Congratulations; so you are in love. It is the best feeling on earth. however, you can neither force it on nor get it off. Hindi movie songs are replete with tales of what happens to you when you fall in love. These range from being on top of the world and stepping into a wondrous world to being deprived of your sleep, rest and peace of mind forever. Some of these songs are so soulful and poignant that these touch the chords of your heart. As far as female songs are concerned, I feel that the best, most touching and heartrending songs are the ones that tell of how she is robbed of her sleep after falling in love.
I have a page on Facebook called Lyrical. The page is about songs, music, poems; that is, anything that is lyrical. I often do retrospectives of Lyricists, Music Directors and Singers of yore. This is a special retrospective on Neend (Sleep) songs, especially having lost sleep in love.
Lets begin this Lyrical special with this really emotional number from the 1966 movie Amrapali starring Vyjayantimala and Sunil Dutt and directed by Lekh Tandon. The movie depicts the life of the royal courtesan of Vaishali by the name of Amrapali. The story is about five hundred years before the beginning of the Christian Calendar when Ajatashatru, the king of Magadha Empire falls in love with Amrapali. He wages a war against Vaishali in order to win over the greatest asset of Vaishali, its courtesan Amrapali. Meaniwhile, Amrapali herself has been transformed due to her encounter with Gautama Buddha, who preached his last sermon there in 483 B.C. She becomes an Arahant (the perfected one who has attained Nirvana).
Surprisingly, though based on a not-so-popular hitorical event, the movie became a huge hit not at the time of its release but later when people realised what a classic it was. Its cinematography of battles by Dwarka Divecha and Buddhist period costumes by Bhanu Athaiya (of Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi fame) won special acclaim. But, as far as Lyricist is concerned, the lyrics of its songs by Shailendra and classical music by Shankar Jai Kishan are of special mention. And what songs these were! Though only five (a rarity during those days), these were all great songs; all sung by Lata Mangeshkar at the height of her singing excellence: 1. Jaao re jogi tum jaao re. 2. Tadap ye din raat ki. 3. Neel gagan ki chhaon mein. 4. Nacho gaao dhoom machaao; and finally this neend song.
Enjoy: Tumhe yaad karte karte jaayegi ran saari; tum le gaye ho apne sang neend bhi hamari…
(tumhe.n yaad karate karate jaaegii rain saarii
tum le gaye ho apane sa.ng nii.nd bhii hamaarii ) – 2
man hai ki jaa basaa hai, a.njaan ik nagar me.n
kuchh khojataa hai paagal khoii huii Dagar me.n
itane ba.De mahal me.n, ghabaraauu.N mai.n bechaarii
tum le gaye ho apane sa.ng nii.nd bhii hamaarii
tumhe.n yaad karate karate
virahaa kii is chitaa se tum hii mujhe nikaalo
jo tum na aa sako to, mujhe svapna me.n bulaa lo
mujhe aise mat jalaao, merii priit hai ku.Nwaarii
tum le gaye ho apane sa.ng nii.nd bhii hamaarii
tumhe.n yaad karate karate
tumhe.n yaad karate karate,
tumhe.n yaad karate karate…..
https://youtube.com/watch?v=j9zb72PNOGQ%3F
The second Neend song that I have chosen for you is from the 1959 J Om Prakash movie Chacha Zindabad starring Kishore Kumar and Anita Guha. Lyrics were penned by Rajinder Krishan (he also wrote his name as Rajendra Krishan) and once again, Lata Mangeshkar sang it on the music of Madan Mohan.
I share two things with Rajinder Krishan and that’s where the commonality ceases: he was born on the 6th of June and he was from Shimla, though born in Gujarat. He started his career in a very humble manner; he became a clerk in the municipality at Shimla. But, his love for becoming a screen-writer took him to Bombay. He emerged as the richest screen-writer during those days since he won a jackpot at horse racing in Bombay of nearly Rupees Fifty Lakhs.
His richness was not only in money. He emerged as a rich-in-thoughts poet and lyricist besides being a screen-writer. He started with Badi Behan in 1949, at the age of 30. Some of his most successful movies were Albela, Nagin, Anarkali, Bharosa, Khandan (for which he received the best lyricist award), Rakhi, Manmouji, Jahan Ara, Sharabi, Padosan, Brahmachari, Bombay to Goa, Banarasi Babu, Doli and Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke.
He paired with Music Director C Ramachandra but also paired with Sahnkar Jaikishan, Madan Mohan, Hemant da, both the Burman brothers, Salil Choudhary and Laxmikant Pyarelal.
Some of the best and most popular songs of Lata Mangeshkar have been written by him. More often than not, in these songs, the music has been that of Madan Mohan or C Ramachandra.
Music Director Madan Mohan was born on 25th Jun 1924, a good five years after Rajinder Krishan in Erbil near Baghdad (Iraq; now Kurdistan), where his father was an Accountant General with Iraqi Police. After Iraq’s independence from the British, Madan Mohan’s father shifted them to their native place Chakwal in Jhelum district of Punjab. Madan Mohan got his love for music from his mother. And, even though his father goaded him to join the Army as an Emergency Commissioned Officer in 1943, he left after six years and joined the Hindi Film Industry as a Music Director. He has given music for some of the top songs of Lata Mangeshkar both on the lyrics of Rajinder Krishan and Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. Songs like Aapki nazaron ne samajha, Agar mujhase mohabbat hai mujhe sab apne gam de do, Lag jaa gale ke phir ye hasin raat ho na ho, Naino mein badara chhaye, and Jaana tha hamase door bahane bana liye, are all his compositions.
Please enjoy Lata Mangeshkar singing ‘Bairan neend naa aaye’, a song penned by Rajinder Krishan with music by Madan Mohan for the 1959 movie ‘Chacha Zindabad’:
bairan nii.nd na aa_e -2
mohe bairan nii.nd na aa_e
moraa jiyaa ghabaraa_e
bairan nii.nd na …
suunii pa.Dii merii palako.n kii galiyaa.N -2
kaun khilaa_e ni.ndiyaa kii kaliyaa.N
apane bhii hai.n paraa_e
mohe bairan nii.nd …
laakh jatan karuu.N aa.Nkh naa laage -2
so ga_ii.n Kushiyaa.N aur Gam jaage
ghaayal man kit jaa_e
mohe bairan nii.nd …
yaad aa_e.n jab pyaar kii baate.n -2
aur bhii lambii ho jaa_e.n raate.n
bhor nazar nahii.n aa_e
mohe bairan nii.nd …
https://youtube.com/watch?v=4_gqoqk-YJU%3F
My third Neend song for you is from the 1966 movie Aasra starring Biswajeet and Mala Sinha. Satyen Bose directed the movie. He directed such movies as Jagriti, Dosti, Chalti ka Naam Gaadi and Raat Aur Din.
The Neend number in the movie was penned by Anand Bakshi and music was composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal. Anand Bakshi was born on 21 Jul 1930 in Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan). Anand Bakshi too has something in common with me; he joined the Indian Navy (that time it was called Royal Indian Navy) for two years in 1944. later he shifted to Army’s Corps of Signals in Jabalpur. He served in the Army for over two years. His first poem appeared in Army’s very popular publication called Sainik Samachar. He was so encouraged by the publication of his poem in a prestigious magazine that he thought of trying his luck in the Hindi film industry as a writer. He also tried to join as a singer but he failed. He rejoined the Army in Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and eventually left in 1950 to join the Hindi Films as a lyricist. Some of his songs are: Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai, Aan mili sajana, Achha to ham chalate hain, Baagon mein kaise ye phool khilate hain, Choli ke peechhe kya hai, Jaadu teri nazar khushboo tera badan, Kankariya maar ke jagaya, Kisi raah mein kisi mod par, Mehbooba mehbooba and other Sholay songs and Pardesiyon se na akhiyan milana. Indeed, he emerged as the most versatile lyricist in the Hindi movies and wrote all genres of lyrics including bhajans.
What can you say about the Music Directors Laxmikant Pyarelal? If you have a look at the honours list of Binaca Geet Mala, an A.I.R programme compered by Amir Sayani, you would notice that they are credited with the most popular numbers in the Hindi movies. They were together until 1998 when Laxmikant died. Some of their most successful and popular films are: Milan, Shagird, Inteqaam, Do Raaste, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, Sargam, Hero, Sanjog, Naam, Tezaab, Ram Lakhan and Khal Nayak.
Lets listen to this song from Aasra put together by Anand Bakshi, Laxmikant Pyarelal and Lata Mangeshkar singing for Mala Sinha: Neend kabhi rehati thi aankhon mein, ab rehate hain saanwariya.
nii.nd kabhii rahatii thii aa.Nkho.n me.n ab rahate hai.n saa.Nvariyaa
chain kabhii rahataa thaa is dil me.n ab rahate hai.n saa.Nvariyaa
log mujhase kahe.n dekho udhar nikalaa hai chaa.Nd
kaun dekhe udhar jaane kidhar nikalaa hai chaa.Nd
chaa.Nd kabhii rahataa thaa nazaro.n me.n ab rahate hai.n saa.Nvariyaa
nii.nd kabhii rahatii thii …
jhuuTh bolii pavan kahane lagii aa_ii bahaar
ham baaG me.n ga_e dekhaa vahaa.N pyaar hii pyaar
phuul rahate ho.nge chaman me.n kabhii ab rahate hai.n saa.Nvariyaa
nii.nd kabhii rahatii thii …
baat pahale bhii aur tuufaan se Darate the ham
baat ab aur hai ab hai hame.n kaahe kaa Gam
saath kabhii maa.Njhii thaa sa.ng lekin ab rahate hai.n saa.Nvariyaa
nii.nd kabhii rahatii thii …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtBO7OQsKGo
My fourth Neend number is from the 1966 movie Dulhan Ek Raat Ki starring Dharmendra, Nutan and Rehman. I have already given you above, a song by the combine of Rajinder Krishan with Madan Mohan: bairan neend na aaye. This one is put together by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan as Lyricist and Madan Mohan as Music Director. In all the songs that I have on my cell-phone, whenever I want to hear them during my walks, the first few numbers are always from Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. Can anyone guess why?
It is rather simple: in any album or playlist, the songs sort out alphabetically; and since Raja Mehdi Ali Khan is credited with the word ‘Aap’ in songs, these are usually the first few songs that I hear. By far the first always is: Aapki nazaron ne samajha pyaar ke kaabil mujhe from the 1962 movie Anpadh starring Dharmendra and Mala Sinha.
Having been born in 1928 in Jehlum in undivided India, when the partition of India took place, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and wife Tahira refused to go to Pakistan despite communal riots. His patriotism came to fore in 1948 itself when he wrote the famous number: Watan ki raah mein watan ke naujwaan shahid hon for the movie Shaheed starring Dilip Kumar.
He is credited with having as many as five numbers in Lata Mangeshkar’s Top Ten. Songs such as Aapki nazaron ne samajha, Naino mein badara chhaye, Lag jaa gale se phir, Naina barase rimjhim rimjhim, and Hai isi mein pyaar ki aabru are all penned by him.
We are now ready to hear this really touching number picturised on Nutan and sung by Lata Mangeshkar from the movie Dulhan Ek Raat Ki.
Please enjoy: Sapano mein agar mere tum aao to so jayun…
sapano.n me.n agar mere
tum aa_o to so jaauu.N -2
sapano.n me.n agar mere
baaho.n ki agar maalaa
pehanaa_o to so jaauu.N -2
sapano.n me.n agar mere
sapano.n me.n kabhii saajan
baiTho mere paas aake
jab siine pe sar rakh duu.n
mai.n pyaar me.n sharamaate
ek giit muhabbat kaa
tum gaa_o to so jaauu.N -2
sapano.n me.n agar mere
biitii huii wo yaade.n
ha.Nsatii huii aatii hai.n
leharo.n kii tarah dil me.n
aatii kabhii jaatii hai.n
yaado.n kii tarah tum bhii
aa jaa_o to so jaauu.N -2
sapano.n me.n agar mere
tum aa_o to so jaauu.N -2
sapano.n me.n agar mere
https://youtube.com/watch?v=JHJYFhac0ks%3F
Finally, my last choice in the top five Neend songs is from the 1963 movie Mere Mehboob, which assumed iconic proportions for its title song. Lyrics of this movie’s songs are by Shakeel Badayuni, about whom I have already written posts to the effect of his being the best lyricist and poet of the Hindi movies and outside the movies (Read: Shakeel Badayuni – The King Amongst Lyricists and Poets – Part I and The Best of Old Hindi Songs – Rafi, Shakeel, Naushad and Dilip Kumar Together). Music is composed by another great Music Director Naushad. Naushad Ali was born on 25 Dec 1919. So successfula and popular was he that amongst his various awards are Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1982 and Padma Bhushan in 1992. He gave music for, amongst others, Mela, Kanoon, Sanjog, Dard, Andaz. babul, Dastaan, Deedar, Aan, Baiju Bawra, Shabab, Uran Khatola, Mother India, Sohni Mehiwal, Kohinoor, Mughal-e-Azham, ganga Jamuna, Son of India, DilDiya Dard Liya, Pakeezah, Aadmi, Sanghursh, and Ram Aur Shyam. Most often than not, he paired with Shakeel Badayuni to give the best of songs. Two of their songs are iconic: Mere Mehboob nad Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki.
Please enjoy this Neend song from Mere Mehboob sung as a duet between Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar singing for Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana: Yaad mein teri jaag jaag ke ham…
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham
raat bhar karavaTe.n badalate hai.n
har gha.Dii dil me.n terI ulfat ke
dhiime dhiime chiraaG jalate hai.n
jabase tUne nigaah pherii hai
din hai suunaa to raat a.ndherii hai
chaa.Nd bhI ab najar nahii.n AtA
ab sitaare bhI kam nikalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …
luT gayii vo bahaar kI mahafil
chhuT gayii hamase pyaar kI ma.nzil
zi.ndagii kI udaas rAho.n me.n
terI yaado.n ke sAth chalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …
tujhako paakar hame.n bahaar milii
tujhase chhuTakar magar ye baat khulii
baaGabaan hii chaman ke phuulo.n ko
apane pairo.n se khud masalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …
kyA kahe.n tujhase kyuu.n huii duurii
ham samajhate hai.n apanii majabuurii
tujhako maaluum kyA ke tere liye
dil ke gam aa.Nsuo.n me.n Dhalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …
https://youtube.com/watch?v=2b_Ka4aQFso%3F
With this I have given you the Best of Lack of Sleep songs due to being in love. If you surf the net you will find hundreds of these songs. However, I have carefully chosen the five and given you reasons as to why I consider these top be the best. You are free to post your own choice (s) in the Comments. Please remember that the Milan song: Ram kare aisa ho jaaye, meri nindiya tohe mil jaaye is not because of her having lost sleep in love but because of her tragedy. Also, there is a difference between lullabies and lack of sleep songs; for example, Tumheen mere mandir, tumheen meri pooja is a lullaby (bahut raat beeti chalo mein sula doon).
It is getting late in the night and I must sleep now; even though I am in love with putting up such posts!
Beautiful Ravi, you really have picked the best numbers, all my favourites and I hum them all the time! Like you said, each song from Aamrapali, a gem. As also the others. Bhai sach me maza aa gaya, inhe yaad karte karte…ab dilo-dimaag me yehi dhunen ghoomenge. Thanx
Thank you for your very gracious comment. It is worth the effort putting up these posts only if someone appreciates. Thanks again
Ravi, How about taking on to make a classic but with a difference..you have it in you.
Very good job.
Bill Hothi
Thank you Sir; it would be a huge project. Will discuss it with like-minded people. Thanks for the encouragement
ravi , my god, what fantastic interest and knowledge you have in music. music can keep you going for ever. when will you do one on item numbers, i know its crass for your finer senses , but need analysis on this phenomenon, the more vulgar they get.
Thank you, Sir, for always being encouraging of my efforts. I did one on ‘Western Influence on Hindi Movie-Songs’ recently, which had one or two item numbers. I would do one specially on item numbers within the next month. As you know, I like to do posts that have been adequately researched.
Ravi , all songs are just great ! Keep them coming !!
Thank you Milind. I am glad you liked them
Each one a gem,Sir…..n the synopsis on the creators made it really worthwhile.Thank you for sharing it, Sir.
You are welcome. More after I return
Dear Ravi,
I would love it if you can create an exclusive on lullabies. i.e. lories in hindi films.
Thank you. Will do it shortly
This is wonderful collection on all parameters. Theme, lyrics, music , singing and acting by top notcher. Amen.
Thank you Sir. Glad that you liked it. Regards