Wishing the readers a very Happy New Year
Long ago there used to be a popular game show on the American TV titled: ‘It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman’. The host would invite the participants in pairs, one of whom would be given a clue, which could be a famous proverb, or a quotation, or a film or a song title. This person was allowed to draw, sketch or mime, but not to speak or write words or numbers, and his partner was to guess the clue. The game was exciting because the audience in the show and the TV viewers were shown the clue. If you imagine its Indian version, supposing you are given the clue ‘Mere sapne mein aana re sajna’. You may draw and mime to the best of your ability, but your partner might falter from Sapna ban saajan aaye, to Sapne mein sajan se do baatein, to Sach huye sapne mere, to Kaun hai jo sapne mein aya, to Mere khwabon mein jo aaye, with the audience rooting all along, wishing he reached the correct clue.
Some songs present similar confusion whether they are songs or recitation or prose. Once I had an interesting discussion with Madhu (Dusted Off) on her post on Pyasa’s songs. I mentioned her omission of some nazms which Guru Dutt recites leisurely in Rafi’s voice, and that any discussion on Pyasa’s songs was incomplete without mentioning Sahir’s those beautiful nazms. She responded that these were not songs. Perhaps she was right, or perhaps she was not, because there are a fairly large number of such prose-recitation-songs, without much music, which are labelled and distributed as songs.
This confusion has its origin in the history of our film music. With music being an integral part of our folk, classical and theatre traditions, dance and songs came into our films right from the beginning of our talkies. Nay, even our silent films were not quite silent, as musicians would sit in a pit before the screen, and as the film rolled, they would play various instruments creating tunes as per the situation in the film. The raucous audience would at times make farmaish for a particular tune they had become familiar with. The film would be stopped for a while for the farmaish to be fulfilled. But I believe, it must have taken a couple of years for the standard ‘film song’ of about three minutes duration to evolve. Indrasabha (1932) is said to have a record 69 songs. Even if we allow two and a half minutes for each song, the songs would take about three hours. This does not leave any room for dialogue or story in the film. There is no mention anywhere that it was the longest film in our history. Therefore, it is clear that many of these songs would not be described as ‘song’ as we know today. These were simply dialogues delivered in a sing-song style, which was a characteristic of the Parsi theatre in which there was no clear distinction between dialogue-recitation-song.
SoY has since seen some very involved discussion whether words or music is more important. Mumbaiar8 has long been a lyrics-crusader; SSW argued equally strongly that for musical experience words are not important, it is the music or the ‘tune’ which matters. The primacy of music over words is well accepted. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan once said in an interview that we live in two worlds: one, the world of ‘words’; and the other, the world of music. The world of music does not need the crutches of words. Ustadji said this in the context of classical music, which can and, often, does rest solely on ‘notes’. But this is equally true of popular music. How else can we explain the phenomenal popularity of international chartbusters like La Bamba, Macarena, Kolaveri Di and Didi (Khalid, Algerian)?
In the context of another discussion, SSW gave the link of an article by Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis which gives a very good insight into word-song relationship. The following extract from the article throws a great deal of light on the confusion between ‘It’s prose, It’s recitation, It’s a song’.
“The transformation is truly bizarre. You’d think that listening to someone speak and listening to someone sing were separate things, distinguished by the objective characteristics of the sound itself. It seems obvious: I hear someone speak when she’s speaking, and sing when she’s singing. But the speech-to-song illusion reveals that the exact same sequence of sounds can seem either like speech or like music, depending only on whether it has been repeated. Repetition can actually shift your perceptual circuitry such that the segment of sound is heard as music: not thought about as similar to music, or contemplated in reference to music, but actually experienced as if the words were being sung.”
Here are some songs which straddle the boundary between poetry recitation and song. In general, our songs are memorable because of memorable tunes, but the lyrics reign supreme in the following songs. I hope this post pleases Mumbaikar8 who has often complained that I have not given as much importance to lyricists.
1. Sahir’s poetry in Pyasa (1957) by Rafi, music SD Burman
Let me start with Pyasa’s songs-but-not songs which triggered this discussion. Besides the recognised ‘songs’, the poet Guru Dutt recites Sahir’s poetry on different occasions in the film. It starts with a young romantic, lazing around on grass, admiring the beauty of nature around him with Ye hanste huye phool, ye mahka hua gulshan. Later, at his friends’ prodding, he does a teasing Jab tum chalo zameen chale asmaan chale as Mala Sinha passes by. And when the romance has been shattered, there is a despairing Tang aa chuke hain kashamakash-e-zindagi se hum as the now-married Mala Sinha looks on plaintively from the audience, with her husband Rahman in a row behind, and finally an anguished cry, Gham is qadar badhe ki main ghabara ke pi gaya. I wouldn’t press my case that these be treated as songs, but I would repeat that Pyasa-Sahir-Rafi-SD Burman-Guru Dutt magic is incomplete without these nazms.
ये हंसते हुये फूल ये महका हुआ गुलशन
ये रंग में और नूर में डूबी हुई राहें – 2
ये फूलों का रस पी के मचलते हुये भौंरे – 2
मैं दूं भी तो क्या दूं तुम्हें ऐ शोख नज़ारों
ले दे के मेरे पास कुछ आंसू हैं कुछ आहें
…..
जब हम चले तो साया भी अपना न साथ दे
जब तुम चलो ज़मीन चले आसमान चले
जब हम रुकें तो साथ रुके शाम-ए-बेकसी
जब तुम रुको बहार रुके चाँदनी रुके
…..
तंग आ चुके हैं कशमकश-ए-ज़िंदगी से हम – 2
ठुकरा ना दें जहां को कहीं बेदिली से हम
(Chorus from the audience: अजी जनाब खुशी के मौक़े पर ये क्या बेदिली का राग छेड़ा हुआ है. कोई खुशी का गीत सुनाइये )
हम ग़मज़दा हैं लायें कहां से खुशी के गीत
देंगे वही जो पायेंगे इस ज़िंदगी से हम – 2
उभरेंगे एक बार कभी दिल के वलवले
माना कि दब गये हैं ग़म-ए-ज़िंदगी से हम
लो आज हमने तोड़ दिया रिश्ता-ए-उम्मीद
लो अब कभी गिला ना करेंगे किसी से हम
…
ग़म इस क़दर बढ़े कि मैं घबरा के पी गया
इस दिल की बेकसी पे तरस खा के पी गया
ठुकरा रहा था मुझको बड़ी देर से जहां
मैं आज सब जहां को ठुकरा के पी गया
(A rough English translation by me)
These smiling flowers and this fragrant garden
The pathways awash in colours and lights
These bees intoxicated having drunk the nectar of flowers
With all these around, what can I give you O sprightly surroundings
All I have is just a few tears and a few sighs
….
When I move, even my shadow does not give me company
When you move, the ground underneath and the sky above moves with you
When I stop, stops with me my evening of sadness
When you stop, the spring stops, the moonlit night stops
….
I am fed up of the tribulations of life
I might one day give a kick to this world without care
(Chorus from the audience: O Mister! Why are you singing this mourning tune on a happy occasion? Give us some joyous song.)
I am full of sorrow, how can I sing songs of joy
I can only give in return what I get from life
My heart’s wounds would one day burst out
Though I am at the moment suppressed by the sorrows of life
I declare today that I break all vestiges of hope
From today I would have no complaints against anyone
….
My sorrow increased so much that I drank out of nervousness
And I drank at the helplessness of my heart
The world has trampled over me for long
Today I drank after spurning the entire world
2. Kahin ek masoom nazuk si ladki by Rafi from Shankar Hussain (1977), lyrics Kamal Amrohi, music Khayyam
Rafi is the master of recital songs where he can create great impact without much musical support. A surprise package is this beautiful ‘song’ from the late 70s which was characterized by cacophony. While the stalwarts from the Golden Era fell by wayside, Khayyam was among the few who retained their quality and had a renewed successful career.
3. Tu dil ka khuda rooh ka kirdagaar by Mohammad Rafi (?) from Parda (1949), lyrics Tanveer Naqvi, music Sharmaji
From the late 70s, let me take you about three decades back when Khayyam had just debuted under the name Sharmaji with Parda. Tu dil ka khuda is more a recital than Pyasa’s mentioned above. But HFGK lists it as a ‘song’. Though the singer’s name is not given, Rafi’s voice is unmistakable. There is some confusion about the lyricist, the YT link mentions Swami Ramanand as the lyricist, but HFGK mentions Tanveer Naqvi.
4. Wo aaj apni mehfil mein aaye huye hain by Mohammad Rafi from Menhdi (1958), lyrics Kamil Rashid, music Ravi
One can write an entire post on Rafi’s recital songs. His peers stand nowhere in comparison. I can’t think of any matching female song either. Ravi created some of the greatest ghazals for Rafi. Here is a pure nazm recital done beautifully by Ajit in mushaira style with the admirer’s wah wahs and repeating the lines adding authenticity.
5. Mujhe le chalo aaj us phir gali mein by Rafi from Sharabi (1964), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Madan Mohan
There is a state of lost love when the lover wants to go over to the place where he lost it. Dev Anand has lip-synched many sad songs on the screen. Mujhe le chalo aaj phir us gali mein, jahan pahele pahle ye dil ladkhadaya/ Wo duniya wo meri mohabbat ki duniya, jahan se main betaabiyan le ke aya is charming because Rafi vocalizes Rajendra Krsihna’s beautiful poetry without much instrumental support.
6. Unhe qissa-e-gham jo likhne ko baithe to dekhe qalam ki rawaani mein aansoo by Rafi from Naya Kanoon (1965), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Madan Mohan
This one is even without the minimal musical support, as Bharat Bhushan has to recite his poetry before the editor for approval. This also has an excellent version by Asha Bhosle.
7. Raat yun dil mein teri khoi hui yaad aayi hai by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Jaanwar (1965), lyrics Faiz Ahmad ‘Faiz’, music Shankar-Jaikishan
When the lovers are floating in Dal lake in a shikara, they are more likely to recite a soft romantic ghazal to each other. Whoever thought of using Faiz’s poetry here, Shammi Kapoor and Rajshree do full justice to recite it in Rafi and Asha Bhosle’s voice. Incidentally, I find that HFGK lists it as one of the songs, along with well-known songs like Laal chaadi maidan khadi.
P.S.
I have since come across a translation by Vikram Seth of the above beautiful poetry of Faiz. Seth’s translation is as beautiful as Faiz’s lines. No surprise there, he is a great poet himself.
रात यूं दिल में तेरी खोई हुई याद आयी
जैसे वीराने में चुपके से बहार आ जाये
जैसे सहरों में हौले से चले बाद-ए-नसीम
जैसे बीमार को बेवजह क़रार आ जायेLast night your faded memory came to me
As in the wilderness spring comes quietly,
As, slowly, in the desert, moves the breeze
As, to a sick man, without cause, comes peace.
8. Khoobsoorat hai teri tarah shikayat teri by Mahendra Kapoor from Aasman Mahal (1965), lyrics Ali Sardar Zafri, music JP Kaushik
Moving away from Rafi, here is an excellent recital by Mahendra Kapoor, picturised on an unknown actor in a mushaira scene. It is clear he is inspired by Rafi’s style.
9. Kabira nirbhay Ram jape by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Kaajal (1965), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi, music Ravi
While Meena Kumari recites Kabir’s nirgun couplets to a dying Durga Khote, the scene cuts to a fast dance on a tawaif’s kotha. The strayed husband Raj Kumar is lying drunk with another tawaif – his ‘lover’ – sitting by him. Raj Kumar (Rafi) recites Sahir’s ghazal Mehfil mein teri yun hi rahe jashn-e-charagan in a slow and tired manner. The entire ‘song’ is composed and picturised as Asha Bholse’s Kabir recital alternating with fast dance by a tawaif, followed by Rafi’s recital of Sahir. The Rafi’s recital reminds us the tune of Ye zulf agar khul ke bikhar jaye to achha.
10. Teri mehfil mein sabhi kuchh hai magar pyaar nahi by Shankar Dasgupta from Aakash (1953), lyrics Prem Dhavan, music Anil Biswas
I remember Shikha Biswas Vohra writing in her guest article on her father Anil Biswas that whatever was done by a music director, Anilda had done it before. So true, because here is a recital song composed by the maestro which seems to be the clear precursor of the aforesaid Ravi-Madan Mohan-SD Burman’s songs in Rafi’s voice. Though the style is similar, Shankar Dasgupta’s limitations are obvious. Rafi took it to great heights where sky as the limit.
11. Sach kahte ho tum dil ka bharosa to nahi hai by Vijay Dutt (Mohammad Rafeeq?) from Shama (1961), lyrics Kaifi Azmi, music Ghulam Mohammad
This superb pure recital in a mushaira is courtesy Sudhir Kapur who wrote an excellent article on Atul Song A Day. He speculates that the hero Vijay Dutt has himself sung the ‘song’ live, playing the hero Parvez in the film. But a comment on the YT link mentions that Mohammad Rafeeq is the singer.
12. Hangama-e-gham se tang aakar izhaar-e masarrat kar baithe by Shakeel Badyuni from Pak Daaman (1957), lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Ghulam Mohammad
Why settle for a proxy when we can have a real shair reciting his nazm? This song too is courtesy Sudhir Kapur on ASAD. We can see the different approaches to love by two poets. While Sahir takes to alcohol in nervousness, Shakeel would rather Veerani-e-dil jab had se badhi, ghabra ke mohabbat kar baithe.
This ghazal has been sung by several singers. Here is a rendering by the ghazal queen Begum Akhtar.
13. Mushaiyra from Mirza Ghalib (1963), lyrics various poets, music Ghulam Mohammad
I end this post with this mushaira scene from Mirza Ghalib which the poet-king, the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah ‘Zafar’ presides. The greatest poets of the time, namely Zauq, Momin, Ghalib etc. recite their shayari. Ghalib would soon proclaim in a narcissistic manner that Hain aur bhi duniya mein sukhanwar bahut achche, kahte hain ki Ghalib ka hai andaaz-e-bayan aur.
{ 91 comments… read them below or add one }
First of all, let me wish you a very happy and prosperous new year.
And
what a post to start the year!
Absolutely wonderful and thought provoking!
It was a delight to go through the write up and the songs as well.
Many of the songs were a new intro to me. and I listened to some of them in a greedy way!
Congrats and thanks.
I was wondering if we include a song from Laal Qilla
Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon by Rafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8EvjC6uRz0
I don’t know if this is a recitation or not.
But You are the ultimate authority to decide.
🙂
Oh!
let me wish Happy New Year to all the SoYians.
To Jignesh ji, To ksbhatia ji
To Mumbaikar8 ji, To AM Vaishnav ji
To Ravindra Kelkar ji, Shalan Lalji, To Anuji & SSWji
and all others.
Anup
🙂
Anup,
Wishing a very Happy New Year to you too.
Thanks for your appreciation. Na kisi ki aankh ka noor hun is quite close. I had thought about it. But I got examples which were closer to recitation.
A very interesting theme and selection. I would like to recommend one song from the movie ‘Girl Friend’ (1960), lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi, composed by Hemanta Mukherjee, more popularly known as Hemanta Kumar, and soulfully rendered by Kishore Kumar and Sudha Malhotra: “Kashti ka khamosh safar hai”. Is it a dialogue, or story or just a song? It is also a reflection of how beautifully love was expressed those days.
Dear all,
Wishing one and all “A very happy new year 2018”.
To me ASAD and SOY are quite a solace in life. Many Thanks.
Do these fit the bill.?
1. Hamen aye dil kahin le chal
2. Kabhie kabhie mere dil mein
3. Woh subah kabhi to aayegi
Excellent theme, AK; and very well handled. A song that came immediately to my mind after listening to the first few was ‘Main yeh soch kar uske dar se utha tha’ from ‘Haqeeqat’.
We can also think of mixed songs – part recitation and part singing. An excellent example would be ‘Zara nazron se kah do ji’ from ‘Bees Saal Baad’:
https://youtu.be/eqts8urMO-g
Recent films have done quite well in this genre. Two of my favourites from ‘Raincoat’:
https://youtu.be/he-BhSRm7R4
https://youtu.be/ib4C1LLjwHA
This one will also qualify, I think. From ‘Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi’:
https://youtu.be/QNB4ah9r79M
NS Rajan,
Kashti ka khamosh safar hai is a very nice example. It is a very unconventional composition for a film song – which is mukhada and which is antara? In literature this continuum is even more prominent when a prose which also looks like prose is at times regarded as poetry.
Happy New Year, AK. What a nice way to start the year. I have two recitations, both by Amitabh – one from Kabhi Kabhi. which was a reworking of Sahir’s poetry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPKQ1tzsBWI
In the film, it comes just before one of the iterations of Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein…
The other, by Javed Akhtar in Silsila – Main aur meri tanhayi which alternates Amitabh’s recital with Lata’s singing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgaNBJ2pQOs
Not sure if either of them count, but… 🙂
Mahesh,
Thanks for your greetings. Among the three Wo subah kabhi to ayegi seems to fit the most, but as I said it is really a continuum.
Subodh,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Recitation interspersed between antaras is another interesting type. This is quite common in thumris, and qawwalis in which the singer often recites couplets in between rhythmic singing. In film songs too, that can be a separate category. I have mentioned earlier that Husnlal-Bhagatram has used this style in some Suraiya songs, such as in Likhnewale ne likh di meri taqdeer mein baebaadi. This song, too, breaks all conventions of mukhada and antara.
Piya tora kaisa abhiman is a very nice example of the theme.
Anu,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation, and, of course, Happy New Year. And while at this, I would like to share something interesting happening in our country, if you promise me that you are not going to hit the ceiling 🙂 . About a week back we were informed that 25 December was Mahan Tulsi Pujan Divas. Now we are getting greetings with a qualification that it is the Western New Year, but since we believe in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, we wish this Paashchatya occasion as well. So let me make amends, and wish you a belated Tulsi Pujan Divas, and the Western New Year.
Main aur meri tanhaai fits perfectly. A nice reverse example to what I discussed with Subodh. We usually have recitation interspersed within a song, this one is a unique song interspersed within recitation.
AK ,
Interesting subject and as is the norm with you, very well handled. A great start to 2018. I wish all the SOY family members a very happy and prosperous 2018. Personally, the Sharabi song is the best.
Ravindra Kelkar,
Thanks a lot for your compliments. Sharabi song indeed fits the theme like a T. Dev Anand has also acted very well.
AK,
Happy New Year
Brilliant beginning of the year!
Brilliant idea!
Brilliant write up!
Brilliant songs!
A+ in all four categories.
A perfect gift to me. Good Lyrics and Rafi और क्या चाहिए?
Parda song is new to me.
इस पे तो सात खून मॉफ 🙂
Thanks.
Regressing to my Aalap of old raga of praising Rafi
Such songs made maestros like K C Dey and SDB ( guru and gurubhai of Manna dey) say to him that some songs were for Rafi only.
This one from Heer Ranjha
Meri Duniya Mein Tum Aayi (Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar) – Heer Raanjha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm1Pp676gXs
Anup,
Thanks.
Wishing Happy and Prosperous to you and the whole SOY family
Anup,
Oops I missed New Year 🙂
Can we think of
Sare Mehfil jo jala from shama parwana?
By Rafi and suraiya
🙂
Mumbaikar8,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. If Your Highness is so pleased, even all the future खून should be माफ. I am just guarding that in spite of my best efforts I may be charged with murder. 🙂
Meri duniya mein tum is a perfect song for the theme.
Sare mehfil is a great song. Shammi Kapoor Part 1 is so unknown, but the songs were superb.
https://youtu.be/Ry9KD53CPoc
Anup, AK,
Thanks.
Beautiful song. For me Shama Parwana is HB’s best album.
One more,
I couldn’t find an isolated separate video of this.
Nargis presents her shayari ‘Unko Ye Shikayat’in college gathering.
It’s similar to guru datt’s recitation in pyaasa.
I mean the situation is the same.
There also she presents the shayari in Lata’ s voice without instruments.
It’s like a prose.
I was unable to locate video.
AK ji;
What a way to welcome a New Year !! . A 360 degree Panorama of Prose/ Recitation/Songs . A pleasant deviation from the normal loaded with lots of shikwa and shikait !! A Topnotch Masterpiece , really.
At first go here are few inputs . hope they fit the bill.
Tumse kahun ek baat…..Rafi….Dastak….MM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnWO8IOJZwY
Sadqay heer tujh pe….Rafi…Mera Naam Joker….SJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-wDvPGFFis
AK ji @10;
Recitation in between songs…..some example could be
Kisi ke dil mein rehna thaa….Lata , Shamshad….Babul ….Naushad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HvnbgHngLM
Husn waloan ko na dil do …..Talat….Babul……Naushad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5kJiT2R81w
AKji,
In this thumping start to the year you have dished out to us some fabulous shayari from HFM with a write-up to match! Listening to Shakeel followed by Begum Akhtar just made my day. With couple of exceptions, most of the examples above seem to follow the style of recitations in Urdu mushairas/Hindi kavi sammelans. The MadanMohan composition below from Heer Ranjha (Meri duniya mein tum aayi) appears to be in this tradition, but you be the judge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm1Pp676gXs
If one could interpret the theme broadly, perhaps rap songs from HFM such as those from Aashirwad (two songs by Ashok Kumar in the links below) and Mr. Prime Minister (Dev Anand) may qualify.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQkKK7nw1aU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUWLmC1r6aQ
Here is wishing the entire SoY family a very melodious 2018.
KS Bhatiaji,
Tumse kahun ek baat and Sadke Heer are very nice examples of the type.
Kisi ke dil mein rahna tha is too good. The recitation is alternatively in Shamshad Begum and Lata Mangeshkar’s voice for two ladies vying for the same man. Recitation interspersed in song or the other way round, such as Main aur meri tanhai opens another frontier. This is like my basic Twin songs being hugely expanded by the readers’ participation.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
Canasya,
When I wrote this the first thought that came to my mind was the mushaira/kavi sammelan from where this style draws inspiration. Some music directors made interesting use of recitation within the song, though this too has its source in duifferent traditions, such as thumri and qawwali. Rap is yet another nice genre. I had not thought about it, but it fits perfectly. Both the songs you have mentioned are very good.
Meri duniya mein tum aayi is a good song and it fits. It was already mentioned by Mumbaikar8.
#10 and #24,
Naushad has quite a few songs in this style. (I think most of his films in 50’s had at least one such song)
A few of them are
“Chale Dil Ki Duniya Barbaad Kar Ke”
“Phir Aah Dil Se Nikli, Shaayad Woh Ja Rahe Hain”
“Naseeb Dar Pe Tera Aazmane Aya Hon”
A fine new posting at the start of the new year augurs well for visitors of this blog. Wish you all a happy new year though I am a day late.
is mulk ko kohyi chu nahi saktha from the film “Ankehn” a riveting lyrics by Sahir and so well composed by Ravi and effortlessly sung by Rafi sahib. By the bye does this fit in to the context of the current posting?.
my comment #22 is missed by all.
Can anyone post the video.
I looked for it but couldn’t get one!
https://youtu.be/PbOqR4EeyUU
It’s a first ball sixer…came with a unique theme…never thought before, AKji.
Anupji thanks for greetings..a very happy new year to you and all the SoY members.
Oh
Thanks Maheshji
I didn’t search it thoroughly it seems.
Its the one I wanted to post!
Thanks
It fits?
Akji
Mahesh,
Naushad’s three songs you have mentioned come close, but not quite to my mind. Phir aah dil se nikli comes the closest. Thanks for posting Nargis’s recitation of Unko ye shikayat hai
R Vasudevan,
Thanks a lot for your good wishes. Is mulk ki sarhad ko is a perfect example, the recital part that is, of course.
Jignesh,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
AK ji ;
A. Poetic recitation for the audience ….
1. Mere Mehboob tujhe meri……Rafi……Mere Mehboob….Naushad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ3DwFWhQuE
2. Tere Pyar ka aasra……Lata, MK….Dhool Ka Phool…..N. Dutta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0CkUPwPHVM
B. Poetic recitation without audience…..
3. Aurat ne Janam diya mardoan ko…..Lata….Sadhana….N.Dutta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSAjnqg7OeE&t=2s
4. Main jab bhi akele hoti hun…..Asha …..Dharamputr….N.Dutta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6Mvsdh_M2I
5. Wo hans ke mile hum se…..Asha….Baharen Phir Bhi Ayengi….OPN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXdzHNX79Ds
AK ji;
Devdas…..Sadness….A feeling every person faces in life . An emotion which a person can have in various incidents in life . Words totally fail to express your feelings and your failures …..in love ….in exams….and in your achievements as well makes you more sad. No shoulder is around you to cry .
But…..There no such beauty as that which is found in MELANCHOLY.
Here is an example of ”Emotional Journey Of Life ”thru narrative charms . So sink your heart in the deepest oceans [ emotions ].
1. Mitwa Lagi re yeh kaisi……Talat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=218py1kN1AU
2. Kisko khabar thi…..Talat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPNkReneCl4
3. Manzil ki chaah mein……Rafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtcnkjlduDw
KS Bhatiaji,
Song ‘picturised’ as recitation, and the song being recitation per se are two different things. My post was about the latter. The former is a class by itself, and can be subject of another post, though now it has become redundant.
KS Bhatiaji,
Kisko khabar thi fits very well. The other two songs are also very close.
AK ji ;
A cross check for songs whether they qualify …
1. Babul Moraa Naihar……K L Saigal …..Street Singer….R C Boral
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8y_BdNm8u8
2. Do ghadi wo jo paas aa behthe…Lata , Rafi…Gateway of India..MM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm_tmr7cYQk
3. Hagama E Gham se tang aa kar….Lyrics and singer Shakeel Badayuni…..Paak Daman….Ghulam Mohd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMusYLalawg
AK,
This seems perfect:
Jin raaton mein neend udd jati hai (Muhammad Rafi)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1tdu8BDdMo
I would consider this, too would you?
TUM JO MIL GAYE HO TO YE LAGTA HAI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GYp_B2J_hI
KS Bhatiaji,
Hungama-e-gham se tang aakar I have included in my post at #12. This was a perfect example. Other two songs perhaps do not fit.
Jin raaton ki neend ud jaati hai no doubt. And it’s such a fabulous song, too.
AK ji ;
What about this one…
Pyar ko aaj nayi…..Manmohan Krishan…..Shehar aur Sapna…..J P Kaushik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2SDshgeF6k
KS Bhatiaji,
Perfect. It is interesting to discover that Manmohan Krishna sang so many songs.
The New Year opening could not have been more invigorating than this post.
Let me add:
Slow version of Saavan Ke Mahine Mein….
https://youtu.be/IbE4U2vLNHE
(trivia: I selected this clip, because we see Daisy Irani as a small “girl”. Possibly the only time, she did not act a kid boy!)
I had also thought of the mushayara version of Un Ko Ye Shikayat Hai, but then it is recited in a mushayara, so that may not fit.
https://youtu.be/PbOqR4EeyUU
Ashokji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. The slow version of Saawan ke mahine mein is very nice. The recitation of Unko ye shikayat hai by Nargis has been earlier mentioned by Anup and its link given by Mahesh.
AK ji; @ 44,
Yes; Manmohan krishan sang for OPN , SDB [ in Afsar ] , Anil Biswas [ in Aaram ] etc. He was equally at ease in singing comic and sad songs .
Two songs with narration /recitation spanning inbetween …..
Ye Jaane jigar Dil mein…..Mukesh….Aaram…..Anil Biswas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp38GCGFdaA
Lagi nahi chhuteja……Dilip Kumar, Lata ji….Musafir….Salil da
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J4Z_Jq_5WE
Just for records.
Meena kumari ‘s album……I write , I recite .
Tukde tukde din beeta…..Lyrics and voice ..Meena Kumari…Khayyam [MD]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krpi5E6yGR0
Reminded of ‘Ek tha gul aur ek thi bulbul’ by a snippet on TV yesterday:
https://youtu.be/kiWhG29JVlc
KS Bhatiaji,
Nice additions. Laagi naahi chhute – A question arises whether the aalaap in classical singing should be treated as recitation. Meena Kumari’s was, of course, meant and recorded as recitation.
https://youtu.be/yr4izp00DW0
Mukesh in Chhoti Chhoti Baatein. Nothing can be more “straight from the heart”. And I hope that this fits perfectly here.
I remember reading at a couple of places that Mukesh himself scored for this song but never took credit for it.
Mahesh,
More than perfect. 🙂
New theme for the New Year and it is very refreshing as well.
“American TV titled: ‘It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman’.”
I know a few shows in which there were audience participations needed. A few months back I had been to the States and was for a day on a “Children’s Camp” and they still played some musical games and similar mime games that mentioned in this post. The musical games always revive the memories of past musical games or the song makers or presenters, stars etc. They are good. Something like India’s “Anatakshari”. This show is very difficult to play using American, English or European songs because difficulties in deciding which letter can be taken as “Anatakshar”. For example in English, and the alphabets like “C” has many different sounded words e.g. “Cat” ”Certainly” while many sounds are silent and so on.
Indian alphabets are written as they are sounded.
The “write up” and the exposition of the theme of this post are very good and also the suggestion that “recitation” of the song or verses in some films and one particular film “Pyasa” is overwhelming.
So can there be a separate category for this kind of the use in the song or near around song?
Many readers of the post suggested many songs with “Recitation” in the mind, and praise to them for being very quick silver explosion.
I think there is a need to talk about “Recitation” and reading of the pomes and the work of prose etc.
Many prose writers have written in poetic style and persons like “Winston Churchill’s many speeches are lyrically and rhythmically well balanced and provocation as well. His famous speech “We will fight on the beaches, on the streets and never surrender.”
Recently Nobel Prize awarded singer songwriter Bob Dylan who wrote poems first and then turned them into his wailing voiced songs. His name Dylan comes from the British Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas who wrote poetry full of musical and lyrical worded with lilt. But his poetry was spoken and not sung out.
Many of soliloquies in many of the plays of Shakespeare are also musically measured lines.
So the “provocateur” AK, I think, expects a discussion on “poetry, Song, prose” and related points.
Can a prose piece like “What a piece of work is man? How noble in reason” How infinite in faculty!…….. etc. in Hamlet act II, scene II. be a song ? Is it a prose or song? Believe it or not in a play called “Hair” of 1966 on the Broadway New York without changing a word was put into music and song and then turned it into chorus. This play was done by some enthusiastic amateur theatre in Bombay as well.
Many of Shakespearean soliloquies were turned into Jazz songs by a Jazz singer Cleo Lain.
I used the word “provocateur” above which has been in fashion now-a-days in show business. This is much associated with a Stand-up Comedian called “Romesh Ranganathan”. His hour or two long live shows go houseful. He provocatively tells jokes and stories in such a way that all people enjoy them rather sadistically. His language is high Oxbridge. He used to call himself “Rangan” in early stage of his career. But his friends suggested that they could handle his full name so no need to use the short form.
Originally he is a Tamil from Sri Lanka”, but he was in England from school age. He recently joked about himself as “ a Coconut” that is brownish outside but white inside and his mother told him that he should go back to Sri Lanka as he is too white. So he went there along with his nagging mother and made six one hour films insulting all his relatives and cultural shocking experiences. But his shows became very famous in Sri Lanka and also in Britain. Then he went with his mother to North America and made another series of experiences in America. That became popular as well. In both his mother proved that she too had far superior comic sense than him and now BBC offered her to make six one hour shows taking his son along with her but the show will be centered on her. He claims he provokes the audience and that is his duty and power.
Shalan Lal
Shalan Lal,
You have really ‘provoked’ many new frontiers for discussion. I had limited myself to the very basic level of prose-recitation-songs. I studiedly used the word ‘recitation’, rather than ‘poetry’, because I realise one has to be a serious student of literature to discuss what constitutes poetry, and when prose ends and it becomes poetry.
It is an interesting coincidence that I recently read a long interview of the celebrated Hindi poet, Vinod Kumar Shukla, where he expresses his views on what is poetry. Shukla has an equally iconic place as a novelist and story writer. This is what he says:
कविता को कविता की तरह होना चाहिए. मेरा मतलब है कि कविता में कविता होनी चाहिए….कविता का ऐसा कोई रास्ता नहीं है, जो निश्चित हो चुका हो कि इस रास्ते पर चलने से कविता मिलेगी. जहां संवेदना है, सुख दुख है, मनुष्यता है या मनुष्यता ग़ैरहाज़िर है, जहाँ कुछ है और कुछ भी नहीं है, वहाँ भी कविता हो सकती है….कविता को जब आना होता है, कविता इस तरह से आती है कि हो जाती है. जब कविता को नहीं आना होता है, तो कितना भी, कितने प्रकार से भी उसके पीछे जाकर उसको पा लेना संभव नहीं होता..
(‘तद्भव’ अंक 35)
I quoted in original so that I do not lose anything in translation. For those who are not very comfortable in Hindi, what he seems to convey is that you can’t plan that today I am going to write poetry. It is out there, and if it happens the poet simply puts it down on paper. Nida Fazli said something similar:
यूं तो हर ग़ज़ल मुकम्मल होती है
क़लम से काग़ज़ पर उतरती है तो कुछ कमी रह जाती है.
In contrast, you can plan to write prose – OK, today I am going to write an article on the long-term impact of demonetisation on the economy.
I have to add the disclaimer that I am not a student of literature. I am just a lay reader.
Does ‘Chalo ek baar photos Se’ from gumraah qualify for this theme?
And also
‘Ya Dil Ki suno’from Anupama?
Anup,
You are putting me in a spot. As you can see it is a continuum, and unless a song is at one extreme, it is difficult to say when it is a recitation, and when a song.
By the way, both the songs are my great favourites.
AK ji ;
I wonder how come all the recital songs have almost same tune . Even in one of the Dev Anand ‘s famous song …….Teri zulfoan se ….is having the same prelude recital tune by Lata ji.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56P6Gwp0IO4
Ms. Shalan Lal , AK ji ;
Some time I wonder whether Poet writes better songs than the lyricists . One whole day I spent assessing the qualitative values of the songs written by poets and the next day i find them a little shaky on melody platforms . They [ the songs ] some time ended with various narrative forms with single beats or rhythm . Lyrics writers however takes liberties to substitute words to match the already existing melody and hence scores over the poets who tend to explain the same idea in a long written poem .
What a great post to start the new year. A very happy new year to SOY, AK and all the lovers of music who have made SOY such a wonderful experience. I have not been a very frequent visitor of late due to various reasons but hope to be less tardy in the months ahead.
If recitation of shayari can be considered a song-yet-not-a-song how about chanting of shlokas, etc.? Hemant Kumar was a master at this. Can ‘Jai Jagadish Hare’ from Ananda Math sung by Hemant Kumar and Geeta Dutt fall in this category?
KS Bhatiaji @58,
If you notice, all such recitations generally have long meter (beher). This lends itself better for reciting in tarannum. I guess that could be the reason for similarity in most such songs. Experts may comment.
@59,
If we go by what the poets say, poetry is a revelation at a higher plane. Writing lyrics and putting them to a tune is an exercise on a material plane. Asking a poet to write Poetry (lyrics) for a song to a pre-set tune is a contradiction in terms. What he would present, if at all he agrees to this constraint, would no longer be poetry.
Since the most popular form of Urdu poetry, i.e. ghazal, is bound by strict rules of radeef, kaafia and beher, Urdu poets have made a successful transition from literature to film lyrics, without any dent in their stature as a writer. (There is also a larger debate in Urdu literature whether ghazal deserves to be given the stature of ‘poetry’.) In contrast, the world of Hindi poetry is almost completely isolated from film lyrics. You would not find the names of Shailendra, Neeraj, Bharat Vyas etc. mentioned in any literary discussion on poetry.
Soumya,
Welcome back. Thanks a lot for your appreciation, and wishing you a very Happy New Year too. Subodh also once mentioned the magical quality of Hemant Kumar’s recitation of Sanskrit shlokas. Anandmath is, of course, the best known. But you might recall the recitation of the Geeta shook at the beginning of the serial Mahabharat, कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते, was by Hemant Kumar. Thereafter, Mahendra Kapoor starts his title song at a high pitch.
Hello everyone
I accidentally stumbled upon website and the page this evening and am already hooked to it, is least I can say:-)
It’s 3.15 am where I am and I am still reading what all you guys have written.
What gems of music and what gems of music lovers!!!!
I was reading the comments and realized almost all the songs which came to my mind were mentioned by one or the other…if this one isn’t yet then I would like to mention the recital version of kabhi kabhi mere dil me’ by amitabh bachchan
I m sure I will be coming here regularly.
Thanks
T Mohan
T Mohan,
Welcome to SoY and thanks a lot for your appreciation. Kabhi kabhi, the recital version fits here perfectly.
Bhatiaji @59 and AKji @61:
The discussion here reminds one of the recent debate on the literature Nobel to Bob Dylan. Some critics had pointed out that the standards with which poets were routinely judged by critics were seldom applied in the field of songs/lyrics. For instance, traditionally lyricists/song writers (including Dylan) have frequently borrowed freely from other sources (often without attribution), while even a whiff of lack of originality would be sufficient to ruin the career of a poet. (Here one is reminded of the many HFM songs based on folk songs and classical poetry/shayari credited to the lyricists). Others have pointed out that Dylan’s songs lose much of their charm without the music. These are not criticism of lyricists. These simply mean that songs and poetry are different genres. As Dylan himself said, ‘songs were meant to be sung, not read’.
As an aside, in Hindi there is a term called “Aashu Kavita” (‘instant’ poetry), which perhaps describes the demands of fitting words to a tune (under deadlines) better than poetry. ‘Aashu Kavita’ is useful. It had been the bread and butter for Kawwaals. And I have attended functions in which a local ‘Aashu Kavi’ would recite a poem composed in praise of the Chief Guest. But these are far cries from Sumitranandan Pant’s “Viyogi hoga pahla kavi, aah se nikala hoga gaan’.
AK @ 54 & KSB @ 59 and Canasya 65
AK @54
Both the quotations are divine and one can take them as the Poets are aware about the mysticism and Spiritualism behind the creativity. That is why some reach to become sacred as the Vedas, Upanishads, Granthasaheb, Tulsidas, Gyaneshvari ,Koran and Bible etc.
KSB, “If we go by what the poets say, poetry is a revelation at a higher plane. Writing lyrics and putting them to a tune is an exercise on a material plane” this AK’s brooding may come to near the answer you are looking for.
I would say that some creations of the “Hired lyricists for the “Made to Order” come near to the divine poetry occasionally. A lyricist needs to be a poet at the heart and also the skills of choosing right words and rhyming and rhythmicity in the creation.
The early film culture kept away very good poets of Hindi literature like Sumitranand Pant, Nirala, Hajariprasda Dwivedi, Mahdevi and so on.
However the lyrics of Kidar Sharma for the New Thatres were near around and Saigal and other singers of the New Theatres lifted up the lyrics to near poetry quality.
But still the discussion will ask the same question and people needing and needling have to think deep and work out what they like in their favorite song?
“Mai Pal Do Pal Ka Shair Hoon!” when Mukesh goes crooning on what he really wants? Immortality or the satisfaction of creation?
Discussion should go on
Shalan may come back again!
Canasya ….and other trios ;
I am in total agreement with you and Bob Dylan’s statement…..songs are meant to be sung , not read . Poets some time go beyond the measured length required and accordingly musicians are required to work hard for instrumentation and other sound effects . On the other hand, Lyrics writers are always there on the spot to deliberate with musicians regarding melody , rhythm , instrumental information vis a vis situation of the song ; thus fitting the construction of words in the pre designed tune / melody . One can feel silence and pause in a song and not in a poetry .
Shailendra and Hasrat were the two great lyricists who had a hand and glove fitments with Shankar Jaikishan . A swirl in my head occured when I heard …..Likhe jo khat tujhe …., an eight sliced mukhada , it was like eating a very big club sandwich with multi layered infills . Same happened when I heard ….dil ki kalam se …., I questioned myself whether poets really need to express in a long stanzas and make the listeners compulsively glued to guess what is in store ?
Amar rahe yeh pyar……was such a kind of movie which had a very long poem based songs . I had gone to see this movie of the early 60s after reading reviews in Sarita , a small hindi magazine of those times which rated this movie with 4 or 5 stars. the film had Rajinder Kumar and Meena Kumari as main leads. As said this movie had very lengthy song and poor C. Ramchander was at loss what to offer on musical front.
To me , a short meaningful lyrics that conveys the maximum are really the most likable and they rally touch your heart. But abstract lyrics are meaningless . They fit the loudest music which are harmful to every one’s ears . Good lyrics have short boundaries and songs easy on ears and easy to remember . Poetry based songs have long boundaries and one has to be attentive and fight with himself looking for its meaning .
A song as a narration/recitation …..
Dhande ki koi baat karo…..Navrang
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MexDIip2uao
Ksbhatiaji,
Last few days, I was struggling, to recall a poetry (song) that was recited as well as sung, today I watched your Navrang song (in bambaiyya language I would say) बत्ती जली.
This Navrang song Chitalkar recites the poetry and then Asha sings the same.
KAARI KAARI ANDHIYAARI RAATBY ASHA CHITALKER,M C RAMCHANDRA NAVRANG 1959
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nXnwWlQU3w
@mumbaikar 8,
Such a nice example according to me.
Thanks for this song.
And thanks all the contributors for the thought provoking discussion on this subject. Learnt about various aspects of poetry and recitation.
🙂
ksbhatia @ 67
I enjoyed your brooding about and that encouraged me to do my own brooding:
Some songs have recitations in between the songs and if this style comes from the Music Director or the Director of the film I wonder.
The song Nanda and Daisy Irani sing in Qaidi Number 911 has Daisy Irani reciting her pieces in the style of Bob Hope in the film “Son Of A Pale Face.. Here is a little snippet:
मीठी मीठी बातों से बचना ज़रा
Nanda in Lata’s voice:
mithi mithi baato se, mithi mithi
mithi mithi baato se, bachna zara
duniya ke logo mein hai, jaadu bhara
mithi mithi………
khub tej hai, ilam jise
koi chor bhi le na sake
khub tej hai, ilam jise
koi chor bhi le na sake
bhar le khazana, tera zamana
jag mein rahega, tera naam sada
Daisy Irani probably in her own voice:
mehnat se din raat padhunga
pahla number pass karunga, shabash
There are recitations at the beginning and at the end of the films as well. For example the beginning of the Filmistan’s Anarakali in Hemanta Kumar’s Voice and the end of the film “Phir Subah Hogi” using the duet words in duet by RK and Mala Sinha and also in “Babul” of Dilip Kumar and Nargis while a mystic horse rider in the Arabian garb flying away. The film story is supposed to be of the Hindu characters..
Some Indian films contain poems of well-known poets also.
Shantaram used Longfellow’s well known poem “Psalm of life” in Shanta Apte’s voice: “In the world’s broadfield battle” in the film “Duniya Naa Maane”And a few years ago in a recent film Tagore’s whole poem was used not in the style of Tagore. I forgot the name of the film.
So it all depends what to use in the film by the director of the film and the music director may follow it. Shantaram’s “Jhanak (2) Paayal Baaje” has many recitations followed by songs and dances. This film has Music by Vasant Desai.
Many times “Urdu Mushaira” is more used than the “Hindi Kavi Samelan style” for the recitation aspect.
In some duets of C.Ramcahndra creates his own comic prose voice.
But I like “Kaka Hathrasi” style more. I think Johnny Walker’s style of talking or singing comes from Kaka’s manipulated voice.
Whatever they have done looking back the SoY with interest is very pleasant.
Shalan
Shalan Lal ji @66 and Bhatiaji@67:
There can be little disagreement with what you have said. SDB, who worked with several lyricists, had once told Raju Bharthan that he rated Sailendra the highest primarily because, despite his (SDB’s) limited knowledge of Hindi, he could understand what Shailendra wrote! Still, Dada did legendary work with Shahir Neeraj, Majrooh, Anand Baxi, and everybody else.
The Prem Pujari song that Bhatiaji cites has one of the most memorable lines in all of HFM: “Saason ki sargam, dhadkan ki veena, sapnon ki geetanjali tu …”. Like AKji, I too believe in the primacy of MD’s contribution over lyricist’s in HFM. But I do recall that after seeing Nayi Umar ki nayi fasal (‘Aaj ki raat’, ‘Sapan jhare phool se’, ‘Dekhati hi raho tum na darpan’, and ‘Thi shubh suhag ki raat’) and Cha Cha Cha (‘Subaha naa aayi’, and ‘Woh hum na the’) I considered Neeraj the hero of these movies as the lyrics were the single most enduring takeaways (full credit to Roshan and Iqbal Qureshi for letting the poetry shine).
And Neeraj had no monopoly over long stanzas. Majrooh (for SDB) wrote “Jab talak naa yeh tere ras se bhare hoothon se mile …” (Sujata) and “Palakon ke peeche se kya tumne kah daala phir se to farmana” (Talaash). At the other end the same team also produced songs with jingle like simplicity “Hai apna dil to awara” (Solva saal). We need the variety and we love it.
Thanks for the Navrang’s songs posted by Bhatiaji and Mumbaikar8 ji. Navrang was closer to a musical opera with a mesmerizing score by C Ramachandra. In camparison, Bharat Vyas’s lyrics seem to dominate Stree (again, high marks to C Ramchandra for a score that does not overwhelm the words). Shakunthala could not have been singing ‘Bedardi baalmaa’. She had to sing ‘Nirdayi preetam’!
Canasya,
You have given some excellent examples where the lyrics are more important than the music. But one essential prerequisite is that the music has to be unobtrusive. It is true of Aaj ki raat badi shokh badi natkhat hai. Even with the minimal music, Roshan creates magic with flute in the interludes. You have mentioned Nirdayi preetam. Aaj madhuvatas dole is even more elegant.
Very nice topic AK. This song has both recitation and singing and is a really lovely composition. Ismail Darbar created some memorable tunes for SLB.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYGgAHo186s
SSW,
Thanks. For Kaahe chhed chhed mohe a large part of credit should also go to Pt. Birju Maharaj.
Ms. Mumbaikar8 ;
Kari kari …..song from Navrang is too good an example of recitation-song combo . Good that you and canasya liked the…..dhande ki koi baat karo…from Navrang .
There is one very old song by Hemant Kumar which could fall in the lines of …… Dhande ki koi baat karo…as a narrative/poetic song .
Dil se hain Shezade hum….[ khali pocket rakhte hain , per foto geeta bali ki ]…..Hemant….Lalten [1956]…..HK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHrFbGGHDww
SSW ;
Kahe chhed chhed mohe……is a beautiful picturised and lovely song . A perfect example that fits well in the theme .
I was just going through the above comments and all of a sudden it struck me that from ancient to modern writers the poets in India really do not make a difference between Poetry and Song. See the title “Bhavad Gita”. Did Vyaas Maharaj mean his work to be read or sung? Or both?
Followed by Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali”! Is it for reading or singing? With Tagore he probably meant he sang and other should listen. But his Nobel was given for the Poetry, perhaps first Nobel for the poetry alone. Kipling got his Nobel before him but it was not just for poetry or songs nor for his “Just so Stories” but for literature.
Now Dylan’s Nobel is a bit confusing. It was for his singing of the songs and poetry. Not just for poetry.
In English the word “Sonnet” means a song and not much poetry. The word comes from the old Italian language.
When at the Great Darbar Sarojini Naidu gave the copy of her poems to the Queen Empress who said to Sarojini Naidu “Thank you very much for your “Sonnets” while her book contained very few sonnets.
Confused? We all should be. It is better to take the cover of AK’s position in his comment @54 …”because I realise one has to be a serious student of literature to discuss what constitutes poetry, and when prose ends and it becomes poetry.”
Shalan Lal
AK ji
I am one of the follower of your posts. What about this from the movie Kinara…
https://youtu.be/9xsiYMX24LY
AK ji;
A duet song , again from Sahir / SDB combo . Except for the aalap , I think more than 50% of it qualifies as narrative/ recitation . Submitted here with for every ones view.
Aankh jhuka ke baithane wale….Kishore , Asha….Funtoosh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIki4BLpSms
AK ji;
What about this one from Aarth .
Koi yeh kaise bata de…..Jagjit singh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UByuXScv3CA
Welcome to SoY again and thanks for this beautiful song, Ek hi khab kai baar dekha maine. Fits perfectly with the theme. But I am intrigued about the singer. His voice seems to be too thick for Bhupendra, who is ideal for such songs.
KS Bhatiaji,
The prelude recital to Wo dekhen to unki inayat is very interesting and fits with this post. Koi ye kaise bata de obviously fits to a T.
https://youtu.be/aNcI6VPMUu8
Is this discussed ?
Mahesh,
My post was about songs which were mainly recitation. But if we include songs which have a long recitation in prelude, Ayega aanewala fits in very well.
Do the following 2 RD Burman songs befit in the theme , as they sound as prose transformed into song ???
” Mera kuchh samana tumhare pass pada hai ” of ‘ Ijazat ‘
Nd
” Ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga ” of ‘ 1942 a love story ‘.
Mera kuchh saamaan tumhare pass pada hai fits better.
AK G , would the following song go with the theme
” Duniya bananewale kya tere mann mein samayi , kaheko duniya banayi ”
Teesri kasam / Mukesh / Hasrat Jaipuri / SJ
Mr Godbole,
I don’t see how it can fit in the theme. Please explain.
In the song , Hiraman ( Raj Kapoor ) is telling the story of Mahuaa Ghatwaran to Heerabai ( Wahida Rehman ).
Before he starts singing the song , he tells that the ghat belonged to Mahuaa , then comes the “mukhada” of the song ” Duniya Bananewale -”
In the first interlude , he stops singing nd continues the story telling about the beauty of Mahuaa , then the first antara comes ” Kahe banaye tune mati ke putle — ”
In second interlude , again he developes the story , the sorrows of Mahuaa’s life , he says “Mann samajhati hain na aap “.
Then second antara , ” Tu bhi to tadpa hoga mann ko banakar —”
In third interlude , he tells about the failed love-story of Mahuaa nd sings ,” Preet banake tune jeena sikhaya — — — ”
Thus , the song is a combo of prose as well as song .That’s why I thought if it befits the theme.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTkb5myMUes
Mr Godbole,
I guessed it as much. However, I have covered such songs in another specific post Songs that tell a story in which I have incidentally included this song at #13.
oh.ok.thnx for the reply.