And the Songs of Yore Award for the Best Music Director goes to?
I start with wishing the readers Merry Christmas. After the Overview post and the three category-wise wrap ups – Wrap Up 1 for the best male solos, Wrap Up 2 for the best female solos, and Wrap Up 3 for the best duets – we now have a fairly good idea of who the dominant music directors were. Naushad with all his songs in Anokhi Ada and Mela – totalling about two dozen – being super hits, is undoubtedly top of the pack. Anil Biswas in Anokha Pyar, Gajre and Veena; C Ramchandra in Nadiya Ke Paar and Khidki; Husnlal-Bhagatram in Pyar Ki Jeet; Ghulam Haider in Shaheed; Ram Ganguly in Aag; and Khemchand Prakash in Ziddi gave some everlasting songs. The underrated genius, Ghulam Mohammad never fails to create outstanding songs, and he did so in Grihasthi and Pugree. There were others, too, whose one or two songs featured in the best lists.
Let us see how the above general picture is reflected in the category-wise lists. I am pooling together the three lists in the composite table below (I have also given the YT link of all the songs):
Best songs of 1948
We can now present the abstract of the same table music director-wise as follows:
Best music directors of 1948
| Sl No. | Music Director | Male solos | Female solos | Duets | Total |
| 1 | Naushad | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 2 | C Ramchandra | – | – | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Ghulam Haider | – | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | Husnlal-Bhagatram | 1 | 2 | – | 3 |
| 5 | Ghulam Mohammad | – | – | 2 | 2 |
| 6 | Khemchand Prakash | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
| 7 | Ram Ganguly | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
| 8 | Anil Biswas | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| 9 | Rajeshwar Rao | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| 10 | SD Burman | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Shyam Sundar | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| 12 | Snehal Bhatkar | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Total | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
The above Table speaks quite loudly – Naushad is miles ahead of the competition in the year. I have to add two caveats here. One, I am seen as a Naushad-partisan. And two, the general point that quantity does not necessarily denote quality. Even after making corrections for these two factors, I think we can fairly conclude that Naushad was the best music director in 1948.
What do the readers say? Arunji’s choice is Naushad (for Anokhi Ada). Gaddeswarupji’s choice is Naushad. KS Bhatiaji’s choice, too, for the best music director is Naushad. Shalan Lal chooses C Ramchandra, but, interestingly, not for the more obvious Nadiya Ke Paar, but Khidki. Mumbaikar8 goes for Ram Ganguly.
Mahesh makes an interesting observation – Gaaye ja geet milan ke is the only solo with the combination of Dilip Kumar, Mukesh, Shakeel Badayuni and Naushad together. This is true, because in the next Dilip Kumar-Mukesh-Naushad combination Andaaz (1949), the lyricist was Majrooh Sultanpuri. Thereafter, Naushad dispensed with Mukesh in spite of huge success with him in three films, until he resurrected him after about two decades in Saathi (1968), but now the hero was Rajendra Kumar. Dilip Kumar himself was never too excited about Mukesh, in spite of all his songs acquiring an iconic status [besides Mela and Andaaz songs, think of Suhana safar aur ye mausam haseen (Madhumati, 1958, Salil Chaudhary) and Ye mere deewanapan hai (Yahudi, 1958, SJ)]. Ironic!
Coming back from the digression, I think the readers would agree if I declare that:
The Songs of Yore Award for the Best Music Director of 1948 goes to Naushad. I also pay a tribute to him on his 98th birth anniversary (25 December 1919 – 5 May 2006).
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
AK ji,
Our compliments on exhaustive coverage through five posts reg 1948’s songs.
Agree that Naushad is the best MD.
Thanks.
AK ji,
The abstract table above needs correction in the entries against Ghulam Mohd.
2 female solos, 2 duets. Total 4.
Thanks.
Tyagiji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. I checked up carefully. The abstract table (with numbers for each MD and each category) was correct. However, there was an inadvertent error in the songs table – I had wrongly credited Bachpan ki yaad dheere dheere to Ghulam Mohammad instead of Ghulam Haider.
Got it, sir. thanks.
Ak ji;
Nice wrap up . The Tables says it all. Truly Naushad in 1948 came up with superlative music and all the songs rode the peak waves. I entirely agree to the selection of Naushad as Best Music Director of the year.
For other Music Directors reflecting on the year is not a a reason to occupy benches in middle and rear rows . They all at one moment or the other have given beautiful songs during + – years . Some MDs made more misses than hits . Listening to Naushad melodies however was like running along his creative journey .
While writing my note i am listening on back of my mind……Mohan ki muraliya baaje ho ho ho ho sun theeas jiya pe more laage…..a superb pathos by Shamshad that touches my heart and soul whenever i listen or imagine this song. This song is my tribute to Naushad on his 98th birth anniversary .
Dear AKji,
Although i love very much the highly melodious music of Anokha Pyar and Gajre, i have no point to disagree with your selection of Mela and Anokhi Ada bcz both are time tested classic music albums containing epic songs…Kabhi dil dil se takrata to hoga, Bhulnewale yaad na aa , Jale na kyun parwana, Phir aah dil se nikli tapka lahu jigar se, Gaye ja geet milan ke are great favts of mine equally as Preetam tera mera pyar, Baras baras badli bhi bikhar gayi, Ab yaad na kar bhul ja, Yaad rakhna chaand taaron, Ek dil ka lagaana baki tha…
AK,
No announcement for the award of the best Md. Until 25th of December!
No prize for guessing who the winner would be. Iwas just waiting for the summary and who can summarize it better than you.
You have mastered this recipe.
Last evening, on the day of Rafi’s and the eve of Naushad’s birthday, I was lamenting over the irony, Naushad with all his body of work with Rafi in 1948, 1949, 1951, and 1955 could not make Rafi “Sikander” even at SOY
Sikanders at SOY 1955 ,1953,1951,1950, 1949, 1948
The Songs of Yore Award for the best male playback singer for 1955 goes jointly to:
Talat Mahmood and Manna Dey
Songs of Yore Award for the Best Male Playback Singer of 1953 goes to Talat Mahmood.
Songs of Yore Award for the best Male Playback Singer of 1951 goes to Talat Mahmood
And, Mukesh is given Jury’s Special Honour.
The SoY Award for the Best Male Playback Singer of 1950 goes to Talat Mahmood.
And the SoY Award for the Best Male Playback Singer for 1949 goes to Mukesh.
The SoY Award for the Best Male Playback Singer of 1948 goes to Mukesh.
Kishore Kumar gets Special SoY Award for a great debut song, Marne ki duaayein kyun maangun
Rafi Naushad work in these years
Udan Khatola – Mohabbat Ki Raahon Mein – Mohd.Rafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uiOL6y-kjo
Na Toofan Se Khelo | Mohammed Rafi | Uran Khatola @ Dilip Kumar, Nimmi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jzf1zjv53Y
Chale Aaj Tum | Mohammed Rafi | Uran Khatola 1955
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKLbSr1o8so
Deedar (1951) – Naseeb Dar Pe Tere Aazmaane Aaya Hoon – Mohd.Rafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lzRpl1h2C8
Deedar (1951) – Meri Kahaani Bhoolne Waale – Mohd.Rafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VjJP–xF8I
Hue Hum Jinke Liye Barbad – Mohammad Rafi – Deedar 1951
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA8osBZftTM
Jadoo – Ek Jhooth Hai Jiska Duniya Ne – Mohd.Rafi 1951
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Y2GcA_l2k
DIL HO UNHEIN MUBARAK- RAFI- FILM- CHANDNI RAAT(1949) A TRIBUTE TO NAUSHAD ALI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJZeQAi3ZEQ
Film Dillagi Year 1949 Naushad/Rafi Sahab song tere kuche mein armanon ke duniya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAJxytvyYus
Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki – Mohammad Rafi (Dulari – 1949)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LjF6yjrgYU
ye zindagi ke mele ..part 1&2…mela 1948-mohd rafi -naushad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TNi0LjXZCI
KS Bhatiaji,
Naushad gave a large number of superlative songs in the year which have stood the test of time. Anil Biswas, Khemchand Prakash, Husnlal-Bhagatram and Ghulam Haider too gave great songs. But I am sure no one would grudge if Naushad is held as the No. 1 in 1948.
Jignesh,
Thanks a lot. It is very fair and generous of you to acknowledge Naushad’s supremacy, in spite of your great fondness for Anil Biswas’s compositions in the year. No disputing that. The songs you have mentioned are my great favourites too. In fact, I would add another one – Suraiya’s Door papiha bola from Gajre.
Mumbaikar8,
Generally I accept your charges, conviction and sentence without protest 🙂 . But if you present a compilation of the old charges again, I have to start with a legal defence: You can’t punish a person for the same offence twice.
On the merit of the case, that is the alleged bias against Rafi, I would draw your attention to what I said in the Wrap Up 1 of 1955, “My own top would have been Rafi’s ‘O door ke musafir’, Talat’s ‘Be Hain nazar/Tasweer teri dil mera’ and Hemant Kumar’s ‘Main gharibon ka dil hun’. But the aim of this post is to summarise the sense of the house. I have to sadly show the red card to ‘O door ke musafir’. While everyone has mentioned this song, the passion I or Richard feel for this song is missing in the readers’ comments.”
In 1949, in the comments section I agreed that in retrospect that it would have been better to declare Mukesh and Rafi joint winner. That was in the context of Suhani raat dhal chuki, which is also my great favourite.
In other years, I don’t have to defend anything. Mukesh, Talat Mahmood were miles ahead of the competition.
I rest my case my Ladyship.
Sorry to come in.
In the final wrap-up of the best songs of the yr 1949, AK ji issued a corrigendum : He stated that Mukesh and Mohammad Rafi are declared joint winners of the award for best male singer for 1949. He further stated that the award given in the earlier wrap-up may be modified accordingly.
Thanks.
Tyagiji,
Thanks a lot for this refreshing my memory. This further corroborates my submissions to Mumbaikar8.
AK
I have nothing much to contribute in these kind of posts. I get to know lot of songs without having to hunt for them. Your analysis is tour de force. The way you have dissected and concluded is beyond reproach and placing Naushad at summit bonum in 1948 would be welcome by all. 2018 would be used for 1947 I presume. I thought this month would be a guest writers month but you have pipped it by this last post for the month. I wish all my fellow readers and blog master a great New Year.
AK,
The punishment, if any, is not repeated it is for repeated offence.
After seeing the overwhelming passion for suhani raat dhal chuki in the comments I was hoping you would make amends in 1948.
Our power houses Arun Kumar ji and ksbhatiaji had chosen Rafi for yeh zindagi ke mele, citing them you could have honored Rafi along with Mukesh, or taking a step forward you could have come up with a special award for a very special song of 1948 Bapu Ki Kahani….. some description of the impact of the song
http://www.activeindiatv.com/editorials/16945-on-january-30-1948-gandhijis-assassination-stunned-allahabad-panic-among-punjabis-a-muslims-ended-when-killers-identity-was-revealed
But adding insult to injury you did come out with Special SoY Award but for a great debut song
The only singer who is not on the list of Sikanders in all these years is Rafi.
Does it make any difference to him or his talent?
मगर फिर भी यूँ हि
DP Rangan,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Some series I try to end in the calendar year – yearwise review is one, OPN series for example was another. That at times pushes the scheduling of guest articles later. You are right 2018 would be for review of the songs of 1947.
Mumbaikar8,
My job was to place my case, yours was to pronounce the verdict which I accept सर आंखों पर.
Even as I am still not done with listening all the duets that I have listed out with the help of HFGK, I would tend to go with the choice of music director for 1948 as Naushad.
Apart from the very standard test of total songs among all categories, even if we apply number songs in a film that attained listeners’s acclaim as well as sustainability Naushad would score a fairly favorable score. of the performance.
Ashokji,
Thanks a lot for your comments and endorsement.
Hello All
I wish you a very Happy New year and I hope you will have more enjoyment extracted from the SoY all through the new year.
Here is my comment on the present post:
I consider the present Final Wrap up of 1948 is very logical result after the previous three which were very carefully studied presentations. Naushad and Mukesh have no alternative. But people can express their “jisbaat” and songs etc are the products of emotions. But readers should try to be logical and then one can bring their emotions under control. This is not my saying it is in the “ Bhagvad Gita”.
Shalan Lal
Shalan,
I reciprocate your new year greetings. I thought so about Naushad and Mukesh in the year. But I respect those who express different views frankly. Mumbaikar8 is a dear friend, and by now we understand each other perfectly.
AK,
Thanks and Happy New Year.
BTW,
I came across a Bhagwas Geeta Shloka too
na buddhibhedam janayedajnyaanaam karmasanginaam |
joshayetsarvakarmaani vidvaanyuktaha samacharan || 26 ||
In this shloka, Shri Krishna asked Arjuna to follow a “live and let live” approach towards other people in this world, when working with other people, the practitioner of karmayoga should continue to perform actions diligently instead of preaching to others about karmayoga, in other words, change their way of doing action. There will always be a tendency to misinterpret the message of karmayoga if we begin preaching it to others.