Tuesday, February 3

Gaana Aaye Ya Na Aaye, Gaana Chahiye

Na jaane kyu...
Hota hai ye zindagi ke saath,
Achanak ye mann, kisi ke jaane baad, kare phir uski yaad
Chhoti chhoti si baat...
Na jaane kyu...


One of my favorite songs from old times. From an equally unforgettable movie – Chhoti Si Baat starring Amol Palekar.

Some songs just get you going! Their beats, their lyrics, their mood. Be it Hip-Hop or Trance, Rock or Pop. (Ya, I know I used to say I hate rock, but I guess I’m now quite fond of soft rock, not the badaam badoom of heavy metal.)

I mean I’ve never met anyone who has said they dislike “Zara Zara” from RHTDM, or “Khai Ke Paan Banaras Wala” from Don. Euphoria, Jagjit Singh and
A. R. Rehman remain hot favorites with most people across ages, borders, and genders.

Shaan, Ricky and Sonu Nigam used to rule the pop brigade a few years back – I still remember how teenagers used to croon Tanha Dil, Un Dos Tres and Deewana thinking they were uber cool and hep. Then Himesh bhai, Dido and Adnan Sami took over and their albums topped music charts. (Aashiq Banaya Aapne, White Flag, and Kabhi Toh Nazar Milao never fail to get me singing along.)

Of course, if I start talking about evergreen hits from the golden days, we shall never be able to end this post. The words and the tunes of old songs still remain peerless and profound. Remember “Do Lafzon Ki”, “Ye Sama” and “Mere Sapno Ki Rani”? Remember “Dushman Na Kare”, “Tum Itna Jo Muskura” and “Aap Jaisa Koi”? I bet you can add at least 50 more to this list!
(Abba sings songs that are much older than the ones I’ve mentioned. But, other than “Chun-chun Karti Aayi Chidiya”, I don’t really fall head over heels for them; blame their old-time feel or Abba’s breathless pitch.)
You must be wondering why I’m suddenly naming so many songs and singers. Coz I love music, and I notice I’ve barely spoken about it on the blog! Besides, I think I told you I love the radio. My (bekaar) music system is perpetually tuned to
Radio One, and besides Ghanta Singh and BBC Ek Minute, the songs that play on this frequency are always amazing. The RJs also aren’t as dumb and Marathi-centric as on the other stations; most importantly, they don’t need to “pretend” to be funny.

But hey, why am I talking about the radio? Coz I tend to listen to the radio more than playing my own CDs and tapes. (Of course, my own singing tops this hierarchy, but that’s another story!) After I come outta the bath, after I go home after work, or while I’m on my daily evening walk – the radio is my companion. And I forget myself as I give in to the music. I drown, I float, I drift away...

(Not when Usha Uthup and Anu Malik come on air, though!!)

My current top Bollywood tracks are Khuda Jaane (Bachna Ae Haseeno), Mar Jawa (
Fashion), Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gayi (Ghajini), Aksa Beach (God Tussi...), and Dance Pe Chance (Rab Ne...). If you allow me to go back in time, I’d scream Zara Si (Jannat), Tumse Hi (Jab We Met), Pehli Nazar (Race), Toh Phir Aao (Awarapan), Dard Mein Bhi, Pyar Tune Kya Kiya (title track), Ya Rabba (Salaam-e-Ishq), Subah Subah (I See You), and Soni De Nakhre (Partner). If I can go back further... But ahh... as I said, that would take ages, and yet not cover half the best melodious compositions...

My mum’s an amazing singer (if you don’t know that yet). All my friends and all our relatives are fida on her singing. She isn’t trained, so her raw voice sounds more delicate and mellow. I love it when she sings bhajans every morning, and I yell at her when she goofs up on the lyrics or tune. (She’s been driving me crazy about “Aaj Ki Raat” from the new Don; she just does NOT seem to get it right. She did a much better job of Green Day’s “Walk Alone”, though.)

My favorite singers include Sunidhi Chauhan, Madonna, Atif, Enrique,
Asha Bhosale, JLo, Kishore Kumar, Maroon 5, Kailash Kher, Alisha, and Green Day among others. Closer to home, it’s Parvez (spells it Parvaez), Harshada, and of course, Mommy dearest. And you know who’s definitely more important to me? Those who sing for me... be their voices blaring and gruff. Thanks... For singing when I insisted... Mera dil rakhne ke liye, shukriya!

And shukriya all you fellas for coming to read my rants!

Lucky boy, you're my lucky boy... Jaane kaun banega mera... lucky boy...

Hug you!
Princess

1 comment:

Sibi said...

Well a very musical post:-)
Really music keeps everybody in tone.To be able to sing is a god gift and to be able to sing it the way u do is something above than tat..U r a awesome singer in case u don't know tat.Everybody can sing songs but how u sing it makes it pleasant to hear.
I mean how many people who are not in bollywood can sing BREATHLESS by shankar mahadevan.Well Princess u r the only one who did it.I was stunned when u sung tat song for me..Nice to know all yo fav's.Thez are my fav's too..Well my fav singer is Anuja Rathi,Sukhwinder Singh,A R Rahmaan Etc.Thank u for writing and its a pleasure reading yo blog singing queen..Have a good week...

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