I have attempted to choose My Top Male Solo Songs from the ones that have been covered in the Memorable Songs of 1944 and the songs I could additionally locate and covered in the earlier post on Male Solo Songs. If there is only song of a singer, then I have selected that song to.
So, here are My Top Male Solo Songs for the year 1945, in the alphabetical order of the name of the film:
We had been listing all possible song in the Micro Review for the earlier years. However, from now onwards, we will not repeat the songs already listed in Memorable Songs of 1944.
I have also not ventured to search for the songs for which HFGK has not been able to identify the singer.
So, here are the songs that I could locate on YT after fulfilling these two filters I have also provided the song for which I could locate a link on the internet, other than YT.
Arun Kumar – Yeh To Malaria Hai Muhobbat Nahi Huzoor – Bhanwara – Kedar Sharma – Khemchand Prakash
Arun Kumar – Bedard Ko Bulao Siti Baja Baja Ke… – Carwan – Munshi Aziz – Bulo C Rani
Ashok Kumar – Mauj Karane Ke Liye Hai Duniya – Chal Chal Re Naujwan – Pradeep – Bulo C Rani
Every time the topic of Hemant Kumar’s Hindi Film Songs in Male voice comes up, the discussion usually gets marooned in the question – was he a great composer who also sang well or was he a great singer who also made some memorable music?
This article essentially is a part of the overall portrait of Hemant Kumar as a music director. Therefore, it is incumbent of the spirit of the article that we remain focussed on the first part of the question only and leave the answer to the second part to the judgement of the readers.
The distribution curve of Hemant Kumar’s male solo song compositions is, perhaps naturally, more skewed towards his own songs. However, as a music director, he seemed to be aware of the needs of the situation of the song and those of the market forces while choosing to use the voice of other male playback singers for his male songs.
Talat Mahmood and Mukesh, being nearer his own voice quality, Hemant Kumar perhaps did not seem to have felt much need for solo songs in these voices. Also, the Hemant Kumar did not get to compose music for the films for those heroes for whom thier voices would have been the order of the day. The case of use Manna Dey appears to be beyond discussion in an article like this, in the absence of availability of any major back-up, dependable, reasoning. In any case, Manna Dey was getting almost a similar treatment in the industry. We need to rest with the fact that he was used, very, sparingly.
As such, the tail of Hemant Kumar’s male solo compositions remains skewed in favour of Mohammad Rafi, and then to a lesser degree in favour of Kishore Kumar.
For the purpose of our article, we shall stick to basic tenet that a music director knows which voice would do justice to his composition. Our role is here to cast our net wide across the breadth of Hemant Kumar compositions in the films for which he was music director and dig out all possible male songs on the table. Once done, the selection of songs is so filtered such that picture that emerges presents us a very representative retrospective of the range of Hemant Kumar as a music director.
Hemant Kumar
Hemant Kumar’s compositions in Hemant Kumar’s own voice would easily call for a special, stand-alone, wholesome treatment to have the complete picture over different moods, for different actors and for the lyrics penned by different lyricists. Presently, I have selected songs from three different periods, in three different moods.
Dil Chhed Koi Aisa Nagma, Geeton Mein Zamana Kho Jaaye – Inspector (1956) – Lyrics: Rajinder Krishna
This is a song of pensive mood. Hemant Kumar’s soft, baritone voice ideally suits such moods.
The song has a twin Lata Mangeshkar version as well. The video clip here has both versions.
Sawan Mein Barkha Sataye Pal Pal Chin Chin Barse – Biwi Aur Makaan (1966) – Lyrics: Gulzar
Here is a song that is sheer romance, expressing a strong feeling for belonging with the beloved one when it is raining. The throw of lyric – Sawan Mein – at the very beginning of the song,or scaling up the up the delivery of lyrics midway in each stanza, present the creativity of Hemant Kumar as music director as well as his flexibility in the singing as a singer.
Tumhare Nain Dekh Ke Suna Hai Log Jogi Ho Gaye – Rahgeer (1969) – Lyrics: Gulzar
The poem composed by Gulzar, with long, narrative stanzas, would be a challenge to a music director to yield a melodious song. For a singer also to sing all these lines without loss of breath is equally an imposing challenge. Hemant Kumar, in the dual role of the music director and the singer, has so deftly handled both the challenges.
Mohammad Rafi
Hemant Kumar’s choice of Mohammad Rafi as a second highest male singer is ample testimony of his true role play of a music director. Hemant Kumar’s solo song compositions in Mohammad Rafi’s voice also is a subject for a separate, full-fledged analysis, as he has used Rafi’s voice from lead actors to character actors; from romantic songs to comedy songs to pathos moods songs to pensive songs, set to a wide range of situations.
Paase Sabhi Ulat Gaye, Dushman Ki Chaal Ke…..Ham Laaye Hain Tufaan Se Kashti Nikalke – Jagriti (1954) – Lyrics: Pradeepji
Being a patriotic song, the initial couplets open on high scale, gradually coning down to the regular singing scale. The tone of the delivery is that of firmness of conviction of a loving, soft-natured, teacher. This is the tone in which the main song begins.
As the song progresses, the message keeps on being more and more intense. Topics like atom bombs reflect the heightened concerns. When it reaches @ 3.50, the teacher tells his wards that the time is now ripe to stop dreaming the idealism or live in the luxuries, as now is the time to go in for a quantum jump to touch the highest of ambition, of firmly and positively unfurling the tricolour of an independent nation from the top of Himalayas all over the world. As can be expected, anyone will be carried away with these emotions. Song also suddenly jumps up in scale, remains there till the message is clear, and then returns to its normal flow.
Pradeepji has so clearly spelt out the message in his meaningful, crisp lyrics, Hemant Kumar has weaved in the mood of the song at every stage of the song. And who else could do full justice to such a song, other than the versatile Mohammad Rafi!
Ab Mori Binati Suno Bhagwan – Taj (1956) – Lyrics: Rajinder Krishna
This is a prayer song, which has the earnestness in the base tone of the song, but as the new stanza begins, there is a sense of heightened urgency in the request. In the end, this request reaches a crescendo. Since he himself has rendered the other songs, Hemant Kumar seems to have specifically chosen Rafi for this song. Mohammad Rafi very naturally handles these variations.
Phoolon Se Dosti Hai Kanto Se Yaari Hai, Aise Majhe Ke Pyare Zindagi Hamari Hai – Duniya Jhukati Hai (1957) – Lyrics; Rajinder Krishna
This is one of the famous songs among the ‘tonga songs’ genre of Hindi film songs. Hemant Kumar has very innovatively composed interlude orchestration pieces.
Today when I see the video clip, I note that Sunil Dutt is wearing a loud-stripped T-shirt. In those days striped T-shirt was dress code for small time ‘gunda’ or mawaali’ (ruffians or scamps) characters on the silver screen! One may even recall that David was shown wearing such a T-shirt in Boot Polish’ (1954), probably to epitomise that people who live in that kind of surroundings always have indecent ways of living. The film then goes on disprove this beief.
O Gawalan KyuN Mera Man Teri Chitawan Le Gayi – Champakali (1957) – Rajendra Krishna
Even as Mohammad Rafi, perhaps, comes in as default playback singer for Bharat Bhushan, The song is quite atypical for a Hemant Kumar composition.
Yeh Mard Bade Dil Sard Bade, Chalo Ji Maana, Mardon Ka Phir Bhi Ghulam Hai Zamana – Miss Mary (1957) – Lyrics: Rajinder Krishna
Miss Mary, a remake of Misamma in Telugu or Missiamma in Tamil, was a light mood film. It was one of the big box-office grossers in those days. Its songs had also become extremely popular. Hemant Kumar has very deftly made subtle changes in the composition, as compared to the original Telugu or more or less similar Tamil version, which has made the song very melodious while retaining its comedy elements. As a result, it looks more natural that Jamuna could have been induced to dance at the music while relishing the delivery of satire in the lyrics!
Side Notes:
The Telugu version – Telusukonave Chelli (filmed on N T Rama Rao, Savitri and Jamuna)
The Tamil version – Therinthu kollanum penne (filmed on Gemini Ganeshan, Savitri and Jamuna)
Pyari Bole Bulbul, Padosan Boli kauwa….. Kisi Ko Main Chhaila, Kisi Ko Main Hauwwa…– Hum Bhi Insan Hai (1959) – Lyrics: Shailendra
Hemant Kumar has so easily composed this comedy song, which fits Mohammad Rafi like a T.
Side Notes:
In the same year in a Bengali movie, ‘Khelaghar’ Hemant Kumar gave Mohammad Rafi two Hindi songs penned by S H Bihari. One of the two songs had the same mukhda – Pyari Bole Padosan ….
Kehti Hai Mujh Ko Duniya Deewana Nashe Mein Ha
Woh Kaunsi Mushkil Hai Jo Na Ho Sake Aasaan – Maa Beta (1962) – Lyrics: Prem Dhawan
Other music directors have often chosen Hemant Kumar’s baritone voice as background song. The song here is about the underlying confidence to overcome the present adversities. Hemant Kumar easily opts to choose Rafi for his capability to express such feelings even when singing at a lower scale. And once again, as Rafi has been called into the play, why not take the advantage of scaling higher notes to express the surge in confidence!
Mareez-e-Ishq Hoon Aye Jaan-e-Man Meri Dua Lena – Bin Badal Barsaat (1963) – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni
Under the regular circumstances, this could have been a poem recital, but here we have a signature Mehmood comedy song, with all the strappings of Rafi – scaling high scales at the beginning of each stanza and then reverting back to the normal scale, or some choice words, like Mareez-e-ishq being delivered in a different style each time it repeats in song.
Tera Husn Rahe Mera Ishq Rahe, To Ye Subah-o-Sham Rahe Na Rahe – Do Dil (1965) – Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi
A song in the praise of the (beauty) of the beloved has emerged as a very distinct genre in the Hindi films. As it so happens, Mohammad Rafi has a virtually a monopolistic presence in this genre.
Prior to Do Dil, Biswajeet had had a string of films under other banners, wherein it was Mohammad Rafi who was his playback voice. Songs from those films had been quite successful too. That, perhaps, has weighed in in the use of Mohammad Rafi for all Biswajeet songs in this film!
In the Second Part, we will take up Hemant Kumar;s Male Songs in the voices of Kishore Kumar, Mannadey and Other Singers.
Originally published on SoY as Hemant Kumar’s Male Playback Singers. This is the edited and improved-on-the-inputs-of-discussions-thereupon version.
For the year 1945, three male singers, who can be considered to be belonging to the Golden Era, and 10 male singers, who can be considered to be belonging to Vintage Era, had only one song each of the songs, Jagmohan’s O Varsha Ke Pahale Badal (Meghdoot, music – Kamal Dasgupta) is very well known. Similarly, Mohammad Rafi’s Aye Dil Nakaam Tamanna, Ab Jeene Ki Tamanna Chhod De ( Hamara Sansar – Music: Pt. Govind Ram) , Mukesh’s Dil Jalata Hai To Jalne De (Paheli Nazar – Music: Anil Biswas) and K L Saigal’s Janam Janam Ka Dukhiya Prani, Aaya Sharan Tihari (Tadbir – Music: Lal Muhammad( also are also always known. Therefore, they are being the automatic choice ‘for being liked’ I have not included them in the discussion here. In other words, I have attempted to choose My Top Male Solo Songs from the ones that I have either very rarely heard before or have heard them for the first time in the present Micro Analysis of Songs of 1945.
So, here are My Top Male Solo Songs for the year 1945, in no particular order:
The song is essentially a vintage era style composition, wherein Mohammad Rafi also sings in vintage era style. However, the emerging ‘Golden Era’ Rafi can also be felt by Golden Era listeners like me.
We have grouped here male singers who can be considered to have had noteworthy presence in the vintage era period. I have been able to locate 20 songs on YT (G M Durrani -4; K C Dey and Khan Mastana – 3 each; and Umakant, Ashok Kumar, S D Batish, Charlie, Amar, Jagmohan, Surendra, Bulo C Rani, Asit Baran and Sundar 1 each. There a few more songs identified with names of male singers in HFGK, but for the the time being these are not yet posted on YT, nor do I have any access to their digital versions, if they are available with some one.
Yeh Chand Hamein Hans Kar Kuchch Yaad Dilta Hai – Aadhar – Umakant – S N Tripathi M A Razi
Aankhein To Hui Band, Magar Dard Jaga Re – Begum – Ashok Kumar -H P Das – G S Nepali
Aa Hosh Mein Deewane – Bahijan – S D Batish – Shyam Sundar – Padtau Lakhanavi
Zindagi Fareb Hai Fareb Se Nibhaye Ja – Chand Tara – Charlie – Gyan Dutt – Swami Ramanand
Mera Chana Masaledar, Kahata Hum Sabse Lalkar – Chhamia – G M Durrani and Chorus -Gyan Dutt
Hare Murare Madhukait Mere – Devdasi – K C Dey – Krishna Chandra Dey – Pt. Narottam Vyas
Hari Ke Nam Bina Re, Radha Naam Bina Re – Devdasi – K C Dey, Chorus – Krishna Chandra Dey – Pt. Narottam Vyas
Roye Ham Charano Pe Bhagwan – Devdasi – K C Dey – Krishna Chandra Dey – Pt. Narottam Vyas
For the year it would be interesting enough to classify the male solo songs under three broad categories
Solo Songs of Golden Era Male Singers – the singers who are easily associated with the Golden Era of HFM
Solo Songs of Vintage Era Male Singers – the singers who are primarily associated with Vintage Era of HFM, and
Solo Songs of K L Saigal, who is a class in himself during any era of the Film Music.
We will first listen to the Solo Songs of Golden Era Male Singers.
1945 is easily the year when all the (so-called) Golden Era Male Singers were still a couple of songs old in the Hindi film industry. As such, their struggle to get establish also can not be said to have started.
Mohammed Rafi
Before 1945, Mohammad Rafi had just one chorus in 1944 and one male-male duet (for the film which was released in 1945). We have four solo songs, form three films to Mohammad Rafi’s account for the year 1945.
Aye Dil Nakaam Tamanna, Ab Jeene Ki Tamanna Chhod De – Hamara Sansar – Pt. Govind Ram – Ramesh Gupta
[Considered to be the first ever solo song recorded by Mohammad Rafi.]
Pyar Karana Padega Hi Ek Din – Sharabati Aankhen – Firoz Nizami – Pt. Indra
Bahut Mukhtasar Hai Hamari Kahani – Sharabati Aankhen – Firoz Nizami – Tanveer Naqvi
Ab Na Been Baja Snehi… – Sharabati Aankhen – Firoz Nizami – Pt. Indra
Haae Re Duniya, Jhoothon Ka Darabar – Zeenat – Meer Sahab –
Mukesh
The first ever solo song of Mukesh was “Dil Hi Bujha Hua Ho To” (Nirdosh, 1941; Music: Asho Ghose; Lyrics: M Neelkanth) as an actor-singer His first ever song as a playback singer was in the year 1945.
Maana Ke Tum Haseen Ho Ahl-e-Shabah Ho – Moorti – Bulo C Rani – Pt. Indra
Haseeno Ko Haseeno Se Muhabbat Ho Hi Jaati Hai – Moorti – Bulo C Rani – Pt. Indra
Dil Jalata Hai To Jalne De – Paheli Nazar – Anil Biswas – Dr. Safdar ‘Aah’
[Considered as first solo song as a playback singer.]
Tay Kar Ke Badi Door Ki PoorPech Dagariya – Paheli Nazar – Anil Biswas – Dr. Safadar ‘Aah’
Manna Dey
Manna Dey started his career in playback singing in Hindi films with a duet “Jago Aayee Usha Panchi Boley Jago” (Tamanna, 1942; co-singer- Suriya; Muisc : Naushad)with Suraiya which was an instant hit.
Ek Chakori Dev Se Apane – Vikramiditya – Shankar Rao Vyas – Ramesh Gupta
Hement Kumar
Hemant Kumar had put his first step in Hindi films in 1942 with the song Aankhon Ki Oat Jo Rahta Hai (Meenaxi,- Music: Pankaj Mallik)
(Acknowledgement: Corrections carried out in response to Shri AKji’ s comment. )
Laga Tu Us Se Lau Tu Madadgar Hai – Ban Phool – Biren Mitra -Natrendra Nath Tuli
Thus, we have (just) eleven songs to the account of Golden Era Playback singers for the year 1945. In our next episode we will get the flair of solo songs of vintage era male singers.
For the year 1946, the songs that were previously known to me are too few and too obvious. So, listening to them once again is certainly a mtter of pleasure. Interestingly, it was equally a pleasurable experience to almost first-time, listen to the other songs. As a result, I have taken up to list My Top Male Solo Songs for 1946 from among these songs.I have limited my listing to ne song for each male singer.
This 3rd part of the Solo Songs of Vintage Era Male Singers for the year deals exclusively with K L Saigal’s solo songs.
Solo Songs of K L Saigal
We see presence of two KL Saigal ilms in 1946. This makes 1946 as truly a year of fag end of the dusk of the vintage era, where Sun of vintage era – K L Saaigal – almost on the brink of sunset, still shines enough to pale the nacent rsing stars of the golden era like Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh or Manna Dey.
Apart form this mundane fact, what makes our Micro View more interesting is the fact that we het to listen some much-less-heard K L Saigal songs alongwith some of those songs which are still as known as any of the peak golden era male singer songs.
K L Saigal’s Popular Songs
These songs are known and liked today as much they were liked then.
Gham Diye Mustquil Kitna Nazuk Hai Dil – Shahjehan – Naushad Ali – Majrooh Sultanpuri
Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya Ham Jee Ki Kya Karenge – Shahjehan – Naushad Ali – Majrooh Sultanpuri
Ae Dil-e-Beqarar Jhoom….– Shahjehan – Naushad Ali – Khumar Barabanqvi
Chah Barbaad Karegi Hamein Maloom Na Tha – – Shahjehan – Naushad Ali – Majrooh Sultanpuri
K L Saigal’s Other Songs
As compared to the earlier songs, these songs can be identified as less-heard songs of K L Saigal. Perhaps, that is why, listening to these songs turns out to be an extra degree of pleasurable experience.
Alla Hoo….Khayyam Hai Allah Wala Matwala – Omar Khaiyyam – Lal Mohammad – Dr. Safdar ‘Aah’
Hare Bhare Baag Ke Phoolo Pe Riza Khayyam – Omar Khaiyyam – Lal Mohammad – Dr. Safdar ‘Aah’
Insaan! Kyo Rota Hai Insaan – Omar Khaiyyam – Lal Mohammad – Dr. Safdar ‘Aah’
Mere Sapno Ki Raani Ruhi Ruhi …. – Shahjehan – Naushad Ali – Majrooh Sultanpuri
Kar Lijiye Chal Kar Meri Zannat Ke Nazare – Shahjehan – Naushad Ali – Majrooh Sultanpuri
In the next episode, we will conclude Micro View of Male Solo Songs for 1946 with My Top Male Solo Songs.
The world is too small? or Is it? 