This BLOG is about the Past of Hindi Films Specially Black and White Cinema We will refresh your memories by bringing out forgotten or unseen songs and clippings of film scenes We will try to give you as much information as we gather from our research.
This Blog was started as a one-man’s passion for film history but has now become an addiction for many music lovers who are equally passionate about Hindi films
The saxophone is a wind instrument but it was a very versatile instrument excessively used in Hindi Songs of the 60s and 70s. Composers of that era have used it effectively to convey many moods with Saxophone. Before it came on the scene, other wind instruments like Trumpet or Clarinet were in use. These instruments could convey the primary emotion in the song but the Saxophone could convey many moods of a song.
Manohari Singh is known as the first Saxophone player of Bollywood, but as per him Ram Singh was the first Saxophonist who played a few songs in the early 50s but after his death in the early 50s, composers stopped using Saxophone in their songs. It was in the late 50s when Manohari Singh arrived in Bombay from Kolkatta.
In this blog, I have selected a few songs in which Saxophone played beautifully. These songs are mostly from the 60s and early 70s. The first song that gave him popularity was from the 1959 film Satta Bazar composed by Kalyanji Anandji
Today on the occasion of Basant Panchmi, I write this blog to worship the Goddess Saraswati, the Hindugoddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. One of the most famous festivals associated with Goddess Saraswati is the Hindu festival of Vasant Panchami. On this day, Goddess Saraswati is worshipped in schools, colleges, educational institutes as well as in institutes associated with music and dance.
The first film on this season was released in 1942 'Basant' starring Mumtaz Shanti and Ulhas. Madhubala also acted in this film as a child artist( Baby Mumtaz). It was major box office success and the highest-grossing film of 1942. Fourteen years later another film 'Basant Bahar' was released, starring Bharat Bhushan and Nimmi. The highlight of this film was its music, scored by Shankar Jaikishan.
Basant is also called Rituraj, the king of all seasons and in Urdu is called Jashn-E-Baharaan or in short Bahaar. Many lyricists have used 'Bahaar' for this season. Let's look into a few of these songs. The first song I have selected from the 1942 film Basant
Yesterday the annual budget for the country was presented in the Parliament. this inspired me to write a blog on how the Hindi cinema’s lyricists see the power of money and its importance. P L Santoshi in the 1950 film 'Sargam' wrote ' Baap Bada Na Bhaiya, Sabse Bada Rupaiya' which 25 years later Mehmood sang the same Mukhda in the 1976 film 'Sab Se Bada Rupaiya'
In 1951 film 'Hamari Shaan', the lyricist Anjum Jaipuri wrote' Damdi Damdi Paisa Paisa Jod Mar Jaate Hain Kanjooson Ka Maal Aakhir Mein Doctor Hi Khate Hain'. In 1957 the lyricist Rajendra Krishan wrote 'Pehle Paisa Phir Bhagwan' in 'Miss Marry' In 1960 film Kala Bazar lyricist Shailendra writes 'Teri Dhum Har Kahin, Tujh Sa Yaar Koi Nahin' picturized on Dev Anand.
Here are a few songs from Hindi films that speak of money and its various hues since the 40s.
Whistling is an art, it is being a part of Bollywood songs since the 30s. Many memorable songs have a whistle the highlight of those songs. Whistling is being used in prelude or interlude in many songs. As a matter of fact, whistling was quite a vogue in most of the Dev Anand films
How whistling can make a career is a perfect example to Nagesh Surve who for the first time whistled in Julie After that he never looked back. Having whistled in over 1,500 Hindi film songs, Surve became Hindi film industry's chief whistler, collaborating with top-notch music directors, right from Lakshmikant-Pyarelal and Shankarlal-Jaikishan to Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Pritam.
Nagesh Surve was a musician, he plays the violin, he was a member of Shankar Jaikishan orchestra but this art was used by Kanu Roy, music composer in Hindi and Bengali films for the first time in 1973 film Avishkar. Later Rajesh Roshan used his whistling in the song of Julie 1975.
Song of Julie 1975
After the success of Julie , his whistling became a constant in Bollywood songs, something that we got used to, without notice. Surve has whistled in music tracks for films like Karz (Ik Haseena Thi), Hero (Ding dong), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Hai hai re hai yeh ladka), Satya (Sapne me milti hai), Fanaa (Chand Sifarish).
Dev Anand had the image of the evergreen, romantic hero. There was a time when his flirtatious, boyish charm and songs set to the mood of the nation. His eyes and Body language brought life to the songs he sang on screen are still fresh on our mind.
In this blog, I have selected a few conversational songs of Dev Anand starting from his first hit film Ziddi(1948), 'Yeh Kaun Aaya Re' sung by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, picturized on him and Kamini Kaushal.
Song of Ziddi 1946
The next song in my list is from the 1951 film 'Sanam' starring Dev Anand and Suraiya
Song of Sanam 1951
Another hit conversation song is from the 1952 film 'Jaal', this is a duet of Kishore with Geeta Dutt, picturized on Dev and Geeta Bali
Song of Jaal 1952
This song is from 1956 film 'Funtoosh', sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle
Song of Funtoosh 1956
The next two songs are from Nau Do Gyarah 1957, picturized on Dev and Kalpna Kartik
The accordion is an instrument similar to the harmonium but the way it is carried (on the shoulders), makes for a different feeling of joy. There was a time when it was a very popular instrument. It was a part of almost every song in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. It became popular with the 'Sangam' film song in which Raj Kapoor is shown playing this instrument.
Well before 'Sangam'(1964), this instrument was in use, in fact, it was Naushad who introduced Accordion in the 1950 film 'Dastan' for the song 'Tara ri Aara ri' and 'Dhadak Dhadak Dil'. C Ramchandra who used it for the first time in the song ‘Gore Gore O Banke Chore’ from Samadhi (1951). Shankar Jaikishan used it in the 1951 film 'Awara' for the first time and since then Shankar-Jaikishan has utilized the accordion to the maximum. More than 50 %, estimated, of the songs composed by Shankar-Jaikishan have been orchestrated with Accordion.
Goody Seervai
Goody Seervai was the prominent Accordion player in the 50s, he started with music director Naushad for ‘Dastaan’ 1950. He played this instrument in the song 'Tara ri Aara ri' and 'Dhadak Dhadak Dil'. Later Goody Seervai also played for O P Nayyar and Shankar-Jaikishan. With Shankar Jaikishan he played the accordion in the popular song 'Aaja Sanam Madhur Chandni Mei Hum' from Chori Chori (1956) and 'Dheere Dheere Chal Chand Gagan Mei' from Love Marriage, 1959
Song of Daastan 1950
Song of Aar Paar 1954
Song of Chori Chori (1956)
Song of Howrah Bridge (1958).
Song of Love Marriage, 1959
Vistasp Balsara
Another legendary musician was Vistasp Balsara who started playing for Raj Kapoor’s ‘Awaara’ and continued in many of the hit songs composed by Shankar-Jaikishan. Recall the songs 'Awara Hoon' and “Ek Bewafa Se Pyar Kiya” Another hit songs of 1952 “Aye Mere Dil Kahin Aur Chal” (Daag, 1952), and “Yaad Kiya Dil Ne” (Patita, 1953) are worth mentioning. He shifted to Calcutta in 1953. He worked with masters of music like Rai Chand Boral, Pankaj Mullick and Hemanta Mukherjee in the '50s.
Song of Daag, 1952
Song of Patita 1953
Sumit Mitra
In 1957 another musician Sumit Mitra came to Mumbai. He knew accordion and became assistant to Servai who was a musician with Shankar Jaikishan. He was a regular musician in SJ camp. Sumit Mitra who played the accordion in the 'Sangam" song; Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega' have played the accordion for 13,000 songs, started with Shankar-Jaikishan S D Burman. After the death of Jaikishan Sumit Mitra permanently shifted to Laxmikant-Pyarelal orchestra and played for the duo for many years. For Laxmikant Pyarelal, he played the accordion in the first song of their career 'Hansta Hua Noorani Chehra' from Parasmani.First ‘interlude’ starts with the ‘strokes’ of the ACCORDION, played by Sumit Mitra.
Song of Parasmani 1963
Sumit Mitra played the accordion second time with Laxmikant Pyarelal in the song 'Gudiya Hum Se Roothi Rahogi' and 'Koi Jab Rah Na Paye' from Dosti 1964.
Song of Dosti 1964
Song of Dosti 1964
Kya Miliye Aise Logon Se ' from “IZZAT” 1968.
Song of IZZAT 1968
Another popular song of Laxmikant Pyarelal from Bobby 1973, 'Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Bund' In this song the accordion is played for the maximum time, it is the instrument which is tunefully played in every alternate line of ‘mukhada’ once again played by Sumit Mitra
Kersi Lord
Kersi Lord was a multi-instrumentalist. He learned accordion from Sevai.In the sixties and seventies, Kersi Lord also played the accordion for many songs. He was a regular musician of S D Burman. He played the accordion in the immortal song 'Roop Tera Mastana' from Aradhana 1969. Another song 'O Meri Sharmilee' from Sharmilee (1971) is worth mentioning.
Song of Aradhana 1969
Song of Sharmilee (1971)
Enoch Danial
Enoch Danial was one another finest accordionists. Moving from Goa to Mumbai in 1955, Daniels built a successful career as a pianist and accordionist in films. He first joined S D Burman and then Shankar Jaikishan. His first song for SJ was 'Le Gayi Dil' from Love In Tokyo. He also played for music director Hemant Kumar His memorable performance was in ‘Bees Saal Baad’. He has worked with prominent music directors such as S.D. Burman, C. Ramchandra, Shanker and Jaikishen, Vasant Desai, Salil Chowdhury, Khayyam, Ravi, Madan Mohan, O.P. Nayar, N. Dutta, Ram Kadam and Sudhir Phadke
Song of Bees Saal Baad 1963
In the 80s with the popularity of synthesizer, the accordion as an instrument in Hindi songs was losing its charm. Though there are many songs in the 80s where accordion was used but in most of the songs, electronic instruments were preferred. Anjan Biswas was a musician who played the accordion along with Sumit Mitra.
