Best songs of 1956: Wrap Up 1

And the SOY Award for the best male solo of 1956 goes to ?

The 1950s are an era of plenty. This was the period when all the greats of the Golden Era were going great guns, creating their best music. Having said that, Naushad, one of the greatest, was absent in the year, but others were active. We are moving in tandem with review of 1939 songs. While in this year nothing was known about the singers of 61% songs, in 1956 that kind of unknown is less than 6%. All the great male playback singers – Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar, Talat Mahmood and Kishore Kumar – were singing outstanding songs. Talat Mahmood is an interesting case. Among the great male playback singers, he faded the earliest. He shone like a meteor in the early 50s; and late 50s onwards, his best was over. In the year 1956, we find a number of his memorable duets, but his great solos are few and far between. Contrast this with his spectacular songs up to 1955. Mahendra Kapoor’s glorious period was yet to arrive.

Special Songs

1. Nabi ke chaahnewale nirali shaan rakhte hain by GM Durrani & chorus from Aawaara Shahzadi (1956), lyrics Bahaar Shayani, music Jimmy

GM Durrani was once easily the senior singer, and Rafi treated him like a mentor. But Rafi’s rise spelt the exit of GM Durrani, so much so that by the 1970s, in the film Lal Patthar (1971), he was on the sarangi, lip-synching Rafi’s song Unke khayal aaye to aate chale gaye. His exit was gradual, but it appeared abrupt, and if you want to understand the reasons this qawwali is a good example. Sung in a lower octave, where GM Durrani was confident, this qawwali in the praise of Nabi sounds to me without soul. He has sung another solo and a duet with Geeta Dutt in the film, but he does not cause much impact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag2jhrEHOlA&list=RDag2jhrEHOlA&start_radio=1

2. Aankhon mein tumhare jalwe hain hothon pe tumhare afsaane by Rafi and chorus from Shirin Farhad (1956), lyrics Saba Afghani, music S Mohinder

You can contrast GM Durrani’s listless qawwali with Rafi’s verve in this qawwali. He had a very nice solo in Shirin Farhad – Hazaron rang badlega zamana. Besides, he had several superb solos in the year. But I find this qawwali by Rafi and chorus absolutely charming, deserving to be included in special songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9weuL3pr9E&list=RDP9weuL3pr9E&start_radio=1

3. Diya to jala sab raat re baalam by CH Atma from Dhake Ki Malmal (1956), lyrics Sarojini Mohan Nayyar, music OP Nayyar

This should be very high in the list of “OP Nayyar compositions unlike OP Nayyar”. His wife Sarojini Mohan Nayyar as the lyricist, and OP Nayyar as the composer created a spectacular hit Preetam aan milo (NFS) for CH Atma. That song is still now the identity of CH Atma. This song from the film Dhake Ki Malmal is another landmark song of CH Atma. It could have very well been in the main list of best ten, but in the face of several eternal male solos in the year by mainstream male singers, I keep this in Special Songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWiUrCNPRdE&list=RDJWiUrCNPRdE&start_radio=1

4. Denewale jab bhi deta poora chhappad phaar ke deta by Kishore Kumar from Funtoosh (1956), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi, music SD Burman

This was a big year for Kishore Kumar in which he got many eternal solos, and duets in the film Funtoosh, composed by SD Burman, and, surprisingly, Nai Dilli, composed by Shankar-Jaikishan. In the latter film, he was himself the hero of the film opposite Vyjayanthimala. In Funtoosh he gave playback for Dev Anand. The hero was completely Funtoosh in this film with Mehmood. Picturisation was equally superb.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrRNGdIp9qM&list=RDRrRNGdIp9qM&start_radio=1

5. Ae meri topi palat ke aa by Kishore Kumar from Funtoosh (1956), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi, music SD Burman

This is another song from the same film. Dev Anand acts a full Funtoosh, now with his topi, lip-synching Kishore Kumar. A fun-filled song. There is a well-known story behind this song which causes no end of controversy between Sachin Karta-camp and RD Burman’s camp. It is said that this tune was composed by the child-prodigy RD Burman, which was used by SD Burman in the film. I find this controversy very pointless and futile. Burmans were a musical family living under the same roof; it is quite likely Pancham might have shown sparks of musical talent as a child. One getting inspired by the other is not unusual. SD Burman is credited as the music director, and that is that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuuYt9OZFxM&list=RDRrRNGdIp9qM&index=3

6. Milte hi nazar aap mere dil mein aa gaye by Kishore Kumar from Nai Dilli (1956), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar-Jaikishan

Kishore Kumar acted opposite top heroines of the films in his heydays. In this film Vyjayanthimala is the leading lady opposite him. He does the best he does against ladies – crazily following her, and teasing her no end. He didn’t take ‘No’ for an answer. The ladies were exasperated but in the end love bloomed between them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-eRBXPB4Dc&list=RDS-eRBXPB4Dc&start_radio=1

Best Male Solos

As we go down the list of MEMORABLE SONGS, it is easy to make a shortlist of ten best male solos, most people would choose among these, with variations in rankings which shows every music lover’s subjective choice. Clearly, the best has to be from:

1. Mukesh: Koi dil mein hai aur koi hai nazar mein (Film Anurag, music Mukesh), Zindagi khwab hai khwab mein jhhoth kya aur bhala sach hai kya (Film Jaagte Raho, music Salil Chowdhury)
2. Rafi: Maine chaand sur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi (Film Chandrakanta, music N Datta), Garib jaan ke humko na tum mita dena, (Film Choo Mantar, music OP Nayyar), Le ja uski duaayein ho jo tera ho na saka (Film Heer, music Anil Biswas), Parwardigar-e-alam tera hi hai sahara (Film Hatimtai, music SN Tripathi), Aaye bahar ban ke lubha ke chale gaye (Film Rajhath, music Shankar-Jaikishan)
3. Manna Dey: Sur na saje, kya gaaun main, Bhaye bhanjana vandana sun hamari; (Film Basant Bahar; music SJ); Nirbal se ladai bhagwan ki, ye kahani hai diye ki aur toofan ki (Film Toofan Aur Diya, music Vasant Desai)
4. Pradeep: Doosron ka dukhada door karnewaale tere dukh door karenge Ram, (Film Dashehra, music N Datta)
5. Hemant Kumar: Chali gori pi ke milan ko chali (Film Ek Hi Rasta, music Hemant Kumar), Dil chhed koi aisa naghma (Film Inspector, music Hemant Kumar)
6. Kishore Kumar: Dukhi man mere sun mera kahna (Film Funtoosh, music SD Burman), Dil dil se milakar dekho (Film Mem Sahib, music Madan Mohan), Arey bhai nikal ke aa ghar se (Film Nai Dilli, music Shankar-Jaikishan)

If you look at the above list, each of the 15 you would like to include in the best ten. There were some more which I have shifted to Special Songs. You would face the similar dilemma of plenty in several years of 50s and 60s. OP Nayyar did reduce our difficulty by giving many more duets to Rafi than solos. Anyhow, let us get down to the task of some pruning even from the top shortlist. Here are the Best Ten Male Solos of 1956.

Best Ten Male Solos

1-2. Koi dil mein hai aur koi hai nazar mein by Mukesh from Anurag (1956), lyrics Kaif Irfani, music Mukesh

Mukesh’s foray into acting and production turned out to be a misadventure. He soon realized he had to focus on his playback singing. But in this film in which he was the actor-singer opposite Nalini Jaiwant, he showed his singing ability. In this film he was also the music director. My top favourite of the year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh4M_MGmnmY&list=RDZh4M_MGmnmY&start_radio=1

2-1. Maine chaand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi by Rafi from Chandrakanta (1956), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi, music N Datta

There was very little to choose between Koi dil mein hai and Maine chaand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi. I put it at the top jointly with the first song. I suspect that the video in the film is not real. In the whole video of about 4 minutes you don’t see the leading man and the lady.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcFM-dP5OEI&list=RDlcFM-dP5OEI&start_radio=1

3. Chali gori pi ke milan ko chali by Hemant Kumar from Ek Hi Rasta (1956), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Hemant Kumar

One heard that among the heroines of the era, Meena Kumari could not dance! In this video of family bliss, the leading lady-cum wife of Sunil Dutt and the mother of small kid(s) dances a perfect Kathak at home. Her Guruji has come and is on the tabla.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FBNqSlLi90&list=RD5FBNqSlLi90&start_radio=1

4. Dil chhed koi aisa naghma by Hemant Kumar from Inspector (1956), lyrics SH Bihari, music Hemant Kumar

This is a Twin/Tandem song, having another version by Lata Mangeshkar, and this song also proves my theory of the male version being a front-runner and the female version, a laggard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncKCqngNClA&list=RDncKCqngNClA&start_radio=1

5. Dukhi man mere sun mere kahna by Kishore Kumar from Funtoosh (1956), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi, music SD Burman

Kishore Kumar had the best of years. He showed remarkable talent in singing a pathos-filled song, lip—synched by the Funtoosh Dev Anand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIJPe8TAtxU&list=RDYIJPe8TAtxU&start_radio=1

6. Le ja uski duaayein ho jo tera ho na saka by Rafi from Heer (1956), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Anil Biswas

In this film based on the popular Heer-Ranjha story, Rafi sings one of his best under the baton of the Bhishm Pitamah Anil Biswas. He sang at least three songs on the same tune; let me jog your memory of the other two – Kah ke bhi na aaye tum, ab chhupne lage tare (film Safar, 1946, music C Ramchandra) and Dil de ke dua denge (Film Naya Daur, 1957, OP Nayyar)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VdqviZds98&list=RD9VdqviZds98&start_radio=1

7. Aaye bahar ban ke lubha kar chale gaye by Rafi from Rajhath (1956), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Shankar-Jaikishan

Rafi again. Before Shankar-Jaikishan fell to the temptation of composing loud musc for Shammi Kapoor, they composed absolutely soulful songs for Rafi. This is one of the best of SJ-Rafi from the 50s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fnROcmrj9I&list=RD2fnROcmrj9I&start_radio=1

8. Parwardigar-e-alam terai hai hai sahara by Rafi from Hatimtai (1956), lyrics Akhtar Romani, music SN Tripathi

Rafi was a very devout person. He sang for all the faiths with similar devotion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rad2gbRFY8w&list=RDRad2gbRFY8w&start_radio=1

9. Zindagi khwab hai, khwab mein jhooth kya aur bhala sach hai kya by Mukesh from Jaagte Raho (1956), lyrics Shailendra, music Salil Chowdhury

This is an RK film, Raj Kapoor is in the cast, this song is sung by Mukesh. With so many credentials, this song is not picturized on Raj Kapoor, but Motilal. I love Motilal in this film, he is on return from a kotha, drunk, and not happy about coming to his sedate wife. The poor villager Raj Kapoor, is dazed at the scene, and is trying to process this information in his mind about the ways of decadent urban society.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOTbHMJ0Ivs&list=RDhOTbHMJ0Ivs&start_radio=1

10. Dil dil se milakar dekho, nazron mein samakar dekho by Kishore Kumar from Mem Sahib (1956), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Madan Mohan

The leading man is on a drive with his sweetheart Meena Kumari. He sings this romantic delightful song with whistling of joy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt7z-U3wGyM&list=RDrt7z-U3wGyM&start_radio=1

In conclusion, SOY Award for the Best Male Solo of 1956 goes jointly to:

Koi dil mein hai aur koi hain azar mein mohabat ke sapne main kispe lutaaun – Mukesh
Maine chaand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi – Rafi

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
The song links have been given from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of music lovers. This blog has no commercial interest and does not claim, either directly or indirectly, any copyright over these songs, which vests with the respective copyright owners.