I’ve known for years about the first two, but when I discovered a third, I realized this may have been a real trend and could just be the beginning of a list. And notice I’m talking only about the 1940s here – which makes them all the more remarkable.
Heard them for the first time, though these are popular set of couplets, especially the first two, being sung qwaali style.
I love this style of singing so much.
Can’t add to the list, though I know quite a few from the later decades, mainly 50s and 60s.
But will come back when I find something :)
Thanks, Pacifist. The first two are the first ever – first all-women qawwalis in Indian cinema (Zeenat was late ’44 or early ’45 and Village Girl was ’45) and I have seen some say the first cinema qawwalis in general, though I doubt that is true (?)… And the third is from 1949. Their being from the ’40s is what makes them so special, I think. Of course, there were quite a few in the early ’60s, some of which we’ve talked about here just recently. :)
http://www.desitorrents.com/forums/xvcd-releases-230/zeenat-1945-vcd_indian-cinema_the-early-years_first-female-qawali-song-ddr-360709/
Thanks, Swarup. Yes, those are pretty good links.
Richard,
After the making the comment, I realized that I do not have any idea of the reliability of these sites. Another site also says that the first song was the first women’s qawwali in Hindi films
http://mazhar.dk/film/singers/noorjehan/career.htm
You will have better idea of these than me. Regards,
Swarup
P.S. As a byproduct, I got to know about books on women’s songs in India. Earlier, I only knew through an article by Velcheru Narayana Rao, women in some parts of Andhra have their own version of Ramayana.
Thanks for the other link. Yes, I think the consensus has been that the Zeenat qawwali was the first. Some people debated on YouTube whether the Gaon Ki Gori/Village Girl qawwali could have been first, but the evidence in a few places is that that film came out later in 1945.
And I think I would like to see some of those books that you referred to!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inM0dGY1e1A
hope this link works. not 40′s but fun :-)