Compilation: Film Favourites of the Fifties (1962)

The 1950's were a time when the Hindi film industry was in full bloom. It was a golden age for filmi music but sadly this record only showcases a fragment of the classics of this period. Personally, the songs on this vinyl this would not make my top picks (not because they're not good, I just think some are better), but it is still well rounded with a good variety of noted composers and playback singers. For the most part, the songs are based on folk (Naushad usually derives from Rajasthani folk and O. P. Nayyar from Punjabi) so you won't find any songs falling under the categories of classical or "westernised".


Two songs I was glad to see "made the cut" were "Bol Ro Kath Putli" from Kath Putli and "Chali Radherani" from Parineeta because they are rarest of the bunch to find on vinyl.

My favourite songs are all the ones on Side 2, in addition to Talat Mahmood's male version of "Ai Mere Dil" from the classic Daag. I like the song from Mother India but I prefer other tunes from the film. In all, it's a good record.

Something I found weird was the Aan song. It's not the same in the video as on this record.

Lyrics

Aa Ha Ha...

Aaj Mere Man Me Sakhi Basuri Bajaye Koi*

Aaj Mere Man Me*

Aaj Mere Man Me Sakhi Basuri Bajaye Koi

Pyar Bare Geet Sakhi Baar Baar Gaye Koi

Basuri Bajaye*

Basuri Bajaye Sakhi Gaye .....

* missing from this record (not film version, either cut or variation)

Here is the video version:

Mini Challenge

Hey, if you could make film favourites from the 50's, which songs would you absolutely have to put on the record? Tell me some or all of them? I will try and figure out my top picks as well (its hard for me there are so many). Anyway, can't wait to hear from you, and I hope you enjoy!

Tracks:

Side 1

1. S. N. Tripathi - Janam Janam Ke Fere: Zara Samne To Aa O: Lata Mangeshkar & Mohd. Rafi
2. Shankar Jaikishan - Daag: Ai Mere Dil: Talat Mahmood
3. S. D. Burman - Pyaasa: Jane Woh Kaise Log: Hemant Kumar
4. Naushad- Mother India: O! Mere Lal Aaja: Lata Mangeshkar
5. C. Ramchandra - Nastik: Kitna Badal Gaya: Pradeep
6. Arun Kumar Mukherjee - Parineeta: Chali Radherani: Manna Dey


Side 2

7. O. P. Nayyar - Naya Daur: Reshmi Salwar Kurta: Asha Bhosle & Shamshad Begum
8. Naushad - Aan: Aaj Mere Man Men: Lata Mangheskar & Chorus
9. O. P. Nayyar - Phagun: Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le: Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi
10. Shankar Jaikishan - Kath Putli: Bol Ro Kath Putli: Lata Mangeshkar
11. O. P. Nayyar - C. I. D.: Leke Pahla Pahla Pyar: Shamshad Begum & Mohd. Rafi
12. Shankar Jaikishan - Ujala: Ya Allah Ya Allah: Lata Mangeshkar & Manna Dey

Stella_1's score: 3.5/5

Get the music now: Compilation Film Favorites from the Fifties

Naushad: Dard (1947/1977)

Here is a classic Naushad score. Dard is a totally female album. It is one of many albums by Naushad, released prior and in the early 50's, which follows the trend of being in majority female. One factor for this could possibly be that film heroines in the 40's would be more important than their male counterparts, thus having more importance in the film and story. But this would only be one of many factors explaining this tendency.

The "female voices" on Dard might be unknown to some of you, but they were immensely popular at the time and still are to the few who can appreciate the early singers and musicians of Hindi cinema (I hope that you are one of these people or are yet to become one soon). And except for Shamshad Begum whom I love (yet she does not standout on this record), for those of you who have no clue who the other two playback singers are, I will get you acquainted.

Suraiya, the actress and playback singer, was associated to Dev Anand with whom she had a love affair. The peek of her career was from 1947 to 1950. She reigned in this period, for the most part, because she filled the void of the earlier queen Noor Jehan who in 1947 left for Pakistan during Partition. Suraiya's short stay at the top was also due to the arrival of India's very own nightingale, Lata Mangeshkar, as her first big hit "Aayega Aanewala" from Mahal (1949) changed the whole meaning of playback singing. You could not just be good, you had to be great. But Suraiya is not merely the one who filled the gap in between these two legends. For me, she is a simple beauty that evoked rawness and realism with her voice and expressions. I see Lata as a perfect queen and Suraiya as a modest artist. Later she still worked, mostly as an actress, but she still sang for other and herself. She was not a trained singer but she will always be remembered as one of the last popular singing actresses.

Who is this Umadevi (Uma Devi)? Voh Kaun Hai? Well, perhaps Tun Tun might ring more of a bell. We might know her more for her comedic or secondary roles in later films but in the beginning of her career she aspired to be a singer, even threatening to kill herself if Naushad did not give her chance. He did, and she ended up with the hit of the film and one of the best songs "Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon".

"Chale Dil Ki Duniya" was my favorite from the start. Other tracks to listen to are "Beech Bhanwar", Ham Dard Ka Afsana.

Overall, I enjoyed it more and more every time I listened to it. It took me a while but I gave it a chance and it grew on me. Hope it does the same with you!

Tracks

Side 1

1. Suraiya: Beech Bhanwar

2. Umadevi: Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon

3. Shamshad Begum & Chorus: Ham Dard Ka Afsana

4. Suraiya: Ham The Tumhare Tum The Hamare

5. Umadevi: Aaj Machi Hai Dhoom

Side 2

6. Suraiya: Chale Dil Ki Duniya

7. Umadevi: Yeh Kaun Chala

8. Suraiya & Umadevi: Betab Hai Dil

9. Shamshad Begum: Yeh Afsana Nahin Zalim

10. Suraiya: Dil Dhadke

Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Stella_1's score: 3.5/5

Get the music now: Naushad Dard