S D Burman and “Other” Male Playback Singers :: 2

The previous episode of the three-part article of S D Burman and Other Male Playback Singers, we had covered the period from the beginning of his career in 1946 till 1949. This was the period when S D Burman was still striving to create his own firm space in the field of Hindi Film Music world.

Presently, we take up the second set of S D Burman’s songs of ‘Other” Male Playback Singers chronologically can be set to the period 1950 to 1955.

Our period begins with two films, Mashal and Afsar, which were to become the key thrust engines that were to provide the much needed escape velocity to S D Burman’s career to attain e respectable orbit space among the front-ranking music directors of the Golden Era of Hindi Films.

Once having attained an assured specific space, S D Burman went on to use the established male playback singers like Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar for most of the major male solo and duet songs. He also chose other front-line male singers like Manna Dey, Talat Mahmood, Hemant Kumar and Mukesh as and when so required.  So use of ‘other’ male singers is now more situation-specific, and, perhaps, to a great extent of S D Burman’s choice.

S D Burman – Arun Kumar Mukherjee

‘Upar Gagan Vishal’ of Mashal (1950) is considered to have really breathed a lease of new life into S D Burman’s career. It is said that SDB was so disillusioned that he was on the verge of leaving this Ashok Kumar’s Bombay Talkies banner production incomplete. He was dissuaded from doing so, and as is said the rest was history.

Jab Ham They Tumhare Aur Ham They Tumhare …Wo Thode Se Din They Kitane Pyare – Mashal (1950) – Lyrics: Pradip

Arun Kumar Mukherjee was Ashok Kumar’s cousin. Probably, that may have titled the scale in his favour for playing back to Ashok Kumar on the screen. Arun Kumar Mukherjee does not sound wanting to the demands of the situation.

Mohe Lagaa Solva Saal, Haye Main To Mar Gayi – Mashal (1950) – With Shamshad Begum – Lyrics: Pradip

The song is principally filmed on the Cuckoo, so Shamshad Begum has obviously the lion’s share of the song. Arun Kumar gets to sing just a few lines, but the lines are indeed very catchy.

S D Burman – Man Mohan Krishna

‘Afsar’ (1950) was the maiden film under Dev Anand’s home banner, Navketan Films. The film did not do that well on the box office, but Suraiya’s songs for the film certainly were quite popular. The film went on to build S D Burman’s permanent association with Navketan Films, which have given us quite a few of the very memorable songs under S D Burman’s baton.

Jat Khol De Kiwad Pat Khol De,….Badhaai Dene Ko Aaye Hai Tere Dwar – Afsar (1950) – Lyrics: Vishwamitra Adil

Sadhu Ke Ghar Chhokariyan Do, Ik Patli Ik Bhari – Afsar (1950) – Lyrics: Vishwamitra Adil

Man Mohan Krishna is typically associated with serious character roles. He has rendered quite a few numbers of very popular songs on the screen. S D Burman has sprung a surprise herein by recording quite light-mood songs in Man Mohan Krishna’s voice.

[The clip here below has both these songs clubbed together.]

S D Burman – Hridaynath Mangeshkar

Hridaynath Mangeshkar possibly chose to focus more on music direction over playback singing.  His maiden – Marathi – film as an independent music director was Akash Ganga (1955).

Lehron Ke Saath Naiya Mori Khele – Babla (1953) – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhyanavi

Hridaynath Mangeshkar was around 15 years old when S D Burman has recorded this song. The song recounts adolescent pleasure of launching the paper boats into the rain water streams in the street.  So we can expect that the song may have been performed by an adolescent protagonist on the screen. Hence, probably, the choice of Hridaynath Mangeshkar, with a suitable natural voice, for the playback.

S D Burman – Jagmohan Baxi

Jagmohan Baxi (and his music direction partner Sapan Sengupta) had started his career as chorus singer at Salil Chaudhary’s Bombay Youth Choir. And yet, the Sapan Jagmohan duo are remembered for a handful tunes for 42 films for which they had composed the music  – like, Phir Wo Bhuli Si Yaad Aati Hai (Begana, 1963);  Kho Diye Hai Sanam Kitane Janam Teri Talash Mein (Teri Talash Mein, 1968); Main To Har Mod Pe Tujhko Dunga Sadaa (Chetana, 1970) etc.

Dekho Maane Nahi Roothi Hui Haseena Kya Baat Hai – Taxi Driver (1954) – with Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhyanvi

S D Burman has used Talat Mahmood and Kishore Kumar too for playback of Dev Anand in this film. Apart from these singers, S D Burman, as well most of the music directors who have composed Dev Anand songs, have tried several voices of regular playback singers like Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar as well. Additionally, Salil Chudhary has experimented with Dwijen Mukherjee, Anil Biswas with Shankar Dasgupta and C Ramchandra with his own voice for Dev Anand.

S D Burman – Thakur (Pran)

Pran would hardly be remembered to have acted in lead roles in films like Khandan (1942) during the first phase of career between 1940 -1947. He is most remembered for his roles as villain in his most illustrious second innings and then equally respected for his character roles in the 3^rd phase of his career.  Many of his fans will immediately recollect some of the iconic songs that he enacted on the screen when acting as character actor.  But to imagine him in the tick of a very very light-hearted song  and that too trying to sing a few lines too, when cast in the role of a villain,  is something that nobody would ever imagine. S D Burman has so cleverly croaked voice of Thakur (Pran) to create a very unique song.

Dil KI Umange Hai Jawan,….Rang Mein Dooba Hai Sama – Munimji (1955) – With Hemant Kumar and Geeta Dutt – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhyanvi

The song will not go down in the record books only for the use of voice of Pran to add to the mockery in the mood of the song, but also possibly for Hemant Kumar being able to match the leg-pulling teasing tone of Geeta Dutt in this song.

S D Burman – S Balbir

Balbir got typed into an accompanying playback singer, but most of the connoisseurs of HFM recognize and appreciate his contribution in that song.

Nigaho Ke Tere Jalwe Ki Aas Raheti Hai, Ha Tere Bagair Tabiyat Udas Raheti Hai, Aa Bhi Ja Ke Tera Intezar Kab Se Hai –Society (1955) – with Mohammad Rafi – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhyanavi

Can you guess whose arrival or appearance is so keenly awaited?

The first half of the period of 1950-1960 was the beginning of the picking up in so far as S D Burman’s career is considered. As a result, we have seen a very different pattern in the types of ‘other’ playback singers which he has used, the corresponding situations in the film, and hence on the composition of the song.

In our next episode, we will take up the concluding phase of  S D Burman’s career and revisit S D Burman’s use of ‘other’ male playback singers in that period.

The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Male Solo Songs – Chitalkar, Manna Dey, Arun Kumar, Manmohan Krishna and others

In the preceding posts we listened to solo songs of Mukesh, Talat Mahmood, Mohammad Rafi and G M Durrani respectively, as part of our journey through the ‘Best songs of 1950: And the winners are?.

These songs cover a substantial share of male solo songs for the year.

In the present post, we will cover, what can be called as fringe players, in so far as the year 1950 is concerned.

Chitalkar

C Ramchandra who sang under the pseudonym of Chitalkar only under his own baton, has songs under Husnlal Bhagatram and Hanuman Prasad (Apni Chhaya) and under P Ramakant (as Annasaheb). Shri Arunkumar Deshmukh states that P Ramakant was C Ramchandra’s music composer, like Chic Chocolate. So there must have been some compelling reason for this subterfuge. For our purpose, these trivia only add a piece of information only.

We have separately covered his Sargam solos (and duets) with other male solos that have been rendered by various singers – for Raj Kapoor – in this year.

1. Gore gore mukh se jo ghunghat hataao (Anna Saheb) – Babooji – Ehsan Rizvi- P Ramakant

2. Mera Dil Nikhattoo, Mera Tange Ka Tattoo – Nirala – P L Santoshi – C Ramchnadra

3. Subhash Chnandra Ke Naam Se Hindustan Ka Naam – Samadhi – Rajendra Krishna – C Ramchandra

4. Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja, Khushi Ke Geet Gaye Jaa – Samadhi – Rajendra Krishna – C Ramchandra

Manna Dey

Manna Dey has surprisingly not got into any special position this year. Of course his Mashall song – Upar Gagan Vishal – does remain one of best ever.

1. Upar gagan vishal – Mashal – Lyrics Pradeep –  SD Burman (and Manna Dey)

2. Naina Laage Ke Pi Ki Aur – Ram Darshan – Ramesh Gupta – Ram Ganguli

Arun Kumar

1. Jab tum the hamare aur hum the tumhare – Mashal – Pradeep – SD Burman

2. Wo unka muskurana sharmana chale jana – Sangram – Brajendra Gaur – C Ramchandra

Man Mohan Krishna

In a film which had Dev Anand as lead actor, a film that was made under his own banner, Manmohan Krishna singing two songs is a very novel experiment.

1. Jhat Khol De Kiwad Khol de, Badhai Dene Ko Aae Tere Ghar Dekh Tere Hamsae – Afsar – Vishvamitra Adil – S D Burman

2. Sadhu Ke Ghar Ki Chhokariyan Do, Ik Patle Ik Bhari – Afsar – Vishvamitra Adil – S D Burman

Both songs in this clip :

Other Male Solos

We have covered Kishor Kumar and Shankar Dasgupta’s playback songs for raj Kapoor separately.

Kishore Kumar – O Phool Chunanewale Tu Khud Hi Gulab Hai….Ada Se Musquraye Ja, Quayamaten Giraye Ja – Khiladi – Rajendra Krishna – Hansraj Behl

Krishna Dayal – Aa ja nigahon mein aa ja – Dahej – Shams Lakhanvi – Vasant Desai

Anil Biswas – Humein maar chala ye khayal ye gham – Arzoo – Majrooh Sultanpuri) – Anil Biswas

Khan Mastana – Unki nazaron se koi nazarein mila ke poochhe – Hanste Rahna – Farooq Qaiser – Wadhwa

Raj Khosla – with Chorus – Rail Mein Jiya Mera Sananan Hoe Re – Aankhen -Bhagwat Datt Mishra – Madan Mohan

Madan Mohan himself sings a duet with Shamshad Begum for this film, which we shall cover in our appropriate posts of Duets.

Sundar – Ye Kaali Kaali Julfonwali Jeen Nahin Dete – Khiladi – D N Madhok – Hansraj Behl

 

Continued………………………