I am one of those ordinary millions who can feel the beauty but can not express beauty beautifully. All I can express is my heartfelt gratitude to those who burned their nights and churned their hearts to discover beauty for us. This little list is a tribute to all such artists, even to those who have not got a mention here. I plead guilty of ignorance.
1. Ghata Ghanghor Bhor (Tansen, 1943)
Music - Khemchand Prakash
Lyrics - Rajender Kishen
Singer - Khursheed Bano
Which contemporary musician can even attempt to work on a musical, in which the protagonist is the mythology of classical music - Tansen! There is no one that I can think of.
Tansen was brought to life on silver screen, in all glory and opulence, amid the sound of temple bells tolling and Sitar resonating till the halls of heaven. In 1943 we had a man called Khemchand Prakash, who promised, and delivered us a credible Tansen.
Tansen showcases super-prowess of the legendary K L Saigal, in and as Tansen. And his reel consort - Khursheed Bano - matches him well. The prelude casts a spell on you as soon as you press 'play', and her earthy rendition keeps you mesmerized throughout. Unknown to the ordinary, this gem is an explorer's delight.
2. Hariyala Saawan Dhol Bajata Aaya (Do Beegha Zameen, 1953)
Music - Salil Chowdhury
Lyrics - Shailendra
Singers - Lata Mangeshkar, Manna De, and Chorus
Which feeling can be more liberating than feeling of relief? And who can feel more relieved by the promise of rains than the poor Indian farmer? Do Beegha Zameen is rooted deep into the soil, and so is its music. The way I look at it, this song is a musical translation of a rainy afternoon. When you play this song, monsoon plays vividly in your imagination. Every note is fragrant with rustic innocence, and though shehnai is sparingly used, it is lovable wherever it is used.
3. Kaare Kaare Baadra (Bhabhi, 1957)
Music - Chitragupt
Lyrics - Rajinder Kishan
Singer - Lata Mangeshkar
Whenever I relax my reverence for Lata Mangeshkar, she comes up with something like this! Vibrant, vivacious, and contagiously so. Pure joie de vivre! The mood of this melody is coquettish and cute at the same time. And for me, there is something more - nostalgia.
4. Kaali Ghata Chhaye (Sujata, 1959)
Music - S D Burman
Lyrics - Majrooh Sultanpuri
Singer - Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle, in her early days, sounded (tried to sound) very much like Geeta Dutt - mellifluous, as if she kept honey in her mouth while singing. Or is it love? For her voice is seductively lazy with a monsoon desire. While Senior Burman's compositions have always been distinguished by their compelling visual elements, this one goes further - and veritably fills your lungs with the petrichor of an Indian village.
5. O Sajna Barkha Bahaar Aayi (Parakh, 1060)
Music - Salil Chowdhury
Lyrics - Shailendra
Singers - Lata Mangeshkar
My opinion doesn't matter much. This song makes an appearance in Lata Mangeshkar's favorite-20 list. Need I say more?
6. Zindagi Bhar Nahi Bhoolegi (Barsaat Ki Raat, 1960)
Music - Roshan
Lyrics - Sahir Ludhianvi
Singers - Md Rafi
A beautiful confluence of a common fantasy and a sublime poetry. Unforgettable stuff! You can almost live through this night while you are into the song. Waking up can be heart-breaking. You wish this night to have really happened. But no night, real, surreal, or unreal, can be as fascinating as this one.
7. Tum Bin Sajan Barse Nayan (Gaban, 1966)
Music - Shankar Jaikishan
Lyrics - Shailendra
Singers - Lata Mangeshkar and Md Rafi
After K L Saigal, if anyone has shaped Hindi Film Music, it was this duo. Their success was phenomenal, and therefore inspired subsequent music directors.
In the later years of their career, they sometimes overdid what made them hit - orchestration. But this song is typically SJ stuff - hearty, melodious and simple. The simplicity is ensured by their choice of lyricists - they would hardly ever team up with a Gulzar or a Sahir.
Coming back to this song, this is the only sad song in my list of favorite monsoon songs. By the way, why do we hear sad songs? Why should a good sad song is better than a bad happy song?
8. Rimjhim Ke Geet Saawan Gaaye (Anjaana, 1969)
Music - Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyrics - Anand Bakshi
Singers - Lata Mangeshkar and Md Rafi
Listening to this song is like sitting near a fire-place inside a quiet wooden house, on a cold dark winter night pouring and storming outside. Besides everything else, there is something vaguely claustrophobic about rains, which makes you feel enveloped in its embrace, and makes you feel drawn to the flame. This song is about this vague awareness, its charm, its dread, and a paradise lost. This song is a story of a beautiful dilemma - you hope it happens as much as you pray it doesn't.
9. Rimjhim Gire Saawan (Manzil, 1979)
Music - R D Burman
Lyrics - Yogesh
Singer - Kishore Kumar
Another gem from the Burmans, this time from the junior Burman. And how he shines in rain! Lata's version is a stillborn; although she is technically OK, she doesn't make up for her lack of passion, and I can't imagine a facile-hearted rain song in my favorite list. Thankfully, Kishore does justice to the tunes. You can raise your expectations as much as you can, this one will meet them all.
10. Rimjhim Rimjhim (1942 A Love Story, 1994)
Music - R D Burman
Lyrics- Javed Akhtar
Singers - Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kumar Sanu
The 80s were the worst years of Pancham's career, and coincidentally for Hindi Film Music as well. 1942 came at a time when melody was exiled out of fashion. With "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha" and "Kuchh Na Kaho", 1942 marked the return of melody to Hindi Film Industry.
With Javed Akhtar, Pancham composed one of the most romantic rain songs ever. Divine. Do they play this in heaven? They must.
the other side of page - I am lousy enough with descriptions. And this section made this post even more difficult for me. They almost made to the list.
11. Jhoole Ke Pawan Mein Aayi Bahar (Baiju Bawra, 1952)
Music - Naushad
Lyrics - Shakeel Badayuni
Singer - Lata Mangeshkar and Md Rafi
12. Thandi Hawa Kaali Ghata (Mr and Mrs 55, 1955)
Music - O P Nayyar
Lyrics - Neeraj
Singer - Geeta Dutt
13. Megha Chhaye Aadhi Raat (Sharmili, 1971)
Music - S D Burman
Lyrics - Neeraj
Singer - Lata Mangeshkar
14. Nahin Saamne Tu (Taal, 2000)
Music - A R Rehman
Lyrics - Anand Bakshi
Singer - Hariharan
and let's be honest...
15. Tip Tip Barsa Paani (Mohra, 1994)
Music - Viju Shah
Lyrics - Anand Bakshi
Singer - Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan
4 comments:
Nice list, although I haven't heard all of these songs. The ones which I've heard, and will affirm are:
O Sajana, Barkha Bahar Aayi (romantic)
Zindagi bhar na bhoolegi (mind blowing)
Rimjhim Gire Sawan (nostalgic)
And Tip tip barsa paani, of course! Hee hee! Sensuous.
What you can do is put a link to all these songs, if you can. Or post a .wma file itself. They hardly take 250 kb per song.
One song, which I would include is S D Burman's Megha Paani de from Guide. It is the tragic side of monsoon.
Sanket
Allah Megh De (Guide) is amazing. I like Dada Burman the singer very much. Thank you. :)
I am surprised that Madan Mohan and Khaiyyam are not in my monsoon-songs list.
A R Rehman has composed some good songs, notably Ghanan Ghanan (Lagaan), Boondon Se Baatein (Takshak), and Barso Re (Guru). They are all good.
They are some songs that remind me of rains, not because of music but because of video. I have Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua (Shri 420) in mind. It was hard to exclude that one.
Abhishek*
Thanks for all these songs, for this list, for your commentary and for an (unpromised) commitment to pursuing it further.
I've queued them all up and despite a few songs here and there, I'm sure I'd be delighted with yours. Any list prepared by you without Madan Mohan just has to be special. Just a question - why no 'Nainon mein badra chhaye.."?
With the exception of Khemchand Prakash, I'd think none could be as meticulous and talented as Salilda in creating a mood. His song from Do Beegha Zameen as well as from Parakh are my personal favourites.
Thanks so much for this!
I had noticed the absence of Madan Mohan in the party, with considerable dismay and regret. But I expect him to come when I compile my favorite sad songs.
"Nainon Mein Badra Chhaye (Mera Saaya)" belongs to the favorite, but it has never been a rain song for me, perhaps because of its video, perhaps because of its music, or perhaps both.
This is a light-hearted melody that takes you "out" in a full-bloomed garden under a clear blue sky. Apart from the prelude - the Sitar, which may meekly suggest a drizzle, thanks to the word - "badra", this is an "out-and-out" morning song with a winter sun gently floating over the head.
For me, a rain song must have one quality - it must be able to intensify a mood, any mood. This one does the opposite, in a delightful, exquisite fashion.
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