Laxmikant Pyarelal: Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli (1970/1971)

This is a great soundtrack and, in my opinion, one of Laximikant and Pyarelal's best. Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli is a bit on the experimental side, but most of the songs are based on very simple melodies. The main character of the film is a young woman with a passion for the arts, more precisely song and dance. So this album suits the film well in the sense that the music must be very theatrical and grandiose (two defining features of later films by V. Shantaram) to be incorporated with dance. Most songs have long instrumental intros, breaks or outros that create strong emotional and atmospheric moods.

One of the most famous tracks is "Taron Men Sajke Apne Suraj Se" inspired by this famous song (I would be surprised if you have never heard it before, but I posted the link anyway) from the classic spaghetti western, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). Original music by the famous composer Ennio Morricone.

Also the title track "Jal Bin Machhli" is also well known. In the video the heroine dances and tries to imitate a gold fish out of water. There is also a new remix version (2005) by Akriti.

"Baat Hai Ek Boond Si Dil Ke Pyale Men" brings back memories from an obscure Disney film from 1985, called Return to Oz. I don't know if it's the fact that in this film similar music, by David Shire, is used to create a very creepy setting or atmosphere. It is present in a scene when Dorthy, once in Oz, meets a princess who collects the heads of many young women to use as her own. Return to Oz Clip (You hear the music at around 2:40 into the clip and the section I am referring to in the Jal Bin Machhli song is an instrumental bit starting at 50 sec). I would also like to mention that this comparison is totally unimportant to this post and that it is only a personal connection that I made.

So continuing, the best example of theatrical music on this record is a song I enjoy, "O Mitwa Yeh Duniya To Kya Hai". The last instrumental part gets quite "groovy" for the time. The clip has such great interpretive dancing.

For the rest of the album, the other songs do not impress me as much, but are also good.

I posted the original cover of the Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli vinyl which I find amazingly bizarre and psychedelic. I love it!

Tracks

Side 1

1. Lata Mangeshkar: Jal Bin Machhli

2. Lata Mangeshkar & Mukesh: Baat Hai Ek Boond Si Dil Ke Pyale Men

3. Lata Mangeshkar: Karja Laga Ke Bindiya Saja Ke

4. Lata Mangeshkar: Jo Main Chali Phir Na Miloongi

Side 2

5. Mukesh: Taron Men Sajke Apne Suraj Se

6. Lata Mangeshkar: O Mitwa Yeh Duniya To Kya Hai

7. Lata Mangeshkar & Mukesh: Jhoomke Gaye Dil

Lyrics: Majrooh

Stella_1's score: 4/5

Get the music now: Laxmikant Pyarelal Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli

Laxmikant Pyarelal: Bobby and, Shankar Jaikishan: Mera Naam Joker (Instrumental)

This record is nothing like the Soul of Bobby (Soooo good! You can get a sample at Eastern Eye), this record is more of a cocktail or diner reception kind of thing going on, but at times it's a little funky. I enjoy it but it's nothing mind blowing. (Wait, I never say "mind blowing", it must be from all the Hindi movies I have been watching.)

The record is accredited to two music assistants. The first is Sumit Mitra a musician for Laxmikant Pyarelal's Bobby. The second is Arun Paudwal for Mera Naam Joker, a music assistant as well as a composer for Marathi and Hindi films. He was married to the well know playback singer Anuradha Paudwal.

Just to add, I enjoy the Bobby songs more, well simply because the Bobby songs are better. What do you think? Are you a Mera Naam Joker fan? Tell me about it!

Tracks:

Side 1
1. Bobby: Main Shair To Nahin
2. Bobby: Mujhe Kuch Kahena Hai
3. Mera Naam Joker: Kehta Hai Joker
4. Mera Naam Joker: Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan


Side 2
5. Bobby: Chabi Kho Jae
6. Bobby: Na Mangu Sona Chandi
7. Mera Naam Joker: Jane Kahan Gaye Woh Din




Bobby: Sumit Mitra
Mera Naam Joker: Arun Paudwal



Stella_1's score: 3/5



Get the music now: Shankar Jaikishan & Laxmikant Pyarelal Bobby & MNJ (Instrumental)

Laxmikant Pyarelal: Humjoli (1970)

I picked this album next because I just watched Om Shanti Om (Main Hoon Na was better) . The "Dhoom Tana" sequence had a few references to Humjoli. Obviously when Sharukh Khan is playing badminton is refers to "Dhal Gaya Din". But there is also the costume that Deepika Padukone wears in the sequence that is inspired by Mumtaz in the "Tik Tik Tik Mera Dil" song. OK, enough about that, let's talk about the songs of Humjoli.

The music is very integrated into the movie. Like the first song uses the sounds that the girls shout, from each team, when they are playing a game. The song is even called "Hu Tu Tu Tu". Also in "Dhal Gaya Din" the sound of the bird (badminthon ball) hitting the racket is integrated in the song. In "Chai Shuru Hoja" the sound of the caracters hitting the other men is present in teh music.

If "Tik Tik Tik Mera Dil" is supposed to be the vamp song, this is the most innocent one I have ever heard. It's ok, it has like a 5 seconds wacky instrumental break. I can give it that.


"Yeh Kaisa Aya Zamana" is an annoying song at first because you have no idea what is going on, but once you know that there are 3 parts to the song you get it. The first is the older generation, the second music from the 50's and then last is the coolest and newest music.

My favorite on the album is "Haye Re Haye"

I liked the soundtrack, but from a light and fun point of view. It's not meant to be good music, it's simply music to entertain, basically it's bubble gum. Humjoli is Bollywood's version of 60's teen movies.




Tracks:

Side1
1. Asha Bhosle, Kamal Barot & Chorus: Hu Tu Tu Tu
2. Mohd. Rafi & Lata Mangeshkar: Haye Re Haye
3. Mohd. Rafi & Asha Bhosle: Dhal Gaya Din


Side 2
4. Mohd. Rafi & Lata Mangeshkar: Tik Tik Tik Mera Dil
5. Mukesh, Kishore Kumar & Mehmod: Ye Kaisa Aya Zamana
6. Mohd. Rafi & Kishore Kumar: Chai Shuru Hoja


Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

Stella_1's score: 3/5

Get the music now: Laxmikant Pyarelal Humjoli

Laxmikant Pyarelal: Bobby (1973) ep

Tracks:

Side 1
1. Shailendra Singh: Main Shair To Nahin
2. Chanchal: Bashak Mandir Masjid Todo

Side 2
3. Lata Mangeshkar & Shailendra Singh: Chabi Kho Jae
4. Lata Mangeshkar: Ankhiyon Ko Rahne De

Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

For music and more, see Bobby

Laxmikant Pyarelal: Bobby (1973)

Bobby ,this is an example of a soundtrack that is better than the movie (there is some bad acting, but that seems to be a must in Bollywood). I know Bobby was a hit, but I think it was in most part because of the songs, the Laxmikant Pyarelal team really came to it's rescue. Bobby is a really fun soundtrack , it's light, and just makes you dance. This is the first 70's album I ever heard, it's not very experimental like Rahul Dev Burman's famous soundtracks, but it does have it's own charm, even if it's a little cheesy.

The movie is most known for "Main Shair To Nahin", it's a good track, but as you have all surely noticed I like songs that are upbeat, like"Jhoot Bole Kauva Kate", witch is the second part of a duo of a first part mexican styled song called, "Na Mangun Sona Chandi" that I don't really like. After there is "Mujhe Kuchh Kahna Hai" (tum tum TUM...!), it is a bit slower but is a fun track, I like it. "Chabi Kho Jae" (If you watch the video: one pieces rock!,....Cough!)

"Beshark Mandir Masjid Todo" is like a track from a completely different movie, with Chandal's unique voice, it's interesting. As is "Ae Phansa", a groovy track a little reminiscent of the 60's, I really like the instrumental bits.

There is a cool track, here , but I think it's only available on a special Bobby Lp, if anyone has it, I would like to know the name of that song. Thanks













Here are an 7'' and a cassette for Bobby as well.

Tracks :

Side 1
1. Shailendra Singh: Main Shair To Nahin
2. Lata Mangeshkar & Shailendra Singh : Mujhe Kuchh Kahna Hai
3. Chandal: Beshark Mandir Masjid Todo
4. Lata Mangeshkar & Shailendra Singh: Chabi Kho Jae

Side 2
5. Manna Dey, Shailendra Singh & Chorus: Na Mangun Sona Chandi
6. Lata Mangeshkar & Shailendra Singh: Jhoot Bole Kauva Kate
7. Lata Mangeshkar: Ankhiyon Ko Rahne De
8. Lata Mangeshkar: Ae Phansa

Lyrics: Anand Bakshi & Vithal Bhai Patel

Stella_1's Score : 4/5

Get the music Now : Laxmikant Pyarelal | Bobby