When I was off on my long hiatus, one of my readers complained my blog was 'static' and I should do something about it - quick! He also sent me a list of what he called sawaal-jawaab songs that he wanted me to write about. I was intrigued by the theme because while I have many lists that I would like to enlarge into posts, I had never considered this.
While most of the songs that fall under this heading are romantic, all romantic duets do not obviously fit the criteria. Typically, romantic songs fall into the pattern of one verse expressing one person's feelings, followed by the next verse expressing the romantic partner's feelings. This particular sub-set allows for a slight variation - they are usually teasing or playful, and the verses often question the reasons for falling in love, and follow with the answers.
Many of the songs that my reader helpfully listed for me are beyond the purview of this blog because it is very rarely that I go beyond the golden era, especially for music, but he did get me started. I also poached five of the fourteen songs he sent me - they happen to be among my favourites. Many of these songs follow the question-answer format, while a couple are purely conversational, but fit the theme very well, nevertheless. Some of the songs begin with the sawaal-jawaab, but soon move into the conversational mode.
It is also not surprising (to me) that my favourite songs in this genre include many songs that feature two of my favourite heroes - Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor. So, with many thanks to Boby who gave me this theme, here are my favourite sawaal-jawaab songs in no particular order.
It is also not surprising (to me) that my favourite songs in this genre include many songs that feature two of my favourite heroes - Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor. So, with many thanks to Boby who gave me this theme, here are my favourite sawaal-jawaab songs in no particular order.
1. Jaane kahan mera jigar gaya ji (Mr & Mrs 55/1955) Mohammed Rafi-Geeta Dutt / OP Nayyar-Majrooh Sultanpuri
The poor man has lost his jigar and is searching for it. In office. Among the dusty files, under a table, inside a typewriter... Yasmin, cute, dimpled Yasmin is not very sympathetic. Yahan use laaye kaahe ko bina kaam re? (Why did you unnecessarily bring it here?) she asks, but he is suspicious now - Tu-ne to nahin hain churaaya mera maal re? She is insouciant. If he touches her feet, she will tell him. The film may have been rather
regressive, but it did have some wonderful one-liners, and was
entertaining enough, with lovely, lovely songs as one would expect from a
Guru Dutt film.
If I were pushed to pick my favouritest of Johnny Walker songs, it would be a tie between this and Ae dil hai mushkil.
2. Chhod do aanchal zamaana kya kahega (Paying Guest/1957) Asha Bhosle-Kishore Kumar / SD Burman-Majrooh Sultanpuri
A
song which, though it fits into a question-answer format, is more of a
conversational song. When she is bothered about what the world will say (Zamaana kya kahega?) he turns that same question on her: What will the world say? What can it say, indeed, when the two of them are so much in love with each other?
When she threatens to leave - he is free to sit there singing of love, if he wants to - he demurs: Itna to sochiye mausam suhaana kya kahega? She stays. (Dev Anand at his romantic best, and Kishoreda adding that extra zing - how could she not stay?)
3. Hum aap ki aankhon mein (Pyaasa/1957) Mohammed Rafi-Geeta Dutt / SD Burman-Sahir Ludhianvi
While this song follows the question-answer format, there is a slight variation - the statements come first, and the questions follow. So he begins with all that he will do for love of her, and she questions what would happen if she didn't follow through...
Hum aap ki kadhmon par gir jaayenge gash khaakar
Is par bhi na hum apne aanchal ki hawa de to?
Playful though it is, the song foreshadows the turmoil that the lovers will face soon after.
Hum aap ki kadhmon par gir jaayenge gash khaakar
Is par bhi na hum apne aanchal ki hawa de to?
Playful though it is, the song foreshadows the turmoil that the lovers will face soon after.
4. Ishaaron ishaaron mein dil lene waale (Kashmir ki Kali/1964) Asha Bhosle-Mohammed Rafi/OP Nayyar-SH Bihari
If Dev is around, can Shammi be far behind? With the lovely Sharmila as an innocent mountain lass in her debut film, the questions in this song are mostly rhetorical, and so the conversation proceeds with her querying where he learnt to steal hearts. From the same place where she learnt to use the magic of her eyes, he responds. She chides him gently - Mazaa kya raha jab kii khud kar liya ho, Muhobbat ka izhaar apni zubaan se? He is unrepentant - Yeh Raanjha ke baatein, ye Majnun ke kisse, Alag to nahi hai meri daastaan se?
This is more in the nature of a romantic song. 'Tell me why you love me,' she says, and he answers. But she needs to be convinced. Nazneen main hii nahin, Hai yahaan laakhon haseen... So tell me truthfully why you fell in love with me?
A film-within-a film that yet is 'their' reality, the song captures the ephemeral emotions that trap the heroine further in her gilded cage.
6. Aankhon mein kya ji (Nau Do Gyarah/1957) Asha Bhosle-Kishore Kumar / SD Burman-Majrooh Sultanpuri
Dev
again! A playful, teasing number which, though it begins with
straightforward questions and answers devolves into gently querying
statements which he completes for her...
Rangiin hai mausam
Tere dam kii bahaar hai
Phir bhi hai kuch kam
Bas tera intezaar hai
He is not at a loss for words, not he, and she exclaims:
Dekhne me bhole ho lekin ho bade chanchal...
Dekhne me bhole ho lekin ho bade chanchal...
He is playful, absolutely, charmingly playful.
7. Mere yaar shabba khair (Junglee/1961) Lata Mangeshkar-Mohammed Rafi / Shankar-Jaikishen-Hasrat Jaipuri
7. Mere yaar shabba khair (Junglee/1961) Lata Mangeshkar-Mohammed Rafi / Shankar-Jaikishen-Hasrat Jaipuri
And sure as night follows day, Shammi follows Dev again. She's bidding him farewell after having spent a day with him. He doesn't want her to go, and when she demurs, explains that she may well leave the place, how will she leave his heart? When he realises she is serious, he wishes that once, just this once, night would not follow day, and that day would linger on...
Ye chanchal haseen raat haay kaash aaj na jaati
Har din ke baat raat hai, ik din to thahar jaati
Koii humse bicchad ke na jaata
Jeene ka mazaa aa jaata
And then perhaps life would be worth living!
8. Sun sun sun sun zaalima (Aar Paar/1954) Mohammed Rafi-Geeta Dutt / OP Nayyar-Majrooh Sultanpuri
This
song is a perfect example of a conversational song. It moves away
completely from the question-answer format, even though he asks her at
one point: Door kab talak rahoon? (How long will you stay away?)
He is avowing his love to a girl who has no reason to believe him. She
does love him, but is no mood to give in to his blandishments, so each
time he offers an example of how right they are for each other (Dor tu patang mein), she refutes it (Lo kat gayi patang ji, dor ab na daaliye) - in verse.
9. Tere ghar ke samne (Tere Ghar ke Samne/1963) Mohammed Rafi-Lata Mangeshkar / SD Burman-Hasrat Jaipuri
This is yet another song which is an actual conversation, not a question-answer session.
Tired of playing hide-and-seek with two clients (one of whom is his father) who each want the same design for their house, he is at the end of his tether; so, when he 'sees' his love inside his whiskey glass, he tells her that if the world has to come to an end, it will, if he has to destroy himself, he will, but he will build his house in front of her house.
She sounds a note of caution - Ghar ko banana koyi aasaan kaam nahin (It is not an easy task to build a house) - but he is unwilling to listen... If his heart is faithful, then nothing can stop him. She tries again, but seeing that nothing can turn him from his purpose, finally gives in - with a challenge:
Kaanton bhare hai lekin chaahat ke raaste
Tum kya karoge dekhen ulfat ke vaaste...
He is confident he can do something...
Ulfat me taj (crown) chhoote ye bhi tumhe yaad hoga,
Ulfat me Taj (Taj Mahal) bane, ye bhi tumhe yaad hoga
Main bhi kuch banaaunga tere ghar ke saamne...
10. Achchaji mein haari chalo (Kala Pani/1958) Asha Bhosle-Mohammed Rafi / SD Burman-Majrooh Sultanpuri
Yes, I know. It's Dev again. Only, this time he is being wooed out of his sulks. This song would more properly fit into the roothna-manana theme, but it is also a perfect 'conversation' song in that the lyrics are a give-and-take between the two artistes. She is apologising for having misjudged him - Chhote se qasoor pe aise ho khafa? - but he is not amused: Roothe toh huzoor the meri kya khata?
The laughter is never far from the surface as she goes after him, and that doesn't make her half-apology any more palatable to him. Neither does her attitude - she is very sure that he will not be able to live without her: Chhod diya to haath maloge, samjhe? she claims, and when he offers that he is well enough alone, Char kadam bhi chal na sakoge, samjhe? she scoffs.
11. Abhi na jao chhodkar (Hum Dono/1961) Mohammed Rafi-Asha Bhosle / Jaidev-Sahir Ludhianvi
This is getting to be a 'Dev Anand in Conversation' post. He is at his romantic best. There is no teasing here, no questions, no answers, just a quiet plea to 'stay, for his heart has not had enough'. She's 'just come' he says, and they have hardly spoken. But day has turned into night, and she begs him tremulously to not stop her, for if she stays any longer, she will not be able to leave him at all.
Bas ab na mujhko thokna, na badhke raah rokna
Agar main ruk gayi abhi jaa na paauungi kabhi
He tries again: It is not enough to fall in love; one has to commit to that relationship and if she leaves him like this, how will she face up to the challenges that Life will throw in their paths?
If pushed to choose, this would be my pick from among these songs. Its quiet romanticism always makes me smile. Love should be like this. (It also helps to have Dev Anand in front, singing in Rafisaab's voice.)
12. Achcha to hum chalte hain (Aan Milo Sajna/1970) Lata Mangeshkar-Kishore Kumar / Laxmikant Pyarelal - Anand Bakshi
This is one of the rare occasions that I actually go beyond the sixties for a song, but this particular song is the perfect way to end this post. It is the quintessential playful sawaal-jawaab song, following the format almost to the very end. And so they romance, squabble, set a date for the following evening, everything in verse.
Apart from the fact that after Dev and Shammi, one can scarcely discuss romance without mentioning Rajesh Khanna, I like this song simply because the lyrics are very straightforward. There is no beating around the bush for this couple, no euphemisms, and what is more, the girl does the proposing! Won't her folks object, he queries? No, they are all willing, she says...
In an old interview with Anand Bakshi, the veteran lyricist narrated a quaint story as to how this song came about. Apparently, the music directors had spent hours with the lyricist trying to come up with a song that fit the situation. Finally, towards the evening, Anand Bakshi got up to leave saying 'Achcha, toh hum chalte hain'. And the response to the query 'Phir kab miloge?' was 'Jab tum kahoge.' It was an 'Eureka' moment - all thoughts of leaving banished, the lyricist sat down and the rest of the song almost wrote itself.
(Disclaimer: I don't know if Bakshi saab actually said it, or whether the reporter exaggerated. Whatever it is, wasn't it Mark Twain who quipped: 'Never let facts get in the way of a good story'?)
Do you know of any conversational songs? What would your picks be?
Tired of playing hide-and-seek with two clients (one of whom is his father) who each want the same design for their house, he is at the end of his tether; so, when he 'sees' his love inside his whiskey glass, he tells her that if the world has to come to an end, it will, if he has to destroy himself, he will, but he will build his house in front of her house.
She sounds a note of caution - Ghar ko banana koyi aasaan kaam nahin (It is not an easy task to build a house) - but he is unwilling to listen... If his heart is faithful, then nothing can stop him. She tries again, but seeing that nothing can turn him from his purpose, finally gives in - with a challenge:
Kaanton bhare hai lekin chaahat ke raaste
Tum kya karoge dekhen ulfat ke vaaste...
He is confident he can do something...
Ulfat me taj (crown) chhoote ye bhi tumhe yaad hoga,
Ulfat me Taj (Taj Mahal) bane, ye bhi tumhe yaad hoga
Main bhi kuch banaaunga tere ghar ke saamne...
10. Achchaji mein haari chalo (Kala Pani/1958) Asha Bhosle-Mohammed Rafi / SD Burman-Majrooh Sultanpuri
The laughter is never far from the surface as she goes after him, and that doesn't make her half-apology any more palatable to him. Neither does her attitude - she is very sure that he will not be able to live without her: Chhod diya to haath maloge, samjhe? she claims, and when he offers that he is well enough alone, Char kadam bhi chal na sakoge, samjhe? she scoffs.
11. Abhi na jao chhodkar (Hum Dono/1961) Mohammed Rafi-Asha Bhosle / Jaidev-Sahir Ludhianvi
Bas ab na mujhko thokna, na badhke raah rokna
Agar main ruk gayi abhi jaa na paauungi kabhi
He tries again: It is not enough to fall in love; one has to commit to that relationship and if she leaves him like this, how will she face up to the challenges that Life will throw in their paths?
If pushed to choose, this would be my pick from among these songs. Its quiet romanticism always makes me smile. Love should be like this. (It also helps to have Dev Anand in front, singing in Rafisaab's voice.)
12. Achcha to hum chalte hain (Aan Milo Sajna/1970) Lata Mangeshkar-Kishore Kumar / Laxmikant Pyarelal - Anand Bakshi
Apart from the fact that after Dev and Shammi, one can scarcely discuss romance without mentioning Rajesh Khanna, I like this song simply because the lyrics are very straightforward. There is no beating around the bush for this couple, no euphemisms, and what is more, the girl does the proposing! Won't her folks object, he queries? No, they are all willing, she says...
In an old interview with Anand Bakshi, the veteran lyricist narrated a quaint story as to how this song came about. Apparently, the music directors had spent hours with the lyricist trying to come up with a song that fit the situation. Finally, towards the evening, Anand Bakshi got up to leave saying 'Achcha, toh hum chalte hain'. And the response to the query 'Phir kab miloge?' was 'Jab tum kahoge.' It was an 'Eureka' moment - all thoughts of leaving banished, the lyricist sat down and the rest of the song almost wrote itself.
(Disclaimer: I don't know if Bakshi saab actually said it, or whether the reporter exaggerated. Whatever it is, wasn't it Mark Twain who quipped: 'Never let facts get in the way of a good story'?)
Do you know of any conversational songs? What would your picks be?
