Friday, June 04, 2010

Singers tuning themselves

Listening to Mukesh's "kise yaad rakhuu.N", I was wondering how many of our top-league playback singers have tried their hand at composing songs. Mukesh's afore mentioned perennial beauty from "Anuraag" indicates his abilities in this regard. Add to this the other gem from this track "pal bhar kii hii pehachaan"..

Manna Dey was perhaps the most prolific of the lot - he assisted his famed uncle K.C.Dey and Khemchand Prakash in a number of films. He then scored independently for films like "Chamkee", "Tamaashaa", "Sukh rambhaa" among others. "raat mohe miiThaa miiThaa" and "mere chhoThe se dil ko" are two amazing melodies from "Tamaashaa".

To my knowledge, Talat has not composed in films. He is credited with composing at least two of his geets - "Khudaa vo vaqt na laae" and "dil kii duniyaa basaa gayaa hai kaun". The latter is one of his best geets.

Kishore turned in unforgettable music in "Door gagan kii chhaaon me", "Jhumroo" and "Door kaa raahi". All had fantastic Kishore songs and unforgettables from other singers too. Asha's "path bhuulaa ek aayaa musaafir" is a case in point. Kishore's own "panthii huu.N mai.n" is my all-time favorite Kishore solo.

Rafi, Lata, Asha, Geeta - I do not know if they composed anything. Maybe they did, but I have not heard any of them.

Hemant Kumar's name is missing from this list. He holds such a unique position in Indian cinema - the only top-league singer AND a top-league composer. I think of him first as a composer then a singer. But no question - he is perhaps the richest musical personality of our films.

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