Quality Rafi Songs from So Called Lean Period
This article is written by Mr. H.V.Guru Murthy
Mohammed Rafi, the great Singer, ruled the Hindi Film Music World since he began his Singing career in the mid forties till he reached the heavenly abode in 1980. But there was a period in the early seventies, precisely from 1972 to 1976, when it was considered that Rafi was eclipsed by Kishore Kumar. Was it really so?
Well, the reasons can be many. First of all, it was given that Rafi refused to sing for nearly eight months due to certain beliefs he suddenly developed, otherwise, perhaps Rafi would have sung all the hit songs of ARADHANA, due to which KK became popular and became the voice of the then heart throb Rajesh Khanna. Though Rajesh had Rafi as main play back Singer in other movies released during the period like MEHABOOB KI MEHENDI, THE TRAIN, DO RAASTE, apart from the two songs in ARADHANA itself, some how the voice of KK got stuck with RK. And Producers, Directors, Actors rushed to KK to make hits like ARADHANA, but all other MDs were not SDB and the standard of music in most of these movies was far below that of ARADHANA. And these people were also handicapped by the fact that Rafi refused to sing for a long period. Changing tastes, commercial interests, a combination of different factors made the situation very complicated and perhaps, the down slide of Hindi Film Music started during this period.
One of my friend used to say that a song can appeal to your ears, but will soon fade out after sometime like most of the songs of today, but a great quality song will always appeal to your heart and remain there forever. How true, most of the songs of fifties and sixties are still etched in our memory but most of the songs of mid seventies and eighties are hardly remembered.
For Rafi fans having brought up on more or less on strict Rafi diet, it was especially frustrating to listen to ONLY other Singers, when the BEST of all reduced his songs. That too, just prior to this period, we had wonderful Rafi songs from movies like CARAVAN, DO RAASTE, MEHABOOB KI MEHENDI, HIMMAT, HUMJOLI, THE TRAIN, MELA, MAA AUR MAMTA, GANWAR, ANDAZ, BHAI BHAI, etc.
When Rafi realized and took the challenge, to the immense joy of his Fans, he could once again give quality songs, but no doubt, the quantity had come down considerably. Even in popular Film music programs like Vivid Bharati and Radio Ceylon and especially Binaca Geet Mala, the number of Rafi songs could be numbered to one or two, but there was a considerable increase in the number of KK songs. But Rafi being Rafi, he gave good songs as usual in the same voice, same melody, with same distinction with which he had enthralled countless of his Fans for the previous three decades. The QUALITY in the following songs recorded by MR during the period of 1972 to 1976 remained intact.
In fact, when “Main Ek Raja Hun” (UPHAAR) with LP as MD came on Binaca Geet Mala, the compeer, the redoubtable Amin Sayani remarked that with this song, Rafi would make a come back. How prophetic his words were! The period also had wonderful songs from LP like “Aaj Mausam” (LOAFER), “Aa Batandege Tuzhe” (DOST) with Lata and Shatrughan Sinha, “Bade Bewafa Hain Yeh” and “Hasin Dilruba” (ROOP TERA MASTANA), “Ke Aaja TerI Yaad Aayi” (CHARAS) with Lata and Anand Bhakshi, Solos “Ik Na Ik Din Ye”, “Tere Nain” and title song of GORA AUR KALA, “Patta Patta Boota Boota” (EK NAZAR) with Lata, “Nafarat Ki Duniya Ko” (HAATHI MERE SAATHI), “Main Wohi, Wohi Baat” (NAYEE DIN NAYEE RAAT), “Na Zat Yamla” and a duet with Lata “Morni Re Morni” (PRATIGYA), “Koi Nazarana” and title song with Lata (AAN MILO SAJANA), two solos “O Meri Mehabooba” and “Are Maine Tuzhko Chaha” and with Mukesh “Saat Ajube” (DHARAMVEER), “Tere Ishq Ka Muzhpe” with Asha and “Hapte Mahino Barson Nahin” with Lata (NAGIN), “Tere Hathon Me Pehanake Chudiyan” and “Chalo Re Doli Utao”. “Tu Gaddar Sahi” (GADDAR) was another hit song.
KA gave “Tumse Door Rahke” (ADAALAT) with Lata, “Wada Karle Sajana” (HAATH KI SAFAI) with Lata and “Deewane Hain Deewanon Ko Na” (ZANJEER) with Lata and “Main Tuzhase Milne Aayi Mandir Jaane Ke Bahane” (HEERA) with Lata and “Yeh Raat Hai Pyaasi Pyassi” (CHOTI BAHU). Another musical was BAIRAAG, the songs became hit during this period though the movie was released much later. It had two duets with Asha “Sare Shahar Me” and “Peete Peete” apart from the Lata duet “Are Sunore Suno”. MARYADA had “Mohabbat Ke Suhane Din”, Lata duet “Tu Bhi Aaja” and Asha duet “Humse To Hasina”. SAMJHAUTA had two wonderful solos “Badi Door Se Aaye Hain” and “Sabake Rahte”.
Madan Mohan during this period gave “Jis Din Se Maine” with Asha and solo “Are Hasnewalon” (PARWAANA), “Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho” and “Ye Mana Meri Jaan” (HANSTE ZAKHM), “Chadi Re Chadi Kaise” (MAUSAM) with Lata as well as some patriotic songs in HINDUSTHAN KI KASAM.
SDB as usual, came out with stunning numbers like “Tere Nainon Ke Me Deep” (ANURAAG) with Lata, “Teri Bindiya Re” (ABHIMAAN) with Lata, “Ae Mere Dil” (US PAAR), “Sare Gama” (CHUPKE CHUPKE) with KK.
Mohd Rafi
RDB, the so called KK Fan also gave some hit numbers with MR like “Chura Liya Hain Tumne Jo Dil Ko” with Asha and title song with KK (YADON KI BARAAT), “Ek Shok Hasina Se” (CHAANDI SONA) with Mannadey, “Kahe Ko Bulaya” with Lata and solo “Tere Attaroo” (SHAHJADA) and “Ae Jaane Wafa” (CHALIA).
Naushad gave “Nayi Hawa Me” (GAON HAMARA SHEHAR TUMHARA) and title song of TANGEWALA.
OPN after patching up with MR gave beautiful songs like “Zamane Ki Aankhon Ne” (EK BAAR MUSKURADO), “Hont Hai Tere Do Laal Heere” with Dilraj Kaur and “Kuch Aur Nahin Bas Dyaan Tera” with Mannadey (HEERA MOTI). In fact, OPN is suppose to have remarked, ‘give me one film, I will show you who is Rafi?’ which is sufficient proof of OPN’s acceptance of Rafi’s superiority.
SJ, the true Rafi fans came out with solos “Jab Mohabbat Jawan Hoti Hai”, “Mere Sapnon Ki Raani”, and duets with Asha “Mil Gayi Mil Gayi” and “Na Rooto Na Rooto Na” (JAWAAN MOHABBAT) as well as “Maati Ke Jalte Deepak Ki”.
MD Ravi came out with stunners in “Door Rahakar” and “Matlab Nikal Gaya” (AMANAT) and “Mere Dost Tuzhe” (DHARKAN) and “Aaj Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai”
Rajesh Roshan gave “Sazi Rahi” (KUNWARA BAAP) with Mehamood, “Kahun Kya” (GINNY AUR JHONNY) with Asha and “Ghadi Milan Ki Aayi” (EK BAAP CHE BETE) with Sulakshana Pandit and another duet in PRIYATAMA – “Na Na Na Na”.
There were other quality songs like “Apni Aankhion Me Basakar” (THOKAR), “Dil Ne……. Pyaar Kiya Hai Ek Bewafa Se” (SHARARAT) under MD Ganesh, “Kahin Aisa Na Ho” (MILAP) under MD Brij Bhushan, “Kahin Ek Masoom, Nazuksi Ladki” (SHANKAR HUSSAIN) under Khayyam, “Teri Galiyon Me Na” (HAWAS) under Usha Khanna, “Raaj Ki Baat” and “Main Tera Gunahagar Hun” (DHARMA) with Asha under Sonik Omi, “Dil Ka Suna Saaz” (EK NARI DO ROOP) under MD Ganesh, etc. which clearly showed Rafi’s class. Two other movies with Rafi as main singer were AAP KE DEEWANE and ZINDA DIL. RAM BALRAM and PROF. PYAARELAL also had some MR songs.
Mohd Rafi
If one observes closely the above songs, majority of these songs have LP as MD and followed by others like KA, RDB, RR, MM, SDB, OPN, Naushad, Usha Khanna, etc. Does it reveal some thing? I have listed only some of the quality songs which I could immediately recollect and which I have enjoyed listening to, though Rafiji sang many more songs during this period.
Later, once again Rafi wave started with Laila Majnu with Music by the great Madan Mohan followed by AAA, HKKN, Aasha, Shaan, Sargam, Abdullah, Naseeb, Mrig Trishna (the classic “Nava Kalpana Nava Roopase”), ZKDH, Karz, Swayamvar, Sazan Ki Saheli, Naach Uthe Sansar, etc. reestablishing Rafi as no. 1 Singer again in terms of quantity though he was always no. 1 as for as quality was concerned. And after 1976, the songs of Rafiji as usual occupied the main space in programs like BGM, VB, RC, etc.
Mr. Nitish Sinha from Rourkela has already written a very good article on the same subject, but I thought I could substantiate further on the topic. I am sure other Rafians can come out with scores of other songs sung by Rafiji during this period.
March 4th, 2008 at 9:23 am
post 46 harvinder ji..,
i too would have written the same lines if i was away 600 km or
more and do not have direct source with the hfm journos and
artistes who interact with the singers of the day many times
in the recording studios.
more, ur disagree-ing will not alter “facts” as my source are
first hand and impeccable..
i too love lata and asha for their singing talents and i wish them
very well - to make “bigger moolahs”, which they deserve to.
but , my appeal to them is not to badmouth rafi saaheb, my second
god and the saintly figure who stood out like a “lotus” in the ponds
of the “opportunistic” film industry and immortalised the music and
also gave meaning to our lives.
binu nair,,, the rafi foundation.. mumbai
March 4th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Harvinder,
You’re overanalyzing her mentioning Rafi first in the list. I’m not here to put down legends unnecessarily nor does it in any way elevate our favorite. However, Asha Bhonsle is very very competitive. I’ll say no more.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Post no. 46. Long time back, I listened to Asha in one of the radio programs, when she while narrating an incidence said that she happened to see a great Singer on that day and she mentioned Rafiji’s name in this context. I also personally feel that Asha, herself a great Singer would not speek in such a distasteful way about a great Singer like Rafiji especially having sung more than 700 songs, most of them hits with him.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Binuji, kindly provide your sources from where you claim that Asha called Rafi “besura”. Allegations like this should be substantiated with some proof. According to me, I doubt Asha would ever say that and that too in media. If you forget to reply to my post, I will take the pain of reminding you once again. Thank you.
>> even today asha says : that in the industry the most “besura” singer
>> is mohd rafi., as she has to collect the royalties from the music of
>> r.d.b and now s.d.b.
March 4th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Reply to Binus 2000 post # 9.
I disagree with the allegation that Asha Bhonsle could utter such silly words for Mohd Rafi Saheb. On the contrary, I heard with my own ears last year in one of her concerts and than in her interview. She stated that she has achieved everything in her life after having sung alongside great singers like Rafi saheb, Mukeshji, MannaDey and Kishore Kumar. Most notable part is that she starts with Rafi Saheb. I have stated in the past also that Asha has always maintained that the ability of Rafi Saheb to come from high pitch to low so effortlessely is unparralleled by any singer, besides being melodious. Having said that, I agree that she has become so commercial that even though she is finished ( I can say that after attending her concert) she still wants to rake in as much money as posdsible. For that she is using RD and KK’s name all the time. I was upset when she was requesting promoters to organize one more show. She never comes alone, but has to seek help of so many youngsters help like Sonu, Kher & party.
March 2nd, 2008 at 8:58 am
post 44.. maruti ji..
Welcome to the rafi foundation fold but let me tell u that
all genuine rafi lovers “are” members of the rafi foundation.
we are an unmbrella organisation for the rafi lovers of the
world to come under and express and feel the”magic”
of rafi saaheb.
the magic must spread hence please contact me on
+9833 250 701 and u are invited for the “free” live programme
of rafi songs on march 8 at 6.30 pm. at king circle near the
gtb rly. station and canara bank.
its also a get-to-gether of rafi ji lovers and music connossieurs.
so see u there on the 8th of march….
binu nair….. mumbai…
March 1st, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Dear Binu ji,
Please give me your telephone and your address details. I would like to become member of Rafi Foundation Mumbai Chapter.
The information given by you and others is mindblowing. I myself am a Rafi and SJ fan, but the details provided by u people is really really out of this world.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
post 35..
aseerji… we need a laugh occassionally and if the pun is practical
or realistic, it adds mirth to the script…
keep on following and writing too as rafi lovers are all kind and
unique people, they get bonded well and jaldi jaldi….too.
binu nair. mumbai
February 28th, 2008 at 11:02 am
even after 27 long years of rafi’s demise, the “magic” is spreading
everywhere.
new rafi fan clubs are opening everywhere…. i may ask how many
fan clubs didi has, or taii or our home spun and in-house
pundit hridayanath have in various parts of the world.
rafi’s voice is eternal and divine and the magic never stops.
mr.vinay pathak of film “bheja fry” says that he has grown up
with rafi songs and magic . he sends in his best wishes from
munnar, kerala to the get-to-gether of rafi lovers on 8th march at
mumbai, king circle at 7.00 p.m.
binu nair, the rafi foundation…
February 28th, 2008 at 6:18 am
myk & hv guru murthy,
i agree with your assessments on sj’s decline & rafi. thanks for your responses. yes, i had just thrown it out for the heck of it - but you guys have ended that question quickly. i think if jaikishan had lived on - he’d have used rafi exactly like lp. still use him even during the BREAK phase (maybe even use more) and then a few years later when rafi sahab made a full scale attack, give him all the songs. yep, sj was having a little slump thanks to the previous factors i had mentioned, but they would have made a comeback. thanks for your responses.
i greatly enjoyed reading your article hv guru murhty ji.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Rafi was a sensation in the history of playback singing and SJ acknowledged his talent over the years.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Gurumurthy sahab, I have just emailed to you the song “bade bewafa hai yeh husnwale” which Mr. Mansoor Alhi Khan sahab had sent to me. Thanks.
February 27th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Laxmikant Pyarelal had a very eventful musical combination with Lata over 40 years. They were as respectful towards Rafi as they regarded Lata. Even during the phase when music got commercialised in the 80s,
February 27th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
An old reference “Rafi’s Lean Phase – Beginning and End”
http://www.mohdrafi.com/meri-awaaz-suno/rafis-lean-phase-beginning-and-end.html
February 27th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
this is a qualitative analysis. those who doesnt blv that scorecard/statistics is ass, for them, Rafi sahab was the most recorded singer in 80s. He recorded a total of 1258 songs compared to most hailed singer of that decade who sang 1252 songs.
this is after all those ’sannyas’. world tour, Haj .
This man, oops angel himself was unstoppable,wasnt he?
February 27th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
@ binu ji
quoting u– pundit???? hridaynath—- really had a hearty laugh. thanx for these punches. keep this up. u keep following those greats and i ll keep following u…
pundit???? hridaynath——-LOL u said it sir.
lets award pundit\ustaad to each other from now on. U r pundit Binu Nair and I am Ustaad Aseer Ahmed. we can now on impart our musical wisdom with some weight behind it.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:25 am
I personally don’t think that because S-J remained loyal to Rafi after Aradhana, they went down. History shows that whoever used Rafi and was loyal to him always succeeded. S-J went down because Jaikishan passed away in 1971, besides various other reasons. Moreover, S-J did use Kishore along with Rafi in their films during the early 70’s, and they were successful. Had Jaikishan lived, I am sure they would have continued to be the top MD’s. In 1971, they had their share of flops at the box office, which affected some of their music (as it did to all MD’s, including Pancham, many of his greatest music was for flop films), but they would have recovered, and Jai’s death was the blow that took the soul away from the team. Shankar continued to produce good music but it was never the same once Jai was gone.
Rafi produced so many winners during this so called lean phase, that its crazy that they didn’t make it to the charts. However, it doesn’t matter, because those songs were full of quality, and better than many mediocre songs that made it to the charts. You can say that some of the charts during that time were manipulated as well, how can you explain one Rafi song in the BGM in 1971, when Rafi produced so many hits that year.
This so called trend didn’t matter to Rafi, he once again proved he was the greatest. I agree with Binu-ji, if the songs of Bobby were sung by Rafi, they would have been in another level and class all-together.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:01 am
aap ki kasam & aan milo sajna both are produce/direct by J. Om prakash
he took lp for aan milo…..& rd for aap ki kasam, rd never used rafi because he did’t like rafi saab.
he took rafi saab in teesari manzil, yadon ki barat, carvan, hum kise se kam nahi, jamane ko dhikhana hai, pyar ka mausam……………….only because choice of Nasair hussain……..
Nsair hussain never finish his film withiut Rafi saab & asha parekh.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
my friends
music is a business for the likes of lata , asha , pundit???
hridaynath, amin sayani and many others…. but not for the
legend rafi saaheb……
always take with a “pinch of salt” whatever they say as i am
closely following their statements for some years.
binu nair…
the rafi foundation,
bombay (mumbai)
February 26th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
thanks Binuji for the correction. I always get confused between the two titles - aan milo sajna and aap ki kasam - however i had also meant the aan milo sajna song in my post no 21 which you have rightly corrected. thanks again.
February 26th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
post 15.. suraj ji..
here are the answers…… first, thanks for trusting me.
second, on record those liars will be scared to speak….
asha said the above quoted words in a public forum and it went
to naushad ji.
naushad ji had this to say in his unik way : o.k., asha ji, please
tell us in which songs rafi became be-suraa.
recently, in a recording too asha reapeated the slander and one
of the rafi fans staged a walk out leaving the recording. he said
and i quote : ” asha-ji, i do not agree with ur statement.
remember , what sonu nigam had said : in the recording rooms
the name of rafi saab was taboo, take any one’s name, not rafi’s.
one and one is always two and not three… the peddar road sisters
and their lackeys have spread much falsehood and has not yet
stopped.
the country’s libel laws could be used for slandering anyone and
these two can take “anyone” defaming them to court and ask
compensation.
they would never do that since they know that they wont succeed.
perhaps i may have answered ur query, I suppose and please write
to me at my e-mail address for a lively discussion on the sisters.
binu nair.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
the film bobby was going to kalyanji anandhi if l & P refused.
l p did not want to ditch shankar jaikishan and come in their place
but the market equations forced them to “take” bobby.
shailendra singh is forgotten and the bobby songs are not much
heard.
but i feel few of the songs in rafi’s voice would have made
musical history - ” once more “.
binu nair…. mumbai…
February 26th, 2008 at 11:33 am
post 21: murthy ji..
please check : the song is from aan milo sajna of 1971.. a great
hit lip synched by the rajesh khanna but not played too often
due to obvious reasons…
aap ki kasam did’nt have a single rafi song.
binu nair.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Suraj ji..
i agree with u on the break factor.
drumstick sambar with idlis every day for a fortnight will make
anyone excuse himself from his wife, dash to the nearest
restaurant and order a “chole-batura” or a “samosa” with lot
of chole or red chilly sauces…
u really have a point…….. sir..
binu nair… mumbai.. binus2000@hotmail.com
February 26th, 2008 at 10:21 am
kj ravi! :good man! i was just listening to that song from natak based on your recommendation! SPOT ON! wah rafi sahab wah! i extend ravi ji’s reccomendation to you all! i absolutely loved it - it is quickly one of my favorites now (first time i heard it) - that is rafi sahab for you - his career has too many gems! thanks to laxmi pyare too!