The Music Meme
Juneli tagged me (yet again!) and this time on a topic I am passionate about. But two small caveats a) Usually, I don’t have ‘the’ favorite numbers; hence it is always a wide array of choices that I keep. So, I will twist the rules in this tag; and b) lists like these keep changing; had I taken up this tag a year back the choices might have been vastly different; a year down the line, probably I might not agree with this list. So, these choices are for now, for this moment:
Your favorite lyricist and the lyrics you remember the most:
I am not too lyrics-oriented man, in the sense that I give preferance to the tune, the music, the interludes, the orchestra and the rendition. Hence, even a silly sounding Sunday ko bulaya (I Love You) finds a decent place in my collection!
Shailendra: He pioneered the use of simple Hindi in film music, without dissipating the weight of the thought or emotion he needed to express. His vast repertoire include such shimmering gems like the tongue-in-cheek Chhoti si hai duniya pahchaane raaste hain, the celebratory Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai, the philosophical Sajan re jhooth mat bolo, the sorrow-ful Ae mere dil kahiin aur chal, the pious Manmohan krishna murari, the titillating Ang lag ja baalma and the romantic Tum hi tum ho mere jeevan mein.
Hasrat Jaipuri: Shailendra’s lyricist-partner in majority of Shankar Jaikishan films, dipped his pen in the ink of sheer unadulterated romance to come up with such heart warmingly loving songs as Jiya beqaraar hai chhayi bahaar hai, Jiya ho jiya ho kuchh bol do, Ehsaan tera hoga mujhpe, Aye gulbadan phoolon ki mehak kaanton ki chuban, Dil ek mandir hai, Yeh mera prem patra padhkar, Ek ghar banaaoonga tere ghar ke saamne, Pankh hoti toh udd aati re and Tumne pukara aur hum chale aaye. His last most popular work was Sun sahiba sun in Ram Teri Ganga Maili, though he wrote quite a few indifferent pieces for his nephew (Anu Mallik) in the eighties.
Raja Mehndi Ali Khan: Madan Mohan’s beautiful compositions found a willing soul with Khan’s beautiful lyrics. Lag ja gale se phir yeh haseen raat ho na ho, Aap ki nazron ne samjha, Agar mujhse mohabbat hai and Aap kyun roye are some of his glittering works.
Rajinder Krishan: An underrated lyricist, he wrote for such hits like Aa jaane jaa (the stupendous cabaret number by Lata Mangeshkar!), Woh chup rahein toh mere dil ke daag jalte hain, Itna na mujhse tu pyaar badha ke main ek baadal aawara and that monumental number from Sanjog - Woh bhooli dastaan lo phir yaad aa gayi.
Anand Bakshi: The unparalleled, the unrivalled and the unsurpassed master of tukbandi , he could write a cabaret song or a bhajan at the snap of his fingers. His work with Laxmikant-Pyarelal might not win him many fans or accolades, but I simply love the way he impossibly rhymes the words- in fact, for him words were like naughty children whom he knew how to streamline in a sensible queue!
Gulzar: If Bakshi used rhymes, Gulzar broke it with abandon. And, his imagery can be from anything to everything the moon will be a balloon, the roads will be fast or tedious, relationships will hang precariously on life’s tree or the eyes will emit fragrance! Whether it is Urdu or Hindi or even English he can use any language to full-on effect. Personally, I feel his non-film album Dil Padosi Hai is criminally un-heard, and in that Rishte bante hain bade dheere se banne dete is outstanding!
Sayeed Quadri: A lesser known writer, who has written some splendid lyrics for Saaya, Paap, Jism, Rog and Murder.
Your favorite song on friendship:
None!
But I liked the music in Yeh dosti tujhse hai from the newer Dosti, though I found the lyrics extremely corny! I don’t mind Yeh dosti hum nahi todenge (Sholay), but cannot really say it is a favorite . In Desh Premee’s O bekhabar bedardi there is a lovely line Dena na yaaron yaari mein mauqa varna. Lastly, Dost dost na raha is awesome (especially it’s scintillating piano), except for the self-piteous aspect in it.
Best song portraying life’s emotion:
Zindagi pyaar ka geet (Souten) sung by Lata Mangeshkar, written by Saawan Kumar and composed by Usha Khanna is a great number underlining both the pain and celebration of life, without being heavy or overtly philosophical.
Other numbers I adore:- Zindagi ek safar hai suhaana (Andaz), Oh re taal mile nadi ke jal se (Anokhi Raat), Kisi ki muskurahaton pe (Anari) and Andhe jahaan ke andhe raaste jaayein to jaayein kahan (Patita)
Which song are you humming today?
Currently, I am listening to Tara Rum Pum and I am alternating between Ho agar koii gham toh and Saaiyan ve.
One song which brings tears to your eyes:
Music moves me tremendously. Often, even the complete song does not, a portion of orchestration or a line in between or simply the singing can have a strong impact. Sometimes, when I listen to Lata Mangeshkar s voice in her sad numbers, I am left speechless wondering from which depth does she pull out the shattering pain which hurtles itself onto the ears and from there the lava melts into the heart and the soul. Her single haaye can pack in several layers of despair and despondency for example in Toone haaye mere zakhme-jigar ko chhoo liya (Nagina), the haaye is the emphasised emotional fulcrum [even though it is toone ,which is architecturally stand-alone, on which the mukhda presides].
Woh bhooli dastaan lo phir yaad aa gayi from Sanjog is one such number. But there are more numbers that have the intensity to shaken up the heart Woh dekho jala ghar kisi ka (Anpadh), Raat andheri door savera barbaad hai dil mera (Aah) (those tight violins rub against your ribs and haunt you), Suno chhoti si gudia ki lambi kahaani (Seema) (the veena plucks not the instrument but your heart), Shikayat hai and Aawarapan (Jism), Iss dil ki haalat kya kahiye jo shaad bhi hai nashaad bhi hai (Anhonee), Kahan tak hum uthaaye gham (Aarzoo) Maine dil se kaha dhoondh laana khushi (Rog), Aaj socha toh aansoo bhar aayein (Hanste Zakham), Hum na samjhe the baat itni si (Gardish) and Kabhi humne nahi socha tha (Lalkaar), etc.
The desperation in Roj akeli aayi chaand katora liye bhikaran raat (Mere Apne) and the despondently sloshed Humko bhi gham ne maara (Aas Paas) leave a sorrowing hang-over.
A song which gives you hope, a reason to try again and again, a reason to say that life is beautiful
Recently, Ho agar koii gham toh bilkul na ghabrana (Tara Rum Pum) is a very motivational song which I heard. Other than this, Ae dil tujhe qasam hai tu himmat na haarna (Dulari) and Hans tu hardam khushiyan ya gham are nice.
When you want to be with yourself, silent and content but with music, which song would that be?
Any song sung by Lata Mangeshkar, preferably composed by Shankar Jaikishan or Madan Mohan!
If you have to express love with a song which would that be?
Pure expression of love- Humein tumse pyaar kitna yeh hum nahi jaante/magar jee nahi sakte tumhare bina (Kudrat)
Sentimental expression - Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khayal aata hai (Kabhi Kabhi)
Seductive expression - Aaja re aa zara aa lehraake aa zara aa/aankhon se dil mein samaa/aa jaa re aa zara aa(Love In Tokyo)
Foot tapping expression - Juneli raat chha jun chha/ timi jawaani timro saath chha/haathan ma mero timro haath chha/sangeet ko ani meetho dhun chha/Maya ma aao haami naacho gaaoon, do you wanna dance tonite/kshitij ko jun jaste haamro milan/do you wanna hold me tight! (Non Film; Deepak Bajracharya)
Pure romance - Yeh raat bheegi bheegi (Chori Chori) or its counterpart Woh chaand muskaaya sitaare sharmaaye (Aakhri Dao)
Inspirational expression - Jeet jaayenge hum tu agar sang hai/zindagi har kadam ek nayi jang hai (Meri Jung)
Rebellious expression - Pyaar kiya toh darna kya (Mughal E Azam)
Five songs which you listen to the most:
Difficult to list, so I will follow what Juneli did - list five singers I listen to the most (in no particular order):
1. Lata Mangeshkar - The Fifties
2. Lata Mangeshkar - The Sixties
3. Lata Mangeshkar - The Seventies
4. Lata Mangeshkar - The Eighties
5. Lata Mangeshkar - The Nineties and The New Millenium
Mohd. Rafi, Mukesh, Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik and Asha Bhonsle are others.
A song for the person who tagged you:
Since she hails from the mountain country and since I love Lata Mangeshkar’s voice the best I could do is to combine the two, and the song for her is the same that she gifted me: Timi laai laakh laakh vandana timi laai shubh kaamna (Maiti Ghar)
I want to tag
Leaving this open to all music lovers!
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May 2nd, 2007 at 10:32 am
aa gaya aa gaya….naya post aa gaya!!!!
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:12 am
Wow!!! So fast!
Thanks a lot for accepting this.
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Finally I finished to read your list
As usual, your list is really amazing.
For me lyrics matters more than musics.
Of course musics too but first - Voice, second lyrics and third musics
. If the lyrics is good then I can hear simple tuned song too. Here my choice is completely opposite.
They are also my favourite lyrist but if you are mentioning all those then I want to mentioned other two too
Majrooh Sultanpuri
Yaadon Ki Baraat - The evergreen song Churaliya
Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin - Kya huwa tera wada, chand mera dil,
Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai - Hoga tumse pyar kaun
Caravan
Peing Guest
Sangam
Shakeel Badayuni
Heart wrenching song “Chhod Babul Kaa Ghar Mohe Pee Kaa Nagar” from Babul, and others are
Chaudavi ka Chand
Mother India
Baiju Bawara
Mughal-e-Azam
Bees Saal Baad
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:27 pm
And about heart- wrenching and Tear bringing songs- I remember Once I sent a loooooooooong long list to Anks
. And the songs you have mentioned and many more are there. (I think I should send that list to you too 
)
You know I also had few songs for each list but I gave only one.
A song which gives you hope, a reason to try again and again, a reason to say that life is beautiful - I had in list were - Ek din bik jayega mati ke mol, Madhuvan khusbu deta hai, Kisi ke muskurahaton pe ho jao nisar, yun hi kat jayega safar saath chalne se etc.
I think you have noticed or not but I had given place of songs of the singers I have mentioned in my I heard Most “Singer.”
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:30 pm
I really liked the way you list the songs under “If you have to express love with a song which would that be?”
A Nepali song too - But there are some mistakes (hota hai hota hai)
.
You know I also made the same list for Nepali songs too. But it was becoming too long so that I have posted only the hind parts only. I had in my mind to make the list for English too
.
If you are listing Lata Di songs in decad-wise then I AKK with you.
Why there is not “Lata Mangeshkar - The Forties”?????
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:35 pm
And thank you so much for the song of Maitighar by Lata Di
. That’s really beautiful number and it really express my feelings for my motherland, you know that. Thank you. Thank you Thank you 
.
And lastly, you are really amazing when it comes about songs, film and many more.
Thanks a lot for accepting this tag. Really loved to read your answers
.
And it was first tag and you remember na what I said you….. there are more tag on the row
.
Oh Yes, I have to accept your tag too. Hope I will do that soon.
May 3rd, 2007 at 6:18 am
Mehak - Haanji aa gaya ji naya post
Juneli - Thanks for liking the post, and of course, I enjoyed doing the tag…but more tags? Hey Ram!
Yes, Majrooh, Shakeel Badayuni, Sahir Ludhianvi are other great lyricists.
BTW, I am not sure if Majrooh wrote for Sangam (unless you meant some other one which I am not aware of; I know only Rajsaab’s Sangam).
Latadi in forties is a very small slice and not many songs that I have heard- though technically Mahal/Barsaat/Andaaz falls in that decade only, but I guess I clubbed it with the fifties only
In anycase, her voice came into her own style in the fifties.
May 3rd, 2007 at 12:01 pm
LOL@……(U know what it is). But still I was right to some extent though not fully.
.
For me when it comes to sad/dadbhare/emotional and romantic songs lyrics matter a lot to me. e.g. Tujh se milan ki aas lagi, naina ras ki pyaas lagi, MUJHKO HAI TERA GAM BHI PYARA from Ab mera kaun sahara(Barsaat), DHADAK RAHA HAI DIL TO KYA DIL KI DHADKANE NA GIN, PHIR KAHAN YEH PHURSATEIN PHIR KAHAN YEH RAAT DIN, aa rahi hai yeh sada, mastiyon me doob ja from Yeh zindagi usi ki hai (Anarkali), Kabhi kabhi mere dil me khayal aata hai, and sooo many sad and romantic songs. Such lyrics have a special place in my heart. But yes, if U ask me what attracts me more towards any song then my answer is - First voice(singer), then tune/music, interludes and then lyrics. If its sung by Lataji and the tune is good but lyrics are just ok then too that song will definitely hold a special place. But if its sung by a singer who is not my fav and the tune is just ok then it cannot attract me even if the lyrics are mindblowing.
Liked Ur list. Most of them are my favourite songs.
May 3rd, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Deepak’s blog and Juneli’s comments !
Is there any space for us
Great list Deepak. You are really fast buddy. (I am still thinking)
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Yes, Sahir Ludhianvi too. I also forgot to mentioned him.
Did I write Sangam by Majrooh Sultanpuri!!! Shayed mera bheja phir gaya tha hoga tab. LOL.
Yes, More tags. LOL @ “Hey Ram!” I think I have to sue for using this word as It’s my Taqiya Kalam
.
But be ready to read a story tomorrow 12:00 NST. It’s about a meeting of two net friends.
No more blah blah here b’coz I’m LOL @ saying of Praney . Praney is correct. I always give such long comments. Might others also think in that same way
May 4th, 2007 at 4:39 am
good reviews deepak
May 4th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Eclectic list of songs, which deepak has no dearth of. With most of them, I concur too. I would have commented in detail but since I am tagged too, I will write there.
May 7th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Madhu - Well of course you were correct on that
Thanks for liking the post …
Praney - Oh yes, there is space for all - so comment on!
Juneli - Read your story and commented
Bihari - Welcome here, but a little more elaborate comment would have helped…unless you are a spam engine who missed by spam catcher
Manish - Will wait for you to take the tag… plus the one which I gave too