Lyricists

Categories by song lyric writers.

Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri: Two lyricists in tandem and contrast

A tribute to Shailendra (30 August 1923 – 14 December 1966) and Hasrat Jaipuri (15 April 1922 – 17 September 1999), the lyricists in tandem, on Shailendra’s 96th birth anniversary

Shailendra and Hasrat JaipuriA common refrain of the readers from time to time has been that the lyricists have not been given due importance on this blog. A new reader Neeruahaf, who has been actively participating for some time, has also mentioned this and strongly suggested, while commenting during the discussion on the songs of 1946, that I introduce an award for the best lyricist of the year too. I have explained that my reasons are twofold: one is practical, it only creates another overlapping category for mapping the songs. And two, it is accepted that we remember songs by the films, singers and music directors, and rarely by the lyricists. As an illustration I mentioned Shailendra (30 August 1923 – 14 December 1966) and Hasrat Jaipuri (15 April 1922 – 17 September 1999), who featured together as lyricists in most of the films composed by Shankar-Jaikishan. I doubt if there is any tell-tale sign to determine who wrote which song. Let us examine this further as a tribute to the two lyricists, who worked in tandem a great deal, on the 96th birth anniversary of Shailendra.

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Bharat Vyas: Lyricist Extraordinaire in Hindi

Guest article by DP Rangan as a tribute to Bharat Vyas on his 37th death anniversary (18 December 1918 – 4 July 1982)

(One oft-repeated complaint against Songs of Yore is that it does not give due importance to the lyricists. I have given my reasons from time to time, which may not be very convincing. I do not know whether DP Rangan was guided by altruistic motives to come to the rescue of the blog, but his offer to write on Bharat Vyas came as a big surprise. By now we are aware of his tremendous enthusiasm and capacity to write on different themes – this is his 19th guest article – but one thought familiarity with the language was necessary for writing on lyricists. For Mr Ranagn, no challenge is too great to deter him. The result is a comprehensive write-up on Bharat Vyas, one of the most respected lyricists for elegance of his language. The two Excel sheets he has prepared of Bharat Vyas’s Filmography would challenge anyone priding himself as a number-cruncher. My compliments and thanks to Mr Rangan for a very painstaking article. – AK)

Bharat VyasInvention of moving films for single viewer by Edison of USA and its further enhancement by Lamar brothers of France for simultaneous view by many in a sort of theatre had added new dimensions to entertainment for the people and the fever grew exponentially from then on. The epoch of silent movies started at the turn of the last century, but introduction of talkies in 1927 in the USA revolutionised picture viewing throughout the world and India joined the bandwagon almost from inception. The first talkie, Aalam Ara, was released in Mumbai in 1931 to a riotous start with the necessity of police intervention for control.

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Kavi Pradeep: The singer of Message Songs

A tribute on the centenary of Kavi Pradeep (6 February 1915 – 11 December 1998)

Kavi PradeepMumbaikar 8 has often complained, with some justification, that I do not give due credit to the lyricists. I believe a vast majority associates a song with the singer and the music director, and, generally, also remembers the name of the film, but finds it difficult to associate the lyricist with the same importance. Kavi Pradeep was among few exceptions. He created a distinct niche with his patriotic, devotional and inspirational songs. Many of his songs not only became stupendously popular, but also created a mystic aura about them, with stories and legends associated with them which have now become a part of the popular folklore. And above all, he was endowed with a powerful and magnetic voice, which made the songs he sung immortal. He was among the few lyricists who acquired a larger than life image.

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A Mahendra Kapur-Sahir Ludhiyanvi-Ravi classic

Chalo ek baar phir se ajanabi ban jayen hum dono

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If ever there was a song that could be described as the defining song of a singer, Mahendra Kapur’s Chalo ek baar phir se ajanabi ban jayen hum dono is one such song.

Mahendra Kapur, who came to the film world through a singing talent competition in the late fifties, was seen as a Rafi clone. That can be a great handicap; the world of film music is replete with the tragedies of clones not being able to come out of the shadow of the original star.

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