Thursday, January 21, 2010

Achingly haunting

My N73's shuffle mode mis-behaved (!) today repeating the same sequence from whatever song I jumped to. One song that came up in that sequence was "Aap ki nazrón né samjha" from the 1962 Hindi movie Anpadh with music by Madan Mohan.

Three or four years back, while driving, I was fiddling with the car radio in the AM channel mode when I first heard this song. It was made poignant by the weak AM signal on the radio (and what an effect it was! the song lines fading off and then coming back giving the impression of hearing the song as being sung far away, which is wafting over a breeze [I seem to be getting better at defining a simile]). I had heard the remix version of the song sung by Gunjan Singh (who was the lead singer in Bally Sagoo's (pioneer of Indian fusion remix songs) recording company). Gunjan was very impressive in spite of the hip-hop beats in the remix. She also sang the hauntingly beautiful "Noorie" song (again a fusion remix), the background song for the wedding scenes in "Bend it like Beckham". What a voice she has!

And then, I heard the original rendition by Lata Mangeshkar. Literally zombied by her rendering and the music, which tugs and scythes through the heart every time I hear it. What a modulation Lata brings in, that pulls you along!



Stirringly beautiful ghazal, achingly haunting voice and music!!! What shall I say about those composers and singers of yore who have given us such gems? Words fail me.

16 comments:

Swaram said...

Ohh this song is one of my all-time favs .. the lyrics, the feel all so gud :)

Annam said...

Words fail me.
///ingeyum athey:)

gils said...

ek gaav mein..ek kisaan..ragu thaathaa

RamNarayanS said...

@Swaram - Yep. One of my top faves as well.

@Annam - Some of the old time composers (any language) and their songs were so good that there are no parallels currently. (Not to belittle the current composers, there are lots of wonderful songs these days as well, but those days are still special)

@gils - tumharaa hindi tho teek hai! (UKG student class mein) dheere dheere improve karo Hindi film dekhne ki baad. yaar andha raghuvoda thaathaa? :-) How are you surviving in Aamchi Mumbai? I also don't know Hindi fluently, but can figure out most. Speaking is restricted, then mix Kannada, Tamil, English and somehow get the meaning across. :-)

PM said...

My hindi also restricted to Madhyama and IIIrd language till 8th std only. My first and foremost gyan towards hindi song was qayamat se qayamat tak - ennoda friend enakku "pappa kehte hain" song solli kuduthaaa...Even today i can recite and sing like pre-kg child ;)
But ithu kekkarthukku nallathaan irukku.....

RamNarayanS said...

@chennai girl - Most of colloquial Hindi can be got from watching films. Studying it is another aspect, but unless you converse with someone, that fluency / comfort won't come. :-)

RamNarayanS said...

The meaning of the song line by line from some soul on the Net at http://www.flickr.com/groups/1080819@N23/discuss/72157619734344582/ and reproduced below.

Your eyes have understood me to be deserving of love
Stop, Oh my heartbeat, I have found my destination
Your eyes have understood me

Yes, this decision of yours is acceptable to me
My every glance is saying, Oh Lord, Thank You
You have blended me into your life with a smile
Stop, Oh my heartbeat, I have found my destination
Your eyes have understood me

I am your destination, you are my destination
Why should I fear a storm, you are my shore
Someone tell the storms that I have found my shore
Stop, Oh my heartbeat, I have found my destination
Your eyes have understood me

Your shadow has fallen upon my heart
In every direction, millions of shehnaais are sounding
I have obtained all the joys of both worlds today
Your eyes have understood me to be deserving of love
Stop, Oh my heartbeat, I have found my destination
Your eyes have understood me

PM said...

Illa illa what i meant was, i didnt get the access to watch old ones.
And yaa, as u said, i can read and write bt conversation and understanding restricted to filmi knowledge only....
Thanks for the translated lyrics.

PM said...

Paatta vida intha translation innum nalla irukku....:)

RamNarayanS said...

yaenga kuzhappureenga? :-)

Andha paatu thaan indha translation, indha translation thaan andha paatu. :-) :-)

PM said...

helloooooo,naanum athathaan sonnen. Paattu ketta puriyathilla, i wont be able to fully appreciate bt only the music, so intha lyrics in the format of poem nalla irunthuthunnu sonnen...
Happa ippovavathu puriyumnu nenaikkaren

RamNarayanS said...

:-( :-| :-) :-D bayamuruththareenga

sri said...

waaah if u were anywhere near me I would give u a big Hug for posting this, Never mind sending u one right now HUGS!!

what a song, I too loved this song remix version and noorie was defn the haunting voice.

Very well put! thanks for making my day Lovely just lovely!!

sri said...

//I am your destination, you are my destination
Why should I fear a storm, you are my shore
Someone tell the storms that I have found my shore
Stop, Oh my heartbeat, I have found my destination
Your eyes have understood me
//

It has profound meaning and I look at it very differently from the romantic to devine love

sri said...

boy oh boy this post has made u more closer to me

RamNarayanS said...

@Srivats - Thanks for the accolades and the HUGS. I reciprocate. :) Ghazals are like that, sometimes very profound, beautifully arranged words and experiential.