naina matware – Namaste Jee (1965) – G S Kohli. – Lata Mangeshkar
• Maan jaa arre buddhoo jaan jaa Post by Avinash Scrapwala for the song Maan Jaa Arre Buddhu Jaan Jaa  – Return Of Johny (1972) – N Datta – Asha Bhosle, Lyrics – SR Saaz,
• Hum Tum Yeh Bahar – Amber (1952) – Gulam Mohammad – Mohammad Rafi (for Raj Kapoor), Lata mangeshkar
• O Kaali Ghata Ghir Aayi Re – Kali Ghata (1951) Shankar Jaikishan – Lata Mangeshkar Mohammed Rafi
• Tum Ho Saath Raat Be Haseen Hai – Mohar [1959] – Madan Mohan – Lata Mangeshkar
• Sajan Ki Ot Leke Haathon Mein Haath Leke. Zevrat (1949) – Hansraj Behl -Mohammad. Rafi.. Lata Mangeshkar

Naresh Mankad has remembered Budhdham Sharanam Gachchami – Angulimaal (1960) – Anil Biswas – Manna Dey, Meena Kapoor, and Chorus. This is indeed a more known song. But it has a very different version (predecessor, in terms of timeline) in Anjali (1957), sung by Mohammad Rafi, and composed by Jaidev.

In the end we take up (our customary) very special songs / articles on Mohammad Rafi –

• Saawan Ki Ghatao – is A duet from Aage Badho 1947 (Sudhir Phadke ) filmed on very young Dev Anand and Khurshid Bano.
• Mohammed Rafi : The amusing voice of Randhir Kapoor enlists songs that Mohammad Rafi sang for the elder Kapoor of the third generation.
• Mohammed Rafi’s association with most cultured comedian: Deven Varma – Rafi Sahab sung two duets for Deven Verma in QAWWALI KI RAAT – Iqbal Quereshi – (1964). The two duets, “Husnwaale Husn Ka Anjaam Dekh, Dubte Suraj Ke Waqt Sham Dekh” by Rafi-Asha Bhosle and “Jaate Jaate Ek Nazar Bhar Dekh Lo” by Rafi-Shamshad Begum filmed on Deven Verma and Mumtaz.
• Mohammed Rafi Award, while advocating renaming Filmfare Best Male Singer award has listed all major awards that Mohammadi Rafi’s Hall of Fame adorns.
• The combination of OP Nayyar and Mohammad Rafi was like tea and milk, creating a very unique, invigorating brew. We would addon Mere Sanam (1965) here simply to buttress the point – Rafi gets to sing four fantastic solos –Pukarta Chala Hoon Main, Humdum mere maan bhi jaao; the heart-rending Tukde hain mere dil ke aye yaar tere aansoo and Hue hain tumpe aashiq ham bura mano bhala maano and three lovely duets as well (with Asha Bhosle) – Roka kai baar maine dil ki umang ko, Haji Baba mere sanam se mera milne ka waada, and finally the lovely song that did not make it to the screen, Humne toh dil ko aapke kadmon mein. Simply divine.

We will end April month’s episode with a very typical Shanker-Jaikishan – Mohammad Rafi songs of 1960s – from (of course) the film ‘April Fool’ – a song which has one of the longest prelude, studded with a huge ensemble of violins, wherein Rafi has taken flights to all the scales –

Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Mere Sapane, Mere Apne, Mere Paas Aa…….

We continue our pursuit of the golden period of Hindi Film Music …….

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – March, 2015 edition

Welcome to March, 2015 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

March has a very important festival – Holi – linked mainly to onset of the spring in the North India. The celebration of the festival is deeply ingrained into the fabric of the entire social culture of the people. As a natural corollary, it is but natural that the festivities are reflected into the mainstream (Hindi) Cinema. From the mellow and richly classical Holi songs in the 50s to the fun songs in the 70s, the flirtatious songs of the 80s to the power-packed, rigorous dance sequences in the new millennium, Holi songs have seen a gradual but marked change in style of music and the manner of filming the sequences. It is natural that we devote the opening session of the current edition of our blog festival to the articles featuring Holi songs in the Hindi Films.

• SoY has a regular article this time on the subject – Songs of Holi. The article has quite colorfully blended some of the popular songs with the classic songs.
• Atul’s bollywood song a day- with full lyrics has full a category, “Holi” festival song, which already has 39 articles as of now.

And here are some of the randomly selected articles published in the mainstream journalistic flavor:

• Rang Barse… Evergreen Holi Songs Of Bollywood Over 6 Decades (1953-2014)

• Top 10 Bollywood Holi Songs
• A few Bollywood songs about Holi that will set your mood right today
• Popular Holi songs from Bollywood
• From lehenga to shorts: How Bollywood heroines changed their Holi style – ‘rewind and remember Bollywood’s Holi wardrobe, from the lehenga in Mother India to the salwar-kameez in Silsila and the shorts in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’
• Rang Barse to Holi ke Din: Get your Holi party on with these Bollywood gems – Swetha Ramakrishnan
• Top 5 Bollywood Holi Songs – Razy+ – ‘Each of these songs is picturized on the most popular Bollywood actors of their time’.

We now turn to the anniversaries:

Conversations Over Chai has three articles to commemorate Talat Mahmood’s birth anniversary on 24th February (1924):

The Legends: Talat Mahmood – has a few ‘quintessential Talat’ songs, each one for a different music director. While reading the article and comments thereto, Tum To Dil Ke Taar Chhed Kar, Kho Gaye (Roop Ki Raani Choron Ka Raaja – 1961- Shanker Jaikishan) came up from my memory. This, incidentally, is a twin version song. Furthermore, looking for some other songs, I landed upon Tera Khayal Dil Ko Sataye To Kya Karen (Naqab – 1955 – Govind Ram).

My Favourites: Talat Mahmood – Lata Mangeshkar Duets

In addition to a fairly rich collection and the contents in the main article, these songs in Comments also catch our attention:

Yaad aanewale phir yaad aa rahe hain – Anmol Ratan – Vinod. He gave another great duet Shikwa tera main gaaun in the film.
Mat chhed zindagi ke khamosh taar le ja – Raag Rang – Roshan.
Saawan ki raaton mein – Prem Patra – Salil Chaudhary
Chaahe nain churao chaahe daaman bachao pyar ho ke rahega – Aas – Shanker Jaikishan

Mausam Ye Pukare Masti Mein Le Chal – Burmah Road (1962) – Chitragupt

The Legends: Talat Mahmood – Part 2 – has lined up duets with different singers.

SoY continues with Focusing on Naushad as the theme of the year while undertaking comparisons with C Ramchandra in Talat Mahmood by Naushad and C Ramchandra. Naushad used Talat Mahmood in lead only once in Babul (1950) and then as a co-singer with Mohammad Rafi in Kaisi haseen aaj baharon ki raat hai (Aadami – 1968). In the queer twist of commercial considerations, Talat Mahmood was replaced by Mahendra Kapoor in the final track, but the records were already in the market. In comparison, C Ramchandra has a fairly large share of ‘great’ songs with Talat Mahmood. Here also, Talat Mahmood was on the losing streak once – Kitna haseen hai mausam kitna haseen safar hai – which is finally rendered by Chitalkar himself.

Naushad-C Ramchandra duel for Amirbai Karnataki, is an innovative tribute to Amirbai Karnataki, on the 50th death anniversary (c.1906 – 3 March 1965). Naushad had About fifteen songs in seven films in a span of eight years whereas C Ramchandra had Eight films and about fifteen songs in a span of eight years – same as Naushad’s. ,,,, If we look at Amirbiai Karnataki’s singing career in overall perspective, Anil Biswas first catapulted her to great fame with Kismet (1943); she sang the maximum number of her songs for Gyan Dutt and maximum number of his songs were sung by her…. Vidur Sury has written an exhaustive and excellent article – Amirbai Karnataki – A Legendary Indian Singer on Amirbai Karnataki. He has also contributed to Atul’s bollywood song a day- with full lyrics Amirbai Karanataki’s Deendayaal sakal dukhbhanjan (Narsi Bhagat – 1940)……..And this in turn takes us to the categories Ameerbai Karnataki songs, which has 118 posts and Ameerbai Karnataki solo, (78 posts) on Atul’s bollywood song a day- with full lyrics

‘Bags, Books and More’ pays tribute to Ravi, through his scores to Sahir Ludhyanvi’s songs, in My favourite Sahir Ludhianvi – Ravi songs, on the third death anniversary. In terms of getting less to hear a song , we pick up Mahendra Kapoor-Asha Bhosle duet Rangeen Fiza hai (Bahu Beti, 1965) from among the ‘favorites’ .

We now turn to other posts on our regular blogs:

Tennis, Pathakji and ‘Tere sadke balam’ – There would many who have very strong association with a song….But it takes SoY to make it a memory to be shared with all as if we lived all those moments ourselves.

Film Songs Based on Classical Ragas (8) – Pilu – Guest article by Subodh Agrawal – in which he discusses the best film songs based on this Raga and some fine classical pieces. Pilu is the one that truly captures the mood evoked by this earthy smell, possibly because it is the raga of the Gangetic plain, where the summers are long and severe, and the rain – when it comes – comes in torrents, as in a fragment from the film Sara Akash (1969), as it captures the traditional movement better than any other clip one could locate.

As can be easily expected, the advent of spring should have led to posting of articles on the subject. Ten of my favorite spring songs takes up the task with the rules: the synonym for spring—basant, bahaar, etc—should actually be present in the lyrics, the word (especially in the case of bahaar, which can also refer to scenery or enchanting environs) should specifically refer to spring itself and the word should be used in the literal, not the metaphorical, sense, making the reading even more interesting.

Ten of my favourite cloud songs is a thematic songs-list article, which follows these rules: firstly, the synonym for cloud must be in the first line of the song, and secondly, the reference to clouds should be literal; clouds should not be used only in the metaphorical sense. On a similar vein, there have been other posts on rain songs and wind songs.

Ijaazat (1987) very fondly traces the origin for writing up the review to Mera kuch samaan from the album You’ve Stolen My Heart: Songs from R.D. Burman’s Bollywood

Word Play: Shaam presents the Shaam songs with the self-imposed rules : the song had to begin with the chosen word. (At the most, the word could be the second one in the first line.) Preludes to songs didn’t count. And two, it has to be the word itself, not its variations., which have yielded three posts – Raat, Piya and Chand – in the past. We pick up, again on the basis of the criterion of not-getting-to listen-often:

Shaam gayi raat aayi – Shree 420 (1955) – Lata Mangeshkar – Shanker Jaikishan- a song that is recorded and then discarded from the film is classic fit for ‘Mystery of the Missing Songs‘ , strangely, this song was never used in any subsequent RK film either

Shaam dekho dhal rahi hai -Anjaan Hai Koi (1969) – Mohammed Rafi, Usha Khanna – Music: Usha Khanna

Gulzar’s “shaam se aankh mein nami se hai – Mukesh .The original Salilda tune has been used in another song and has also been sung by Mukesh.

The succinct review of Aah – 1953 has very judiciously provided a link to the jukebox filled with songs from the film.

Dances By Egypt’s Naima Akef -Egypt’s Golden Age of cinema happened very close in time to India’s, beginning in the 1940s and extending into the ’60s. …there also are close parallels between this cinema and Indian cinema in the song-and-dance sequences, with the main difference being that the Egyptian dances were mostly Middle Eastern…..the present selection starts with Naima Akef’s most strange and possibly most modern dance, “Mambo.” After that one, thrown in are six more, which fall all along the spectrum from modern cabaret to traditional Egyptian folk dance. Rather than going into any descriptions of those, let the dances speak for themselves (because they certainly do speak for themselves….).

Kahan Le Chale Ho Bat Do Musafir – Beena Rai – a career starting form Kali Ghata (1951) ran into some 18 films ending with Apna Ghar Apni Kahani (1968). The post has provided links to some of her very famous songs.

Whilst on Beena Rai, we may recollect Ashok Dave;s review of Vallah Kya Baat Hai (1962) (in Gujarati), and enjoy these two exceptional Roshan songs –

• Gham-e-Hasti Se Begana Hota, Khudya Kash Main Deewana Hota – Mohammad Rafi
• Khanake To Khanake Kyun Khanake – Mohammad Rafi – Asha Bhosle

Enjoyable western beats has compiled a special list of 15 songs on the player, applying the criteria that You should distinctly hear the bongo, conga or drums played as a lead instrument for at least a few seconds, in some part of the song, hindi film songs from the 1950s to the 1970s (with one song from 1980).

Rhythm of Castanets – Castanets are relatively tiny instruments that fit into the palms of the two hands and were originally used in European music. They can be played quickly in continuous notes to create a roll type of sound, or they can be played with each click on the castanet being a discrete note. The representative songs are on Rhythm of Castanets.

Jinhen Naaz Hai Hind Par, from Pyaasa 1957 takes us to Madhukar Shukla’s Translation of the original poem, and in turn to original version in Roman Urdu and the modified film song version. Here is the video clip of the song, wherein @ 6.26 we have my most favoured portion:

vo ujale dareechoN meiN paayal ki chhan-chhan
thaki haarii saaNsoN pe tabale ki dhan-dhan
ye be-ruuh kamroN meiN khaaNsii kii Than-Than
jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahaaN haiN?

And its English translation:

The jingling trinklets at casement bright,
Tambourins athrob’ mid gasping life;
Cheerless rooms with cough alive;
Where are they who praise, the pious eastern ways?

On this rather sombre note, we now turn over to articles from the random search of other blogs/ sites:

The Hindi film song & the soundtrack of our lives – Santosh Desai in City City Bang Bang -..It would be far too simplistic to connect the change in Hindi film songs to the harsher angrier discourse that we see in our public conversations, but surely the inability to find little islands of gentleness into which we can periodically retreat must take its toll. With no better self to find refuge in, no song to hum with eyes closed in melancholic bliss, the world is a harsher place full of people resigned to their hardness.

The “Indian” Dances in Kali Yug (1963, Italy/France/Germany) – The four dances in the films all center around the character Amrita, an exotic-enough sounding Indian name, played by the French actress and “Bond girl” Claudine Auger.

And now over to exclusive articles on Mohammad Rafi…

The search for songs on Holi had led to writer and journalist Vinod Viplav’s article होली से कटती मुंबइया फिल्में. A little more exploration of the blog leads us to the category Mohammad Rafi, where we come to know of publication of the second edition of his biographical book Meri Awaz Suno (ISBN – 81-904097-1-9), which in turn led to:

• Mohammad Rafi’s Audio Biography (FM Gold) -by Vinod Viplav – Part -1 and Part 2
• Mohammad Rafi – a short film on his songs and life – Part 1, Part 2nd and Part 3rd

As we close our books for this edition, we get the news that Shashi Kapoor, who just celebrated his 77th birthday, will receive this year’s Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

We continue our pursuit of the golden period of Hindi Film Music …….