A year and half ago, I started making lists of songs I like. I started with a Top-10 of my favorite couple, Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle. Recently I had an opportunity to review that list when I discovered two songs that should have been in it. I also discovered that I could easily come up with another 10 songs that were quite worthy of an audience. Here it is.
11) O Haseena Zulfon Vali, Teesri Manzil (Audio|Video)
The first movie for which RD composed music is Teesri Manzil. What an amazing debut!
12) Main Pyar Ka Rahi Hoon, Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (Audio|Video)
It is almost like hit duets come in threes. Here is a movie with three Asha-Rafi duets. Unfortunately I could not find any video.
13) Humsafar Saath Apna, Aakhri Dao (Audio|Video)
Nutan has always been a favorite actress of mine; I do not know the name of the hero. Very touching song and haunting melody.
14) Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko, Yaadon Ki Baarat (Audio|Video)
Zeenie Baby, Wow! It took 25 more years before the rest of the Indian Film heroines had a figure like that! I am sorry I had to delegate this song so far down the list. I definitely am partial to the classical period of Hindi Film Music, if I may refer to 1950s and 1960s in that manner.
15) Aap Ko Pyaar Chupane Ki, Neela Akash (Audio|Video)
Sounds like the tale of my romance!
16) Haay Re Haay Ye Mere Haath, Kashmir Ki Kali (Audio|Video)
Well another movie with three Asha-Rafi duets.
17) O Mere Sona, Teesri Manzil (Audio|Video)
Do you feel like my comments are sometimes repetitious? Another movie with three Asha-Rafi duets in it.
18) Ye Raat Ye Fizayen, Batvara (Audio|Video)
A very haunting melody. Starts slowly and picks up tempo, barely.
19) Yeh Ladka Hai Allah, Hum Kissi Se Kum Naheen (Audio|Video)
This movie had only two great Asha-Rafi duets! Bummer! I do not know who the hero or heroine are. They could not have acted in many more films.
20) Baalam Tere Pyaar Ki Thandi, Ram Aur Shyam (Audio|Video)
I like this song a lot although it seems to be quite low in the list. Also I prefer the Tamil version of this movie, Enga Veetu Pillai, with MGR in a double role it.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Mohammed Rafi
I believe there is a god. There must be. After all Mohammad Rafi lived in this world. Please let me indulge in hyperbole for an instant.
Most popular singer of his era, unarguably the greatest voice in Bollywood, smooth as silk, soft as velvet, a genius, voice like an angel, unmatched versatility, unmatched vocal range, career spanning four decades, still displaying an ability to connect with connoisseurs nearly three decades after his death. His existence cannot be ascribed to chance.
Ergo, there is a god.
Rafi's music definitely has addled my brain; I am sorry; I stand by everything except the last and I am sure you will also agree with me. I mean, about Rafi music being unparalleled not my brain being addled.
So I started making a list of solos that I like and someone pointed that they are all sad melodies. In my opinion happiness does not have the same depth of sadness. I also realized that it is hard for me to mix moods. I cannot listen to Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe or Yeh Chand Sa Roshan Chehra after listening to one of the songs listed below.
So without much ado, here is a list of top 10 Rafi sad melodies
1) Din Dhal Jaaye Hai Raat Na Jaaye, Guide (Audio|Video)
The line that leads to this song is "Zindagi bhi ek nasha hai dost, jab chadta hai to poocho mat kya aalam rehta hai, lekin jab utarta hai ....". Very beautiful song.
2) Koi Sagar Dil Ko Behalata, Dil Diya Dard Liya (Audio| Video)
Dilip Kumar does a wonderful job in this song; you get the feeling that it is he who is singing not Rafi!
3) Khabi Khud Pe Khabi Halat Pe Rona, Hum Dono (Audio|Video)
Have a glass of wine in your hand when you listen to this song. It just makes sense. But unless you are a fan of Dev Anand, you will agree that he does not do justice to the pathos Rafi injects into this song.
4) Yaad Na Jaaye Beete Dinon Ki, Dil Ek Mandir (Audio|Video)
I saw this movie at an age when I could not appreciate it. I was 12 and there is nothing worse than a romantic tragedy. No dishoom dishoom.
5) Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaaye To Kya Hai (Audio|Video)
From my favorite director, Guru Dutt. Fifty years later we still do not make such movies.
6) Zindagi Aaj Mere Naam Se Sharmati Hai, Son Of India (Audio|Video)
The next line is "Apni halat pe mujhe khud bhi hasi aati hai".
7) O Duniya Ke Rakhvale (Audio|Video)
Rafi shows amazing range. There is an urban legend associated with this song; that it hurt Rafi so much to sing this song that he spat blood after the recording!
8) Taqdeer Ka Fasaana, Sehra (Audio|Video)
Forget the stupidity of this movie; here is another song where Rafi shows amazing range.
9) Raha Gardishon Mein Hardam Mere Isqh Ka Sitara, Do Badan (Audio|Video)
The number of romances Pran has ruined is countless. Man I hated him so much. Although in this particular movie I do not understand why Asha Parekh is sad. There are worse things than being married to Pran; being married to Manoj Kumar!
10) Hui Shaam Unka Khayal, Mere Humdam Mere Dost (Audio|Video)
Because Dharmendra is a hunk, he is underestimated as a serious actor. He was my favorite hero and for a while it used to bother me that Amitabh was more popular.
This list naturally represents my opinion and it is by no means complete. I was easily able to identify another ten songs that could have reasonably made this list.
Maybe that is for another post. What do you think of this list?
Most popular singer of his era, unarguably the greatest voice in Bollywood, smooth as silk, soft as velvet, a genius, voice like an angel, unmatched versatility, unmatched vocal range, career spanning four decades, still displaying an ability to connect with connoisseurs nearly three decades after his death. His existence cannot be ascribed to chance.
Ergo, there is a god.
Rafi's music definitely has addled my brain; I am sorry; I stand by everything except the last and I am sure you will also agree with me. I mean, about Rafi music being unparalleled not my brain being addled.
So I started making a list of solos that I like and someone pointed that they are all sad melodies. In my opinion happiness does not have the same depth of sadness. I also realized that it is hard for me to mix moods. I cannot listen to Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe or Yeh Chand Sa Roshan Chehra after listening to one of the songs listed below.
So without much ado, here is a list of top 10 Rafi sad melodies
1) Din Dhal Jaaye Hai Raat Na Jaaye, Guide (Audio|Video)
The line that leads to this song is "Zindagi bhi ek nasha hai dost, jab chadta hai to poocho mat kya aalam rehta hai, lekin jab utarta hai ....". Very beautiful song.
2) Koi Sagar Dil Ko Behalata, Dil Diya Dard Liya (Audio| Video)
Dilip Kumar does a wonderful job in this song; you get the feeling that it is he who is singing not Rafi!
3) Khabi Khud Pe Khabi Halat Pe Rona, Hum Dono (Audio|Video)
Have a glass of wine in your hand when you listen to this song. It just makes sense. But unless you are a fan of Dev Anand, you will agree that he does not do justice to the pathos Rafi injects into this song.
4) Yaad Na Jaaye Beete Dinon Ki, Dil Ek Mandir (Audio|Video)
I saw this movie at an age when I could not appreciate it. I was 12 and there is nothing worse than a romantic tragedy. No dishoom dishoom.
5) Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaaye To Kya Hai (Audio|Video)
From my favorite director, Guru Dutt. Fifty years later we still do not make such movies.
6) Zindagi Aaj Mere Naam Se Sharmati Hai, Son Of India (Audio|Video)
The next line is "Apni halat pe mujhe khud bhi hasi aati hai".
7) O Duniya Ke Rakhvale (Audio|Video)
Rafi shows amazing range. There is an urban legend associated with this song; that it hurt Rafi so much to sing this song that he spat blood after the recording!
8) Taqdeer Ka Fasaana, Sehra (Audio|Video)
Forget the stupidity of this movie; here is another song where Rafi shows amazing range.
9) Raha Gardishon Mein Hardam Mere Isqh Ka Sitara, Do Badan (Audio|Video)
The number of romances Pran has ruined is countless. Man I hated him so much. Although in this particular movie I do not understand why Asha Parekh is sad. There are worse things than being married to Pran; being married to Manoj Kumar!
10) Hui Shaam Unka Khayal, Mere Humdam Mere Dost (Audio|Video)
Because Dharmendra is a hunk, he is underestimated as a serious actor. He was my favorite hero and for a while it used to bother me that Amitabh was more popular.
This list naturally represents my opinion and it is by no means complete. I was easily able to identify another ten songs that could have reasonably made this list.
Maybe that is for another post. What do you think of this list?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
