2017

Film Songs Based on Classical Ragas (12) – A morning with Asavari/Jaunpuri

Asavari Ragini May 27, 2017

Guest article by Subodh Agrawal (I had once hesitantly asked Subodh whether he would be writing on Asavari and Jaunpuri in his series on articles on film songs based on classical ragas. The reason for my hesitation was that these ragas might be too light for a connoisseur like him. Therefore, I was extremely happy […]

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Shankar Jaikishan’s duets (2)

Shankar-Jaikishn May 16, 2017

In the first part of Shankar-Jaikishan’s duets, I covered the songs in which either Mukesh or Rafi sang with a female singer. They being the predominant singers, one would think that that post would cover most of the famous duets composed by them. But SJ were hugely talented and diversified, and played a key role […]

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Beena madhur madhur kacchu bol

BHanwra bada naadan May 6, 2017

Guest article by Ashwin Bhandarkar (If we broadly divide the SoY community into two categories – ‘music experts’ and ‘others’ – Ashwin Bhandarkar belongs to the first category. Therefore, it is not surprising that he is appearing as a guest author; the surprise is that it has taken him so long to do so. He […]

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Shankar-Jaikishan’s duets (1): Mukesh/Rafi with female singers

Shankar Jaikishan April 25, 2017

In the last calendar year I did a series of posts on Shankar-Jaikishan’s songs: singerwise for Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh, Rafi, Manna Dey, ‘Other singers’ and two posts on their dance songs – for Lata Mangeshkar and female dance duets. Several readers rightly remarked that SJ’s series would not be complete without covering their duets. That […]

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Shamshad Begum with 3G

Shamshad Begum April 14, 2017

A tribute on Shamshad Begum’s 98th birth anniversary (14 April 1919 – 23 April 2013), and  wishing the readers a very happy Baisakhi, Vishu, Bihu and Tamil New Year. Shamshad Begum has been a perennial favourite on SoY. Earlier, there was a reference to the great trinity of Naushad, C Ramchandra and OP Nayyar who […]

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Some unique good good songs

Songs with repeat words April 1, 2017

If you think there is a glaring mistake in the title of this post, you have to blame Mumbaikar8 for it. She only gave me the idea for this post. Don’t ask me what is her good name, please. If she is not disclosing it, I am also not disclosing it. As you know she […]

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Best songs of 1948: And the winners are?

Mela-Nadiya Ke Paar-Shaheed-Aag-Anokha Pyar-Anokhi Ada March 22, 2017

On our journey back in time to review the best songs of the year, as we reach 1948 we are entering the Vintage Era characterised by a great variety of full-throated female singers. Lata Mangeshkar did sing over 40 songs of which you can count about ten memorable and a couple of all-time great songs, […]

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“Whose father’s what goes?”

Rang barse March 13, 2017

Wishing the readers a very Happy Holi with some songs of brazenness Once a casual acquaintance, but who had a way of showing great familiarity, visited me. He started discussing something very animatedly, every second sentence he would look at me intently and ask, “Whose father’s what goes? Isn’t it?” I didn’t know what to […]

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Film songs in classical ragas (11) – The evocative duo: Mand and Shivranjani

Rajasthani flute player: Mand and Shivranjani February 28, 2017

Guest article by Subodh Agrawal (When Subodh came back after a long hiatus with his post on Bihag, he had promised us that he would now be more regular. He keeps his promise with another excellent piece on Mand and Shivranjani. ‘Kesariya balam’ has made everyone familiar with Mand. As for Shivranjani, the readers may […]

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Hundreds of shades of Pyaar

Pyar hua iqaraar hua February 14, 2017

Wishing the readers a very happy Valentine’s Day with guest article by Shalan Lal (Today on Valentine’s Day, love is in the air everywhere. Love of mushy messages; of roses and chocolates; of romance and togetherness. ‘Genre’-theorists hold that the concept of genre is not relevant for Indian films, as all our films are essentially […]

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