Best songs of 1940

And the winners are?

This is the transition year between the 1930s and 1940s. This was the year when Himanshu Rai, the founder of Bombay Talkies, passed away. The internecine war in the studio had not yet begun. So Bombay Talkies was going great guns with Ashok Kumar and Leela Chitnis with films like Aazad, Bandhan with music by Saraswati Devi and Ramchandra Pal. Ramchandra Pal working solo also gave outstanding music for Punarmilan with a great twin song Naacho nacho pyare man ke mor (by Arun Kumar/Snehprabha Pradhan). I don’t know whether it was the first twin song of Hindi films, but I can say without hesitation and disproving my general hypothesis, that both the versions are equally good.

Disaster also struck New Theatres too, which had a huge fire destroying most of their prints. But that didn’t deter them from making some great films with outstanding music: Zindagi with lead actor-singer KL Saigal, and Nartaki with lead actor-singer Pankaj Mullick, both scores composed by Pankaj Mullick, and Haar Jeet, composed by RC Boral.

This was also the year of transition from Sagar Movietone to its off-shoot National Studios. The director Mehboob and music director Anil Biswas were common to Sagar’s last film Alibaba, and National’s Aurat. Ranjit Movietone’s Holi had some great songs composed by Khemchand Prakash. I find a few other films of Sagar listed in HFGK, with songs that are not top of recall.

This was also the year of transition of the style of music from the 1930s which was heavily classical-based to a more fluid style led by Anil Biswas who was open to different kinds of influences. He was not only the Bhishm Pitamah chronologically, but as one who can be credited to lay the foundation of what we know as film song. Not only New Theatres  stalwarts started flocking to Bombay, but from talents from different regions were attracted to the Dream City.

For those familiar with vintage era songs, that gives a great variety of songs to refresh our memory and enjoy.

As we can expect, the number of songs of which nothing is known about the singers is far more than the songs with singers credited. This would be evident from the following broad statistics.

Broad Statistics

(My source is Hindi Film Geet Kosh. It is possible some more songs are available with private collectors, or uploaded on YouTube. Songs with more than two identified singers I have included in duets. Chorus songs with one prominent voice I have included as a solo. Pure chorus, or choruses with though distinct voices, but unidentified I have included in unknown songs in Row 5 that account for over 55% songs in the year.)

Debut, Fact-file and Trivia

This was the year when Naushad debuted as an independent music director with Prem Nagar, though we have seen earlier that his first recorded song is said to be Bata do koi kaun gali gaye Shyam in the voice of Leela Chitnis in the film Kanchan (1941), which got released later. The music of this film  is credited to Gyan Dutt. No one could have predicted then that this young man would in four years emerge as the Mighty Mughal of Movie Music.

SS Vasan started Gemini Studios. Master Vinayak and PK Atre started Navyug Films. Sagar Movietone had last movie in the year, Alibaba, directed by Mehboob Khan with music by Anil Biswas. Mehboob Khan also directed Sagar’s offshoot National Studios production the blockbuster Aurat. Many years later he remade it into another landmark film Mother India (1957), but by that time Naushad had replaced Anil Biswas as his regular music director. A most interesting common thread between the two films was Kanhaiyalal who played the role of the evil, heartless money-lender, Sukhilala.

The number of films remained below 100 in 1940 too. The Second World War was raging ferociously. This led to shortages and rationing of the raw stock. The War had some unintended consequences which changed the structure of movie industry in the long run. The War-induced black-marketing led to different kinds of money coming to the film industry, which spelt the beginning of the end of the Studio era.

Prabhat Studios made their another saint movie in the year.

MEMORABLE SONGS

With that preamble, now is the time to shortlist memorable songs of the year. I have also included at the end of film songs over 20 non-film songs (NFS). My main source has been Atul Song A Day which lists many NFS in 1940. These may not all be in one year, but near-abouts. Many of these have been my all time greats, So while I may mention them in Special Songs, I would not include them in the main competition.

Aandhi: Music KC Dey
1. Chala gaya toofan, aa kar chala gaya toofan – by KC Dey (Lyricist Arzoo Lakhnavi)
2. Maan na kar ab sajni, maan le aan, kaahe ko mukh mode – by KC Dey (Lyricist Arzoo Lakhnavi)
3. Prem bansuriya bajaao saajan – Pankaj Mullick & Radharani, music KC Dey (Lyricist Rashid Gorakhpuri)
Aazad: Lyrics Jamuna Swarup Kasyap ‘Natwan’, Music Saraswati Devi & RC Pal
4. Saajan mohan waari tum mere main tumhari – Hansa Wadkar
Achhoot: Lyrics PL Santoshi; Music Gyan Dutt
5. Raghpati Raghav raja ram., patit paavan sitaram – Gohar Mamajiwala, Unknown Male voice, Vasanti
6. Koi bajaao na prem ki veena – Khursheed
Alibaba: Lyricist Dr Safdar ‘Aah’; Music Anil Biswas
7. Teri in aankhon ne kiya beemar haye – Surendra, Waheedan
8. Hum aur tum aur ye khushi – Surendra, Waheedan
Aurat: Lyricist Dr Safdar ‘Aah’; Music Anil Biswas
9. Kaahe karta der baraati, lana hai tohe pee ki nagariya – by Anil Biswas & chorus
10. More angana mein laga ambua ka ped – by Anil Biswas & chorus
11. Jamuna tat Shyam khelein holi – by Anil Biswas & chorus
12. Bol bol re bol ban ke panchhi bol, tere meethe geet suhaane – by Surendra, Jyoti
13. Uth sajni khol kiwaade tere saajan aaye duaare – Surendra, Jyoti
Bahurani: Music Rafiq Ghazanvi
14. Zara muskura kar milaa nazar hi – by Zohra Jan
Bandhan: Lyricist Pradeep; Music Saraswati Devi and Ramchandra Pal;
15. Chane jor garam babu main laya majedaar – by Arun Kumar
16. Chal chal re naujawan, kahna mera aan, chal chal re naujawan – Suresh/ Ashok Kumar (Ramchandra Pal)
17. Apne bhaiya ko naacch nachaaungi – Leela Chitnis, Suresh
18. Kaise chhipoge, ab tum kaise chhipoge, O salone saajana – Leela Chitnis
19. Chal chal re naujawan, chalo sang chale hum, door tera gaon – Leela Chitnis, Ashok Kumar
20. Piu piu bol, piu piu bol, pran papohe piu piu bol – Pradeep
21. Ruk na sako to jaao – Arun Kumar
Ek Hi Bhool: Lyrics Sampat Lal Shrivastava ‘Anuj’; music Shankar Rao Vyas
22. Duniyawaale pagal kahte hain – Ramesh Desai
23. Main phoolon ki sugandh bankar upvan sara mahkaaun – Amirbai Karnataki and NM Adhikari
Haar Jeet: Music RC Boral
24. Mast pawan shaakhein lahraayein – Kanan Devi, Pahadi Sayal
25. Tum Manmohan, tum sakhiyan sang, hans hans khelo phaag – Kanan Devi
Holi: Lyricist DN Madhok. Music Khemchand Prakash
26. Phagun ki rut aayi re zara baaje bansuri – Sitara, Amritlal
Main Hari: Lyricist Kamal Amrohi; Music Mir Saheb
27. Panghat pe ek chhabili – Khan Mastana
28. Sanwariya se hamri naahin bani re – Menaka Bai
Matwaali Meera: Lurics Pt. Bhushan, Music Master Brijlal Verma
29. Mere to Giridhan Gopal doosro na koi (Meerabai) – Mukhtar Begum
30. Mhane chaakar raakhoji (Meerabai) –
31. Jogi mat ja (Meerabai) – Mukhtar Begum
Narsi Bhagat: Music Shankar Rao Vyas
32. Vaishnav jan to tene kahiye jo peer parayi jaane re – Amirbai Karnataki
33. Deendayal dukh bhanjan..Maine prabhu ke darshan paye – Amirbai Karnataki
Nartaki: Lyricist Munshi Arzoo; Music Pankaj Mullick
34. Madbhari rut jaaan hai – Pankaj Mullick
35. Ye kaun aaj aya savere savere – Pankaj Mullick
36. Prem ka nata chhoota, prem na chhoota – Pankaj Mullick
Pooja: Lyrics Shatir Ghazanvi, Music Anil Biswas
37. Lat uljhi suljha ja re baalam, haatho ein mehdi lagi hai – Jyoti
Prem Nagar: Lyricist DN Madhok; Music Naushad Ali
38. Aaye re pee ki nagariya se aaye re – Sharda
Punarmilan: Music Ramchandra Pal
39. Naacho naacho pyare ma ke more, aaj mee jeevan mein chhaya basant – Arun Kumar (lyrics Pradeep)
40. Nacho nacho pyare man me more – Snehprabha (lyrics Anand)
41. Aao banayein gharwa pyara – Snehprabha Pradhan & Arun Kumar
Sant Gyaneshwar: Music Keshavrao Bhole
42. Sabse pyare hain duniya mein khet hamaare – Vasant Desai
Sneh Bandhan (aka Intezaar): Lyrics Pt. Narayan Prasad ‘Betab’, Music Pannalal Ghosh
43. Daras bina dukhan laage nain (Meera bai?)– Miss Bibbo
Suhaag: Music Timir Baran
44. Aaj suhaag ki raat sej meri ban gayi phulwari (lyrics Pt. Indra) – Rajkumari
Zindagi: Lyrics Kidar Sharma; Arzoo Lakhnavi; Music Pankaj Mullick
45. Deewana hun deewana hun, raahat se begana hun – KL Saigal (lyrics Kidar Sharma)
46. Main kya jaanun kya jadoo hai, in do matwale nainon mein jadoo hai – KL Saigal (Lyrics Kidar Sharma)
47. Jeevan asha ye hai meri – KL Saigal
48. So ja rajkumari so ja so ja main balihari so ja – KL Saigal

Non-film-songs (NFS)
1. Aah ko chaahiye ek umra asar hone tak – KL Saigal (ghazal by Ghalib)
2. Ab kya bataaun main tere milne se kya mila – KL Saigal (ghazal by Seeemab Akbarabadi)
3. Baqadr-e-shauk iqrar-e-wafa kya – KL Saigal (ghazal by Seemab Akbarabadi)
4. Dheere se jana bagiyan mein re bhanwra – SD Burman (music SD Burman)
5. Dil dekar dard liya maine maine maine – Jagmohan Sursagar (NFS), lyrics Faiyyaz Hashmi, music Kamal Dasgupta
6. Duniya mein hun duniya ka talabgar nahin hun – KL Saigal (NFS ghazal by Seemab Akbarabadi), music KL Saigal
7. Ghar ye tera na sada ye mera hai – KL Saigal (ghazal by Arzoo Lakhanvi)
8. Har ek baat pe kahte ho tum ki tu kya hai – KL Saigal (ghazal by Ghalib)
9. Hairat se tak raha hai jahaan-e-wafa mujhe – Master Madan
10. Hari bin koi kaam na aayo – KL Saigal (lyrics Lal Das)
11. Holi khelein Kanhaiya baro ragri – KC Dey
12. Humjoliyon ki thi toliyan – KL Saigal
13. Ibn-e-Mariam hua karey koi – KL Saigal (ghazal by Ghalib)
14. Jab chaand mera nikla chhayi thi ghatayein – Pankaj Mullick (lyrics Faiyyaz Hashmi, music Pankaj Mullick)
15. Jin jaao ri gori aaj paniya bharan – KL Saigal
16. Kaun bujhaave ho Ram – KL Saigal
17. Main jo dinan ki chhori piya more maanat naahin – KL Saigal
18. Main rota hun mat mana karo – Pankaj Mullick, music Pankaj Mullick
19. Na tum mere na dil mera na jaan-e-naatwan meri – Kamla Jharia
20. Phir mujhe deeda-e-tar yaad aya – KL Saigal (ghazal by Ghalib)
21. Saanwariya raag se aag lagi – Mukesh
22. Ye raatein ye mausam ye hansna hansana – Pankaj Mullick

Special songs

1. Hari bina koi kaam na ayo by KL Saigal (1940), NFS Bhajan, lyrics Lal Das

I am posting this non-film bhajan by KL Saigal at the top of Special Songs, not because of poignancy in Saigal’s voice, but poignancy in searching for his rare songs whose existence was known, but which were not available in public domain. For KL Saigal’s fans, a goldmine was the site dedicated to him by one of his crazy fans was www.kundanlalsaigal.com. This was my go-to site for any information on him. Alas, that site seems to be no longer available. But Sudhir Kapur has written a nice article on ASAD in which he also gives his search and download from that site.

2. Jamuna tat Shyam khelat hori, by Anil Biswas & chorus from Aurat (1940), lyrics Dr Safdar ‘Aah’, music Anil Biswas

Sudhir Kapur on ASAD expresses doubts about the singers, and speculates the singers could be Arun Ahuja, Jyoti, Sardar Akhtar & chorus, music Anil Biswas. In Mother India (1957), Naushad had composed a Holi song, Holi ayi re Kanhai rang chhalke suna de zara bansuri. Both Anil Biswas and Naushad were masters of chorus songs.

3. Jogi mat ja by Mukhtar Begum from Matwali Meera (1940), lyrics Meerabai, music Master Brijlal Meera

Almost every great singer has sung this Meera bhajan. Everyone had a plaintive cry to jogi not to leave. Mukhtar Begum’s version is no less poignant.

4. Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, patit paavan sitaram by Gohar Mamajiwala, Vasanti and others from Achhoot (1940), lyrics PL Santoshi, music Gyan Dutt

This bhajan has gained nationwide popularity thanks to its adaptation by Gandhiji in his mas meetings. The film  version would always take some liberties with the lyrics which gives some justification for attributing it to the lyricist PL Santoshi. It is said to be originally written by Swami Sri Lakshmanacharya. Gandhiji is supposed to have modified it to include the lines Ishwar Allah tero naam, sabko sanmati de bhagwan. The film version does not follow either. This film was made by Ranjit Movietone, an important production house in the Studio Era. The lead actress and a prominent voice in the song is Goharjan Mamjiwala, the consort of Seth Chandulal Shah, the owner of Ranjit Movietone. The music director is a Ranjit regular of those days, Gyan Dutt.

5. Sabse pyare hain duniya mein khet hamaare by Vasant Desai from Sant Gyaneshwar (1940), music Keshavrao Bhole

Vasant Desai’s name figures in the cast way down after Shahu Modak etc. It is clear he was kept those days for minor singing roles in Prabhat Films. Keshavrao Bhole, a Prabhat stalwart in the music department gave music in the film. I must say Vasant Desai was endowed with a pleasant voice, and he sings an excellent song. Alas, the tastes changed and he gradually gave up singing even when he later debuted as an independent music director.

6. Zara muskura kar milaao nazar hi by Zohra Jan from Bahurani (1940), music Rafiq Ghaznavi

Who is this Zohra Jan or Begum? Must be from Kolkata, Mecca for music those days. It follows the stock tune of Begum Akhtar’s famous ghazal Deewana banana hai to deewana bana de. Zohra has made the tune faster and added some harkat to make it an excellent mujra song.

7. Chal chal re naujawan by Suresh from Bandhan (1940), lyrics Pradeep, music Ramchandra Pal

This song is well known in the voices of Leela Chitnis and Ashok Kumar, a solo by latter and a duet version by both. Who is this Suresh, a strange name singing this iconic song. It turns out, it is yet another version in the film  when Leela Chitnis’s younger brother, a child-actor Suresh sings this version in his voice. A delightful clipping of another version of this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABCii6rUUFs

Now, it is placed before the readers for your views on

Best male solos of 1940
Best female solos of 1940
Best duets of 1940
Best music director of 1940

Acknowledgements and Disclaimer
1. The list of Memorable Songs has been culled from Atul Song A Day after listening to them. ASAD has also listed a number of Non-film Songs in the year. All these may not be from exactly the year 1940, but near-abouts. They must have listed all these in 1940 for convenience as verification would be nearly impossible. These contain some gems which have long been my favourites. And this was the only year I could accommodate them.

2. Surjit Singh’s site
Professor Surjit Singh maintains a fabulous website for vintage songs.
http://hindi-films-songs.com/articles/1940.html
Hindi Movies / Films Songs (hindi-movies-songs.com)
Hindi Movies / Films Songs (hindi-films-songs.com)

3. Arunkumar Deshmukh has shared his notes generously.

4. Hindi Film Geet Kosh

5. YouTube