The Sculptors of Film Songs (11): Goody Seervai

Guest article by Piyush M Pandya (Gujarati) and Ashok M Vaishnav (English translation)

(Continuing their series on Arrangers and Musicians, now the guest authors Piyush M Pandya and Ashok M Vaishnav throw the spotlight on one of the most respected musicians, Goody Seervai, who became synonymous with piano accordion. The songs they have mentioned have been our eternal favourites, but for most of us it would be the first time that we would be able to associate with the accordion player who sculpted these songs with his tunes. Thank you Piyushji and Ashokji for another excellent article, 11th in the series. – AK)

It was after 1943 that the new crop of music directors started using western musical instruments in the orchestration of the Hindi film songs. C Ramchandra, because of his association with trumpet player Chic Chocolate and jazz drummer Kawas Lord, went in almost overdrive by experimenting with using western tunes in the songs. Music directors like Anil Biswas, Naushad, S D Burman etc. further expanded the range by combining Indian classical and folk music with western music and western musical instruments like violin, cello, guitar etc. It was this trend in orchestration of Hindi film music that led the search for the instrumentalists in hotels, clubs and functions of the communities in big cities like Bombay and Calcutta, where strong culture of bands consisting of Goanese and Parsi instrumentalists had developed very well. It was at one of such bands that Chocolate and Lord met Goody Seervai and were impressed by Seervai’s style of playing the accordion. They immediately introduced Seervai to C Ramchandra and Naushad.

Till that time, the changing pattern of orchestration was still lacking the presence of an accordion. So, C Ramchandra and Naushad lost no time in putting in Seervai’s accordion in their songs of Samadhi and Daastan respectively.

1. Gore gore o banke chhore kabhi meri gali aaya karo – Samadhi (1950) – Lata Mangeshkar, Amirbai Karanataki, chorus – Lyrics: Rajendra Krishna – Music: C Ramchandra

The accordion has melted with other instruments like trumpet, flute etc. in prelude, interlude and countermelody.

2. Ta ri ta ri aa ri…. Ye sawan rut tum aur hum – Daastan (1950) – Mohammad Rafi, Suraiya – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni – Music: Naushad

Arranged by Sebastain D’Souza, accordion gets its own distinct identity with which we are now familiar in the later songs.

Even though Samadhi song is said to have been recorded earlier, since this song was seen earlier on the screen, it is now being credited as the first song ever to have used accordion in Hindi film songs.

3. Lo pyar ki ho gayi jeet balam hum tere ho gaye – Jaadu (1951) – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni – Music: Naushad

This song can be considered to have further cemented the position of accordion in Hindi film song orchestration. The opening strokes of accordion magically sets the atmosphere for mesmerizing gaze of Nalin Jayawant. It then virtually sets to pace of the rhythm as it also adds to the seducing effect in the counter melody.

This was also the time when Shankar-Jaikishan duo were on the rise. They, along with their arranger Sebastian D’Souza, used the unconventional skills of Goody Seervai for some of the most memorable songs of the Hindi film history:

4. Ek bewafa se pyar kiya – Awara (1951) – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri – Music: Shankar Jaikishan

The song opens with the notes of accordion bellow going wide open, in sync with the open doors of the hall. Accordion then plays the key role in the interludes.

If we track the video frames closely we can see Goody Seervai, with his side to the camera @ 1,29 turning to face the camera by 1.31, fully enjoying his accordion play.

5. Sunte the naam hum jinka bahar se – Aah (1953) – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri – Music: Shankar Jaikishan

Here the song opens with tantalizing notes of accordion, coming in for brief counter melody support at 0.23 etc. and then again opening the interlude @ 1.21 to 1.26.

6. Andhe jahan ke andhe raste – Patita (1953) – Talat Mahmood – Lyrics: Shailendra – Music: Shankar Jaikishan

The open accordion notes fill in the prelude, move with rhythm notes during the interlude @ 0.55 to 1.04, creating its own mood while opening the interlude @ 1.42 making the entire composition ethereal.

7. Nainon se nain hue char – Aurat (1953) – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri – Music: Shankar Jaikishan

The prelude opens with notes of piano and ends with short notes of accordion. Accordion then keeps support through the countermelody with fleeting notes and then takes over interlude from 0.51 to 1.04, playing the supporting role during the second interlude from 1.24 to 1.37 etc.

8. Aa neele gagan tale pyar hum karein– Badshah (1954) – Hemant Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri – Music: Shankar-Jaikishan

The accordion keeps support with soft countermelody play while moving with the rhythm during the interlude.

9. Manzil wohi hai pyar ki– Kathputli (1957) – Subir Sen – Lyrics; Shailendra – Music: Shankar-Jaikishan

Our normal impression of the song would be a piano dominant orchestration. But here, too, accordion makes its presence felt during the prelude from 0.16 to 0.35 while piano supports the counter melody. Then, the accordion smoothly ends the interludes from 1.43 to 1.47, 2.46 to 2.49, and briefly takes up the centrestage from 3.38 till 3.51.

10. Tu roop ki raani main choron ka raja – Roop Ki Raani Choron Ka Raja (1962) – Talat Mahmood, Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri – Music: Shankar-Jaikishan­­

In the prelude accordion sounds like strokes of guitar, but in the interlude, it becomes innovatively expansive.

We will end the saga of SJ- Seervai combination by recalling some very well-known songs, where the impact of accordion has played a distinct role in shaping the character of the song:

Aa ja sanam madhur chandani mein hum – Chori Chori (1956) – Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri – Music: Shankar-Jaikishan

Dheere dheere chal chand gagan mein – Love Marriage (1959) – Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri – Music: Shankar-Jaikishan

Kahe jhoom jhoom raat ye suhani – Love Marriage (1959) – Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri – Music: Shankar-Jaikishan

Sab kuchh seekha humne na seekhi hoshiyari – Anadi (1959) – Mukesh – Lyrics: Shailendra – Music: Shankar-Jaikishan

Dil ki nazar se nazaron ki dil se – Anadi (1959) – Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh – Lyrics; Shailendra – Music: Shankar-Jaikishan

Another music director who was known to experiment with the way instruments were played in his songs was O P Nayyar. As can be expected O P Nayyar has used Goody Seervai’s accordion with striking results in many songs. Here are some such songs:

11. Babuji dheere chalna pyar mein zara sambhalna – Aar Paar (1954) – Geeta Dutt – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri – Music: O  P Nayyar

Right from the first stroke in the prelude, through counter melody and interludes, accordion is enticing as Geeta Dutt is in rendering of the song. The deft and complicated pieces of accordion belong to the times when final recordings used to take place in one shot!

12. Wo baat jis pe dhadake jiya – Hum Sab Chor Hain (1956) – Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Majrooh sultanpuri – Music: O  P Nayyar

Here too right from the prelude through counter melody strokes and interludes accordion comes in different, captivating, styles.

https://youtu.be/BECno1IhuXM?si=8tNUECr00Rs0hbHW

13. Dekh ke teri nazar – Howrah Bridge (1958) – Asha Bhosle, Mohammad Rafi – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri – Music: O  P Nayyar

This song remained under the shadow of massive popularity of other songs like Mera naam chnin chin chu or Aaiye meherban. But the intricate and yet melodious way the accordion is played in the song should provide the acid test for anyone aiming to reach professional excellence to test his /her proficiency.

In spite of the popularity and respect Goody Seervai got in the film world, it seems his first love was arranging and playing for the bands. That caused him to frequently reach very late for the rehearsals, earning strong displeasures of almost all music directors. Once he was so late for a song rehearsal for Shankar-Jaikishan that they chose to use the services of Seerwai’s own understudy Sumit Mitra. The time and tide do not stop for anyone. In the case of Goody Seervai too, his own inner circle friend and well-wisher Kawas Lord trained his son Kersi Lord for the accordion. Of course, Goody Seervai perhaps never seemed to rue these developments. Ultimately, the loss was ours, the fans of Hindi film music.

We end remembrances of Goody Seervai by listening to one song from a record he cut with another close friend and associate, Kersi Mistry.

14. Saathi re tujh bin jiya udas re

Seervai’s accordion skill can be judged by the way he recreates the vocal singing of such complex composition on his accordion.

Credits and Disclaimers:
1. The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of music lovers. This blog claims no copyright over these songs, which vests with the respective copyright holders.
2. The photograph is taken from the internet, duly recognising the full copyrights for the same to the either original creator or the site where they were originally displayed.