The Best Song from Madhumati

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9 comments on “The Best Song from Madhumati”

Childhood memories are such funny things! The music of this song used to play on Indian radio around 7:00 in the morning (as background to some announcements) – the time when my father would wake us up for school when I was a kid. This happened so often that when I heard the music, I knew it was time to get out of bed. So, this song is to me what an alarm clock is to almost everyone else – I have only to hear it to get the same horrid feeling that a harsh alarm bell would engender! I do love all the other Madhumati songs though – Salil Chowdhury’s music is sublime.

Thats a luxurious alarm clock Bollyviewer!

For us, Dad would put the Radio -with All India India Radio’s Urdu Service – on full blast right on the staircase. This ensured that both ours and my uncle’s household upstairs would then drag ourselves up according to different stages of programing, mostly new songs early morning, but then, 60/70s new songs were not bad, right?

Richard, one of my favourite singers re-singing a song that I like very much- and doing it very well- normally I dislike such stuff

Thank you, Bawa, that is a good version. I have to say, I still like Zohrabai more (I think Zohrabai is great), but this is enjoyable too. Far better than the contemporary remix video that so many people are posting on YouTube!

Oh nothing to beat the original at all! Zohrabai was unique.

But I was glad to see Nayyara Noor make a good job of it, as I do like her singing, she has some beautiful nazms & ghazals to her credit.

Very unlike what I came across the other day: Hamid Ali Khan (whom I like too) singing ” Madhuban Mein Radhika” as a tribute to Rafi along with his sons.
Watch it if you are interested and tell me what you think!

Bawa, you didn’t provide the link but it’s easily searchable, and…I don’t know if I want to put up the link either. :)

There’s another version I posted in this blog during the first months that I had this up, before it was a classic Indian film blog and while it was still a “global music” blog. I would consider this one of the transitional clips. :) It’s the British-Bangla singer Suzana Ansar doing the same song in what looks like an improvisation during rehearsals in a hotel room. I kind of like it…

Yes, I deliberately didn’t put in the link, probably for the same reason as you :)

‘Aaja re pardesi’ takes a pride of place amongst Lata’s very best. This song penned by Shailendra and composed by Salil Choudhury is remembered both for its crafting of words and sweet music. Salil Choudhury used Mukesh, Mohd.Rafi, and Manna Dey in ‘Madhumati’ drawing out the best from them. And of course who can forget the Mubarak Begum singing the heart touching number ‘Hum hal-e-dil sunayenge’ .

Salil Choudhury kept a good understanding of Western Classical Music and had a good collection of Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Chopin. While recounting her association with this gifted composer, Lata says in her authorized biography how she enjoyed singing his compositions as they were difficult. Salil Choudhury’s compositions contained so many high and low notes that often Musicians were flustered! Lata shared her passion for Western Classical with ‘Salilda’ as she fondly remembers. It was Salil Choudhury who took her to Rhythmhouse to buy Western Classical Records. (The shop still exists and runs one of largest online shops for rare to get Music Albums. Coincidentally I regularly buy from Rhythmhouse.in).

But then Salil Choudhury remained on the fringes as Madan Mohan despite his talent. Though he had his share of success, but was not as successful as other mainstream composers of the time. Like Jaidev and Khaiyyam two of the other talented Composers Bollywood could not exploit his talents to the full.

Thanks once again for all the good information, Veda!

Thanks for the info re Rhythmhouse !

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The Best Song from Madhumati

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