Best songs of 1946: Wrap Up 2

And the SoY Award for the Best Female Playback Singer goes to?

As the readers would recall from Wrap Up 1, the Award for the Best Male Solo turned out to be a one-horse race, thanks to KL Saigal’s superlative songs in the film Shahjahan, composed equally superbly by the Great Mughal Naushad. Lata Mangeshkar acquired that status 1949 onwards, when in most of the years you would have to create two categories: One, she by herself, and the other, ‘Other Singers’. She did have some songs in the year in minor acting roles, but these went unnoticed. Today we know about them because of the Internet, but in the earlier era these songs would have been known only to the collectors and researchers. Lata Mangeshkar out of the reckoning in 1946, is there any other female singer sprinting far ahead of the pack?

The 34 female solos figuring in the list of MEMORABLE SONGS in my overview post are distributed among various singers as under:

Noorjehan                      5
Suraiya                           5
Amirbai Karnataki       5
Shamshad Begum        3
Hamida Bano               2
Kanan Devi                   2
Khursheed                    2
Parul Ghosh                 2
Paro Devi                      1
Jayshree                        1
Manik Verma               1
Zohrabai Ambalewali 1
Naseem Akhtar            1
Baby Anu                      1
Zeenat Begum             1
Shanta Apte                  1
TOTAL          34 songs (16 singers)

Numbers do not always determine the ‘Best’. In musical appeal, longevity and recall, many songs of different singers vie for attention. Naushad is again the Master of the Year with his Anmol Ghadi, which accounts for the predominant position of Noorjehan and Suraiya, the two of the greatest female actor-singers who came for the first and last time together in the film. Each of Shamshad Begum’s three songs included in the list is a gem: Jab usne gesu bikharaaye baadal aya jhoom ke, Jawaani ke daaman ko rangeen bana le (Shahjahan) and Ek tera sahara hai, ek tera sahara (Shama). Amirbai Karnataki’s Pahle na samajha pyar tha is a memorable song.

But before I proceed further, let me give you a broad picture of the ratio of memorable male and female solos in relation to their total numbers. The total number of songs in the table below refers to only those songs in which the singers are identified in the HFGK. Such songs are only 42% of the total songs in the year, in rest of the 58% of the songs the singers are not known. This is subject to marginal errors, but the larger picture remains the same. The important point to note is that the relative ratio in memorable songs changes significantly. This is my subjective choice. I browsed the ‘new’ songs added by the readers. These also generally follow the same ratio as in my list of memorable songs. Therefore, adding these, while bringing to notice many more unknown songs, does not change the relative ratio much. The short point is that relatively a significantly higher percentage of male solos achieved lasting fame compared to female solos (the total female to male solos are about 4:1, but they are only 1.54 to 1 in the list of memorable songs). The obvious explanation is the presence of KL Saigal, as also most of the singers like Surendra, GM Durrani and Rafi who had a good number of immortal songs in the year. This is compounded by the absence of Lata Mangeshkar whose high strike rate in the later years maintained the ratio.

The above discussion would appear tedious to many. But then there are a number of master statisticians among SoY regulars who revel in such analysis.

There was a surprising unanimity in the choice of the Best Female Solo song. Naghma, Anoop, Shalan Lal, Arunkumar Deshmukh and N Venkataraman were all unanimous on Noorjehan’s Jawan hai mohabbat haseen hai zamana as the Best Female Solo. Surprising, because Noorjehan’s other three songs in Anmol Ghadi – Aa ja meri barbaad mohabbat ke sahare, Mere bachpan ke saathi mujhe bhool na jana and Kya mil gaya Bhagwan mere dil ko dukkha ke – are equally great. Naghma, however, placed this song close second after Uma Devi’s Afsana likh rahi hun dil-e-beqaraar ka (Dard). She perhaps missed that this song belongs to 1947. And Venkataramanji gave a list of 10 best songs.

Neeruahaf went in a big way to discovering ‘new’ songs, and her joint winners are quite unusual, Paro Devi’s Tere gham se mil raha hai (Dhanwan) and Amirbai Karnataki’s Nyay yahi hai tumhara (Dulha). She has been equally unconventional in her choice for the best male solos. She also posted a good number of unknown songs, as also did several other readers. Some of these songs are absolutely outstanding which deserved a place in the list of memorable songs.

Therefore, let me start with Special Songs which may not figure in the winners’ lists.

Special songs

1. Ek tera sahara, dil tod ke duniya ne by Suraiya from Shama (1946), lyrics Ehsan Rizvi, music Ghulam Haider

The film didn’t have Suraiya, Mehtab being its leading lady. Suraiya had sung some songs for her in the beginning of her career, but had given up singing playback for other actors. Yet you would find some songs of Shama in her voice on the YouTube. HFGK credits this song to Shamshad Begum, and its video link too is available. As the story goes, Suraiya was to star in this film and some songs were recorded in her voice, but due to some reason she exited from the project. Mehtab was brought in and her songs were re-recorded in the voice of Shamshad Begum. Thus Suraiya’s songs became ‘cover version’, though Ek tera sahara is absolutely melodious. We must thank the Internet for bringing to light such gems. Which version is superior is a matter of subjective choice.

2. Aag lagi wo dil mein pyari by Naseem Akhtar from Shahjahan, lyrics Naushad

This was added by Neeruahaf. Somewhat unknown among the superlative songs of Shahjahan, but it is quite likeable.

3. Tere gham se mil raha hai mujhe har tarah sahara by Paro Devi from Dhanwan, lyrics Behzad Lakhanavi, music Shanti Kumar

This is a fabulous song in vintage style, specially mentioned by Neeruahaf. The singer was not credited in HFGK, but it is worthy of inclusion in Special songs. Here is some information about Paro Devi on Cineplot.

4. Chaand ko gale se laga le badarwa by Naseem Akhtar from Keemat, lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Naushad

Naseem Akhtar had a very prominent presence in 1946. No one who is fond of vintage female songs can miss her. This information about her is courtesy Arunkumar Deshmukh:

“Born in a nawab family of Peshawar in 1920, Naseem Akhtar was the younger sister of Sardar Akhtar (wife of Mehboob khan) and Bahar Akhtar(wife of AR Kardar). She had a sweet voice and interest in singing. She sang many songs in Hindi films under famous MDs of that era, like Khursheed Anwar, Naushad, Shyam Sundar, C Ramchandra, Khemchand Prakash, Govind Ram, Jhande Khan, Ghulam Haider, Vasant Desai etc. She sang in Shahjahan, Sindoor, Doli, Keemat, Bhanwar, Parda, Sohni Mahiwal, Parbat Pe Apna Dera, Pehli Nazar, Khandaan etc. After partition, she migrated to Pakistan, against advice from relatives and had to repent later as she faced problems there. Divorced from Rafiq Maula(?), a Pakistani producer, she spent her last days in miserable poverty and breathed her last around 1952 after severe unattended illnesses. Her songs in Pagli, Ek Roz, Safar and Aaj Aur Kal were appreciated much.”

5. Lo phir yaad kisi ki ayi by Zeenat Begum from Shahar Se Door, lyrics DN Madhok, Music Pt. Amarnath

This song in the style of Punjabi folk/Sufi music reminds you of Surinder Kaur. Zeenat Begum was a prominent female singer in the vintage era. As per Wikipedia and Cineplot she was a renowned courtesan singer. She was discovered by Pt Amar Nath around 1937. She started her career with Punjabi songs brought out by HMV and other recording companies. Her debut in Hindi films was Nishani (1942). She sang for most of the major music directors of the era, such as Pt Amar Nath, his brothers Husnlal-Bhagatram, Ghulam Haider, Pt Govind Ram etc. Her last Hindi film was Mukhada (1951). She migrated to Pakistan after partition where her career as playback singer was not very successful. But she remained a prominent singer on Lahore Radio. She died on 12 November 1966.

6. Hamari gali ana, humse ankhiyan milana by Khursheed from Maharana Pratap, lyrics Swami Ramananad, music Ram Ganguly

Best ten songs

1. Jawan hai muhabbat haseen hai zamana by Noorjehan from Anmol Ghadi, lyrics Tanveer Naqvi, music Naushad

In this BGG film, the romance of the two competing ladies, Noorjehan and Suraiya, for the same hero Surendra goes through a see-saw battle. Here Noorjehan’s is on the upswing having discovered that her childhood sweetheart from whom she had been separated long ago has grown into a handsome man, and is in the same city.

2. Bairan nindiya kyun nahi aye by Amirbai Karnataki from Pujari, lyrics Wali Saheb, music Hansraj Behl

I had missed this song in my overview post. It was added by Neeruahaf. It is a delightful discovery, as good as any well-known song of Amirbai Karnataki. It is amazing Hansraj Behl created this gem in his debut film. I am happy to include it in the list of the best ten at number 2.

3. Aa ja meri barbaad muhabbat ke sahaare by Noorjehan from Anmol Ghadi, lyrics Tanveer Naqvi, music Naushad

Anmol Ghadi was Naushad’s priceless moment. Here is another gem of Noorjehan, now in a sad mood as there are roadblocks on the way to reunion.

4. Mere bachpan ke saathi mujhe bhool na jana by Noorjehan from Anmol Ghadi, lyrics Tanveer Naqvi, music Naushad

With just one film with Noorjehan, Naushad created songs that have become her identity in India. This is another great song from Madam from Anmol Ghadi

5. Kya mil gaya Bhagwan tumhein dil ko dukha ke by Noorjehan from Anmol Ghadi, lyrics Tanveer Naqvi, music Naushad

Now everything is shattered and Noorjehan is remonstrating with God for bringing this misery to her. It is difficult to leave out this song even if it is from the same film and singer with multiple entries already.

6. Pahle na samjha pyar tha by Amirbai Karnataki from Eight Days, lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi, music SD Burman

As soon as the lady realised it was love, he was gone. No one could give expression to this feeling better than Amirbai Karnataki who had a natural pathos in her voice.

7. Ek tera sahara hai ek tera sahara by Shamshad Begum from Shama, lyrics Ehsan Rizvi and Shamim, music Ghulam Haider

If its version song can feature at the top of the Special songs, how can the original be left from the main list? I was used to hearing it in the voice of Shamshad Begum. A great song, it would be interesting to compare it with Suraiya’s version.

8. Man pagle swapna dikhaye by Naseem Akhtar from Keemat, lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Naushad

Naseem Akhtar had so many nice songs in the year that she deserves inclusion in the top list.

9. Kis baat pe tuley ho, roothe ho meharban by Zohrabai Ambalewali from Gwalan, lyrics Pt. Indra, music Hansraj Behl

Zohrabai Ambalewali can be regarded as representative of the vintage style female singing – full-throated, slightly courtesan style. And she did have an excellent song in the year. Another feather in the cap of Hansraj Behl from the Punjab School, who shone in his very debut year.

10. Socha tha kya kya ho gaya by Sauraiya from Anmol Ghadi, lyrics Tanveer Naqvi, music Naushad

Venkataramanji had chosen Suraiya’s Main dil mein dard basa layi from this film in his list. Its opposite is Socha tha kya kya ho gaya. The sound quality of this song is better. Plus it represents her style better.

To conclude,

The Award for the Best Female Playback Singer of 1946 goes to Noorjehan, and the best female solo is Jawan hai muhabbat haseen hai zamana.

Dislcaimer and Acknowledgements: The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of music lovers. This blog claims no copyright over the songs, which rests with the respective owners, such as Saregama India Limted and others.

Tagged as: Best female solos