Best songs of 1953: Final Wrap Up 4

21 December 2013

The Songs of Yore Award for the Best Music Director goes to?

Shankar Jaikishan_C Ramchandra_Anil Biswas_Salil Chaudhary_Ghulam MohammadCanasya asked in one of the posts in this series, what was the avowed objective of these posts? Jignesh mentioned that SoY Awards have surpassed the fame of Filmfare Awards (I like that Smile).  Filmfare is indeed a reference point, because this series started last year on some readers’ suggestions that I do a year-wise review of the best songs of pre-Filmfare years. The somewhat presumptuous title and style of writing is all for enjoyment. But music is a serious thing, and the discussions have become deeply involved, the comments both in quantity and quality have increased significantly compared to the last year. So to answer Canasya’s question – some like-minded people, most of whom know each other only in the cyberspace and who are deeply passionate about music, are together embarking on this wonderful voyage of reminiscing about and rediscovering old film music. The survey article together with Wrap Up 1 on the best male playback singer, Wrap Up 2 on the best female playback singer and Wrap Up 3 on the best duets and the present final Wrap Up together represent probably the most unique and comprehensive discussion of the entire music of a particular year. The Final Wrap Up is based on the previous posts and the readers’ comments, naturally, and seeks to focus on the best music director(s) of the year.

First cut

From the long list of 93 songs given in my survey article along with some 40 songs mentioned by the readers, i.e. about 130, we can make a manageable list of songs and music directors who made the most impact in the year. This list is not in any order.

1.  SHANKAR JAIKISHAN
Aah
1.  Jane na nazar pahchane jigar – Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar
2.  Jo mai jaanati unke liye – Lata Mangeshkar
3.  Raat andheri door savera – Mukesh
4.  Aja re ab mera dil pukara – Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar
5.  Ye sham ki tanhaiyan – Lata Mangeshkar
6.  Sunte the naam hum jinka bahaar se – Lata Mangeshkar
7.  Raja ki ayegi baraat – Lata Mangeshkar
8.  Chhoti si ye zindagani – Mukesh
Aas
9.  Chahe nain churao chahe daman bachao – Talat Mahmood and Lata Mangeshkar
Aurat
10.  Ulfat ka saaz chhedo samaan suhana hai – Lata Mangeshkar
11.  Dard-e-jigar thahar zara – Lata Mangeshkar
Boot Polish
12.  Lapak jhapak tu aa re badarwa – Manna Dey
13.  Chali kaun se des gujariya – Talat Mahmood and Asha Bhosle
Mayurpankh
14.  Khushiyon ke chad muskaye re – Lata Mangeshkar
15.  Mohabbat ki dastaan tum bhi suno – Lata Mangeshkar
Naya Ghar
16.  Laga kar dil parishan hain – Lata Mangeshkar
Patita
17.  Kisi ne apna bana ke mujhko – Lata Mangeshkar
18.  Andhe jahan ke andhe raaste – Talat Mahmood
19.  Tujhe apne paas bulati hai – Talat Mahmood
20.  Yaad kiya dil ne kahan ho tum – Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar
21.  Mitti se khelate ho baar bar kis liye – Lata Mangeshkar
22. Hain sabse madhur wo geet mere – Talat Mahmood
Shikast
23.  Kare badra tu na ja na ja – Lata Mangeshkar
24.  Sapnon ki suhani duniya ko – Talat Mahmood

2.   C RAMCHANDRA
Anarkali
1.  Ye zindagi usi ki hai – Lata Mangeshkar
2.  Meri kismet ke kharidaar – Lata Mangeshkar
3.  Mujhse mat pooch – Lata Mangeshkar
4.  Dua kar gham-e-dil – Lata Mangeshkar
5.  Jaag dard-e-ishq jaag – Hemant Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar
6.  Mohabbat aisi dhadkan hai – Lata Mangeshkar
7.  Mohabbat mein aise kadam dagmagaye – Lata Mangeshkar
8.  O asmanwale shikwa hai zindagi ka – Lata Mangehskar
9.  Zindagi pyar ki do chaar ghadi hoti hai – Hemnat Kumar
Jhanjhar
10.  Ae pyar teri duniya se hum bas itni nishani le ke chale –  Lata Mangeshkar
11.  Chhed gay mohe sapne mein Shyam – Lata Mangeshkar
12.  Tum bin hamri kaun khabar le – Lata Mangeshkar
13.  Mohe laga sara jag pheeka – Lata Mangeshkar
Shagufa
14.  Apna pata bata de ya mere paas aa ja – Lata Mangeshkar

3.   ANIL BISWAS
Fareb
1.  Aa mohabbat ki basti basayenge hum – Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar
2. Husn bhi hai udas udas – Kishore Kumar
Hamdard
3.  Ritu aye ritu jaye sakhi ri – Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar
4.  Torey naina raseley kanteeley haye Ram – Manna Dey
5.  Tera haath haath mein aa gaya – Manna Dey
Rahi
6.  Ek pal ruk jana – Lata Mangeshkar

4.  GHULAM MOHAMMAD
Dil-e-Nadan
1.  Khamosh zindagi ko afsana mil gaya – Jagjit Kaur
2.  Chanda gaye ragini – Jagjit Kaur
3.  Mohabbat ki dhun beqaraaron se poochho – Talat Mahmood, Sudha Malhotra, Jagjit Kaur
4.  Na wo hamaare na dil hamara – Sudha Malhotra
5. Jo khushi se chot khaye – Talat Mahmood
6.  Zindagi denewale sun – Talat Mahmood
Laila Majnu
7.  Baharon ki duniya pukare tu aa ja – Talat Mahmood and Asha Bhosle
8.  Tere dar pe ayah hun fariyad lekar – Talat Mahmood
9.  Chal diya karwan – Talat Mahmood
10. Aasmanwale bata teri duniya se ji ghabraa gaya – Talat and Lata Mangeshkar
Rail Ka Dibba
11.  La de mohe balma aasmani chudiyaun – Mohammad Rafi and Shamshad Begum
12.  Angan more aao ji sajan dheere dheere – Shamshad Begum

5.  SALIL CHAUDHARY
Do Bigha Zameen
1. Hariyala asawan dhol bajata aya – Mana Dey and Lata Mangeshkar
2.  Mausam beeta jaye – Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar
3.  Aa ja ri aa nindiya tu aa – Lata Mangeshkar

Discussion and analysis

I have to make it clear that the above first cut does not capture the entire ‘best’ songs of the year in different categories such as male solos, female solos and duets. The SoY regulars would recall many outstanding songs are outside the above list. The reason being that here the focus is on the total impact of a music director in the year. That explains the absence of Khayyam (Footpath, Shaam-e-gham ki qasam) or Husnlal Bhagatram (Aansoo, Sun mere saajna re). They have been adequately covered in the first three Wrap Ups.

Now looking at the music directors, a very conspicuous absence is that of Naushad, who was by then at the pinnacle of his career, having already become the first composer to charge the astronomical figure of Rs one lakh per film. This absence of Naushad was sandwiched between his two great years – 1952 (Aan, Baiju Bawra, Deewana) and 1954 (Amar, Shabaab).

Another conspicuous aspect of the year is SD Burman’s inconspicuous presence – one of the greatest composers by any yardstick. He did compose music for at least four movies in the year – Armaan, Bablaa, Jeevan Jyoti and Shahanshah. I had not included any of his songs in my long list in the survey article. Knowledgeable readers like Jignesh and Venkataramanji mentioned a number of songs from these films. Frankly it requires efforts to recall any of these songs. This also was sandwiched between his two great years – 1952 (Jaal) and 1954 (Taxi Driver). Readers may recall that the first in the year-wise review, 1955, had both Naushad and SD Burman in a major way. This raises important question as to what makes a great music director suddenly develop a composer’s block? SoY has many intense theoreticians like Canasya, Hans, Ashok Vaishnavji, Venakataramanji who can throw light on this.

Does that mean it was a weak year for music? I am afraid Subodh might think so if I extrapolate his dismissive observation about male and female solos. Jignesh also feels that this was the weakest year in the block 1948-1955. I have a somewhat more positive view of the year because there are some compensations in the form of duets, Manna Dey, Talat Mahmood, Salil Chaudhary and Ghulam Mohammad.

Salil Chaudhary makes a big bang debut with Do Bigha Zameen with innovative orchestration, intelligent adaptation of foreign tunes and Manna Dey’s two great duets and Lata Mangeshkar’s beautiful lori. Many readers have gone lyrical over him, Anuradha Warrier unambiguously declaring him as the best music director of the year.

Matching her passion for Salil Chaudhary is Venkataramanji’s passion for Anil Biswas. We can see where is it coming from – his fascination for classical purity in Hamdard.

Rest of the views generally veer between the more popular and obvious cases of Shankar Jaikishan and C Ramchandra.

I have already said the exercise is not about counting votes, but harmonising various views (including intensity of views which is missed in a vanilla number count) to arrive at what I term as ‘the sense of the house’.

The great film music is the one which is able to marry art with the popular. While Salil Chaudhary is impressive, his is but one film and 3-4 songs. It is difficult to put him above C Ramchandra and Shankar Jaikishan who had several films with a great many outstanding scores in the year. It is significant that they were precisely the composers next in line to catch-up-with-Naushad game, in that order.

C Ramchandra’s Anarkali is not only his personal landmark, but an important milestone in Hindi film music. It inevitably leads to comparison with Naushad’s Mughal-e-Azam, which came seven years later. I am a Naushad romantic, but I find many writers seriously mention that the music of Anarkali remains superior to Mughal-e-Azam’s. Even if you don’t accept it, it does indicate the high esteem in which CR’s this magnum opus is held. Ye zindagi usi ki hai and Jaag dard-eishq jaag are undisputed landmark songs.

Early 50s was also the high point of CR-Lata. Beside Anarkali, you get a proof of this in a number of songs in Jhanjhar and Shagufa. My favourites are Ae pyar teri duniya se hum from Jhanjhar and Apna pata bata de from Shagufa. Arunkumar Deshmukhj is mesmerised by Mohe laga sara jag pheeka, which was not even in the long list of songs. That just shows the range of CR-Lata songs in this period.

Shankar Jaikishan had an incredible year. I have identified eight films, each of which had some stunningly beautiful numbers – Aah and Patita each having at least half a dozen all-time great songs. The most remarkable thing about SJ in this year is their wide diversity in singers – besides Lata Mangeshkar, they do wonders on Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar and even Asha Bhosle.

Clearly CR and SJ are the most important music directors in the year, not only for a large number of extremely ‘popular’ songs, but which are also of high artistic merit. Between the two, SJ are more prolific in numbers and variety, and no less in overall quality.

I must mention my special favourite Ghulam Mohammad’s Dil-e-Nadan. This has the kind of music which mesmerises me, as I am sure it does many others. AR Kardar was one of the biggest production houses who was integral to Naushad’s rise to the peak in the 40s. After fall out with Naushad, he chooses his assistant (but once his senior) to score for Dil-e-Nadan, who does a superlative job. Yet the film bombs and with that Ghulam Mohammad remains relegated to the second rung. Luck plays a big part in who reaches where. He also gives some more great Talat songs in Laila Majnu. I think he deserves a special recognition in this year.

Conclusion

Now I am in a position to summarise.

SoY Award for the Best Music Director for 1953 goes to Shankar Jaikishan

Other ranks are as follows:

2. C Ramchandra (Runner Up)

3-5. (Joint Special Mention)
Ghulam Mohammad
Anil Biswas
Salil Chaudhary

(Acknowledgements: Readers, whose contributions and comments are of awesome quality.  I hate to use clichés, but I can’t help saying that this series of posts would not have been what it is without the readers’ participation. )

{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Markand Dave December 21, 2013 at 9:50 am

Very Nice Information…!! Thanks a lot.

2 Mahesh Mamadapur December 21, 2013 at 4:10 pm

AK ji,

Obvious conclusions I suppose.

Many Thanks for including Ghulam Mohammed in Special Mention. A genius who for some reason preferred to remain behind the shadows of Naushad.

3 Arunkumar Deshmukh December 21, 2013 at 6:21 pm

AK ji,
Again a very difficult task,but managed very well.
Any “BEST” from the 50s would be,in my opinion,only notional or symbolic,considering the superb qualities of the major(and Minor) players in the field.
A well controlled verdict indeed.
Thanks.
-AD

4 AK December 21, 2013 at 8:40 pm

Arunji,
Thanks a lot.

5 AK December 21, 2013 at 8:41 pm

Mahesh Mamadapur,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.

6 N Venkataraman December 22, 2013 at 12:13 am

AKji,
Your choice based on a comprehensive analysis was as expected and did not spring any surprises. The introduction, the basis and the analysis was through and excellent.
This series, to be precise five in all from the survey article followed by four wrap-ups, is proving to be one of the best series in the blogosphere on the subject. It is a wonderful experience of ‘reminiscing about and rediscovering old film music’, although at times it was tiring. I hope next year too I would be able to join you in your mission as exhaustively as this year. I would be happy if somebody else does it next year. As of now, let me put forward my comments.

I assume and accept the ranking in the order you have mentioned. Let me start from the bottom. It is nice to find Salil Choudhury among the top five in his debut year with only one film and four songs. This would be the first and last time we would find him in the top five.
You are absolutely right in saying that I am passionate about Anil Biswas, Anil Biswas made his debut in the 30s and was a pioneer composer who introduced many trends which were not known in film music before. Besides the songs mentioned by you there were some wonderful Lata Mangeshkar solos in Aakash, Humdard and Fareb and a beautiful duet by Talat-Lata ‘Mukh Se Na Bolun Ankhiyaan Na Kholun’ from Jalianwala Bagh Ki Jyoti. Finding Anil Biswas’s name among the top five MDs in 1953 may be a surprise for some, but Anil Biswas was still going strong in 1953 and lasted for another 12 years before he called quits due to personal reasons. As we proceed to discuss the songs of previous years, Anil Biswas’s name will come up again and again.
Ungrudgingly I agree that Ghulam Mohammad deserves to be in the third place. It is unfortunate that he received very few accolades in his lifetime. He deserved more. He had to remain satisfied playing second fiddle to Naushad and Anil Biswas for more than a decade. Some of his best compositions went into oblivion due to the films for which those songs were composed did not succeed at the box office. Besides Dil-e-nadan, Laila Majnu and Rail ka dibba, Ghulam Mohammad composed some wonderful songs for Gauhar and Hazar raaten. Three songs from Naina (1953) sung by Geeta Dutt and Meena Kapoor was credited to Ghulam Mohammad and three other songs from including two Lata Mangeshkar solos was credited to Manna Dey. If one leaves out Naina , we find an interesting phenomenon in 1953. Ghulam Mohammad did not make use of Lata Mangeshkar for any of his 20+ female solos. Out of the 7 to 8 MF duets he gave Lata Mangeshkar only one duet with Talat Mehmood in Laila Majnu. Was it one of the reasons for his lack of success, at least in 1953? He showed a preference for Asha Bhosle. But Md.Rafi and Talat Mehmood got equal opportunity in 1953. I am sure his name will be coming up again in the subsequent discussions on previous year’s songs.
Barring a a few songs, almost all the female solos of C Ramachandra were sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Not all surprising. Besides the films mentioned by you, he composed for two more films in 1953, Lehren and Jhamela. It is interesting to note that he sang both the male solos, all the five MF duets with Lata Mangeshkar and other two MM duets with Francis Vaz and Sunder for the film Jhamela. He sang one more duet with Lata Mangeshakr for Shagufa.. He is deservingly placed in the second spot, As mentioned by you, his compositions for the film Anarkali alone not only justifies this choice, but also his position as one of the all time great composers.
You have made an exhaustive list of Shankar-Jaikishan’s songs, and one cannot disagree with your choice of SJ as the numero uno for 1953. Your brief but to the point analysis says it all. But we should also pay our tributes to Dattaram who handled the percussion part and Sebastian who manged the background music and the notation part. You have mentioned that the song Sapnon ki suhani duniya ko from Shikast was by Lata Mangeshkar. Was it due to oversight or was there another version other than the one sung by Talat Mehmood.

Both SJ and CR retained their position in the top five in 1955, although S D Burman surpassed them to the top slot. As we move back, we may find less of the likes of SDB,SJ etc. and more of Anil Biswas, Ghulam Mohammad, Husnlal Bhagtram and their compatriots.
Any post in SOY without songs looks incomplete.
So let us celebrate by listening to some of the compositions of these 5 MDs, which I hope was not posted earlier.

Chhum Chhanaanan Chhum Chhum by Lata Mangeshkar, film Naya Ghar, lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar-Jaikishan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6zyRKWpF3jk

Dekho Ji Dekho Mera Dil Leke (Duet) by C Ramchandra and lata Mangeshkar from Jhamela, lyrics Rajinder Krishan, music C Ramachandra
http://lata-chitalkar.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/jhamela_1953_chitalkar_latamangeshkar_dekhojidekhomeradillekedaganahindena_rajinderkrishan_cramchandra.mp3

Bulbul Me Hai Nagme Tere by Md.Rafi and Khan Mastana, film Lailamajnu, lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Ghulam Mohammad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJcV_VwfFrU

Thume mujhe aur bhi yaad aane lage by Lata mangeshkar, film Aakash, lyrics Sathyendra Athaiya, music Anil Biswas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64WtrNqiNdo

Since all the four songs from Do Bigha zamin had been were extensively discussed and are familiar, I am presenting a non-fil Bengali song of of Salil Choudhury written and composed in 1953.

surer ei jhorna by Sabita Choudhury, Bengali non-film song, Lyrics and music Salil Choudhury
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOpq1LTmxvE

Congratulation Thanks for this wonderful and popular series.series

7 AK December 22, 2013 at 7:14 am

Venkataramanji,
You have again enhanced this series by your exhaustive and erudite comments. I do hope you keep contributing with equal vigour (without thinking of passing the baton to others :).

I am happy that in the end the readers, regardless of their personal favourites, are endorsing my summing up and conclusions.

Sapnon ki suhani duniya ko was an oversight. It is indeed sung by Talat. It is my great favourite because of a very special quality. Its mukhda is very flat and unnoticeable. But come to antaraa, you find the song suddenly comes alive with superb voice inflection and modulation and some beautiful lyrics – Raah kisi ki hui na roshan mera jalna yun hi gaya.

You have rightly acknowledged the contribution of Sebastian and Dattaram in the music of SJ. Arrangers and musicians, remaining behind the curtain, played a big role in film music. They deserve to be known better.

CR was very Lata and self-centric (I must say I like his singing a lot), whereas SJ were very diverse. That is one reason why I have put SJ over CR.

It is a great pleasure to see everyone share my great liking for Ghulam Mohammad. Even with other female singers he composed great music. So I would put his ‘secondary’ postion to the Lady Luck. In the commercial field you are only as good as your last hit.

I am travelling without a laptop, but I could not resist posting this response even with just a smartphone. I would come back again later after listening to your songs.

8 mumbaikar8 December 22, 2013 at 11:56 pm

AK,
After Venkataramanjis’s exhaustive and erudite comments, mai aur koochh kahne ki gustakhi nahin kar sakti hoon, I will just thank you for the final wrap up. As mentioned in your “wrap up” there are still so many gems hidden, today I would like to add a few from Anil Biswas’s
Mehmaan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT_SqtPU2Tc&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=G9J-3dAT4LQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw1IpBIhuiQ&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXRqild5lBU&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsGRQtX9C4k&feature=player_detailpage

9 Ashok M Vaishnav December 24, 2013 at 7:15 am

What a discussion and what a wrap up!
Only when we have started a micro-view of these years we realize how Hindi Film Music and the great exponents of the Golden Era have evolved during the early phase of 50s.
Who could think of a year without Naushad or SDB or Mohammad Rafi?
I am sure as we travel further, we should see years when Madan Mohan or Roshan or OP Nayyar would have their stamp of authority which they deserve in the complete panorama of macro-view of the Golden Period.
We all should look forward to each of the next year for a year-wise discussions and then forming a trend analysis as well.
The only way to complement SoY and its great active readers is to make an obvious statement – I am very happy to have been visiting SoY articles and be part of its live community.

10 AK December 24, 2013 at 11:32 pm

Markand Dave,
You were the first to respond, which I missed during travel. Thanks a lot for your appreciation.

Venkataramanji,
I have been able to listen to all the songs. I am amazed how many gems are still there slipped from our memory. I remembered Dekhoji dekhoji mera dil leke daga nahi dena is one of my great favorites, and I had completely missed to include it in the long list, and it seems it never came up for discussion in any comments. Bulbul mein hai naghme tere is a unique song. The opening recital by Khan Mastana is in Saigal style, before it turns into a conventional qawwali style. Tum mujhe aur bhi yaad aane lage is extremely beautiful. Less known, but one which on careful listening sets Anil Biswas apart from others. Thanks for mentioning these songs. You are right as we go back in earlier years, we are going to have more of him (and of Naushad, Khemchand Prakash, Ghulam Haider etc.).

Mumbaikar8,
Thanks for more of Anil Biswas. The songs were new to me. I especially liked Ankhon mein chitchor samaye.

Ashokji,
Thanks for your appreciation and being such a valuable part of SoY community. When I started this series on some readers’ suggestions, I didn’t know myself it would grow into this form.

Since we are going back every year we would hardly see OP Nayyar and Madan Mohan. They would need to be covered in some other manner. But we are going to see something more nostalgic, sounds and style which are only a distant memory, if not altogether lost. Since I am very fond of Roshan, I have already covered his songs for Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar, and he figured prominently in Mukesh’s ‘Dil’ songs.

11 N Venkataraman December 24, 2013 at 11:48 pm

@mumbaikar8
I am glad that somebody shares my passion for Anil Biswas’s music. Out of the eight songs (I am aware of) from Mehmaan, you have posted five songs that are available on YT. All the songs are very good especially the three Lata Mangeshkar solos. The lyrics for the two songs, O Man Ka Panchhi Mast Pawan by Meena Kapoor and the triad Aati hai laaj mujhe kaise batau by Lata Mangeshkar, Meena Kapoor and Shankar Dasgupta, was written by Udhav Kumar. The two Lata solos Ankho Me Chitchor Samaye and Lut Liyaa, Meraa Sapanon Kaa Sansaar Kisi Ne were penned by P N Rangeen. The lyrics for the other Lata solo O Bichhad Jane Wale was written by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. I hope someday somebody will upload the other three songs too in YT.
Let me take this opportunity wish you and all the members of SoY fraternity a Merry Christmas.
Thank you AKji and mumbaikar8 once again.

12 Jignesh Kotadia December 25, 2013 at 1:17 am

sometimes I feel that physically i m living in the day before tomorrow But my mind is living in a different time frame (that is 1935-1980) 🙂
Such mental state (deriving real joy from only past and having little attachment with present just to fulfil one’s physicosocial duties) can easily form a chapter of psychology,, BUT,, there r millions in this country who manifest similar past tense syndrome, only bcz of a bunch of genius music creators of certain era. And many of them gather regularly on internet to share their madness. Isnt it fantastic ?:)

Dear Akji, it was a highly valuable experience to travel 1953 thoroughly with u and other respected like-minded ppl. We got many unheard classic gems and i should thank u and all the active members of SoY. Thanx a lot. Merry christmas.

13 AK December 25, 2013 at 1:10 pm

Thanks a lot to you too. The journey is wonderful because of the kind of people who have joined on the way. Merry Christmas to all.

14 mumbaikar8 December 25, 2013 at 7:00 pm

Venkataramanji,
I am glad you enjoyed the songs, Thanks for the additional information.
I was looking for all the songs but, as you know, only five songs are available right now.
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and all soy members.
Thanks.

15 Jignesh Kotadia December 29, 2013 at 11:17 am

Akji,
This comment of mine is not meant for any dispute, but it’s just my view,,,ur decision may be the best one. Well, you decided to go with Collective effort but i like to go with Selective work and thatswhy i prefer Anaar kali over Aah and Patita. I believe that Two unreturned Services cannot beat the glamour of an ACE. So, my vote goes to Anaarkali 🙂 <3

1960 : Mughal-e-Azam : Naushad
1959 : Anaadi : SJ
1958 : Madhumati : Salilda
1957 : Pyaasa : SDB
1956 : Chori Chori : SJ
1955 : Udan Khatola : Naushad
1954 : Naagin : Hemantda
1953 : Anaarkali : C.Ram
1952 : Baiju Baawra : Naushad
1951 : ??? (it's really Terrific competition here. Every Md has delivered mega scores , perhaps the best year ever of hfm. Very hard to decide a clear winner.)

Yes, i feel 1953 is somewhat weaker (not qualitywise, just quantitywise ) than the other years of golden era.

Just look at the music of 1951

Anilda : Tarana, Aaram
Naushad : Deedar
C. Ram : Albela
SJ : Aawara, Baadal
SDB : Baazi
Roshan : Malhar
Husnlal Bhagatram : Afsana (abhi to main jawaan hun : Kya baat kya baat kya baat, wonderful piece, Bravo HB)

Madan mohan : Ada
Vinod : Sabz bagh
Jamal sen : Shokhiyan

These are only the most famous albums of that year. There r several more of the same Mds and Others which r worth to mention (Kali ghata, Nagina, Dholak, Madhosh, Hum log, Jadoo, Sagaai, Badi Bahu, Sazaa, Naujawan, Bujhdil, Bahaar etc)

Now look at 1953 again….it's far behind of 1951 🙁

16 AK December 30, 2013 at 9:18 am

Jignesh,
I appreciate your sentiments because I also feel the same way. You might remember while discussing 1955, my personal favourite was Naushad (Udankhatola). I also said that my choice for best male playback singer was Rafi (O door ke musafir humko bhi saath le le). But in a forum of this kind we have to listen to others too. Therefore, while everyone is freely expressing his choices I am trying to harmonise all views.

Since I am covering non/pre-Filmfare years, next in line would be 1951, which seems to be very exciting.

17 Canasya January 30, 2014 at 12:54 am

AKji, thanks for facilitating a well guided tour of the melodious landscape that 1953 turned out to be. This and the related posts on 1953 provide a very good coverage of the variety produced by leading MDs and singers. For the sake of completeness I would like to add couple of songs from Shuk Rambha (MD: Manna Dey; Lyrics: Bharat Vyas) and Rahi (MD: Anil Biswas; Lyrics: Prem Dhawan).

O meri maayi (Master Gopal, Asha, Film: Shuk Rambha)

Mere balon mein sawan ki (Geeta Dutt, Film: Shuk Rambha)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOd_re-ZV7o

Jogi jag re (Asha, Film: Shuk Rambha)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGlJTPOJ8Pg

Holi khele Nandlala biraj mein (Ira Majumdar and others, Film: Rahi)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Y1O1pn0RU

Chand so gaya (Meena Kapoor, Film: Rahi)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vG1bVM0l-E

Ek kali do patiyan (Anil Biswas and others, Film: Rahi)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1nhgnSwI8w

18 AK January 30, 2014 at 8:19 am

Canasya,
Thanks a lot for adding some more forgotten songs.

O meri maayi is a song of stunning beauty. Who is Master Gopal, and why didn’t he sing more songs? He sounded like Talat Mahmood, only a little better. May be I am getting carried away, but I am truly overwhelmed. The young renunciate parting from the mother and others is heart-wrenching. Not many weepy scenes of mothers impress me.

The songs of Raahi by Anil Biswas are remarkable and needed to be added. Holi khele Nandlala Biraj mein appears more true to the way they would be singing in Brajbhumi. The picturisation, with the foreigner lady being teased in the end and forcibly drawn in the revelry, is also outstanding. Anil Biswas shows his mastery in folk again in Ek kali do patiyan. One can see many later composers would have taken inspiration from Anil Bswas in folk.

19 M B BAPAT February 4, 2014 at 11:10 am

why you need to do such a comparsion? What are you going to achieve by doing such a futile exercise.

20 AK February 6, 2014 at 10:01 am

MB Bapat,
If your point is that there cannot be ranking between great artistes, it is a fair point, and many would subscribe to it.

Then why am I indulging in this ‘futile’ exercise, or to extend it to a larger question, why do we all do a lot of things which may not be socially very useful? Coincidentally, I have started this post precisely with the question, ‘what is the avowed objective of these posts?’ Apparently, many readers are enjoying and appreciating what I started swaantah sukhaaya.

21 probir mukherjea June 26, 2015 at 1:24 pm

i never knew of this site-just excellent-by the way all songs of ANARKALI was not composed by CR for example there was one cong composed by vasant prakash”a jane wafa”sung by Geeta roy

22 AK June 26, 2015 at 10:34 pm

Probir Mukherjea,
Welcome to Songs of Yore. We were aware of Basant Prakash’s above song, which has been posted earlier on this blog. Since the songs I have mentioned here all were composed by CR, Basant Prakash’s name was not mentioned.

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