Best songs of 1947: And the winners are?

It was the best of years, it was the worst of years. The euphoria of independence was marred by the trauma of partition, the communal frenzy sweeping large swathes of the country, the bloodshed, and the largest mass migration in history from one side of the border to the other. The film world too could not remain untouched by these events. Many Muslim music directors and actors chose to go to the other side or would move shortly – Ghulam Haider, Rafiq Ghazanavi, Firoz Nizami, Khursheed Anwar, Noorjehan etc. It was a sad year for another final departure – the greatest actor-singer ever KL Saigal passed away on 18 January 1947 at a young age of 43. But the year also saw the debut of Lata Mangeshkar as a ‘playback’ singer in Aap Ki Sewa Mein.

Musical landmarks

This was the year of Ana meri jaan meri jaan Saunday ke Sunday, a staggeringly popular song by C Ramchandra (Shehnai), which set him as a pathbreaker. Along with Saajan and Leela, he emerged as the principal challenger to the monarch Naushad, who continued his success run he had started with Ratan (1944) and Anmol Ghadi (1946), with Dard, Elaan and Natak. I have referred to the famed Naushad-CR rivalry in my series on them. Meera, starring MS Subbulaxmi who also sang her songs, gave her a Meera-incarnate aura in real life. This film became a one-of-its kind musical landmark, with music directors SV Venkataraman, Ramnath & Naresh Bhattacharya. N Venkataraman has written an excellent post on MS Subbulaxmi: A journey from Kunjamma and Meera. Khursheed Anwar’s music for the last film of KL Saigal, Parwana, opposite another great actor-singer, Suraiya, had some of their career best songs.

Other important musical compositions

The three brothers Pt. Amarnath & Husnlal-Bhagatram came together the only time in Mirza Sahiban which had some everlasting songs by Noorjehan and Zohrabai Ambalewali. Khemchand Prakash gave some memorable songs for Amirbati Karnataki in Sindoor. Jugnu by Firoz Nizami is remembered even today for Rafi-Noorjehan duet – their only duet ever – Yahan badla wafa ka bewafai ke siwa kya hai, which was one of his earliest hits. Geeta Roy (Dutt) became for ever identified with Mera sundar sapna beet gaya, composed by SD Burman (Do Bhai).

Debut, fact-file and trivia

Lata Mangeshkar debuted as a playback singer with Paaon laagun kar jori and two more songs in Aap Ki Sewa Mein, composed by Datta Davjekar, the only songs she sang for him.

Besides MS Subbulaxmi’s Meera, there was another film Meerabi composed by SK Pal, which had 13 songs, all sung by Sitara Kanpuri, not to be confused with the Kathak dancer Sitara Devi.

Shakeel Badayuni teamed up with Naushad for the first time in Dard. This was the film which had Uma Devi (Tuntun)’s debut song Afsana likh rahi hun, which also became her most remembered song. Rajendra Krishna debuted as a lyricist with Gori ghunghat ke pat khol do in Janata, composed by Harishchandra Bali.

Ghulam Mohammad debuted as an independent music director with Tiger Queen and Doli in the year. A year earlier, he was a part of several composers who gave music for Mera Geet (1946). Ram Prasad Sharma debuted as a music director with Nayi Baat. The name may be familiar to us, but he was a very respected musician of the time. He was the father of Pyarelal (of L-P duo) and Ganesh.

Snehal Bhatkar debuted under the name B Vasudev with Neel Kamal. His real name was Vasudev Gangaram Bhatkar. He was employed with HMV. To avoid contractual problems, he gave music under different names. After his daughter was born he adopted the name Snehal Bhatkar after her. Sulochana Kadam and Krishna Goyal debuted as singer with Krishna Sudama, composed by Shyam Babu Pathak.

Rafi appeared on screen in Jugnu in the song O apni yaad bhulane ko, and also in Samaj ko badal dalo in the song Ae ji mat poochho kuchh baat (sung with Manna De and Arunkumar Mukherjee). Kishore Kumar had his second screen appearance in Shehnai, though he did not sing any song.

Rafi-Lata’s first duet, Chalo ho gayi taiyyar, was in Shaadi composed by Paingankar & Karnad (Please also see Arunkumar Deshmukh’s comments in thhe comments section below).

Meea Kumari sang 6 solos, and two duets with the hero Karan Dewan composed by Bulo C Rani in Piya Ghar Aa Ja.

In Andhon Ki Duniya, Manmohan Krishna was the hero who also sang Tujhe aap bitana hai apnaa Jeevan, composed by Vasant Desai

Raj Kapoor sang his own song O duniya ke rahnewalo bata in Dil Ki Rani composed by SD Burman. He sang again in Jail Yatra, composed by Neenu Majumdar – Piya milne naveli jaye re.

Anil Biswas used the voice of Shamshad Begum sparingly, for the first time in Bhookh.

MEMORABLE SONGS
Aage Badho: Lyrics Amar Verma; Music Sudhir Phadke
1. Haay mori daiya jiya ghabraye – Manik Verma
Aap Ki Sewa Mein: Lyrics Mahipal; Music Datta Davjekar
2. Paon laagun kar jori re – Lata Mangeshkar
3. Ek naye rang mein dooje umang mein aye maharaj more aye – Lata Mangeshkar
Aisa Kyun: Music Aupam Ghatak
4. Hamri galan mein aiyo balamji – Gauri Mitra & Nanji Dulal
Amar Asha: Lyrics Kabil Amritsari; Music Shanti Kumar Desai
5. Mohabbat jatane ko jee chahta hai – Paro Devi
Beete Din: Lyrics Pt. Phani & H Tanveer; Music MA Rauf & A Dinkar Rao
6. Agar tum na milte agar tum na aate – Amirbai Karnataki
7. Tumhari yaad ko dil se bhulakar laayi hun– Amirbai Karnataki
8. Arshon pe sitara hai wo – Mukesh
Bela: Lyrics DN Madhok; Music Bulo C Rani
9. Mohe baanke balam laage pyara – Zohrabai Ambalewali
10. Sukh le ke dukh de gaya – Zohrabai Ambalewali
11. Pardesi piya re haye ab mose guzare na rain – Zohrabai Ambalewali
Chheen Le Azadi: Lyrics Pt Indra; Music Hansraj Behl
12. Moti chunne gayi re hansi – Mukesh and Shamshad Begum
Dak Bangla: Lyrics DN Madhok; Music Naresh Bhattacharya
13. Jab baadal ghir ghir ayenge – Mukesh & Suraiya
Dard: Lyrics Shakeel Badayuni; Music Nauhsad
14. Hum dard ka afsana duniya ko suna denge – Shamshad Begum & Chorus
15. Betab hai dil dard-e-mohabbat ke asar se – Uma Devi & Suraiya
16. Dil dhadake aankh mori phadake, chale jana na dekhoji bichhad ke – Suraiya
17. Afsana likh rahi hun dil-e-beqaraar ka – Uma Devi
18. Bahar khatm huyi….Chale dil ki duiya jo barbaad kar ke – Suraiya
19. Hum the tumhare tum the hamare, haye wo bhi zamana yaad karo – Suraiya
20. Ye afsana nahi zaalim mere dil ki haqeeqat hai – Shamshad Begum
21. Beech bhanwar mein aan phansa hai – Suraiya
Dekhoji: Lyrics Wali Saheb; Music Tufail Farooqi & Saabir Husasain
22. Jhumka gira re – Shamshad Begum
23. Baalam mohe la de saajan mohe la de chunariya hari – Shamshad Begum
Dil Ki Rani: Lyrics Yashodanandan Joshi; Music SD Burman
24. O duniya ke rahnewale bata kahan gaya chitchor – Raj Kapoor
25. Aha more baalam ne mujhko bulaya – Geeta Dutt (lyrics Harikrishna Premi)
26. Loot liya dil chitchor ne – Shyam Sundar
27. Mohabbat ki khana na kabhi bhi mithai – Shyam Sundar
Diwani: Lyrics Shams Azimabadi; Music Gyan Dutt
28.Kat rahi hai har ghadi bebasi mein tere bagair – Amirbai Karnataki
Do Bhai: Lyrics Raja Menhadi Ali Khan; Music SD Burman
29. Mera sundar sapna beet gaya – Geeta Roy
30. Kabhi bhoole se na poochhi man ki baat sakhiya – Paro Devi
31. Yaad karoge yaad karoge, ik din humko yaad karoge – Geeta Roy
32. Humein chhod piya kis des gaye, piya laut ke ana bhool gaye – Geeta Roy
Do Dil: Lyrics DN Madhok; Music Govind Ram
33. Phi nain baaware bhar bhar aaaye – Suraiya
Doli: Lyrics Nazim Panipati; Music Ghulam Mohammad
34. Dilli ki galiyon mein jiya nahi laage – GM Durrani & Zohrabai Ambalewali
35. Nainwa ke teer koi dil pe chalaye gaya – Amar & Shamshad Begum
Doosri Shaadi: Lyrics IC Kapoor; Music Govind Ram
36. Man bhooli kathayein yaad na kar – Shamshad Begum
Duniya Ek Sarai: Music Hansraj Bahal
37. Chanda ki chaandni na suhaye to kya karun – Shamshad Begum
Elaan: Lyrics Zia Sarhadi; Music Naushad
38. Ek baar phir se aa ja – Surendra
39. Aaine mein ek chaand si surat nazar aayi – Surendra & Amirbai Karnataki
40. Tera jahan aabad hai mera jahan barbaad hai – Surendra
41. Kuchh aur sitam honge..Rote huye aaye hain rote huye aajyenge – Amirbai Karnataki
42. Aayi azal ae zindagi gham ka zamana chal (or tal?) gaya – Amirbai Karnataki
43. Mere pahlu main hai zindagani – Zohrabai Ambalewali
Gaaon: Lyrics DN Madhok; Music Khemchand Prakash
44. Watan ki maati ki haath mein lekar maathe tilak laga lo – Mukesh and Geeta Dutt (Roy)
Geet Govind: Lyrics Pt Indra, Baalam; Msic Gyan Dutt
45. Jhan jhan jhan jhan payaliya baaje – Manna Dey
46. Shyam mori nindiya bikhar na jaaye – Manna Dey and Rajkumari
Heera: Lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi; Music Husnlal-Bhagatram
47. Chale aana more raja wada yaad kar ke – GM Durrani & Paro Devi
Jugnu: Music Firoz Nizami
48. Wo apni yaad dilane ko – Rafi & chorus
49. Umangein dil ki machalin muskurayi zindagi apni – Noorjehan
50. Desh ki purqaif rangin si fizaon mein kahin – Roshanara Begum
51. Aaj ki raat saaz-e-dil-e-purdard na chhed – Noorjehan
52. Yahan badla wafa ka bewafai ke siwa kya hai – Rafi & Noorjehan
53. Humein to sham-e-gham mein kaatni hai zindagi apni – Noorjehan
54. Loot jawani phir nahin ani – Shamshad Begum
Krishna Sudama: Lyrics Kamalnayan; Music Shyam Babu Pathak
55. Man prem ki gaanthon mein baandh liyo – Balakram
Lakhon Mein Ek: Lyrics Pt Indra; Music Hansraj Behal
56. Agre se odhani manga de balma – Mukesh & Shamshad Begum
Leela: Lyrics Gopal Singh ‘Nepali’; Music C Ramchandra
57. O preetam pyare chhod chale gharbaar – Amirbai Karnataki
58. Maine lakhon ke bol sahe – Binapani Mukherjee
Manjhdhar: Lyrics Shams Lakhanavi; Music Anil Biswas
59. Mera chaand aa gaya mere dwaare – Khursheed and Surendra
Meera: Lyrics Meerabai/Pt Narendra Sharma; Music SV Venkataraman, Ramnath & Naresh Bhattacharya
60. Nandlala mora pyara
61. Hari aawan ki aawaz suni maine
62. Baso more nainan mein Nandlal
63. Chakar rakhoji
64. Pag ghunghroo baandh Meera nachi re
65. Mere to Giridhar Gopal doosro na koi
66. Daras bina dukhan laage nain
67. Yaad aave yaad aave
68. Kunjan ban chhadi Madhav kahan jaaun gundham
Mirza Sahiban: Pt Amarnath & Husnlal-Bhagatram
69. Suno meri sarkar jawani kya kahti hai – Zohrabai Ambalewali & Shamshad Begum
70. Haye re ud ud jaye mora reshmi dupatawa – Zohra, Noorjehan & Shamshad
71. Haath seene pe jo rakh do to qaraar aa jaye – GM Durrani & Noorjehan
72. Tum aankhon se door ho – Noorjehan
73. Kya yahi tera pyar tha – Noorjehan
74. Aa ja tujhe afsana judai ka sunaayein – Noorjehan
75. Saamne gali mei mera ghar hai – Zohrabai Ambalewali
Mulaqat: Lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi; Music Khemchand Prakash
76. O chaand Eid ke mera payam kah dena – Naseem Bano
Naiya: Lyrics Aslam Noori; Music Anil Biswas
77. Aayi milan ki bahar re – Zorabai Ambalewali
Natak: Lyrics Khumar Barabanqvi; Music Naushad
78. Dilwale dilwale, jal jal kar hi mar jana – Uma Devi
79. Jab se chale gaye hain wo zindagi zindagi nahin – Suraiya
80. Kaale kaale aye badarawa – Suraiya
81. Dil leke chale to nahi jaaoge Rajaji – Suraiya
82. Kya batayein kitni hasrat dil ke veerane mein hai…Subah gulshan mein hai aur shaam veerane mein hai – Zohrabai Ambalewali
Nateeja: Lyrics Naqshab Jarachavi; Music Rashid Atre
83. Unhein bhi raaz-e-ulfat ki na hone di kahbar maine – Zohrabai Ambalewali
Neelkamal: Lyrics Kidar Sharma; Music B Vasudev
84. Jaiyo na bides mora jiya bhar ayega – Bhatkar & Rajkumari
85. Bhool jaate hain, bhool jaaya karein – Rajkumari
86. Shri netrakamal kati pitambar – Mukesh
87. Pyar se humko kaleje se jaano – Mukesh and Zohrabai Ambalewali
Pagdandi: Lyrics DN Madhok; Music Khursheed Anwar
88. Jhoolna dala de mora sainya ko bula de – ?
89. O more Rajaji mori gali aa ja – Zeenat Begum
Parinde: Rammurti; music Pt Govind Ram
90. Upar ho chaand tara neeche jahan sara – Surendra and Parul Ghosh
Parwana: Lyrics DN Madhok; Music Khursheed Anwar
91. Toot gaye sab sapne mere – KL Saigal
92. Baalam to pe sabr pade tora maika chhoday dino Ram – KL Saigal
93. Paapi papiha re pi pi na bol – Suraiya
94. Ae phool hans ke bag mein kaliiyan khilaye ja – KL saigal
95. Us mast nazar par padi jo nazar..Kahin ulajh na jana – KL Saigal
96. Mohabbat mein kabhi aisi bhi haalat payi jaati hai – KL Saigal
97. Aa ja balma re nagari dar laage – Suraiya
98. Jab tum hi nahin apne – Suraiya
99. Mere mundere na bol – Suraiya
100. Sainya ne ungali marori re Ram kasam sharma gayi main – Rajkumari
Romeo & Juliet: Music Husnlal-Bhagatram
101. Tumhein sitaaron ne beakhtiar dekha hai – GM Durrani (lyrics Akhtar Shirani)
102. Dono jahan teri mohabbat mein haar ke – Khayyam & Zohrabai Ambalewali (lyrics Faiz Ahmad ‘Faiz’)
Saajan: Music C Ramchandra
103. Humko tumhara hi aasra tum hamare ho na ho – Rafi/Rafi & Lalita Deulkar (lyrics Moti B.A.)
Samaj Ko Badal Daalo: Lyrics Roopshah, Music Khemchand Prakash
104. Naina ro ro kar rah jaaye – Amirbai Karnataki
Shaadi Se Pahle: Paingankar and Karnad
105. Chalo ho gayi tayyar – Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar
Shehnai: Lyrics PL Santoshi; Music C Ramchandra
106. Ana meri  jaan meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday –Chitalkar & Shamshad Begum/Chitalkar & Meena Kapoor
107. Pehli hi mulaqaat mein…Bach ke rahna ji – Chitalkar & Shamshad Begum
108. Jawani ki rail chali jaaye re – Chitalkar, Geeta Roy & Lata Mangeshkar
109. Humein kya pata tha…Maar katari mat jana – Amirbai Karnataki
110. Hamare angana ho hamare angana aaj baaje, baaje shehnai – Amirbai Karnataki & Shamshad Begum
Shikarpuri: Lyrics A Shah Aziz; Music Mohammad Shafi
111. Balam harjai maanoji – Mohammad Shafi and Razia Begum
Sindoor: Music Khemchand Prakash
112. Kisi ke madhur pyar mein man mera kho gaya – Kishore Sahu & Naseem Akhtar (Neelkanth Tiwari)
113. Koi roke use aur ye kah de – Amirbai Karnataki (lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi)
114. O roothe huye bhagwan tumko kaise manaaun – Amirbai Karnataki (lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi)
Tohfa: Music MA Rauf
115. Kahan tak jafa husnwalon ki sahate – Mukesh (lyrics Sakib Lakhanavi)
116. Kisne chheda man ka taar – Mukesh (lyrics Shant Aora)
117. Humne tumne jo kiya tha aabaad..O chaman aaj ho gaya barbaad – Parul Ghosh

Special songs:

In my earlier year-wise reviews I have been posting some ‘Special songs’, which may not make it to any conventional ‘Best’ category, but are worthy of special mention for some unique features. Here are some songs of 1947 which I found special.

1. Jhan jhan pyaliya baaje by Manna Dey from Geet Govind, lyrics Indra Chandra, music Gyan Dutt

We have heard many versions of the traditional classical bandish Jhan jhan jhan payaliya baaje. The best-known film song is one by Lata Mangehskar in Buzdil (1951) composed by SD Burman, who had himself sung it earlier as a Bengali non-film song. Here is a relatively unknown version by Manna Dey in Geet Govind.

2. Saawan beet gayo by Meena Kumari in Duniya Ek Sarai, lyrics Kidar Sharma, Hansraj Bahal

In DP Rangan’s post on Meena Kumari we got glimpses of Meena Kumari’s singing talent. It is surprising that as she became a superstar in the 1950s and 60s the film world forgot that she could sing too, and quite competently at that. Here is a very nice song by her.

3. Jaiyo na bides mora jiya bhar ayega by Rajkumari and Snehal Bhatkar from Neelkamal, lyrics Kidar Sharma, music Snehal Bhatkar

Rajkumari was among the top singers of the era. She is extremely sweet for Madhubala. Giving her able company is the music director Snehal Bhatkar as the voice of Raj Kapoor.

4. Aankh ke pani aankh mein rah by Asha Posle from Pagdandi, lyrics DN Madhok, music Khursheed Anwar

You have to be careful. The singer is Asha Posle, and not Bhosle. Courtesy information on Atul Song A Day, she was a well-known actor-singer of 1940s. Her real name was Sabira Begam. She appeared in Champa (1945) with Manorama and Hari Shivdasani. After partition, she went to Pakistan and she had the distinction of being the heroine of the first Pakistani film, Teri Yaad (1948). Later on, Pakistan TV had a well-known TV show based on her name called “Asha Tamasha”.

5. Wo apni yaad dilane ko ek ishq ki duniya chhod gaye by Rafi and others from Jugnu, lyrics Asghar Sarhadi, music Firoz Nizami

I mentioned Rafi’s cameo in Jugnu. This fun song is interesting for his appearance you can’t miss.

6. Dono jahan teri mohabbat mein haar ke by Khayyam and Zohrabai Ambalewali from Romeo and Juliet, lyrics Faiz Ahmad ‘Faiz’, music Husnlal-Bhagatram

Khayam sings (with Zohrabal Ambalewali) Faiz’s famous ghazal. The YT link suggest that it is the very first rendition of Faiz’s famous ghazal. This ghazal has since sung by countless singers. My top favourite is Menhdi Hasan’s rendering, mainly for the raag he chooses to sing it in. But this one is also quite charming.

7. Tumhein sitaaron ne beakhtiar dekha hai by GM Durrani from Romeo and Juliet (1947), lyrics Akhtar Shirani, music Husnlal-Bhagatram

From the same film, GM Durrani sings this ghazal of Akhtar Shirani in his most melodious voice.

8. Kabhi bhoole se na poochhi man ki baat rasiya by Paro Devi from Do Bhai (1947), lyrics Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, music SD Burman

This is not Bengal folk. It sounds like UP folk, and inspired by Naushad style in Ratan (1944).

9. Loot liya dil chitchor ne by Shyam Sundar from Dil Ki Rani, lyrics Harikrishna Premi, music SD Burman

This wonderful fun song is sung by the actor-singer Shyam Sundar, who is different from the music director Shyam Sundar

10. Chalo ho gayi taiyyar by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Shaadi Se Pahle (1947), lyrics Mukhram Sharma, music Paingankar & Karnad

This first duet of Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar has appeared earlier on SoY in the series on city songs. But it sounds always fresh for the humorous sawal-jawab. The lady asks for some ordinary things, the man sidetracks by promising her the moon.

And the SoY Awards in various categories goes to?

With 1947 we enter the era of more unknown than known. In female singing, the Lata Mangeshkar and ‘Others’ distinction is no longer relevant, because she is the ‘other’, in fact an unknown name then. Thus, the most familiar marker is not there, and the female singing is now by vintage singers. In male playback too, we have KL Saigal (in one film), and others, with not too many familiar songs. Many songs in my list of 117 memorable songs would be unfamiliar. But these are such that if you make the effort to listen to, these would linger in your memory.

I place it before the knowledgeable readers for their comments and choice for the:

Best male solo,

Best female solo,

Best duet,

And the

Best music director.

Acknowledgements:

The following two-part article on Surjit Singh’s site gives a nice overview of the songs of 1947.

http://hindi-films-songs.com/articles/1947-2.html
http://hindi-films-songs.com/articles/1947-1.html