This week’s FFP is not completely random. The first eight songs in today’s list have been suggested by a friend of the blog – Ronak Sanghvi. Thanks to him I discovered a few songs that I had not heard and re-connected with some beauties that I had not heard in a while!
| Song: Door Hato Ae Duniyawalo Album: Kismat Type: Bollywood Singer: Ameerbai Karnataki, Khan Mastana Music Director: Anil Biswas Lyricist: Pradeep Rating: 5.0 Plenty of patriotic songs get released these days but you can’t help but feel awed by songs like “Door Hato..” that were released before independence. That must have called for real patriotism and it shows in “Door Hato..”. This song by Anil Biswas (who went to jail several times during the freedom struggle) and Kavi Pardeep (he of the Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon fame) will not fail to move any Indian. While Pradeep cleverly disguised the song as an opposition to the World War II bad guys – “German Ya Japani” – there is no doubt that the song was against the British rule. The song is melodically simple and has a great chorus section – something that we take for granted these days but was a radically different musical feature when Anil Biswas introduced it in Hindi films. iTunes US iTunes UK iTunes Canada |
| Song: Tarari Tarari Album: Dastan Type: Bollywood Singer: Mohd Rafi, Suraiya Music Director: Naushad Lyricist: Shakeel Badayuni Rating: 4.2 A nice, mellow waltz. It’s hard to imagine that this song was composed by the classical music maestro Naushad. iTunes US iTunes UK iTunes Canada |
| Song: Na Ja O Mere Humdum Album: Pyar Ka Mousam Type: Bollywood Singer: Lata Mangeshkar Music Director: R.D. Burman Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri Rating: 4.3 It’s funny how a perfectly good song like “Na Ja..” can get completely buried over time. The public apparently can only take so much good music and two other songs in Pyar Ka Mousam – “Tum Bin Jaoon Kahan” and “Ni Sultana Re” is all they could take. Give it a listen if you’re willing to go off the beaten path. iTunes US iTunes UK iTunes Canada |
| Song: Ulfat Mein Zamane Ki Album: Call Girl Type: Bollywood Singer: Kishore Kumar Music Director: Sapan – Jagmohan Lyricist: Naksh Layalpuri Rating: 4.4 If the song sounds a lot like a Pancham song it’s because Pancham had a huge influence on Sapan – Jagmohan. The melody is really good and Kishore da sings with a lot of soul. |
| Song: Ye Khwab Sa Dekha Tha Album: Aayi Teri Yaad Type: Bollywood Singer: Hariharan Music Director: Jaidev Lyricist: Naksh Layalpuri Rating: 3.6 It’s not Jaidev’s best composition but still a decent listen. You can tell Hariharan’s potential (he must have been about 25 years old at this time) in the song but in my opinion his voice matured and sounded a lot better in the following years. iTunes US iTunes UK iTunes Canada Flipkart |
| Song: Tujhse Bichhad Kar Zinda Hain Album: Yaadon Ke Mausam Type: Bollywood Singer: Anuradha Paudwal, Suresh Oberoi Music Director: Anand Milind Lyricist: Salahuddin Pervez Rating: 3.1 Not my cup of tea but people who enjoy Anand-Milind compositions like Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka, may like this song. Too much dholak and Anuradha’s voice works for me only in certain songs. iTunes US iTunes UK iTunes Canada |
| Song: Pata Hi Na Chala (Sad) Album: Lottery Type: Bollywood Singer: Abhijeet Sawant, Santokh Singh Music Director: Sanjay Pathak, Santosh Singh Lyricist: Kumaar Rating: 3.2 An OK song. Good, if overly simplistic, melody. My “Sufi” song fatigue does not help. |
| Song: Barhaan Dil Album: Mr.Singh Mrs.Mehta Type: Bollywood Singer: Shreya Ghoshal Music Director: Ustaad Shujat Husain Khan Lyricist: Amitabh Varma Rating: 4.0 Lovely ghazal. Shreya Ghoshal, the greatest, female singer of her generation (big statement, but I think it’s time someone made it), gives it an edge that a lesser singer would not have. Just one niggling doubt – Does the mukhda of the song sounds a little like Talat Aziz’s Kaise Sukoon Paaoon and Jagjit Singh’s Hosh Walon Ko Khabar? iTunes US iTunes UK iTunes Canada |
| Song: Promises Album: Backless Type: Pop-Rock Artist: Eric Clapton Rating: 4.4 Promises is a very easy listen. A little bit of pop, a little bit of country and of course, a little blues. iTunes US iTunes UK iTunes Canada Flipkart |
| Song: Issi Baat Pe Album: I Am Type: Bollywood Singer: KK Music Director: Amit Trivedi Lyricist: Amitabh Bhattacharya Rating: 3.9 A classic, Amit Trivedi pop-rock ballad. Another instance of a pretty good song getting overwhelmed by a more popular track (in this case, it also happens to be the better track) from the same album – Baangur. Come to think of it, Issi Baat Pe’s and Baangur’s basslines sound similar. Flipkart |