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| Music Review: A Blast From The Past |
Sudha (Lakshmi) Rao
03/05/2009
(This article is sponsored by Sounds Of India)
These are a few of my favourite…………O.P.Nayyar songs……….
A brief introduction to O.P.Nayyar – was born in 1926 in Lahore & started his career in film music in the mid to late 1940’s and then rose to dizzying heights of popularity with his hits from films like Aar Paar, CID, Mr & Mrs.55, Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Phir wohi dil laya hoon, Howrah Bridge, Mere Sanam to name just a sprinkle from his vast repertoire of amazing musical endeavours. He was the highest paid music director of his time and was a trail blazer for his distinct style of blending Indian and western beats and tunes with ease and the OPN rhythm and cadence became so popular, trendy and unique making his songs thoroughly enjoyable and unforgettable! His songs by Asha, Rafi, Geeta Dutt, Shamshad Begum, Mahendra Kapoor and even Kishore and Mukesh remain evergreen in the listeners’ minds and hearts…
So after great thought, much addition, deletion and changing my mind innumerable times, I finally decided on the following 10 OPN classics that I rate as most favourite amongst my other favourites.
Aayiye Meherbaan – the first time I came across this song was in the 80’s while viewing a BBC programme Movie Mahal. This mind-blowing number with lyrics by Qamar Jalalabadi from Howrah Bridge has a nightclub setting and is picturised on the beautiful Madhubala crooning seductively to Ashok Kumar. Asha’s singing, especially in the opening humming takes your breath away and elegance, sophistication and seduction are the hallmarks of this stunning number!
Hoon Abhi Main Jawan – Aah, what a jewel from Aar Paar – a song that I stumbled upon only quite recently– the song has beautiful accordion and organ and percussion accompaniment throughout and Geeta Dutt’s dulcet vocals just flow over you and drench you, one time sensuously silky and another time passionately bold. Filmed on Shakila and Guru Dutt, it is the quintessential inebriated moll trying to seduce the hero scenario. The song’s lyrics are by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Babuji Dheere Chalna – A friend recently mentioned that this song is one of the most upbeat ones he has ever heard and I agree heartily. Not once have I had an audience bored or having had enough of this gorgeous number from Aar Paar. Shakila dances and sings away cautioning our hero Guru Dutt about the many dangers that lurk on the road of love. The song was based loosely on a Spanish classic Quizas quizas quizas, (the English version ‘Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps’ made popular by Doris Day amongst others). Geeta Dutt just captivates, with the right blend of spontaneity, gaiety and naughtiness. Incredible accordion and strings sections and the lively blend of western and Indian beats are highlights of this song. Lyrics are by Majrooh Sultanpuri
Aap Ke Haseen Rukh – sigh……this song from Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi just tugs at your heartstrings and is picturised on a debonairly handsome Dharmendra at the piano singing away with Mala Sinha and Tanuja each imagining he is singing to them……………a love song for all seasons immortalized by Mohammad Rafi with such amazingly romantic lyrics by Anjaan. Very elegant piano and flute work only add to the beauty of this song.
Phir miloge Kabhi – an exquisite song that I discovered rather recently - from Ye raath phir na aayegi. Rafi just pours his heart and soul into this tender number and then in the second stanza when Asha joins him, the song just takes on an even more heavenly note………as she so effectively seduces and charms with her sweet and sensuous voice. I recently visited a website of a Hindi film music fan who summed up his feelings for this song with this one line: I listen and weep with joy. Oh, so do I………….
Aao huzur – One more OPN song that gets the listener immediately perked up. Asha’s vocal acrobatics in this song as she sings for a tipsy Babita, hiccups and all, are just fantastic – she glides from low to high (especially in the humming bits) with such ease and her refrain each time, embellished with modulations that only Asha was capable of. The song’s opens with an extraordinary adlib ‘humse roshan hai chaand aur taare’, (lyrics by Noor Devasi) by the end of which when Asha hiccups drunkenly and transitions to the song, the listener is spellbound and is transported and just doesn’t want the song to end.
Diwana hua badal – a song that never fails to lift my flagging spirits and restore sunshine and cheer when I am down………this song from Kashmir Ki Kali written by S.H.Bihari has regaled listeners and audiences worldwide with its light hearted and liltingly romantic rendition by Asha and Rafi (employing the special style they reserved for OPN songs) who give each stanza a different treatment and flavour leaving the listener wide eyed with wonder at their voice control and dexterity.
Poocho na hamein – A relatively unknown classic from Mitti Mein Sona– which I stumbled upon during my search for songs for my earlier OPN tribute – was struck by the beautiful accordion and piano work that introduce and run throughout this song with lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and of course Asha just flows through this melancholic song with such sweetness and grace.
Pukar ta chala – what a delightful song with the distinctive Rafi vocal maneuvers and lilting and unforgettable orchestration – the fantastic guitar work in the introduction and conclusion of this song are etched in listeners’ minds and hearts! This evergreen classic from Mere Sanam written by Majrooh Sultanpuri never fails to invoke pleasure and a smile!
Yehi woh jaga hai – from Yeh raath phir na aayegi with lyrics by SH Bihari -picturised on the beautiful Sharmila who is trying to jog Biswajit memory of their earlier love and relationship – perhaps in a past life. Complemented by simple and minimalistic orchestration, Asha’s gentle and poignant rendition is indeed in a class by itself!
By no means, do I say or insist that my list is the best of O.P.Nayyar songs – infact, given half a chance, I would have compiled a list with my favourite 50 or 100 OPN songs!!! I am aware that everybody has different favourites and would love to hear from readers what their top 10 O.P.Nayyar songs are! I must also mention that most of the above songs will be presented at a musical soiree on March 7th when a group of passionate OPN fans get together to pay tribute to this King of Rhythm………….
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