SD Burman: His wonderful landscape of non-film songs

A tribute on his death anniversary October 31

When Harvey wrote Sun mere bandhu re on SD Burman’s film-songs quite some time back, my first reaction was that he had taken away my theme. Now I am thankful that he did it, because I would have been in a serious dilemma as to which ones to leave, as each of his songs is a gem and I did want to include a number of his non-film songs. His non-film songs make a wonderful landscape, much larger and no less beautiful, though may be somewhat less known.

Born in Comilla (now in Bangladesh) on October 1, 1906 in the royal family of Tripura, SD Burman absorbed the sights and sounds and music of rural Bengal from his early childhood. Soon his name became synonymous with Bengali folk music. When he sends his plaintive cry to the lover or the Supreme Being far away in his heartrending voice, it is as if he was sent on the earth by God so that Bhatiyali would become immortal in his voice. He was later influenced by Rabindrasangeet and Nazrul Geeti. He was also formally trained in classical music and could sing at concerts in the company of top singers. His main fame is as a top music director for over 25 years in the Golden Era of Hindi film music.

He sang 15 film-songs. But his non-film songs number about 25 in Hindi and over 130 in Bengali. I had earlier thought of doing a mix of his Hindi and Bengali songs, but I felt unsatisfied because typical of SD Burman, there is hardly any song, which is less than outstanding. So I am putting here my favourite Hindi non-film songs as my tribute to him on his death anniversary (he passed away on October 31, 1975). There is an ocean of his non-Benagli gems, which I hope to put up at some appropriate time.

1. Mere yauvan ki phulwari me bhanwra tu kyun ata hai

SD Burman had something about bhanwra (honeybee). His Dheer se jana bagiyan mein has become an immortal classic, which he liked so much that he let his favourite naughty boy Kishore Kumar parody at least twice – (in the interlude of Panch rupaiya aath ana in Chalti Ka Naam Gadi and Dheere se jana kahtiyn mein O khatmal in Chhupa Rustam). In film songs also he gave various colours of bhanwra – Gun guna rahe hain bhanwre khil rahi hai kali kali and O mare bairagi bhanwra. But listen to his most perfect bhanwra song, sung by the flower, object of his attraction, who knows exactly what he is after, which is not love but lust for her beauty:

मेरे यौवन की फुलवारी में भँवरा तू क्यूं आता है
मैं जान गई पहचान गई मधुलोभ भरा तेरे गुंजन में
रीझत है आज कुंजन में रूम झूम तू झूमत हैं
मैं जान गई पहचान गई भँवरा तू क्यूं आता है
मेरे यौवन की फुलवारी में …

समय आज मनोहर है छाई बसंत मेरे कुंजन में
स्वप्न विभोर तू होता है प्रेम भरा तेरे आनन में
मैं जान गई पहचान गई भँवरा तू क्यूं आता है
मेरे यौवन की फुलवारी में

O bhanwraa I know why you come to the splendour of my beauty
Now I have understood you are only lusting for my charms
You are enraptured and dance around in my abode
I know why you come to the splendour of my beauty

2.  Preet mein huye badnam sanwariya – Thumri

I mentioned about his formal training in classical music. As evidence you have this thumri which could be from any renowned classical singer.

3.  Jhan jhan jhan jhan manjira baje

If you had any doubts about his competence in classical music, here he renders a perfect Nat Bihag, which he used in Lata Mangeshkar’s voice in Buzdil to create the memorable Jhan jhan jhan jhan payal baje.

The experts may scoff at my suggestion, but you can compare this with the rendering of the doyen of Jaipur Atrauli gharana Pt Mallikarjun Mansoor.

4.  Ab main sharan tumhari

Yet another beautiful light classical piece – a bhajan – which reminds you of KC Dey’s singing. I have to leave it to Subodh to explain the nuances of the Raga.

5.  Meri Shyam suno meri binti

Another bhajan in a voice of surrender before the Lord.

6.  Rim jhim rim jhim barsao re

One has heard rain songs and rain songs. But this one stands apart for the beauty of its lyrics and the pathos in SD Burman’s voice. You would not have heard a sadder rain song when the heartless lover is away.

रिमझिम रिमझिम बरसाओ रे आंसू के मोती लुटाये जाओ रे

अम्बर से आये हैं बादल जो काले, छलके मेरे दो नैनों के प्याले
पिया के लगन में उठी हूक मन में
नन्हीं नन्हीं बूंदनिया बरसाओ रे बरसाओ रे

बीत गई रैना आई होने को भोर
आए नहीं मेरे बालम कठोर
बिरहा से व्याकुल रहूं मैं पिया बिन यूं ही उमरिया बिताये जाओ रे
बरसाओ रे बरसाओ रे

रोने से मेरे पत्थर पसीजे लोहे का दिल भी पसीजा
ऐसा कठोर पिया प्यारे का मन है विपदा पे मेरे नहीं ध्यान
किसको सुनाऊं मैं दुःख की कहानी टूटे हुए अपने दिल की जबानी
रो रो के हरदम गाए जाओ रे आंसू के मोती लुटाए जाओ रे

रिमझिम रिमझिम बरसाओ रे आंसू के मोती लुटाये जाओ रे

Let the raindrops fall and give away pearl like teardrops

When the dark clouds come in the sky, my two eyes spill over like cups overflowing
My heart cries out for my lover
Let tiny droplets of rains fall

The night has given way to dawn, but my heartless lover has not come
I shall pine for my lover who is away, and my life would wither away thus
Let the raindrops fall

My cries melt the hardest stone
But my lover is so heartless he cares not for my misery
Whom do I tell the story of my sadness and broken heart
May you sing the heartrending cry and give away the pearls of your tears

Let the raindrops fall and give away pearl like teardrops.

7.  Balam mujhse rooth ke sautan ke ghar jate ho

I can visualise the straying balam cringing when SD Burman admonishes him in his full throated voice.

8.  Gundham hamare Gandhiji shubh naam hamare Gandhiji

A unique song obviously created as a tribute on Gandhiji’s assassination. Full of characteristic pathos in SD Burman’s voice accentuated by the sadness at the mad snuffing out of a loving and kind hearted soul.  Its tune reminds you of Jab tum hi chale pardes lagakar thes wo preetam pyara from Rattan.

9.  Kali badariya chaa gayi re, duet by SD Burman and Meera Dev Baurman

His wife, Meera Dev Burman was an excellent musician in her own right. She is credited as the writer of many of Burman’s famous Hindi and Bengali non-film songs. Here is another rain song in which she lends her voice with him.

10.  Kaun nagariya jao re

A song on the Krishna lore.

11.  Mere preetam pyare bansi wale

You can not have enough of SD Burman. Another Krishna song, now as a love song.

12.  Kaun aya sapno mein kaun aya

We have heard many of his incredibly romantic compositions in Hindi films in the voice of Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar. His own songs were more of mysticism and deeper meaning of life. What if he himself chooses to sing a romantic melody? The non-film genre was distinguished for its lyrical poetry, which was sometimes compromised in film songs. With constraints of film music removed, SD Burman sings this heavenly romantic song (you may need a speaker to get good quality audio sound):

कौन आया सपनों में कौन आया रे, कौन आया सपनों में कौन आया
नस नस में ये कैसा प्यार छाया रे, कौन आया सपनों में कौन आया

नैनों में चंचल आशाएं लिए, ज़ुल्फों में काली घटायें लिए
आँचल में ठंडी हवाएं लिए, कौन आया सपनों में कौन आया

मन में तरंगें उठाता हुआ, सोई उमंगें जगाता हुआ
भूला हुआ गीत गाता हुआ, कौन आया सपनों में कौन आया

जी भर के हंसने दो रोने दो आज, फिर बिछड़े मोती पिरोने दो आज
ज़ुल्फों की छांओं में खोने दो आज, कौन आया सपनों में कौन आया

ज़माना कहीं रूठ जाये ना फिर, ये सपना कहीं टूट जाये ना फिर
ये आँचल कहीं छूट जाए ना फिर, कौन आया सपनों में कौन आया

पलट दूंगा किस्मत की धारों को मैं, उभारूंगा डूबी किनारों को मैं
मना लूंगा जाती बहारों को मैं, कौन आया सपनों में कौन आया

13.  Phulgendwa na maro

We have heard this traditional bhairvi thumri by several classical singers. SD Burman himself composed this song in mujra style in Asha Bhosle’s voice in Fantoosh. There was an excellent Bhairvi composition, though in comic style, in Manna Dey’s voice in Dooj Ka Chand by Roshan. Strangely Manna Dey has been made to sing some great classical pieces as comic songs. Here the master of folk, SD Burman gives it a unique flavour. While the first line is the same as the traditional thumri, the remaining lyrics are different.

14.  Chalo chalo prem ke sathi prem nagar hai jana

Now a characteristic SD Burman song with several layers of meaning.

15.  Dheere se jana bagiyan me re bhanwra

Let me end with SD Burman’s most celebrated non-film song Dheere se jana bagiyan me.  I started with a bhanwra song.  SD Burman had something about honeybees.  While Mere yauvan ki phulwari me bhanwra tu kyun ata hai was a lament of the flower that the bhanwra was driven by lust and not love for her, Dheere se jana is a kind of Instruction Manual by someone who has seen it all.  It tells the bhanwra to go to the garden on tip toe and approach the dainties delicately.  Implied in this is the acceptance that a bhanwra would go to the garden, whether it is for a short-term pleasure or long-term commitment is not material.

Tagged as: SD Burman's Hindi non-film songs