10 Day YOU Challenge//Quest: 2 Songs

Since the last two of my posts were close(r) to heart, words just poured out, so I wanted to keep this one short (also seems to be the intent with the title, just 2 songs!). But then, music is close(st) to my heart, and hence I feel like writing again :-)

To me, Indian music and all the variety and depth that music can produce!

Grown up hearing playbacks from arguably the two best eras of melody in music:
- The 70’s in Hindi films
- The 80’s and 90’s in Malayalam films

As time passed, began enjoying Carnatic and Devotional too, and now listen to some English and Country too.  But compared to any form of music, I can sit back and get lost in melody anytime.

My favorite singers, lyricists and music directors thus inevitably became the best singers of this time:
- Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle in Hindi
- K.J. Yesudas, Chitra in Malayalam

My favorite lyricists:
- Anand Bakshi, Gulzar and Javed Akhtar in Hindi
- O.N.V. Kurup, Kaithapram, Girish Puthenchery in Malayalam

But the musicians made all the difference for sure, and one name rules all above, almost God-like for me: R.D. Burman!
In Malayalam, the best music directors have been: Raveendran, Ravi (who has done mostly Hindi films in his career like Chaudvin ka Chand, Ek Phool Do Maali, and Nikaah, but did his best work in Malayalam in the 80s and 90s)

And as you can see from the listing, these are people of eras bygone. And most of the music I listen, is still from that genre. So I’m depending here on my friends who are out on this 10-Day Quest venture too, to enlighten me on what’s hot these days!

Needless to say, the top 2 songs I’ll choose will be from the genre and time I love. I’ll pick one Hindi and one Malayalam:

- Pramadavanam (link to hear):

Singer: Yesudas

Music Director: Raveendran

Lyrics: Kaithapram

Film: His Highness Abdullah (Malayalam)

 Perhaps the best, and uncannily difficult to render, Malayalam song. Yesudas says he cannot sing it again himself, with that right touch the music director graced on the tunes during recording.
The song itself, like most Malayalam lyrics, is philosophical. It talks of the arrival of spring, and how seasons as being witnessed by us, has also been, by generations gone by. As if we are repeating history by witnessing it. He uses the Ramayana and Krishna Leela as analogies. Although non-Malayalees will not get the lyrics (which the Malayalees themselves find hard to interpret owing to the philosophical overtones), the music will grow in you. A must listen!

- Tere Bina (link to hear):
    Singers: Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar
    Music Director: R.D. Burman
    Lyrics: Gulzar
    Film: Aandhi (Hindi)
A very difficult choice  since I listen to Hindi film songs the most. I think I’ve heard all the ones upto the end of the 70’s.  And I’m sure everyone has heard this song at least once in their lifetime, and most of those from this generation perhaps liked the music, and didn’t think much about the lyrics. But that’s precisely what the song stands out for, in my opinion. It is to teach a generation fast turning into social network junkies, of the value that lies in deep interpersonal relationships. Panchamda picked the music out of a devotional song he composed in Bengali, so the music was a sure bet, appreciated even before it was applied here. And the singing, especially in Kishore’s voice, has the right maturity required for this song. And this is one of those instances where the music only could have spoken more volumes than any film dialogues. It absolutely fitted the context in the film. Helps to have a lyricist who’s also the director I’d say!

Shortlist:
- English
    ->Kiss Me: The best song I’ll ever love in English. Listen to it, and you can’t help but feel nostalgic, about teenage romance almost like sweetest memories from a past life.

- Devotional
    -> The Gayathri mantra is a favorite and recited ritually. Its effects on the mind have even been studied by scientists. Its meaning can be at different levels, praying to the Sun, the giver of life, to enlighten nature, your body (energy), and prana (soul).

-> Shiva Tandava Stotram: I’m not sure if you’ll have heard of this stotram composed by Ravana in praise of Shiva (link to meaning). The link I’ve shared is Ashit Desai’s version in youtube, which I like the most. It matches intensity with devotion.

-> Hanuman Chalisa: Love Hari Om Sharan’s version of it, although South-Indians are more familiar with MS Subbulakshmi’s

- Hindi
    -> Songs from Amar Prem: Led by Kuch Tho Log Kahenge, the depth in Anand Bakshi’s  lyrics is amazing!
    -> Songs from Khamoshi (1969): Led by Humne Dekhi Hai, where Gulzar, is his own style, weaves words into a deep message.
       
    -> Most hits by Panchamda. Nobody could consistently provide that much melody, in his time or thereafter!

- Ghazals
    Two not-so-well known ones stand out for me:
    -> Khaleel Dhantejvi’s Ab main Raashan Ki Qathaaron mein nazar aata hoon, apne Kheton se bichadne ki Sazaa paatha hoon
    -> Nida Fazli’s Apni Marzi se Kahaan Apne Safar ke Hum hain, Rukh Hawaon ka Jidhar ka hai, Udhar ke Hum hain


- Malayalam

Songs from most hits in the 80’s and 90’s, for good music was plenty in Malayalam films then. If I have to pick a few for non-Malayalees to enjoy (click the name to listen, I’ve linked it to youtube:

-> Anju Sharangalum

-> Manyal Prasadavum

->Neeraduvan

-> Etho Nidrathan

-> Vaishakha Sandhye

-> Palavattam Pookaalam

-> Pazham Tamil Paatizhayum

Let me know if it spikes your interest and you want to listen to more! :-)