S. D. Burman: Taxi Driver (1954/1977) Pakistan

Ok, ok. I actually enjoyed the Taxi Driver soundtrack more than Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. And I have to admit that I am finding some S. D. Burman songs which I enjoy very much (hey, don't even think about it...this doesn't mean that I am a S. D. Burman Fan). I have still to find an entire "Dada" album that impresses me. To date, this is the closest, if you don't count Aradhana (composed by S. D. Burman/R. D. Burman). And bizarrely enough S. D. Burman won the Filmfare Award for best music director in 1955 for the song "Jahen To Jahen Kahan" and not for the entire album. Actually, the first two years the award was given, it was awarded for a song not an album (Naushad won it in 1954 for "To Gauga Ki Mauj" from Baiju Bawra).

I agree with Filmfare on this one, I very much enjoy Talat Mahmood's version of "Jahen To Jahen Kahan". I usually associate Mahmood with Dilip Kumar, and Dev Anand with the equally talented Hemant Kumar (aka Hemanta Mukherjee), but this combo does just fine in the picturization of this lovely tune. Lata also takes a stab at the same song but I it's left emotionless next to Talat Mahmood's version.

I also admire "Dil Jale To Jale", an "almost vamp song" for Lataji with its catchy and fine swaying melody. Do like the two little gore playing instruments in the band (I just had to post pics...).

The duet "Dekho Mane Nahin Roothi Haseena" is good and playful. Yet I still don't know exactly who the male playback singer Jagmohan is? My closest guesses are either Jagmohan Bakshi a music composer, associated with Sapan Sengupta for the Sapan & Jagmohan team, or Jaganmoy Mitra the Bengali singer.

Also worth a listen is "Ae Zindigi Aaj Raat Jhoom Le". But I would have liked it if the intro to the song (shown in the link) would have been on the record. To bad.

Overall, this album is worth a listen, and I hope you appreciate it more than I do.

Tracks

Side 1

1. Asha Bhosle: Jeene Do Oji O

2. Lata Mangeshkar: Jaen To Jaen Kahan
3. Asha Bhosle & Jagmohan: Dekho Mane Nahi Roothi Haseena

4. Lata Mangheshkar: Ae Zindigi Aaj Raat Jhoom Le

Side 2

5. Kishore Kumar: Chache Koi Khush Ho Chahe Galiyan Hazar De

6. Talat Mahmood: Jaen To Jaen Kahan

7. Lata Mangeshkar: Dil Se Milake Dil Pyar Kijiye

8. Lata Mangeshkar: Dil Jale To Jale

Lyrics: Sahir

Stella_1's score: 3.5

Get the music Now: S. D. Burman Taxi Driver

Madan Mohan: Madhosh (1951/1982)

Madan Mohan's Madhosh really surprised me. The cover seemed so dull, so I didn't listen to it entirely until a few weeks ago when I just let it play. Wow, it really is good. But most of all, it's different. The only other music of Mohan's that I have heard and loved is the soundtrack to Veer-Zaara (2004) which took old songs of his and updated them for modern viewers.

The most popular and what has to be my favorite song of Madhosh is the only male track ''Meri Yaad Men Tum Na Aansoo Bahana'' sung by the great Talat Mahmood.

I enjoy all the tracks except for the last two which I find plain and unnecessary (depending on the context the tracks are probably necessary for narrative structure of the movie, but since I haven't seen it, so when I say unnecessary it means too the record as a musical whole).

Anyway, the first track ''Hamen Ho Gaya Tumse'' is very nice. It is a song that is at the time modern but still has a very prominent 40's sound. The slithering and sinister clarinet mixed with Lata's vocals make it delightful to listen to.

Also enjoyable are the Dil Dhak Dhak-1 and 2. They are a mix of tribal back vocals and sweet principles voices. The contrast is greater for Dil Dhak Dhak-2 when Lata Mangeshkar is the main singer. The instuments also clash with a mix on indian and western instuments. At the end, during the solo instumental part of Dil Dhak Dhak-2, it reminds me of the title music from Detective by Mukul Roy (Geeta Dutt's brother). Link to Music from the third floor's review and music.



Two lovely songs are ''Meri Dil Ki Nagariya Men'' and ''Chhode Mujhe Na Ja''. They are both calm and melancholic, I especially like the echo effect in the second one.



''Pagadi Pahenke Turredar'' is ok, but you know me I love Shamshad so much, but sadly I was disappointed. Mohan did not use her to her full potential.




Just to point out, the record has some of the best playback singers like Shamshad, Mahmood and also Lata (at her prime in the 50's, I think anyway). But for the third track ''Dil Dhak Dhak-1''I have one question, who is this Miss Chand? I haven't heard of her before and I can't find any info. If anyone knows about this fine singer, let me know.



Tell me what you think!



Tracks:


Side 1

1. Lata Mangeshkar: Hamen Ho Gaya Tumse
2. Talat Mahmood: Meri Yaad Men Tum Na Aansoo Bahana
3. Miss Chand & Chorus: Dil Dhak Dhak-1
4. Lata Mangeshkar & Chorus: Dil Dhak Dhak-2



Side 2

5. Lata Mangeshkar: Meri Dil Ki Nagariya Men
6. Lata Mangeshkar: Chhod Mujhe Na Ja
7. Shamshad Begum & Chorus: Pagadi Pahenke Turredar
8. Lata Mangeshkar: Meri Ankhon Ki Neend Legay
9. Lata Mangeshkar: Jab Aanewale Aate Hain



Lyrics: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan



Stella_1's score: 4/5



Get the music now: Madan Mohan Madhosh

Naushad: Babul (1950/1982)

Sorry, I seem to be on a roll for uploading mediocre music theses days and I am sad to say that Babul is not an exception (I will make it up on my next post). The album has 12 songs, and Naushad, who produced the film, should have sacrificed quantity and concentrated on quality. But I did notice some effort by Naushad to make some good songs that strengthen Dilip Kumar's romantic ''doomed lover/tragic hero'' persona.


Just one thing before I start on the songs. Shamshad Begum and Talat Mahmood vocals on this album represent 80% of what is good on the album. The other 20% is for the musicians and Naushad, who should have worked a bit harder. Come on Naushad, it makes me sad when I know you can do so much better!

Anyway, ''Huns Walo Ko'' is great to listen too, but the classic Babul song is ''Milte Hi Ankhen''. That song made me buy the album, but it's the only one that really got me.

The second side is better. It has nice duets like ''Nadi Kinare'' sung by Shamshad Begum and Talat Mahmood and ''Kisi Ke Dil Men'' sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum. I really like the vocal combinations in both of these songs. I find that they compliment each other well.


The tragic Dilip Kumar song, ''Mera Jeevan Sathi'' has to be my second favorite, with Talat Mahmood's striking vocals and great melody.


Tracks:

Side 1
1. Lata Mangeshkar: Panchhi Ban Men
2. Talat Mahmood: Husn Walon Ko
3. Shamshad Begum: Na Socha Tha Yeh
4. Talat Mahmood & Shamshad Begum: Milte Hi Ankhen
5. Lata Mangeshkar: Lagan More Man Ki
6. Shamshad Begum & Chorus: Chhod Babul Ka Ghar


Side 2
7. Shamshad Begum & Talat Mahmood: Duniya Badal Gayi
8. Shamshad Begum & Chorus: Dhadke Mera Dil
9. Talat Mahmood, Shamshad Begum & Mohd. Rafi: Nadi Kinare
10. Shamshad Begum: Jadoo Bhare Nainon Men
11. Shamshad Begum & Lata Mangeshkar: Kisi Ke Dil Men
12. Talat Mahmood: Mera Jeevan Sathi


Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Stella_1's score: 3 .5/5

Get the music now: Naushad Babul