Comments on: An Ocean of Difference http://www.mohdrafi.com/meri-awaaz-suno/an-ocean-of-difference.html It's all about Mohd Rafi Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:24:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: mohamed parvez http://www.mohdrafi.com/meri-awaaz-suno/an-ocean-of-difference.html#comment-6754 mohamed parvez Thu, 24 May 2007 03:02:01 +0000 http://www.mohdrafi.com/writeups/?p=38#comment-6754 dear rafi saab fans there is a article by ajay binani the ocean of defrence it is about rafi saab and kishore das song it was posted on may 2000- is very nice article dear rafi saab fans there is a article by ajay binani the ocean of defrence it is about rafi saab and kishore das song it was posted on may 2000- is very nice article

]]> By: Bonifacius http://www.mohdrafi.com/meri-awaaz-suno/an-ocean-of-difference.html#comment-225 Bonifacius Sun, 09 Apr 2006 04:41:02 +0000 http://www.mohdrafi.com/writeups/?p=38#comment-225 Great article. I am just sad I dont know how to reply properly, though, since I want to show my appreciation like many other. Great article. I am just sad I dont know how to reply properly, though, since I want to show my appreciation like many other.

]]> By: Rajinder Bhatia http://www.mohdrafi.com/meri-awaaz-suno/an-ocean-of-difference.html#comment-3 Rajinder Bhatia Sat, 03 Dec 2005 10:31:57 +0000 http://www.mohdrafi.com/writeups/?p=38#comment-3 Agreed 100% that Rafi songs are tough to sing. The reason is that Rafi sahib had a broad range; MDs kept that in mind and exploited the capability to the max. Secondly, he poured his heart and soul into his songs. According to Naushad sahib, he always used to be his own critic and there are instances when he would tell Naushad sahib that he was not "satisfied" and wanted to re-do the song (various songs were re-done) even though the recording had been "okayed". Thirdly, he had this uncanny God-given gift of customizing the song for whomever he was singing. That is something NOBODY else has been able to do. You can tell if a song is for Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar or Dharmendra or Shammi K or Johnny W (and numerous others.) Any singer who is honest to himself, will think more than twice before attempting a Rafi song on the stage. The range, the emotion, the maturity are impossible to emulate. How many of the current crop of male singers have the richness and bass which could even come close to Rafi sahib's - they are all "out there in the left field". A dear friend of mine, an extremely talented musician, and a music conductor/arranger (he used to play for the late, Salil Chaudhry and others) sums it up this way, "Most of Rafi songs are NOT for us mortal beings to sing; we should just listen to these and enjoy and be thankful. How can one honestly say that he/she can perform 'tere mere sapne ab ek rang haiN' or 'din Dhal jaaye par raat naa jaaye' or 'deewaanaa huaa baadal' and about a couple of thousand others". Rajinder Agreed 100% that Rafi songs are tough to sing. The reason is that Rafi sahib had a broad range; MDs kept that in mind and exploited the capability to the max. Secondly, he poured his heart and soul into his songs. According to Naushad sahib, he always used to be his own critic and there are instances when he would tell Naushad sahib that he was not “satisfied” and wanted to re-do the song (various songs were re-done) even though the recording had been “okayed”. Thirdly, he had this uncanny God-given gift of customizing the song for whomever he was singing. That is something NOBODY else has been able to do. You can tell if a song is for Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar or Dharmendra or Shammi K or Johnny W (and numerous others.)

Any singer who is honest to himself, will think more than twice before attempting a Rafi song on the stage. The range, the emotion, the maturity
are impossible to emulate. How many of the current crop of male singers have the richness and bass which could even come close to Rafi sahib’s - they are all “out there in the left field”.

A dear friend of mine, an extremely talented musician, and a music conductor/arranger (he used to play for the late, Salil Chaudhry and others)
sums it up this way, “Most of Rafi songs are NOT for us mortal beings to sing; we should just listen to these and enjoy and be thankful. How can one
honestly say that he/she can perform ‘tere mere sapne ab ek rang haiN’ or ‘din Dhal jaaye par raat naa jaaye’ or ‘deewaanaa huaa baadal’ and about a couple of thousand others”.

Rajinder

]]> By: Naveen http://www.mohdrafi.com/meri-awaaz-suno/an-ocean-of-difference.html#comment-2 Naveen Sat, 03 Dec 2005 10:31:11 +0000 http://www.mohdrafi.com/writeups/?p=38#comment-2 A nice article by you. I agree with your point of view. I would also add that there is one more aspect to it. Even Rafi's simpler songs are too complex to sing. On the other hand KK's songs are simple to perform. In last 5 to 10 years, I have found that in music nites, people struggle to sing a Rafi number on stage. In one such old hindi music nite conducted in our office in Sunnyvale out of 20 songs the singer sang 10 KK numbers, 5 Rafi numbers and remaining 5 songs of Mukesh, Manna and Hemant. For remixes, even if parda hai parda hai or O meri mehbooba, aa ja aa ja, type of Rafi songs are remixed you don't find the quality singers who can sing them. Most of the Rafi songs thrived on the art of his sheer range, intricacy and rendition. His songs were more voice dependent than music/rhythm specific. You can't recreate the same voice and the effect. The majority of his songs from 50's or 60's are not remixable. On the other hand remember that Roopa Tera Mastana remix, it was simply superb if not better but at par with the original. The guys singing it did a great job and it became a huge hit. Why R.D Burman is more talked about in today's music world is entirely owing to the reasons mentioned by you..For all the talent he had, he is not even half of what his own father was in terms of melody yet people tend to forget SDB because Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye, Jalte hae Jis Ke liyea or Dekhi Zamane Ki Yaare can't be remixed. It is a well known fact that western influence is there in every walk of the life in today's time. More westernised the way in any aspect of life and more commercially successful you become. This is an MTV age. Go to a beach in Santa Cruz, relax... have a goblet of wine by your side, listen to the country side live bands and most of Pancham da's source of inspiration becomes revealed. Very recently I was amazed when I heard a couple of notes similar to those used in Teesri Manzil in one such live bands. Now here I don't say others didn't get inspired or didn't do copying, I was just quoting an example. To me Pancham is an institution in himself though I maintain that accolades he has been getting is far more than he deserved just because he was more westernised than the rest. Naveen A nice article by you. I agree with your point of view. I would also add that there is one more aspect to it. Even Rafi’s simpler songs are too complex to sing. On the other hand KK’s songs are simple to perform. In last 5 to 10 years, I have found that in music nites, people struggle to sing a Rafi number on stage. In one such old hindi music nite conducted in our office in Sunnyvale out of 20 songs the singer sang 10 KK numbers, 5 Rafi numbers and remaining 5 songs of Mukesh, Manna and Hemant.

For remixes, even if parda hai parda hai or O meri mehbooba, aa ja aa ja, type of Rafi songs are remixed you don’t find the quality singers who can sing them. Most of the Rafi songs thrived on the art of his sheer range, intricacy and rendition. His songs were more voice dependent than music/rhythm specific. You can’t recreate the same voice and the effect. The majority of his songs from 50’s or 60’s are not remixable.

On the other hand remember that Roopa Tera Mastana remix, it was simply superb if not better but at par with the original. The guys singing it did a great job and it became a huge hit. Why R.D Burman is more talked about in today’s music world is entirely owing to the reasons mentioned by you..For all the talent he had, he is not even half of what his own father was in terms of melody yet people tend to forget SDB because Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye, Jalte hae Jis Ke liyea or Dekhi Zamane Ki Yaare can’t be remixed.

It is a well known fact that western influence is there in every walk of the life in today’s time. More westernised the way in any aspect of life and more commercially successful you become. This is an MTV age. Go to a beach in Santa Cruz, relax… have a goblet of wine by your side, listen to the country side live bands and most of Pancham da’s source of inspiration becomes revealed. Very recently I was amazed when I heard a couple of notes similar to those used in Teesri Manzil in one such live bands. Now here I don’t say others didn’t get inspired or didn’t do copying, I was just quoting an example. To me Pancham is an institution in himself though I maintain that accolades he has been getting is far more than he deserved just because he was more westernised than the rest.

Naveen

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