Songs In Context, Lata-NJ history Options

[bigger_than_bollywood]

Before I became acquainted with hamaraforums, I was unfamiliar with a lot of NoorJehan's songs. I was even less familiar with the background of her life and work, and her own persona (which is at least as interesting as her music). But Inaam, Priya, and HF changed that.

Here is a really nice piece I found on the internet a few days ago:

http://www.geocities.com/~sm0e/R-noorLata1.txt

It is a 4 part essay series, but I'll start with the last part first, since it was the one I most related to myself. Over the next few days, I'll try to upload the songs mentioned in this essay on this thread. Hopefully, knowing a little bit of the context of these songs will help you appreciate the music more. The essay also mentions some songs I do not have-- so I will request Inaam (or anyone else) who has them to upload them on the thread.

Enjoy and hope all members continue to expand their musical horizons with HF.com.
-Manoneet

[bigger_than_bollywood]

From http://www.geocities.com/~sm0e/R-noorLata4.txt...

After the passing of Ghulam Haider, Noor Jehan was, in a way, temporarily
orphaned. The new front of music makers was still regrouping. She would star
in around 10 more movies between 1955 and 1963. I wonder if any of her
Pakistani movies of that age (PATEY KHAN, LAKHT-E-JIGAR, QAIDI, INTEZAAR,
NOORAN, CHHOO MANTAR, ANARKALI, PARDESAN, NEEND, KOEL, GHALIB, BAJI) made it
big. I have lost track of Noor Jehan's movies following 1963. Did she even do
any?

The Pakistani music scene of the '50s was dominated by the old stalwarts -
first Master Haider, and later, Rashid Attre, Chishti and Khurshid Anwar. The
research is still on, and it may take a couple of years to collect all this
data.

For now, I wll ramble on just a bit about Noor Jehan's post-Partition work.

Rashid Attre's classic song "Mujh Se Pehli Si Mohabbat Mere Mehboob Na Maang"
is from QAIDI, a mid-'50s movie. To this day, I think of this song as
Noor Jehan's best. There is at least one other Rashid Attre song I remember,
another smashing classic. Set in a loose Bageshri framework, Noor Jehan sings:

Lat Uljhi Suljha Re Baalam, Main Na Lagaaongi Haath Re
Chaand Se Mukhde Ko Naagin Zulfen, Chaahe Dasein Saari Raat Re
I will never tire of it.

Another master classicist was Khurshid Anwar, who did very few pre-Partition
movies for Bombay cinema (notable are NISHANA, an Ashok Kumar-Madhubala-Geeta
Bali starrer of 1950, and SINGAAR, and 1949 musical treat starring Madhubala
and Suraiyya). From the '50s, I recall 3 Noor Jehan songsby Khurshid Anwar, and
they are all cast in a classical mould. The Miyan Ki Todi rendition of "Jis Din
Se Piya Dil Le Gaye, Dukh De Gaye" perhaps does not match up to our standards
of virus-free and domesticated classical singing, but it has its place. And
to top it, the Jaijaiwanti song "Dil Ka Diya Jalaaya Toone" is a must-have.
And then in a style that almost completely describes the latter-day Noor Jehan,
she sings Khurshid Anwar's wonderful Tilak Shyam composition

Saagar Roye, Leheren Shor Machaayen,
Yaad Piya Ki Aaye, Naina Bhar Aaye

There was also this nostalgic treat from G.A. Chishti's LAKHT-E-JIGAR ("Chanda
Re Chanda Mere Daaman Ko Thaam Re"). Hazrat Chishti, in his pre-47 days was
a colleague of Pandit Amarnath, and for a while, had the charge of Khaiyyaam's
tutorship.

In a weak nostalic moment, Noor Jehan put in a half-song for Bombay. The time
was 1955. OP Nayyar, a giant personality then as he is now, was in trouble
with the music directors' association. The movie was MUSAFIRKHANA, and it
starred Shyama and Karan Diwan. For Rafi, the MUSAFIRKHANA duet

Jhoote Zamaane Bhar Ke,
Jadu Kaisa Daar Gaye Mo Pe, Neechi Nazar Kar Ke

must have been a replay of the JUGNU dream all over again. In his own words,
he owed his first big popular break to JUGNU and its protagonists.

One wonders why Noor Jehan did that crazy thing, just a bit appearance. My
guess is the Panchholi connection. Mr. Dalsukh M. Panchholi who gave Noor Jehan
her first real movie also provided OP with his first full assignment in his
own AASMAAN, may have brought Noor Jehan over for one last time. For OP, it
came at a time when he needed all the support he could get. He would never
forget that gesture. Panchholi himself died in 1959, four years after what I
think was Noor Jehan's last Bombay song. He had just turned 50.

The '50s and early '60s of the Pakistan movie scene gave us a new breed of
musicians like Nazir Ali, Nazar Hussain, Mohammed Ali Mannu, Niaz Ahmed, Mohsin
Razaa, Salim Iqbal and on. They worshipped that voice and they still do. One
song I can never forget is (and I have no idea as to the composer):

Nighaahen Milaa Kar Badal Jaane Waale,
Mujhe Tujh Se Koi Shikaayat Nahin Hai
Ye Duniya Badi Sangdil hai, Yahaan Par
Kisi Ko Kisi Se Mohabbat Nahin Hai

The lyrics of this song are catchy, apt and almost funny (although the song
does not mean to be). At one point, Noor Jehan says

Karoon Khud Main Fariyaad Apni Zubaan Se
Girein Toot Kar Bijliyaan Aasmaan Se
Main Ashqon Mein Saare Jahaan Ko Bahaa Doon,
Magar Mujh Ko Rone Ki Aadat Nahin Hai

And then there is the world of Noor Jehan's Punjabi songs. O what a treat
it is! I really do not know if these songs are from movies. But they are
a lot of fun. In one song, Noor Jehan sings:

Sannu Neher Waale Pul Te Bulaa Ke,
Te Kore Maahi Kitthe Reh Gayaa
Saddi Akkaan Vichho Nindraan Udaa Ke
Te Kore Maahi Kitthe Reh Gayaa

And in other beautiful rendition in Madhyamaad Sarang, she says:

Ja ja We, Tainu Dil Ditta, De Ditta, Alla Vaaste

The list goes on, but I will stop with two of my current favourites:

Seyoni Mera Maahi Mere Paag (Bhaag) Jagaawan Aa Gayaa
Mainu Heer Banaawan Aa Gayaa
and
Sun Vanjali Di Mithdi Taan Re,
Main Ta Ho Ho Gayi Qurbaan Re

Noor Jehan's musical output diminished after the mid-'60s. Some time in the
'80s and '90s, Pakistan Television ran a musical series called TARANNUM. I
believe Noor Jehan has recorded a few pieces of that serial. But other than
that, she has been in semi-retirement for a few years now.

The Mailika-E-Tarannum has released several ghazals on record in the last
30 years. The Indian recording industry is gradually bringing the gems over.
Perhaps some day I will write an addendum.

In the early '80s, upon invitation from Bombay's old fans, the melody queen
visited India for that grand concert where Lata met her long-time friend in
person. It had been a few years. People who attended the evening came back
with their eyes a bit teary from the experience.

In the mid '80s, our very own Asha Bhonsle took a turn from her usual R.D.
Burman fare, and decided to experiment with the ghazal for a while. Was it
the Khaiyyaam influence of Umrao Jaan? Just a guess. In any event, she
released 3 albums. One was a joint collection with A. Hariharan, the second
was with Ghulam Ali (Meeraj-E-Ghazal) and third one, titled KASHISH was a
triibute to Noor Jehan. In this collection, she sings some Noor Jehan originals.

I am tempted to suggest that Asha does really well in some songs. My
favourites from this album (as my favourites from the corresponding Noor Jehan
originals) are:

Nazar Hussain's

Gul Khile Chaand, Raat Yaad Aayi
Aap Ki Baat, Baat Yaad Aayi

and Mohsin Razaa's

Neeyat-E-Shauq Bhar Na Jaaye Kahin
Tu Bhi Dil Se Utar Na Jaaye Kahin

Epilogue
--------
It is in the context of this album that I make my last point of this
dissertation. Noor Jehan�s originals were all rendered in the '60s and '70s.
And they all have a sense of pristine and raw quality about them. This is
a different Noor Jehan we hear from her days in Bombay. The Asha homage by
contrast is highly normalized, and I might suggest, tame.

I would hazard the suggestion that in 1947, Lata was trying to get close to
Noor Jehan's voice-control. In the next 20 years, the two movie industries
diverged in many ways, but one point is relevant here. Lata's trainers,
especially Anil Biswas and Khemchand Prakash, wanted a domesticated,
classicized, well-modulated voice that would never stray into savage territory.

I don't believe anyone put Noor Jehan through that kind of scrutiny in the
early '50s. She was the undisputable queen. They wouldn't dare tell her
what to do. On the other hand, Lata was the great rookie of 1948.

By the early '60s, the contrast was stark. In 1947, when Noor Jehan delighted
us with "Tum Bhi Bhula Do, Hum Bhi Bhula Dein" (JUGNU), it seemed as though
Lata's ideal singer was right there. But the germs of voice-demodulation were
present. They always are. In Lata's case, these were carefully checked and
almost clinically removed by master surgeons like Anil Biswas. It appears that
in Noor Jehan's case, the demodulation went unchecked, and grew almost wildly.
The musical handling of the words, the pronunciation, the control, and just
the overall delivery all too often added up to a certain raw-ness. Certainly
age had something to do with it. But there was also the environment.

In a Nazar Hussain-composed song from the '60s, Noor Jehan sings:

Kyoon Chhoda Tumne Saath Hamaara Jawaab Do
Khaamosh Kis Liye Ho, Khudaa-ra Jawaab Do

As she throws her voice out, the lines almost start to sound like "Jawaab Dau",
and "Khaamaush Kis Liye Hau".

Perhaps this is a feature, not a bug. And perhaps it was a disservice to the
Indian audience committed by Surgeon General Anil Biswas and his distinguished
colleagues of the late '40s that forever rendered Lata (and Asha) incapable of
this pristine-ness. But what do I know? I grew up believing that the Lata
modulation was the best there was, and then I heard the latter-day Noor Jehan
BEFORE I heard the Noor Jehan of the '40s.

Maybe it was for the best. Lata and Asha have their place with their masters
and their proteges - as does Noor Jehan.

[bigger_than_bollywood]

Lets kick this off with "Mujhse pehli si mohabbat, mere mehboob na maang". Here is a video version of the song that some kind soul uled on HF last year. This was recorded during NJ's India visit in the 80s.

You can also see Naushad on the stage (may his soul rest in peace).

mujh se pehli si mohabbat meray mehbub na maang
Don't ask me for the love I once gave you, my love

mein ne samjha tha kay tu hai to darakhshaan hai hayaat
I had thought if I had you, life would shine eternally on me
tera gham hai to gham-e-dahar ka jhagdra kya hai
If I had your sorrows, those of the universe would mean nothing
teri surat se hai aalam mein bahaaron ko sabaat
Your face would bring permanence to every spring
teri aankhon ke sivaa duniya mein rakkha kya hai
What is there but your eyes to see in the world anyway

tu jo mil jaaye to taqdir niguun ho jaaye
If I found you, my fate would bow down to me

yun na tha mein ne faqat chahaa tha yun ho jaaye
This was not how it was, it was merely how I wished it to be
aur bhii dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaa
There are other heartaches in the world than those of love
raahaten aur bhi vasl ki raahat ke sivaa
There is happiness other than the joy of union

anaginat sadiyon ki taarik bahimanaa talism
The dreadful magic of uncountable dark years
resham-o-atalas-o-kamkhvaab mein bunavaaye huye
Woven in silk, satin and brocade
jaa-ba-jaa bikate huye kuuchaa-o-baazaar mein jism
In every corner are bodies sold in the market
khaak mein lithade huye khuun mein nahalaaye huye
Covered in dust, bathed in blood

jism nikale huye amaraaz ke tannuuron se
Bodies retrieved from the cauldrons of disease
piip bahatii hu_ii galate huye naasuuron se
Discharge flowing from their rotten ulcers
laut jaati hai udhar ko bhi nazar kyaa kije
Still returns my gaze in that direction, what can be done
ab bhi dilkash hai tera husn magar kya kije
Even now your beauty is tantalizing, but what can be done

aur bhii dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaa
There are other heartaches in the world than those of love
raahaten aur bhi vasl ki raahat ke sivaa
There is happiness other than the joy of union
mujh se pehli si mohabbat meray mehbub na maang
Don't ask me for the love I once gave you, my love

[bigger_than_bollywood]

Jis din se piya dil le gaye, dukh de gaye
Us din se ghadi bhar haye, chain nahin aaye

from Intezaar (NJ played a blind girl in the movie, MD Khurshid Anwar)

[jamalf_akbar]

Hi Manoneet,

This is a great article, Ii remember reading it a long time back so it was nice to see it again.

It was this article that lead me on the search for the elusive Musafir Khaana song by Noor Jehan for OPN only to find that it doesn't exist i.e. it is not Noor Jehan but someone else. I can't remember the exact details of who the correct singer was, I think Pulkit or Priya pointed me in the right direction.

Thanks for posting. I can also upload any of the missing songs if I have them.

Jamal

[urzung khan]

Hi Manoneet,

This is a great article, Ii remember reading it a long time back so it was nice to see it again.

It was this article that lead me on the search for the elusive Musafir Khaana song by Noor Jehan for OPN only to find that it doesn't exist i.e. it is not Noor Jehan but someone else. I can't remember the exact details of who the correct singer was, I think Pulkit or Priya pointed me in the right direction.

Thanks for posting. I can also upload any of the missing songs if I have them.

Jamal

Jhoote Zamaane Bhar Ke,
Jadu Kaisa Daar Gaye Mo Pe, Neechi Nazar Kar Ke

The article was written about 12 years back by a very
knowledgeable fellow. He was misled by details given
in a cassette inlay card. It appeared in rmim and he had
posted a correction there. Those who copied the article
blindly carried the mistake everywhere.
The female singer in this song is Nirmala Devi.

urzung khan

[maheshks]

Ha ha ha ha.

Urzungji ye to mujhe maloom hai ke ye Nirmala Devi film actor Govinda
ki mother hain lekhin agar aap ne Pramila ka obituary post
padha hai to Govinda's father Arun Kumar aka Arun Ahuja.....was hero in
some movies....who the singer, music director Arun Kumar was....a different person?
Kuchh roshni daaliye.

[bigger_than_bollywood]

Uzrung saab, Jamal bhai and Mahesh paaji,

It is due to folks like you that being on HF is such an enriching experience. Thanks for your posts, insights, and music.

Here is the next song in the series.

Saagar roye lehrein shor machayen
Yaad piya ki aaye
Naina bhar aaye.

-Manoneet

[urzung khan]

Ha ha ha ha.

Urzungji ye to mujhe maloom hai ke ye Nirmala Devi film actor Govinda
ki mother hain lekhin agar aap ne Pramila ka obituary post
padha hai to Govinda's father Arun Kumar aka Arun Ahuja.....was hero in
some movies....who the singer, music director Arun Kumar was....a different person?
Kuchh roshni daaliye.

Galti likhne me.n hui. mea culpa maxima.

Her husband was Arun Ahuja and not Arun Kumar.
I think they met on the sets of Savera 1941 in which
Nirmala was second heroine.

urzung khan

[bigger_than_bollywood]

Gul khile chand raat yaad aayi- Asha's version and NJ's version. Which one do people like better?

I find it interesting how NJ always breaks her breath midway through singing "chand raat", while asha sings the entire phrase in one go. Also notice the unexpected harkat that asha takes at the end of the phrase "ashk aankhon main phir umad aaye" (3:04 into the track). A very nice effect.

[bigger_than_bollywood]

Neeyat-e-shauq bhar na jaye kahin
Tu bhi dil se utar na jaaye kahin

The Asha version is introduced by Jagjit Singh.

[nasir]

Ha ha ha ha.

Urzungji ye to mujhe maloom hai ke ye Nirmala Devi film actor Govinda
ki mother hain lekhin agar aap ne Pramila ka obituary post
padha hai to Govinda's father Arun Kumar aka Arun Ahuja.....was hero in
some movies....who the singer, music director Arun Kumar was....a different person?
Kuchh roshni daaliye.

Was just passing thru.
Govinda's father was discovered by Mehboob Khan and given a chance in his AURAT which was the original of MOTHER INDIA. The great all-round actor, Yaqoob, acted the role of Sunil Dutt; while I learn, Arun acted the role of Rajendra Kumar. Nargis's role was of course enacted by (Sardar Akhtar?) who later married him.

NASIR.

[maheshks]

Ha ha ha ha.

Urzungji ye to mujhe maloom hai ke ye Nirmala Devi film actor Govinda
ki mother hain lekhin agar aap ne Pramila ka obituary post
padha hai to Govinda's father Arun Kumar aka Arun Ahuja.....was hero in
some movies....who the singer, music director Arun Kumar was....a different person?
Kuchh roshni daaliye.

Was just passing thru.
Govinda's father was discovered by Mehboob Khan and given a chance in his AURAT which was the original of MOTHER INDIA. The great all-round actor, Yaqoob, acted the role of Sunil Dutt; while I learn, Arun acted the role of Rajendra Kumar. Nargis's role was of course enacted by (Sardar Akhtar?) who later married him.

NASIR.

No it was Surendra. Check my classic video thread in Sangeet ke Sitare for the
video version of a song from this movie which is picturised on Surendra
and Jyoti (Nimmi's Mausi/Khala).

[bigger_than_bollywood]

Here are the songs that I dont have from the essay. Any kind soul please UL? thanks

Tum Bhi Bhula Do, Hum Bhi Bhula Dein

Lat Uljhi Suljha Re Baalam, Main Na Lagaaongi Haath Re
Chaand Se Mukhde Ko Naagin Zulfen, Chaahe Dasein Saari Raat Re

Chanda Re Chanda Mere Daaman Ko Thaam Re

Jhoote Zamaane Bhar Ke,
Jadu Kaisa Daar Gaye Mo Pe, Neechi Nazar Kar Ke

Nighaahen Milaa Kar Badal Jaane Waale,
Mujhe Tujh Se Koi Shikaayat Nahin Hai
Ye Duniya Badi Sangdil hai, Yahaan Par
Kisi Ko Kisi Se Mohabbat Nahin Hai

Sannu Neher Waale Pul Te Bulaa Ke,
Te Kore Maahi Kitthe Reh Gayaa

a ja We, Tainu Dil Ditta, De Ditta, Alla Vaaste

Kyoon Chhoda Tumne Saath Hamaara Jawaab Do
Khaamosh Kis Liye Ho, Khudaa-ra Jawaab Do

[jamalf_akbar]

Kind soul haazir hai

Here are the songs that I dont have from the essay. Any kind soul please UL? thanks

Tum Bhi Bhula Do, Hum Bhi Bhula Dein (CD Rip)



Lat Uljhi Suljha Re Baalam, Main Na Lagaaongi Haath Re
Chaand Se Mukhde Ko Naagin Zulfen, Chaahe Dasein Saari Raat Re (CD Rip)



Chanda Re Chanda Mere Daaman Ko Thaam Re (From Record - Good Quality)



Jhoote Zamaane Bhar Ke,
Jadu Kaisa Daar Gaye Mo Pe, Neechi Nazar Kar Ke

Not a Noor Jehan song.

Nighaahen Milaa Kar Badal Jaane Waale,
Mujhe Tujh Se Koi Shikaayat Nahin Hai
Ye Duniya Badi Sangdil hai, Yahaan Par
Kisi Ko Kisi Se Mohabbat Nahin Hai (CD Rip)



Sannu Neher Waale Pul Te Bulaa Ke,
Te Kore Maahi Kitthe Reh Gayaa (CD Rip)



a ja We, Tainu Dil Ditta, De Ditta, Alla Vaaste (CD Rip)



Kyoon Chhoda Tumne Saath Hamaara Jawaab Do
Khaamosh Kis Liye Ho, Khudaa-ra Jawaab Do (CD Rip)