Path: Lehigh.EDU!Lehigh.EDU!sm0e
From: sm0e@Lehigh.EDU (SAMIUDDIN MOHAMMED)
Newsgroups: rec.music.indian.misc
Subject: Spring and the Sony ka Dabba
Date: 15 Jul 1995 01:15:51 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University
Lines: 165
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <3u74s7$o20@fidoii.cc.lehigh.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: wh457a.cc.lehigh.edu
Keywords: Rafi's Anmol Ratan, Sony ka Dabba


Old man winter had just left and spring was round the corner. I picked up my
Sony ka Dabba, loaded it with a cassette from Rafi's Anmol Ratan series and
climbed up to my room in the attic. It was finally time to open my 1.5' x 2'
window which had remained hermetically sealed for the past 3 months. I used to
shiver in the pleasant winters of Hyderabad, so you can imagine my plight in the
snowy winters of the northeast!! :-) The damn window was stuck! I imagined
myself to be in Amitabh's situation while trying to get Shashi Kapoor out from
under a rock in Kala Pathhar, and pulled it with all my strength. It finally
gave way, and came up with a squeaking sound. "Sami, how come you are
listening to new songs t'day ?", shouted my roomie from the adjacent room.
"Heavens forbid!", I yelled back, "I'm just opening the window" :-)

The task was finally complete, and I could feel the fresh breeze fill my room
for the first time in months. "God! I hate winters", I said for the millionth
time. A steady current of fresh breeze, a cozy comforter and a Rafi cassette.
What else does one need ?? I shut off the lights and hit the Play button on
the Sony ka Dabba. "Tum bin jaaun kahan, ke duniya me aake, kuch na phir chaha
SANAM tumko chaahke...."  "Rafi/Majooh/RDB/Pyar ka Mausam" cried the Pstats
generator in my brain in a voice quite similar to that of the computer in Star
Trek. "Ye to sab ko maalum hai, bewaquof!", I replied. As Rafi Sahab got on to
the stanzas "Ab to sanam har mausam...." I wondered as to how the KKKlan could
use THIS particular song as a weapon against RAFIans. "If the KKKlan feels
that KK > Rafi, they are capable of any dumb thing, Sir" cried a voice from
across the room. "Much obliged, Jeeves", I replied. Jeeves' logic was an order
of magnitude higher than Mr. Spock's when it came to film songs and I had high
regard for his analysis.

"Apne ruKH pe nigaah karne de...", sang Rafi in the next song. I knew it was a
Shanky-J song, but Rafi's excellent rendition more than made up for that.
I was lost in Rafi's voice "Husn-o-jamaal aapka sheeshe me dekhkar...", but
then came the interludes :-( "What the hell is this ?", I demanded. "The song
was supposedly picturized in a train, Sir", replied Jeeves. In a train ?? God,
even "Apni to har aah ek toofan hai..." was picturized in a train. "Perhaps
that was the `Toofan Mail', eh Jeeves?", I quipped. There was silence. Jeeves
knew how to ignore a PJ! :-) Dada Burman had really composed a great prelude and
interludes for the Kala Bazaar song which dAnand sings in a train. If only 
Shanky-J could learn a thing or two from him.

The next song was my fav. Rafi/Kalyanji-Anandji combo from ChhoTi Bahu. "Ye
raat hai pyaasi pyaasi, pyaasi na guzar jaae..." The masti and phirat in Rafi
Sahab's, combined with Kaifi's naazuk lyrics make this an ab gem!

Naee aag dil ko jalaane lagi hai, machalna sikhaane lagi hai
Jawaan pyaar KHaabu me kaise rahega, ke angRaai aane lagi hai

The prelude of the next song was on the piano. Upon hearing the notes on the
piano, the automatic pStats generator got stuck. It's the MD whose name seems
hyphenated but actually isn't. I always thought it was a team of MD's until
Rajan corrected me by saying it was just one single guy. I needed time to
remember the name and hit the pause button. "Shyamji Ghanshyamji", said Jeeves
casually and the song resumed. Yup that's the one! I wonder why this chap
didn't go on to become famous. This is such beautiful composition sung
wonderfully by Rafi Sahab. The lyrics (by Sajan Dehlvi, ever heard of him ?)
are simple yet convincing. I use the term "convincing" 'cause they sound so
sincere:

Apni aankhon me basakar koi iqraar karun
Jee me aata hai ke, jee bhar ke tujhe pyaar karun
Apni aankhon me basakar koi iqraar karun

Maine kab tujhse zamaane ki KHushi maangi hai
Ek halki si, mere lab ne hansi maangi hai (2)
Saamne tujhko biTHakar, tera deedaar karun
Jee me aata hai ke, jee bhar ke tujhe pyaar karun

Saath chhoTe na kabhi tera, ye quasam le lun
Har KHushi deke tujhe tere, sanam GHam le lun (2)
Hai main kis tarah se pyaar ka izhaar karun
Jee me aata hai ke, jee bhar ke tujhe pyaar karun

Apni aankhon me basakar koi iqraar karun

Another Shanky-J song was next :-(

Janam janam ka saath hai, nibhane ko, sau sau baar maine janam lie...

"Atleast this has a soothing tune, I thought." "Yeah, but the interludes (on
the Saxaphone ?) are too noisy", replied Jeeves. As I said, I had high regard
for this chap's analysis. The song got to the foll. stanza:

O shehzaadi sapnon ki, itni tu hairaan na ho
Main bhi tera sapna hun, jaan mujhe anjaan na ho

"Ah!", I said. This was the first time I was understanding the meaning of
"jaan" in the second line. I always used to think that "Jaan" was used as a
noun by Hasrat to mean Jaaneman. So, I felt that it ought to have been "Jaan
MUJHSE anjaan na ho" instead of "mujhe". It was the first time I realized that
"jaan" was actually being used as a verb. Hmm, funny how it takes a lifetime
to understand such simple things :-) (Yeah, I know I have lot of other things
to understand :-)  )

Rafi Sahab humming filled the room. The pStats generator was back in form:
Rafi/Anand Bakshi/Loafer/LP. This was a perfect example of an ordinary tune
made immortal by Rafi Sahab:

Aaj mausam, baRa be-imaan hai baRa
Be-imaan hai, aaj mausam

The manner in which "naap-tolkar" Rafi sings each word in this song adds a new
dimension to it:

Ai mere yaar ai husnwaale, dil kiya maine tere hawaale
Teri marzi pe ab baat THehri, jeene de chahe tu maar Daale
Tere haathon me ab, meri jaan hai
Aaj mausam, baRa be-imaan hai baRa

The song fades out in a brilliant fashion with Rafi singing "Aaj mausam, hmm
hmm hmm hmm...."

"Final song, sir", announced Jeeves as the strains of the Tabla filled the room.

Unke quayaal aae to aate chale gae
Diwaana zindagi ko banaate chale gae

"Rafi/Hasrat/Shanky-J/Lal Pathhar", said the pStats generator, as this
wonderful "Sarangi + Tabla" Ghazal unfolded.

"WHAT ???!" I exclaimed.

"Repeat, Rafi/Hasrat/SHANKY-J/Lal Pathhar", said the pStats generator again.
It sure knew which part to emphasize :-) I couldn't believe my ears! Shanky-J
composed such a wonderful GHazal ? I obtained partial solace in the fact that
it was Hasrat and not Shailendra :-)

This is really a wonderful ghazal by Shanky-J, on par with any MadMohan or
Khaiyyam composition, IMHO. Aur phir Rafi Sahab ne char chand laga die hain:

Unke quayaal aae to aate chale gae
Diwaana zindagi ko banaate chale gae

Jo saath aa raha hai kisika payaam hai
Betaabion ko aur baRaate chale gae

Is dil se aa rahi hai kisi yaar ki sada
Veeraan mera dil tha, basaate chale gae

Hosh-o-hawaas par mere bijli se gir paRi
Masti bhari nazar se pilaate chale gae

Unke quayaal aae to aate chale gae

"Good night, Sir", Jeeves stopped the cassette as he closed the door behind
him.

"Much obliged, Jeeves".

"Sami, kisse baaten kar raha hai?" asked my roomie from outside.

"...bas main hun meri tanhaai hai", I murmured and dozed off....

Sami Mohammed (A Naushad fan)

PS: The above songs are on side B of Cassette 10 of Rafi's Anmol Ratan I.

*******************************************************************************
Lines for the day:

GHaraz-parast jahan me wafa talaash na kar
Ye sheh bani thhi kisi doosre jahaan ke lie

Sahir in "Na tu zamin ke lie, hai na aasmaan ke lie..."
*******************************************************************************