Some days ago a friend had put up a link to “Ek akela is shahar mein” on facebook and had said that if anyone knows of a song with better lyrics he should point to it. Made me think a bit. At the outset, I can clearly say that, at least in my opinion, there are many songs with better lyrics than “Ek akela is shahar...”. What the post made me think of was whether there are songs which are dependent only on the lyrics – the music need not be all that great, the singing merely competent...but it is the lyrics which would take the song from “merely competent” to “memorable”. I don’t think “Ek akela..” is such a song but then nor are songs like “Sab kuch seekha humne”, “Chaudhvin ka chand” , “Jo vada kiya”, “Do divane shahar mein”, “Mera kuch saaman”, “Ek ladki ko dekha” – all of which are Filmfare best lyrics winners.
I have thought some time, on and off, for this. And I have finally come up with a few songs which I think fit the bill. Remember, it’s not just that the song has good lyrics- it is that if the lyrics were not that good, you probably wouldn’t give the song a second look. Competent singing is a given...without that the most brilliant song would not get a second look. But there is nothing in the music per se which is outstanding. Nothing terrible, you see, just ok. But it’s the words which take it to a different level. So, the chances are that the first time you hear the song your response is likely to ambivalent or moderately positive. But after the second or third times; when you have taken in the lyrics, it’s likely to greatly improve. In some cases what becomes important is the context in which the song is placed in the film – after all the lyrics fit a scene in a film; in others it’s just the sheer beauty of the lyrics in itself.
So, here goes, in chronological order
1. Rahiye ab aisi jagah (Mirza Ghalib, Mirza Ghalib, 1956)
The film has any number of good songs which are generally well remembered, so much so that this song by Suraiya tends to get short shrifted.
But if one listens a little closer, the lyrics are a brilliant portrayal of the mindset of someone who has given up on life- someone who has had enough and now wants to “get away from it all”. The desires are so anti social – a house with no doors or walls (be daro-deewar sa ik ghar banaya chahiye), no neighbours or guards (koi humsaya na ho aur paasbaan koi na ho), no one to look after you or minister to you (koi na ho timardar) and no one to even mourn for you (nauhakhwan koi na ho). Just makes one feel very sad for someone who has reached this stage that he wants no more human contact of any kind
2. Sansar se bhage phirte ho (Sahir Ludhianvi, Chitralekha, 1964)
A brilliant portrayal of “duniyadaari” vs “sanyaas”. And a stinging criticism of sanyaas – by portraying it as an escapist philosophy rather than a spiritual one.
I think the lines “Is lok ko bhi apna na sake, us lok me bhi pachtaoge” and “ham janam bita kar jayenge, tum janam gava kar jaoge” are so scathing that they say it all. Similarly the contempt for “sacrifice” or “self restraint” is so brilliantly put – “ye bhog bhi ek tapasya hai, tum tyag ke mare kya jano...apman racheta ka hoga, rachna ko agar thukraoge”
I think the lines “Is lok ko bhi apna na sake, us lok me bhi pachtaoge” and “ham janam bita kar jayenge, tum janam gava kar jaoge” are so scathing that they say it all. Similarly the contempt for “sacrifice” or “self restraint” is so brilliantly put – “ye bhog bhi ek tapasya hai, tum tyag ke mare kya jano...apman racheta ka hoga, rachna ko agar thukraoge”
I believe this is one of the best stands taken for worldliness and deserves to be applauded.
Click here to read the full lyrics
3. Rehte the kabhi jinke dil me (Majrooh Sultanpuri, Mamta, 1966)
This is one of those songs which just fit into the context of the film so perfectly – I can rarely think of another song which is so appropriate to the scene. The words are extremely hard hitting and suit so well Suchitra Sen’s feelings towards Ashok Kumar at the time that it is just brilliant. The context is that Ashok Kumar meets Suchitra Sen in a shop somewhere- they were in love at some point but when he went abroad to study she was married off-and behave very decently with each other and walk away. However, Ashok Kumar’s friend tells him that she is now the leading tawaif in the city. To prove it to Ashok Kumar he invites Suchitra Sen home and she turns up. Ashok Kumar, hidden away, is disgusted and just wants to pay her off. But Suchitra Sen has spotted him and says that she would not take free payment but would at least sing one song.
The lyrics express her complaint and contempt very well – consider “daava tha jinhen hamadardi ka, khud aake na puchha haal kabhi; mahafil me bulaya hai hamper, hasane ko sitamagaaron ki tarah”. There really isn’t much else to write about the song – it’s just the lyrics are so powerful within context that it ascends a couple of notches.
Click here to read the full lyrics
4. Guzren hai aj ishq me (Shakeel Badayuni, Dil diya dard liya, 1966)
The reason I like the lyrics of this song is that they cover the change in emotion of the protagonist very well – 3 stanzas and each stanza conveys a different emotion.
The film is a pretty faithful rendering of the first half of Wuthering heights with Dilip Kumar as Heathcliff and Waheeda Rahman as Catherine. Now the book is very clear- once he is back, Healthcliff has very few redeeming features, is ruthless and vindictive and generally quite nasty. No real reason is given for the changes in him – but revenge on Edgar is very clearly prime in his mind.
The film is a pretty faithful rendering of the first half of Wuthering heights with Dilip Kumar as Heathcliff and Waheeda Rahman as Catherine. Now the book is very clear- once he is back, Healthcliff has very few redeeming features, is ruthless and vindictive and generally quite nasty. No real reason is given for the changes in him – but revenge on Edgar is very clearly prime in his mind.
Now a Hindi film hero can’t be nasty just for the sake of being nasty. So, Catherine’s (Waheeda Rahman) betrayal is shown as the reason for Heathcliff (Dilip Kumar) turning nasty and it has to be shown as not merely revenge, but revenging a wrong. Showing the mindset change is difficult – more often that not it is sudden (cf Dilip Kumar in Mashal) or brooding (cf Amitabh in Adalat). Here it is achieved by song. Each stanza conveys a different emotion – stunned disbelief (how could you do this to me), passive ill will (I hope things go badly with you) and finally active revenge (I will not take this lying down) – and completes the change in the character beautifully.
Click here to read the full lyrics
5. Mere dushman tu meri dosti (Anand Bakshi, Aaye din bahaar ke, 1967)
Poetry normally is positive. But this song is different. It is simply the most outstanding portrayal of red I have ever come across. If one asked “how much can one hate someone”, I think a pretty good limit on that would be this song. It is line after line of invective with some outstanding metaphors. The words are breath taking – and I mean the sharp intake of breath one has when one is humiliated or shouted at. The strength of negativity described by these words is scary and dark. Consider “tu phool bane patjhad ka, tujh pe bahaar na aae kabhi” or “tere gulshan se zyada veeraan koI veeraana na ho” or “kisi ka pyaar kya tu berukhi ko tarse”
Click here to read the full lyrics
6. Jai bolo beiman ki (Verma Malik, Beimaan, 1972)
This may on the face of it look like a strange choice, given that Beimaan won the filmfare award for best music and Mukesh won the best male singer for this song. But frankly, Beimaan’s best music award is probably the worst decision ever in the 60 years of Filmfare history. There is practically no other song in the film other than Jai Bolo which is decent. And given that it is the same year as Amar Prem and Pakeezah, the mind boggles at this decision. And yes, Mukesh has sung well but it is really the lyrics which make this song.
And the lyrics are delightful. A satirical look at dishonesty, it takes the mickey of a lot of things.
And some of the lines do ring true even today - consider “apne desh ka kapda aur lagi hai muhar japaan ki” or (wrt temples)”andar bhagvan ki jay ho aur baahar beimaan ki”. Also in the stanza beginning “vrindavan ke ham sanyasi” notice at the end the “jai bolo bei...jai bolo bhagwan ki”. A lovely touch.
Click here to read the full lyrics
And that’s my list. What is interesting as I see it in black and white is that the tenor of the songs is clearly negative or sad. And so indeed is “Ek akela is shahar me” Maybe sadness does give better expression of emotion in writing. Or perhaps positive poetry is better suited to lovely music. Either way, just listen carefully to the words in these songs - hopefully you will appreciate the words.
