Best songs of 1947: Wrap Up 3

And the Song of Yore Award for the Best Duet goes to?

The total number of duets in the list of ‘Memorable Songs’ in the Overview post on the best songs of 1947 is about 30 out of 119. This is about 50% more than the male solos, but less than half the female solos. This is similar to the average distribution of the types of songs. As I go down the list of the songs, they can be clearly divided into two categories: one, that attained everlasting popularity; and the other, which remained unknown, except among collectors and intense followers. This is unlike the 1950s and 60s when a large number of songs were in the middle. The absence of the middle ground in 1947 and earlier is a reflection of the antiquity of these songs. The Internet era has made many more songs known, but these are unlikely to displace the ones that have got etched in our memory. Therefore, while any exercise of selecting the best ten will necessarily remain within the familiar territory, I have been covering the unique but less familiar songs under the category ‘Special Songs’.

The overview post included three duets in the ‘Special Songs’: Rafi-Lata Mangehskar’s first duet, Chalo ho gayi taiyyar, from the film Shaadi Se Pahle, composed by Paigankar and Karnad; Faiz’s Dono jahan teri muhabbat mein haar ke, sung by the music director Khayyam and Zohrabai Ambalewali from the film Romeo and Juliet; and Jaiyo na bides mora jiya bhar ayega by Bhatkar and Rajkumari from the film Neelkamal. There are some more unique and exceptionally good songs which deserve to be recognised, but before that let me run through the list of Memorable Songs in the overview post and make a first cut of the memorable duets.

First Cut

Aisa Kyon: Music Anupam Ghosh
1. Hamri galan mein aiyo balamji – Gauri Mitra and Nanji Dulal
Chheen Le Azadi: Lyrics Pt Indra; Music Mukesh and Shamshad Begum
2. Moti chunane gayi re hansi – Mukesh and Shamshad Begum
Dak Bangla: Lyrics DN Madhok; Music Naresh Bhattacharya
3. Jab baadal ghir ghir ayenge – Mukesh and Suraiya
Dard: Lyrics Shakeel Badayuni; Music Naushad
4. Betab hai dil dard-e-mohabbat ke asar se – Uma Devi and Suraiya
Elaan: Lyrics Zia Sarhadi; Music Naushad
5. Aaine mein ek chaand si surat nazar ayi – Surendra and Amirbai Karnataki
Geet Govind: Lyrics Pt. Indra; Music Gyan Dutt
6. Shyam mori bindiya bikhar na jaaye – Manna Dey and Rajkumari
Heera: Lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi; Muisc Husnlal-Bhagatram
7. Chale aana more Raja waada yaad kar ke – GM Durrani and Paro Devi
Jugnu: Music Firoz Nizami
8. Yahan badla wafa ka bewafai ke siwa kya hai – Rafi and Noorjahan
Mirza Sahiban: Music Pt Amarnath & Hunslal-Bhagatram
9. Haye re ud ud jaaye reshami dupatawa – Zohra Ambalewali, Noorjehan and Shamshad Begum
10. Haath seene pe jo rakh do to qaraar aa jaye – GM Durrani and Noorjehan
11. Tum aankhon se door ho, hui neend aankhon se door – GM Durrani and Noorjehan
Pagdandi: Lyrics DN Madhok; Music Khursheed Anwar
12. Jhoolna dala de mora sainya ko bula de – Munawwar Sultana and Zeenat Begum
Romeo & Juliet: Music Husnlal-Bhagatram
13. Dono jahan teri muhabbat mein haar ke – Khayyam and Zohrabai Ambalewali
Saajan: Lyrics Moti B.A.; Music C Ramchandra
14. Humko tumhara hi aasra – Rafi and Lalita Deulkar
Shaadi Se Pahle: Lyrics Pt. Mukhram Sharma; Music Paigankar and Karnad
15. Chalo ho gayi taiyyar – Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar
Shehnai: Lyrics PL Santoshi; Music C Ramchandra
16. Ana meri jaan meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday – Chitalkar & Shamshad Begum/Chitalkar & Meena Kapoor
17. Pehli hi mulaqat mein..Bach ke rahna ji – Chitalkar & Shamshad Begum
18. Jawani ki rail chali jaye re – Chitalkar, Geeta Roy and Lata Mangeshkar
19. Hamare angana ho.aaj baaje shehnai – Amirbai Karnataki and Shamshad Begum
Shikarpuri: Lyrics A Shah Aziz; Music Mohammad Shafi
20. Balam harjai maanoji – Mohammad Shafi (?) and Razia Begum
Sindoor: Lyrics Neelkanth Tiwari; Music Khemchand Prakash
21. Kisi ke madhur pyar mein man mora kho gaya – Sushil Sahu and Naseem Akhtar

We have seen in Wrap Up 1 that male songs were very few and were dominated by KL Saigal, Mukesh, Rafi and Surendra. Female solos outnumbered male solos by a factor of more than three times, and they were more widely dispersed. The best songs were shared by Suraiya, Uma Devi (Tuntun), Amirbai Karnataki, Noorjehan, Shamshad Begum, Kanan Devi, Geeta Roy (Dutt), Zohra Ambalewali and Lata Mangeshkar. We would expect that the best duets would generally comprise a combination of these singers. But as we have seen in another discussion, duets stand on a unique footing. They gave more scope for experimentation and creativity with ‘other’ singers. Thus some of the solo singers, such as KL Saigal, Kanan Devi and Geeta Roy are missing in the above list of 22 duets, and many new names come into the field.

Several readers, such as Canasya, KM Ashraf, Shalan Lal and N Venkataraman, gave their choice for the best male solo, best female solo and the best music director, but they missed to give their choice of the best duet. Arunkumar Deshmukh as usual was unambiguous about his choices; his choice for the best duet is Yahan badla wafa ka bewafai ke siwa kya hai. KS Bhatia has given a list of four best duets: Hamare angana aaj baaje shehnai; Ana meri jaan meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday; Mera chaand aa gaya mere dware; and Shyam mori bindiya bikhar na jaaye.

Bringing down the select 22 to the best ten would be always a difficult exercise. Some songs select themselves. Yahan badla wafa ka bewafai ke siwa kya hai (1), Humko tumhara hi aasra (2), Haath seene pe jo rakh do to qaraar aa jaye (3), Ana meri jaan meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday (4), Hamare angan aaj baaje shehnai (5) and Aaine mein ek chaand si surat nazar ayi (6) have remained immensely popular till this day, though not necessarily in that order. For the remaining four slots we have several choices. Though not as often heard, Tum ankhon se door ho (7), is as good as Haath seene pe jo rakh do. The all-female songs, Betaab hai dil dard-e-mohabbat ke asar se and Haye ud ud jaye reshami dupatawa are delighful, but since there are a number of other outstanding songs in the line, let me take one which was more popular Betab hai dil dard-e-mohabbat ke asar se (8). I give the two remaining slots to Jab baadal ghir ghir ayenge (9) and Shyam mori bindiya bikhar na jaye (10).

Before I come to placing the above songs in order, I must mention that some of the remaining songs, which I have discovered in the internet era, are absolutely charming. Some songs though popular, could not be included because of the tight selection. The Special Songs are as important as the list of the final best ten songs.

Special songs

1. Jhulna dala de more sainya ko bula de from Pagdandi, lyrics DN Madhok, music Khursheed Anwar

A great saawan song when the swing has been laid out and the lady wishes that someone could call her sainya. There is no mention of the singers in HFGK but Atul Song A Day identifies the singers as Munawwar Sultana (different from the actress) and Zeenat Begum. At the cost of repetition I have to say that discovery of such songs makes this laborious exercise of year-wise reviews worthwhile.

2. Hamri galan mein aiyo sajanji by Gauri Mitra & Nanji Dulal from Aisa Kyun, music Anupam Ghatak

This is also a new discovery for me, but what a fabulous song!

3. Tum aankhon se door ho, hui neend aankhon se door by GM Durrani and Noorjehan from Mirza Sahiban, lyrics Aziz Kashmiri, music Husnlal-Bhagatram

Not as well known as Haath seene pe jo rakh do to qaraar aa jaye, but this song is very moving and matches more with the tragic love tale.

4. Balam harjai jaao ji, main to preet kiye pachhtai by Mohammad Shafi (?) and Razia Begum from Shikarpuri, lyrics A Shah Aziz, music Mohammad Shafi

Continuing the same mood of joy, here is a unique duet between the music director Md. Shafi himself and Razia Begum, a singer hardly known much. But a delightful song. (HFGK mentions Mohammad Shafi as the male singer, but there is doubt about this. It sounds like Rafi. See comments #6, 7.)

5. Paathar se tum doodh bahaao by Mukesh and Zohrabai Ambalewali from Neel Kamal, lyrics Kidar Sharma, music Snehal Bhatkar

This is a unique duet in which Mukesh starts with a sombre bhajan in temple, and the scene cuts to a fast-paced street dance-song.

6. Tirchhi topiwalon se bach ke rahna ji by Chitalkar and Shamshad Begum from Shehnai, lyrics PL Santoshi

I have included two duets from Shehnai in the best ten, but the remaining two in the big list are also absolutely delightful. Jawani ke rail chali jaye was the fist song in which C Ramchandra used Lata Mangeshkar’s voice. But I like the composition of Bach ke rahnaji for its variety of elements: Nautanki-style drum beats, slow recital by Dulari to build up the tempo, and the grand fast entry of the dancer Mumtaz Ali in drag.

7. Kisi ke madhur pyar mein man mera kho gaya by Sushil Sahu and Naseem Akhtar from Sindoor, lyrics Neelkanth Tiwari, music Khemchand Prakash

Khemchand Prakash was an important music director in the career of Amirbai Karnataki, and her two solos in the film, O roothe huye Bhagwan tumko kaise manaaun, and Koi roke use aur ye kah de, are among her best. This duet too is also quite well known to music lovers.

Best songs

With such superlative songs it is difficult to make an agreed order. But this would be generally acceptable.

1. Humko tumhara hi aasra by Rafi and Lalita Deulkar from Saajan, lyrics Moti B.A., music C Ramchandra

This was one of Rafi’s early superhits. This also marked the end of non-singer actors made to sing, and beginning of the reign of independent playback singers. (It is said that Ashok Kumar wanted to sing his own songs as he was used to doing, but CR put his foot down.)

2. Yahan badla wafa ka bewafai ke siwa kya hai by Rafi and Noorjehan from Jugnu, music Firoz Nizami

This long-distance duet of separation was one of the early hits of Rafi’s career. This was the only song he sang with Noorjehan, who migrated to Pakistan, but the song has become immortal.

3. Hamare angana aaj baaje shehnai by Amirbai Karnataki and Shamshad Begum from Shehnai, lyrics PL Santoshi, music C Ramchandra

Shenhai was a musical blockbuster of C Ramchandra. Ana meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday was a spectacular success, holding its sway even today. But Hamare angana sounds musically superior with its melody and composition.

4. Ana meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday by Chitalkar and Meena Kapoor/ Chitalkar and Shamshad Begum from Shehnai, lyrics PL Santoshi, music C Ramchandra

With this song C Ramchandra cocked a snook at the purists, but the listeners went crazy over it. A great talent, C Ramchandra, could compose songs based on pure classical ragas, and go to the other extreme of light-hearted, fun songs with westernised tunes. In the first part, Meena Kapoor sings for Dulari (?), and in the second part Shamshad Begum sings for Rehana, with CR himself (Chitalkar) singing for the male dancer, Mumtaz Ali. (P.S. See comment no. 1 and 3, it seems the movie had Lalita Deulkar and Amirbai Karanataki’s voices, and 78 rpm record had Meena Kapoor and Shamshad Begum’s voices.)

5. Jab baadal ghir ghir ayenge, kahoji kit jayenge by Mukesh from Dak Bangla, lyrics DN Madhok, music Naresh Bhattacharya

Mukesh was one of the most prominent singers of 1947, but Rafi’s two duets surpassed in popularity. However, Mukesh’s several duets, on listening now carefully, are mesmerising. Some I have covered in ‘Special songs’. Two singers gifted with sweetest voices create this mesmerising song.

6. Aaine mein ek chaand si surat nazar ayi by Surendra and Amirbai Karnataki from Elaan, lyrics Zia Sarhadi. Music Naushad

In this Muslim social, Surendra and Amribai Karnataki (singing for Munawwar Sultana) sing this romantic duet, while keeping within the limits of modesty required of the genre.

7. Chale aana more raja wada yaad kar ke by GM Durrani & Paro Devi from Heera, lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi, music Husnlal-Bhagatram

Punjab School is at its best in this duet composed by the Masters Husnlal-Bhagatram. One of the gifts of the internet era, and more than adequate reward for writing this series.

8. Shyam mori bindiya bikhar na jaye by Manna Dey and Rajkumari from Geet Govind (1947), lyrics Pt. Indra, music Gyan Dutt

Manna Dey debuted about the same time as Mukesh and Rafi, but took much longer to be recognised as among the major singers, with Upar gagan vishal in Mashaal (1950). He displays his thorough training in classical music in this duet with Rajkumari. Gyan Dutt was a prominent music director of the vintage era, having earned great fame for the music of Bhakt Surdas (1942).

9. Haye re ud ud jaye mera reshami dupatawa by Zohrabai Ambalewali, Noorjehan and Shamshad Begum from Mirza Sahiban, lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi, music Husnlal-Bhagatram

This tragic love legend was set in Punjab, which gave ample opportunity to the Ace composer-duo Husnlal-Bhagatram to showcase some delightful, peppy songs in the Punjab-school.

10. Betaab hai dil dard-e-muhabbat ke asar se by Uma Devi and Suraiya from Dard, lyrics Shakeel Badayuni

Dard was one of the great successes of Naushad, famous for Uma Devi’s (Tuntun) iconic Afsana likh rahi hun and several songs of Suraiya. The two combine under Naushad’s baton for this unusual long-distance duet of separation (LDDS). As we have seen in Naushad’s long-distance duets of separation, LDDS is generally a sad male-female duet between separated lover, who sing in sync despite the several miles of distance separating them. This one is between two ladies vying for the love of the same person. Munawwar Sultana’s love has hit a roadblock, whereas Suraiya’s is on upswing.

The choice between number 1 and 2 is very tough. Therefore, to conclude,

Songs of Yore Award for the Best duet of 1947 goes jointly to Humko tumhara hi aasra (Saajan, C Ramchandra) and Yahan badla wafa ka bewafai ke siwa kya hai (Jugnu, Firoz Nizami).

Tagged as: Best duets