Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Re: My ten favorite Helen songs

Thanks so much Memsaab for doing such a very good job with your wonderful post My ten favorite Helen songs. From Memsaab's list I especially like the Upasna and Apradh songs ( it' so bad most people don't even know that the second (Helen song from Apradh) is where the Black Eyed Peas took there inspiration (or copied) for the song "Don't Funk with My Heart", plus the intro to 'Don't Funk with my heart" is the beginning of "Yeh Mera Dil" from Don 1978). Anyway, thanks for those. But after seeing it I wanted more. There are so many more delightful songs from Helen of Bombay that I could not resist. I just had to post them.



My choices where made according to the music, the visuals and the Helenness (which I prefer with the kitsch turned a little bit down).


Here are my picks.


10. Jewel Thief (1967)
Good music by S. D. Burman. I want those tights!!!





9. Sachchai (1969)
Helen and a blue haired Shammi Kapoor.





8. Pagla Kahin Ka (1970)
Appearance by K. N. Singh (bad guy in Awaara).





7. Who Kaun Thi (1964)
Love the 60's look.





6. Don (1978)
A classic, I love this song. Asha Bhosle and Helen together equals magic.






5. Geeta Mera Naam (1974)
Again great music, also Helen dancing with a fat man in a skin-tight one piece suit. What more do you want?






4. Talash (1969)
Helen at her cabaret best.





3. Hulchul (1971)
This is simply a great musical story with Helen telling us to all get along, OR ELSE! BOOM! And I would not contradict miss Helen.





2. Caravan (1971)
Oh Monica? My Darling! Classic.





1. Anamika (1973)
This is my favorite because the music (R. D. Burman) and the little story mix so well, you just want more.





Also, I drew this picture of Helen a while ago, and I forgot it was from which movie. Does any one know? Thanks

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

FABulous list Stella! I have never seen the one from Pagla Kahin Ka :) I have a bunch of Shammi VCDs coming from India soon and this film is one of them. What a great song! If I'd done a top 20 instead of top 10 some of these would have been there (Talash, Hulchul and Jewel Thief)...so many great hours of entertainment she's given us!!!

Anonymous said...

Great list Stella. I love the Caravan number but dont recall seeing several of the others especially the one from Woh Kaun Thi. The lady is a mine of song-n-dance posts. :-)

Somebody should do a post on the various periods of Helen (B/W, kitsch and grandmotherly) and the different genres she tried - courtesan, cabaret, "good girl", etc.!

Anonymous said...

Love this! This reminded me of something sort of funny:
"Don't Funk with my heart" is the beginning of "Yeh Mera Dil" from Don 1978)." I was at a party last year along with another non-desi Bollywood fan, and the beginning of "Yeh Mera Dil," or so we thought, started to play. Of course it HAD to be that song, since the hosts of the party were desi by way of Dubai, hai na? So we squealed in excitement for just a moment, until the song morphed into "Don't Funk with my heart" before our ears. :(
All the best,
Sita-ji

p.s. I have been looking for Geeta Mere Naam and can't find a copy. Consistently on back order from Nehaflix. Any suggestions?

PC said...

Somebody HAS to put together a DVD (box-set!) compilation of Helen clips at some point!

Yay for no. 1 :-)

PC x

Shweta Mehrotra Gahlawat said...

Brilliant list- though I'd request the addition of "O Haseena" from teesri Manzil, with her dancing in front of that huge eye :D

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