In the Loving Memory of Legendary Singer Muhammad Rafi Sahab.

[GeoG]

Dear Brother Bret Hawk,


Loved each and every word of your post and God you are a loving perfectionist.


So we have one common person in real life we know - Siddique Sahib.
I studied in Central Model School in late seventies, a few hundred yards from Datta Gunj Baksh and one of class mate, Sameer Riaz was a neighbour of Siddique Sahib.

I have seen the room with family picutres of Rafi Sahib a few times as one of Siddique Sahib nephew who was studing somewhere else but used to play football in oriental college (called training college then) ground a short walk from there. Hafiz Salman Butt (hate of say this) was a few years senior and used to captain us, a Thug then and no change todate.


Shame, I was not aware of the legendary status at that time - Dadra hi seekh laita, aj mara mara tou na phirta!

 

[Blue Moon]

Thanks for sharing this text its a great read I am hooked to this Post LOL

 

[Bret Hawk]

Brother Geo G its all my pleasure to know that you like this (No doubt) a wonderful article from one of the ardent fan of Rafi Sahab. Living in old Lahore you must have absorbed its classical traditions and aura of that unique culture which are the hallmarks of native old Lahoris. And I have to confess here that youre the most funniest and sharp gentleman who has this unique power of quipping in an excellent improvised manner to you detractors :133:, especially the MQM and Musharrafs blind followers. :133 (1):

And Blue moon bhai thanks for the liking once again this whole thread is for friends like you to appreciate and revive the enormous talents of one of the iconic personalities of last century and InshAllah you will see more additions in this thread in the near future.

 

[gazoomartian]

*** Koi jub rah na paeye *** is one of my favorites. I believe this was the first song that I posted when started membership with this forum

 

[Blue Moon]

Here is a great documentary on Rafi Saab and the Golden City Of Lahore

 

[Bret Hawk]

Mohd Rafi Songs among the Best in Bollywoods History


Authored by H.V.Guru Murthy


Excerpt from Outlook India Magazine Appeared in June 2006 Edition

http://www.thecolorsofindia.com/mohd-rafi/gifs/mohammed-rafi.jpg






Which is your most favourite song in the history of Hindi film music during the past eighty years? If any body puts this question to me, I would rather not answer, as how can you choose just one song out of thousands of songs especially if you consider that versatile singers like Rafi Saab, Lataji, KK, Ashaji, Mannada, Mukeshji, Hemantda, Talatji, etc. etc. have sung so many wonderful songs.


But precisely a similar exercise was carried by the Magazine OUTLOOK in their 2006 June issue. Thirty prominent musicians of the Hindi Film Industry including Manandey, Mahendra Kapoor, Khayyam, Rajesh Roshan, Gulzar, Javid Akhtar, etc. were chosen to be in the Jury and were given the task to select the best songs.


The Jury came out with 20 songs sung by various Singers like Rafi, Lata, KK, Mannadey, Asha, etc. set to music by stalwarts like SDB, RDB, Roshan, Madan Mohan, Khayyam, Salil Chaudhury, Hemant Kumar, etc. Some of the songs in the list would be wholeheartedly agreed by majority of the music lovers but some reservation would be expressed regarding certain other songs from the list.


First let us go through the list. The no. 1 song considered was Man Re Tu Kahe Na Dheera Dhare (Chitralekha). This song was followed by other songs like Tere Mere Sapne and Din Dhal Jaye from GUIDE, Kuch To Log Kahenge (Amar Prem), Waqt Ne Kiya (Kagaz Ke Phool), Jo Wada Kiya (Taj Mahal) and Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (Mughal E Azam). The journey continues with Ai Qateeb E Taqdeer (My Sister), Aayega Aayega (Mahal), Piya Tose (Guide), Main Ye Sochakar (Haqeeqat), O Sajana (Parakh), Kuch Dilne Kaha (Anupama), Zindagi Ke Safar Me (Aap Ki Kasam) and Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho (Hanste Zakhm). Other songs in the list are Dil Cheez Kya Hai (Umrao Jaan), Chura Liya Hai (Yaadon Ki Baraat), Tum Pukar Lo (Khamoshi), Har Ghadi Badal Rahi (Kal Ho Na Ho) and Poocho Na Kaise (Meri Soorat Teri Aankhen).


The list contains five of SD Burman, three of RD Burman, two each of Roshan and Madan Mohan, and one each of Hemant, Khayyam, Naushad, Salil Chaudhury and Shankar Ehsan Loy. But there are no songs of SJ, LP, KA, OPN. Similarly Rafi and Lata lead in the Singers Category whereas Talat and Mukesh do not find a place, unfair one must say.


Few would have any reservation about the No.1 song Man Re. A classic song with just two antaras sung by Rafi Saab, written by Sahir Ludhyanvi, music by Roshan and picturised on Pradeep Kumar. The song is more philosophical conveying the moral dilemma of a person caught between a Courtesan and a Bikshu. Whether you consider the music which is so melodious, the lyrics which is so meaningful or the singing, who else could have justified the song other than Rafi Saab, this song has good credentials to become the Number 1 song. But, still, I am sure some music fans would have opted for Baiju Bawras Duniya Ke Rakhewale which catapulted Rafi to the top slot as well as which was a much more difficult song sung at a very high pitch or Pyaasas Yeh Mehlo Ye Takhto, which was a sort of revolutionary song depicting the utter contempt of the Poet towards the Society.


Among other songs, the two Guide Rafi solos make the mark due to sheer class so also the Haqeeqat number, which is a unique song without the conventional mukhda and antara as well as the Hanste Zakhm song, which is good to see that at least after thirty years this unique song is getting its due. Though the Taj Mahal duet is good, still one would wonder at the exclusion of duets from Maya, Ishq Par Zor Nahin, etc. In the same way, though Chura Liya Hai is good, perhaps Ye Dekhake Dil Zhooma and Abhi Na Jao Chodakar were better. How to fit in other Rafi greats like Suhani Raat, Hari Om and the innumerable number of gazals / geets like Kaise Kategi Zindagi and Jis Raat Ki Khab Aayi. What about the mother of all qawalis Na To Caravan Ki Talash Hai.



Movie Heer Raanjha: Tere Kuche Main Tera Deewana

Movie Oonche Laug: Jaag Dil E Deewana

Movie Abhilasha: Waadiyan Mera Daaman

Movie Seema: Jab Bhi yeh Dil Udaas Hota Hai

 

[Bret Hawk]

Mohd Rafi Sahab's Last Interview


Interview Conducted by Jyoti Venkatesh for Star & Style Magazine


Publishing Date 22 Aug - 04 Sep 1980

Little did I realize that this meeting would be Rafi’s last ever interview to the press. He spoke in chaste Urdu to me. Rafi was one of the few film-land celebrities who belonged to the old school of discipline. At the dot of the appointed time, Rafi was waiting for me, after doing his riyaz in the morning.

Rafi always felt that though singing was a God given gift, to maintain your voice is tough. From the year 1942, I have been in this line. I have had my ups and downs. Riyaz is a must if you want to preserve the quality of your voice. I do not smoke, I do not touch liquor. I am pained to see before my eyes, some singers who, after giving one hit song, start acting big only to fall down with a thud soon after.


A humble and publicity-shy celebrity, Rafi’s formula for success was a characteristic, humility. It is a must for one to be successful in any field. Resorting to Urdu he explained, Kisika dil hamne kabhi dukhaya nahin. Jo kisika dil ko dukhata hai, woh kabhi tarakki nahin karega, zindagi mein.

Rafi was born on December 24, 1924, in Punjab’s Amritsar district. At a very young age, he showed an aptitude for music and he was sent to train under renowned maestro, Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan of Kirana. How he became a playback singer was described by him as follows:

Ab aap ko main kya kya bataoon? I am a native of Lahore. I belong to a very orthodox and conservative Muslim family. I used to sing at friends’ places when I was only 15. During one such occassion, Nasir Khan one of the top producer-actors at that time, spotted me and offered to take me to Bombay and groom me as a singer in films.

Khansaab had asked my father for his permission. My father had refused the offer point blank since he frowned upon the very idea of my taking up singing in films as a career. I was being trained in classical music at that time by my guru Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan of Kirana. When Nasir Khan persisted with the offer my elder brother convinced my Abaajaan to let me go to Bombay. With great reluctance my dad agreed to my pursuing a career as a singer in films.

I made by debut as a playback singer in 1942, with ‘Laila Majnu’, a Nazir – Swarnalatha starrer. The late Pandit Govindram was the music-director of the film. I sang a qawwali as part of the chorus. I had even done a bit role in the film. Later on, I acted in films like ‘Samaj Ko Badal Dalo’ and ‘Jugnu’. In ‘Gaon Ki Gori’, I sang a duet with Noor Jehan under baton of music-director Shyam Sunder.

Before his death, the singer voiced his disillusionment with the music-directors today. Rafi seemed to be visibly pained that music-directors sign films by the dozen, as a result of which the quality of music in films has deteriorated. Very few music directors today work with dedication on their tunes and compose memorable music like Laxmikant Pyarelal did in ‘Sargam’. Most of the others are in this field only to make a fast buck by copying foreign tunes and plagiarizing other composers’ tunes.

And lapsing into a flash-back of those good old days, Rafi had launched into a tirade against film-making today and the role of the music director. Film-making wasn’t merely a business proposition during those days when institutions reigned supreme and free-lancing hadn’t become popular in the film industry. Believe it or not, I used to be paid a meager amount of Rs. 75/- in those days for one song!

When I entered the line, there were, of course, popular singers like Saigal Saab, G.M.Durrani and Khan Mastan. Unka Khoobi yeh tha janab ki instead of considering me as yet another competitor they encouraged me to give my best. In fact I remember the first time I met Saigal Saab at Lahore where he had come to give a concert on the stage. The mike had failed at the last minute. While it was being set right, I was asked to keep the audience engaged by singing a couple of songs. I was only 15 then. I had not yet met Nasir Khan or Shyam Sundar. Saigal Saab blessed me that day and predicted that a day would come when I would be a sought after singer.

Melody and classical training were primary in the beginning when I set my foot in the field of film music in the early forties. Today, however, music has degenerated into just shor! In those days, I remember we singers used to help interlude music, whereas today it is the other way round. A situation has come today when the musical interludes help playback singer.

Perhaps not many are aware of the fact that Rafi wasn’t a Shylock where his payments were concerned. Unlike Kishore Kumar who won’t sing unless and until he is paid his remuneration before the recording, Rafi is said to have sung even for a token amount of one rupee! Though I insist on being paid my price by commercial film-makers who can afford it, I sing for small budget films, including regional films, for a much lower price. Money isn’t the only criterion for me to accept a film. Out of my earnings, I keep aside a sizable amount for charitable purposes but I prefer not to tom tom it because I do not want to seek publicity for those acts.

In spite of several years of experience in the field, Rafi never composed music for any film. In fact, producer-director S. Mukherjee had asked me to compose music for one of his films, sometime back. I turned down his offer because it is my firm belief that one should be perfect in only one field. Look at Talat Mahmood. He took up acting and after he could click neither as a singer nor as an actor.

The late Mukeshbhai took up production and lost heavily when the films he made flopped. If I were to agree to compose music for film today, the other music directors would start feeling that I might steal their tunes for my own films and hence they might even stop assigning me the job of singing for them.

Unfortunately, Khuda willed otherwise and took Rafi away at a time when he was once again emerging as a force to reckon with, with films like “Hum Kisise Kam Nahin”, “Amar Akbar Anthony”, “Sargam” and “Mr. Natwarlal”, after his forced exile in the early seventies when Kishore Kumar had taken over from Rafi.






Movie Taj Mahal: Jo Wada Kiya Woh Nibhana Parega

Movie Haath Ki Safai: Wada Karle Saajna

Movie Sawayamvar: Mujhe Chu Rahien Hain

]







Movie Umeed: Mujhe Ishq Hai Tujhese

 

[Blue Moon]

Great interview and great songs ones I heard for the first time to me thats the modern music. Thanks Bret for providing great music this is the best entertainment i had in a while. I didn't know his roots were so deep in Lahore. I believe Lahore is like a big fruitful tree its roots lie in very fertile grounds just going through a little rough winter dawn of spring is around the corner with great Artisans and innovators ready to sprout out.

 

[gazoomartian]

Great interview and great songs ones I heard for the first time to me thats the modern music. Thanks Bret for providing great music this is the best entertainment i had in a while. I didn't know his roots were so deep in Lahore. I believe Lahore is like a big fruitful tree its roots lie in very fertile grounds just going through a little rough winter dawn of spring is around the corner with great Artisans and innovators ready to sprout out.

Few of my Sikh acquintences are actually from Lahore. They were born there and moved to India just like our folks came to Pak.

 

[Bret Hawk]

Rafi Sahabs Impact on Less Recognised Music Composers of His Era


Authored by Raju Bharatan for The Illustrated Weekly of India in Aug 1993

Could you believe that end-July signaled full 13 luckless years without the charismatic voice of Mohd. Rafi? I, for one, couldnt believe it, if only because I discerned that it was during these very 13 tuneless years that Rafi had grown more dominant in our vocal imaginations. Whether it is TV or radio, his vocals have been even more vibrant in the years he has been away from us. Shabbir Kumar, Anwar, Mohd. Aziz, their performing stature diminishes with every year that passes without Rafi.

So unique is Rafis vocal mystique that he is always throwing up new areas, for example, not one anniversary article on Rafi touched on how this big-hearted tenor made small-time composers. It is this lacuna we now seek to fill in a resonant reply of some Rafis all-time hits for the lesser-known music directors. The idea is to spotlight Rafis role in keeping the small-time composer professionally alive.

Remember an obscure 1953 C-grade film called Khoj for which music was scored by Nissar Baazmi, the man who later went to Pakistan and became such a big composer there that even Noorjehan and Mehdi Hassan considered it an honor to sing for him. Yet so long as Nissar Baazmi was in India, he somehow remained a C-grade composer. And at the time he did Khoj, he was literally a no body.

This was when Baazmi approached Rafi to sing for the maximum Rs 50 that his producer could afford for the rendition of a composition on which he prided himself. And Rafi charged Baazmi just the token Re 1 to produce for him, in Khoj, the memorable Radio Ceylon hit, Chanda ka dil toot gaya roney lage hain sitaare. This Raja Mehdi Ali Khan lyric began with the cry: Mohabbat aur wafaa kis tarah tauheen ki tu ne. What a compelling sense of expression Rafi brought to this tune of a struggling composer!

Nor was Pandit Shivram a big-time composer when Rafi (this time for Rs 50) obliged him with an all-time hit that made its way from Radio Ceylon to the Binaca Geetmala. It was written by Bharat Vyas (for a shoestring-budget starrer of Nirupa Roy, Karan Dewan and Bhagwan) and it became, in Rafis orotund voice, the surprise hit of the year 1955. My reference is to the Oonchi Haveli Rafi chartbuster: Daulat ke jhoote nashe main ho choor garibon ki duniyan se rehte ho door. Who but Rafi could have scaled such a vocal peak from the pit-class for which Oonchi Haveli was made? To this day, Daulat ke jhoote nashe main ho choor remains the biggest hit given by Pandit Shivram.

S. Mohinder may not exactly have been a C-grade composer, but the fact remains that he rarely worked in A-grade set-ups. Ranjits Papi, starring Nargis and Raj Kapoor, was one of those rare films in which S. Mohinder had the support of a hit star-team. But the problem was that, but the time Papi came in 1953, Mukesh was settled as the voice of Raj Kapoor. Even so Sardar Mohinder made bold to opt for Rafi for Raj! And that too in the climax of Papi!

Only, by the time the climax of Papi came to be reached, the film had already been dismissed by the audience as a visual disaster. Yet the same audience which, I remember, had virtually gone to sleep in Delhis Regal Cinema came to sudden life and began tapping its feet to the Rafi rhythm of Tera kaam hai jalna parwaane chahe shama jale ya na jale.

That audience clearly felt that Rafi was made for Raj Kapoor. Who knows, Rafi, given the chance, might have been good on Raj Kapoor too! Come Dilip Kumar, come Raj Kapoor, come Dev Anand, Rafi was a vocal match for any hero, big or small.

The hero of Mirza Ghalib was Bharat Bhooshan, the hero in Devdas was Dilip Kumar. And both heroes in both films had plumped for the soft vocals of Talat Mahmood. Rafi therefore had only one atmospheric song each in these two films. Yet, even in these two films in which Talat dominated so sentimentally, Rafi left his own distinct individual impact under Ghulam Mohammad with Hai has ki har ek unke ishare mein nishaan aur (Mirza Ghalib), under Dada Burman with Manzil ki chaah mein (Devdas). Neither Talat, nor Mukesh, nor Kishore, nor Hemant, nor even Manna Dey, could ever take Rafi for granted. I might have been better trained classically by my uncle K. C. Dey, Manna once told me, but if Rafi was singing in the same film as I was, I never could be sure he wouldnt overtake me.

The same Manna Dey had given of his best to the hapless composer, Babul, in Reshmi Roomal, through Zulfon ki ghata lekar saawan ki pari aaye (with Asha) and Aankh mein shokhi lab pe tabassum (with Suman). In the same Reshmi Roomal, Babul had made a telling impression with Talat, too, through Jab chhaye kabhi saawan ki ghata. Therefore, since Mukesh too had scored in the same Reshmi Roomal through Gardish mein ho taare, there was no reason for Babul to switch to Rafi when he came to scoring Naqli Nawaab on the same Manoj Kumar. Yet Babul did switch to Rafi. And somewhere at the back of his mind, Rafi must have known that, in Babuls recording room, the competition was with Talat, Mukesh and Manna Dey alike. Therefore regardless of the fact that he was now being paid only Rs 200 for each song in Naqli Nawab, Rafi came up, for Babul, with such heart-stealers as Tum poochhte ho ishq bala hai ke nahin hai and Allah jaane maula jaane.

Nor was Rafis best reserved for just Babul, who had broken away from the team of Bipin-Babul. Rafi produced for Bipin (Datta) too, in Yeh Bambai Hai the N53097 two sided hit: Yeh bambai shehar ka bada naam hai.

Likewise, G.S. Kohli never rose above the B-grade film. Yet, given the aid of Rafis vocals, Kohli was able to come up, in Lambe Haath, with an all-time hit, for our super-patriotic Vividh Bharathi, in the form of Pyaar ki raah dikha duniya ko. The message in this Lambe Haath hit, Tum mein hi koyi Gautam honga tum mein hi koyi Gandhi, remains distinctly RAFIan.

G. S. Kohli was at least a name that appeared on the banner of half a dozen films. But Dulal Sen, you saw his name on the banner of only one film Black Prince. Yet even in that one film, what depth of feeling Rafi brought to the rendition of Dulal Sens Nigahen na phero chale haayenge hum, as put over by Rafi for Dulal Sen in Black Prince, that lingers in Radio Ceylon memory.

It was Shivkumar Saroj, the sensitive Radio Ceylon announcer, who drew our attention first to the tuning artistry of another modest composer: C Arjun. When I met C Arjun much later, he told me that he felt very proud that he had at least created a ghazal that could come somewhere near a Madan Mohan composition. I wanted special attention to this my coveted ghazal from my singer but all good singers available were bigger than the film for which I had composed it! revealed Arjun. It was with great hesitation, therefore, that I approached Rafi Saab to render my ghazal, so feelingly written by Indivar. And Rafi Saab, without bothering about the small payment we were in a position to make, said it was one of the best ghazals that had fallen to his lot and he would give it everything that he had.

Rafi certainly gave that C Arjun ghazal everything he had, that is how it came over to us Paas baitho tabiyat behal jaayegi maut bhi aa gayi to hal jaayegi in Punarmilan. This ghazal proves, if proof is needed, that no composer was too small for Rafi as long as the composition was great. After all, who was Lala-Asad-Sattar but three instrumentalists who had turned music directors. Yet for even such a stunt trio trying to combine as a music director team, Rafi proved a salvation with such a surpassingly lovely solo in Sangram as Main to tere haseen khayalon mein kho gaya.

To help every little composer trying to gain a toe-hold in the quick sands of filmdom was Rafis singing philosophy. Sapan Jagmohan, as a duo, got their break in Sadashiv Row Kavis Begaana, with Suprita Chowdhury. It was Sapan-Jagmohans first film and the two had to show spot results to make headway.

Jagmohan (of this team) had sung 10 years earlier, in Kishore Sahus Hamlet, the hit duet with Rafi Ghir ghir aaye badarvaa re kaare. On the strength of this connection, Jagmohan (Bakshi) approached Rafi to render what Sapan-Jagmohan felt was their prize composition in Begaana. And Rafi made this prize composition unforgettable as one he could by articulating it as Phir woh bhooli si yaad aayee hai. Remember, Phir woh bhooli si yaad aayee hai was just a good composition in the hands of Sapan Jagmohan. It was left to Rafi to immortalise it as Sapan Jagmohans best ever composition by rendering it in a style no singer could excel.

Annus father Sardar Maalik, though highly talented, never made it to the big league. Bachpan therefore was just another pulp film for which Sardar Maalik was scoring the music. And it would have been forgotten as just another potboiler churned out by our industry, but for Rafi, under Sardars baton, arrested our attention with Mujhe tum se mohabbat hai magar main keh nahin sakta.

The tune came first, the money after, in the case of Rafi. But for the instinctually generous way in which Rafi adjusted his charges for the small composer, we would have not got, in his voice, from Iqbal Quraishi Subah na aaye shaam na aaye from Cha Cha Cha, not from Sonik-Omi Dono ne kiya tha pyaar magar mujhe yaad raha tu bhool gayi meri from Mahua.

In the rare film in which Prem Dhavan doubled as song writer and song composer, like in Pavitra Papi, Rafi came up with a memorable hit for him like Allah hi Allah kar pyare Allah hi Allah. The Rafi touch it could turn any disc into




Movie Aadmi: Aaj Purani Raahon Se

Movie Dastaan: Na Tu Zameen Ke Liye Hai

Movie Sangharsh: Jab Dil Se Dil Takrata Hai

Movie Mere Mehboob: Tum Se Izhaar-E-Haal Kar Baithay

Movie Mere Mehboob: Aie Husn Zara Jaag

Movie Main Chup Rahungi: Khush Raho Ahle Chaman

 

[Blue Moon]

Few of my Sikh acquintences are actually from Lahore. They were born there and moved to India just like our folks came to Pak.

Gazoo Bhai Saab how about posting couple of Raffi Saab's songs that you used to sing maybe riding your bike to school. Bret Saab thanks again for sharing your library of music.

 

[gazoomartian]

Gazoo Bhai Saab how about posting couple of Raffi Saab's songs that you used to sing maybe riding your bike to school. Bret Saab thanks again for sharing your library of music.

bhai there are many many, I used to be sophisticated international singer or at least song lovers *** those were the days ***

my favorites are

1. koi jub rah na payey <==== some one already posted in this thread

Ghora Peshori Mera, ***** Lahori Mera, Main Hon Albela Tangewala -Mohammad Rafi (Pyar Ka Bandhan)

2. Pardesiyon Se Na

3. Aaja... Tujhko Pukare.

Waheeda rehman, beauty in her time. When women used to look beauty, dignifies, and true eastern.

4. Rafi - O Duniya Ke Rakhwale - Baiju Bawra [1952]

5. mubarak ho dulha dulhan ko ye shaadi rafi pak daman

In June 2009 my daughter got married and I wanted to sing this sehra but the brat didn't let me. I was told that the quests would leave before dinner because my bhondi awaz. everybody in my family friends had the general consensus on this :banghead:

 

[Bret Hawk]

Rafi Sahab Ki Yaad


The Transcript of Iconic Music Composer Naushad Alis Jaimala Program aired on Radio in July 1994 and written by Sami Mohammed

As a tribute to my favourite singer, I am posting the typewritten version of a special Jaimala program presented by the Shehanshah-e-Mausiqui, Naushad Sahab, in the memory of Mohammed Rafi.

Jaimala is a popular Vividh Bharati program for Fauji Bhais and the Vishesh Jaimala used to be presented by a famous (usually film) personality.

Although Rafi Sahab sang under the baton of almost all music directors of the Hindi film industry, his association with Naushad was special. Naushad was instrumental in grooming this highly talented singer, although he modestly says that he merely showed Rafi the right direction.

Heres the special Jaimala program which I have translated into English from the original Urdu version. The beauty of Naushads refined Urdu is certainly lost in the translation, but I hope you will enjoy reading what the legendary music director has to say regarding Mohammed Rafi, the singer and the person. Portions which cud not be translated properly have been left in the original language. All errors in translation are mine.

It was recommended that this young man, who possesses a beautiful voice, be given a chance to sing. I heard the young man sing a song or two and was highly impressed. I told him that one day he would become a great singer and asked him to keep in touch. During the initial stages, I let the young man be a part of a chorus, and I think one such chorus Hindustan ke hum hain, Hindustan humara. might still be embedded in your memories. Later, in the film Dillagi, I had the opportunity to use his voice exclusively in a solo. As if it were predestined, this song became immensely popular throughout the country. This was my first song (solo) with him. With this song, Rafi Sahab not only carved a niche for himself, but also added a new dimension to my music.

Tere kooche me armaanon ki duniya leke aaya hun Tujhi par jaan dene ki tammanna leke aaya hun

After that, Rafi Sabab never looked back. He earned respect and his popularity touched the sky. The magic of his voice enthralled the whole world. His popularity, respect and wealth all increased tremendously, yet he always remained modest. Like a fruit-bearing tree, the more he fructified, the more he bent in front of the world. His heart was filled with fear of God and the love for truth. Generosity and altruism were part of his system. God and truth were the only sources of inspiration for him. And he always used to say Tum yahan jaisa karoge waisa bharoge, ye duniya ek mandir hai:

Insaaf ka mandir hai ye, Bhagwan ka ghar hai..

Heres an anecdote which aptly describes his altruistic nature. My relationship with him had grown from a professional to an informal one. Once he had to go to a foreign country for a live performance. He came up to me to seek advice: Main bahar se koi aisi cheez lana chata hun jo ghareebon ke kaam aae. I suggested that he bring a dialysis machine and donate it to a hospital for the benefit of poor kidney patients who could not afford the medical costs. He liked the idea, but the foreign trip did not materialize due to some reason. However, this incident left a permanent mark of his altruistic nature on my heart. I cannot describe how great a person Rafi Sahab was. These are the small things which make a man immortal. For instance, people may forget Shahjehan, but his legacy of love, the Taj Mahal will be remembered forever. Log Shahjehan ko bhool sakte hain, lekin uski mohabbat ki nishani, Taj Mahal ki soorat me quayamat tak zinda rahegi:

Ek shahenshah ne banwaake hasin Taj Mahal Saari Duniya ko mohabbat ki nishani di hai Iske saae me sada pyaar ke charche honge Quatm jo ho na sakegi woh kahani di hai

Rafi Sahab adored Indian music (Bharateey Sangeet). He used to like singing semi-classical songs in his live programs. He always tried to make an attempt to propagate Indian music in foreign countries. For instance, whenever he sang Madhuban me radhika nache, he ALWAYS used to mention that it is based on Raag Hamir. Similarly, Raag Darbari would be mentioned before singing O duniya ke rakhwaale. In this manner, irrespective of whether the people understood the lyrics or not, they always appreciated Indian music. The following bhajan of his, which is based on Raag Malkaus, was admired throughout the world:

Hari Om. Man tarapat Hari darshan ko aaj Man tarapat Hari darshan ko aaj

Once, while Rafi Sahab and I were discussing a song, we were informed that Mukesh had breathed his last in America. Rafi Sahab was stunned. The only words which he uttered were Hai kitna achha gayak, kitna achha insaan, kitna pyaara saathi chala gaya. Some child switched on the radio at that time, and can you guess the song which was on then?:

Chale aaj tum jahaan se, hui zindagi paraaee Tumhe mil gaya Thikaana, hume maut bhi na aaee. O door ke musafir, humko bhi saath lele re Humko bhi saath lele, hum reh gae akele

Rafi Sahab had gone through a lot of trouble and had made countless sacrifices on his way to the top. But, alas! He had attained a position at which death itself envied him and wanted to make him its own:

Mushkilen sangeet ki woh muskurakar jhelta
Tairta raagon ki lehron me, suron se khelta
BaRke Ganga jal se bhi pakeezah tar aakar thi
Uski har tarkeeb mausiqui ka ek shahkaar thi
Gayaki me uski beshak ek niraali shaan thi
Saaf pani ki tarah behti hui har taan thi
Dekhkar ye kaamyaabi muskura uthi ajal (ajal = death)
Pargae sab raag pheeke, ho gaya funkaar shal (shal = silent, still)
Gir para chashm-e-falak se sitara Tootkar
Ek naqsha ranj-o-Gham ka khinch gaya pesh-e-nazar
Bujh gaee phir shamma mehfil me andhera ho gaya
Zindagi ka taar Toota aur taraana so gaya

One day we received the shocking news of Rafi Sahabs demise. The sad news spread like wild fire throughout the country. Songs turned into a dirge. The angels wept in the sky and tears were shed in the form of raindrops over his namaaz-e-janaza (funeral prayer). His funeral procession started amid heavy rain and thunder. People gathered on the top of buildings, trees and in windows to catch a last glimpse of their favorite singer. The procession reached the Juhu graveyard. Many famous film personalities were trying their best to control the crowd which had gathered to pay its last respects to the voice which had warmed their hearts for decades. A voice which had become a part of their lives. Millions of eyes were watching one single glowing face; eyes which belonged not to any religion, caste or creed. And perhaps, that glowing face was saying this:

Main TooTi hui ek nayya hun, mujhe chahe jidhar le jaao Ji chaahe dubodo maujon me, ya saahil par le jaao Main TooTi hui ek nayya hun, mujhe chahe jidhar le jaao..

Finally, the mortal body was interred in the same dust from which it was initially made. Log keh rahe the ek achha gayak chala gaya; ek achha insaan chala gaya. Koi keh raha tha ek achha dost chala gaya, aur main quabrastan (graveyard) ke ek hisse me sonch raha tha:

Kehta hai koi dil gaya, dilbar chala gaya,
Saahil pukarta hai, samundar chala gaya,
Lekin jo baat sach hai, woh kehta nahin koi,
duniya se mausiqui ka paembar chala gaya !!!

Dust had returned to dust, and all that we were left with were sweet memories.



Movie Saaz Aur Awaaz: Kis Ne Mujhe Sadaa Di

Movie Gaal Gulabi Nain Sharabi: Meri Hasraton Ki Duniya

Movie Kohinoor: Do Sitaron Ka Zameen Par hai Milan

Movie Mughal E Azam: Zindabaad Aye Muhabbar Zindabaad

Movie Son of India: Dil Taurne Wale Tujhe Dil Dhoond Raha Hai

Movie Dil Diya Dard Liya: Title Song

 

[Bret Hawk]

The Immortal Rafi Sahab

Article Written by P.K.Desikan from Duke University, US




For Newsgroup rec.music.indian.misc Appeared in Sep 1994

Rafi Sahab With O.P.Nayyar


Rafi saab’s specialty was his versatility and a very vast range. In his 38-year career, he rendered more than 28,000 songs, which include the whole range sung in Hindi films. Take the classicals like O Duniya Ke Rakhwale, Madhuban Mein Radhika Naache Re, or thumris like Aye Na Baalam Wada Karke and Gori Tere Nainva Kajra Ban. There were folk songs like Nain Lad Jai Hain and Tan Rang Lo Ji Aaj Man Rang Lo, bhajans like Mujhko Shiv Shankar Mil Gaye and Duniya Na Bhaaye Mujhe, and geets and ghazals like Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki, Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar, Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho and Ai Mere Shah-e-Khooban.

The incredible variety of the man encompasses ghazals like Tere Kooche Mein Armanon Ki Duniya, Teri Zulfon Se Judaai To Nahin Maangi Thi, and the evergreen Tumse Se Izhaar-e-haal Kar Baithe, patriotic songs like Watan Ki Raah Mein Watan Ke Naujawan Shaheed Ho, sentimental songs like Mayoos To Hoon Wade Se Tere and Tukde Hain Mere Dil Ke. There were light songs like Sar Jo Tera Chakraye, Aye Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahan, and Jangal Mein Mor Naacha Kisi Ne Na Dekha, and non-filmi ghazals like Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon and Lagta Nahin Hai Dil Mera. He sang fast numbers like Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe, Aji Aisa Mouka Phir Kahan Milega, and qawwalis like Meri Tasveer Leke Kya Karoge, Chaandi Ka Badan and Yeh Ishq Ishq Hai…

The list is practically endless and to include every variety of song that Rafi saab sang would be a Herculean task if not exactly an impossible ne. There probably wasn’t a single hero through almost three decades for whom Rafi saab did not playback. From Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Biswajit, Joy Mukherjee, Rajendra Kumar, Raj Kumar, Guru Dutt, Dharmendra, Sashi Kapoor, Sunil Dutt, Sanjeev Kumar, down the ages to Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor and other youngsters, the list of heroes for whom Rafi Saab sang is virtually endless. Then there were others like Johnny Walker, I.S. Johar and Mehmood. The vast variety of songs that Rafi saab sang can well be imagined.


I still remember, as if it were yesterday, meeting him backstage for an interview during one of his last performances in Bombay. That was in May 1980. He seemed greatly disillusioned with the deteriorating standards of film music. He seemed visibly pained that the emerging trend among music directors of signing films by the dozen — and at the overwork contributing towards deteriorating the quality of the music in films.

Lapsing into a flashback, Rafi saab had said Film-making wasn’t merely a business proposition during those days when institutions reigned supreme and freelancing hadn’t become popular in the film industry. Believe it or not, I used to be paid Rs.75/- in those days for a song! That was a fortune in those days. When I entered the line, there were, of course, popular singers like Saigal saab, G.M. Durrani and Khan Mastana. Instead of considering me as competition, they encouraged me to give my best.

In fact the first time I met Saigal saab was at Lahore, where he had come to give a concert. The mike had failed at the last minute. While it was being set right, I was asked to keep the audience engaged by singing a couple of songs. I was only 15 then. I had not yet met Nasir Khan or Shyam Sunder. Saigal saab blessed me that day and predicted that a day would come when I would be a much sought-after singer.

How true Saigal’s prediction came to be! Mohammed Rafi was one of the most popular playback singers for Hindi films till he breathed his last.







Movie Dosti: Jaane Walo Zara

Movie Sehra: Taqdeer Ka Fasaana

Movie Ram Aur Shyam: Aaj Ki Raat Mere Dil Ki Salami Laylay

Movie Aadmi: Kaisi Haseen Aaj Baharoon Ki Raat Hai

Movie Waqt: Waqt Se Din Aur Raat

Movie Raakhi: Ya Meri Manzil Bata Ya ZIndagi Ko Cheen Lay

 

[Bret Hawk]

Reminisces of Mohd Rafi Sahab


An Article by Anup Pandey Which Appeared on rec.music.indian.miscs Website in Aug 1996.


I saw a program called Sangeet Sitare in which they remembered Mohd. Rafi and interviewed some singers, his son Shahid Rafi, Johnny Walker and Joy Mukherjee about Mohd. Rafi. I will write whatever I remember. Lets all remember this great soul Mohd. Rafi, who left us on this day (Jul 31) in 1980.

Manna Dey

Rafi sahab ek sampurna singer the. Jo gaana bhi wo gaate the usme Rafi Sahab ki apni stamp hoti thi. Unke jaisa singer na to hua hai na hoga.
English translation: Rafi Sahab was a complete singer. All his songs had his distinct stamp. There was no singer like Rafi and there wont be a singer like Rafi.

Shahid Rafi (His son)
On him being the best singer

Main bachpan se lekar aaj taq, purane se naye bahut gaanewalon ko suna hai, par unke jaisa gaanewala nahin suna.

On his playful antics and family relations

Woh jab gaana gaakar aate the to apne bachhon aur family ke sang waqt gujarana pasand karte the. Woh bachhon ke sang bachhe ban jaate the. Ek choti si baat yaad aati hai, hamaare ghar men doodh (milk) wala pichhee se botelon (bottles) men doodh laata tha. Unhe (Rafi) kachhe doodh peene ka bahut shauk tha. To woh doodh waale ko rokkar kuchh bottlen pi jaate the. Aage chalkar mammi (Rafis wife) puchti thi ki aaj bottlen kam kyun laaye to woh bolta tha ke sahab bich men doodh pi gaye.

On his soft-spokenness

Bahut dheema bolte the woh. Hamen kabhi kaan lagakar sunna padta tha. Mujhe wo pyaar se Shah karke bulate. Kabhi mujhe bulane ke liye dheeme se bolte the Shah yahan aao. Mujhe sirf Shah sunayi deta tha to main samajh jaata tha ki wo mujhe bula rahen hain. Phir woh kehte the (very softly like a whisper) mainne yeh gaana gaaya hai aao sunaoon.

About Neel Kamal song Babul ki duaaen

Hamari behen (Rafis daughter) do din pehle vida hui thi. Daddy us din to roye nahin the par do din baad is gaane ki recording karte samay ro diye the. Is liye gaana bahut natural ho gaya. Ravi (MD) sahab mujhse (Rafis son) bole ki, Rafi sahab to vastav men ro diye.

About his God-fearfulness

He (Rafi) was a very god-fearing person. Unko yeh God gift hi to thi. Kabhi gaana gaane ke baad log bolte the ki Wah, Rafi Sahab kya gaana gaya hai to unki ungli (finger) upar uth jaati thi ki sab kuchh upparwaale ki baat hai.

About his (son Shahids) favorite(s) Rafi songs

Sabhi gaane bahut achhe hain. Agar main ek gaana ginaaoonga to aap bolengi (interviewer) ki woh gaana bhi to bahut achha hai. Phir main doosra bataoonga. To aap koi doosra bataengi. Mujhe to unke sabhi gaane bahut pasand hai. Ek gaana bata dijiye jo Rafi Sahab ka gaya hua ho jo kisi ko pasand nahin aata ho.
(Note: I will post the English translation later. I really liked his sons interview as he touched upon some of the nice lesser known aspects of Rafi Sahab.)

Joy Mukherjee

Rafi Sahab ki ye kabhi thi ki woh gaana gaane se pehle poochte the ki yeh gaana parde par kaun gaayega. Yeh gaana Dilip Kumar Sahab gaayenge ya Shammi Kapoor Sahab gaayenge ya Joy Mukherjee Sahab gaayenge phir woh usi style men gaate the.

Johnny Walker

Rafi Sahab meri liye itna achha gaate the ki log samajhte the ki main hi gaa raha hoon. Mere liye unke gaaye gaane sabhi super hit hue.

Mahendra Kapoor

Bahut dheema bolte the. Bahut patience tha. (He then mimicked Rafi when he (Rafi) has heard something unusual.)

Notes about the program: The program had clips of some of his famous songs and his live performances of Aasman se aaya farishta pyaar (with Sharmila Tagore live) and Badan pe sitaare lapete hue. The hosts did a nice job in presenting the show too with good introduction, shots of Mohd. Rafis home, etc.



Movie Caravaan: Kitna Pyara Vadaa Hai

Movie Pakeeza: Chalo Dildar Chalo Chand Kay Paar Chalo

Movie Loafer: Aaj Mausam Bara Mayemaan Hai

Movie Haqeeqat: Hoke Majboor Mujhe

Movie Dil Ek Mandir: Yaad na Jayee

Movie Mera Saaya: Aapke Pehlu Main Aake

 

[gazoomartian]

Just for Bret bhai

 

[Bret Hawk]

Rafi Sahab: The Immortal Singer

Authored by Imran R. Kidwai Appeared on Pakistan Magazine in August 1995

Mohd Rafi Sahab With Kishore Kumar & Manna Day



Zindagi Tho Bewafa Hai, Ek Din Tukaraayegi, Maut Mehebooba Hai Apne Saath Lekar Jaayegi

Three years after singing this song, Mohd. Rafi passed away on July 31st, 1980.
It has been 15 years now and till this world exists, there is never going to be a replacement for Mohd. Rafi. It is unusual that in a country whose population exceeds 850 million they have, as yet, failed to find a suitable voice to sing songs the way Rafi sang. They have, of course, been many imitators but none like the original.

For Rafi, singing was a passion and something which had to be taken seriously. He started his singing career way back in 1942 and held sway in the film industry till his death in 1980 38 years with innumerable variety of songs.

As a human being, he was extremely humble and religious and surprisingly so soft spoken, that you had to be very close to him to catch what he was saying something in stark contrast to his songs and powerful voice. He is the only singer who had the unique distinction of opening out his voice when singing on high scales. Other singers voices narrow down as they reach high pitches. If you listened to the song chal ud ja re panchi both by Rafi and Talat, it will be noticeable.

During his long career he sang a vast number of songs for all kinds of characters portrayed on the screen. Be it a hero, a drunkard, a beggar, a comedian etc., Rafi catered to all and did justice to the lyricist, the music director, and to the song itself. Music directors had a choice of many singers but there was always the thought at the back of their minds, that in the event no other male singer could do justice to their song, there was always Mohd. Rafi to sing for them. Even other singers have admitted that to sing a duet with him was extremely taxing.

Being trained in classical music, he sang a number of very good classical numbers, both solos as well as duets. He has also sung a song for Kishore Kumar in the film Ragini.

Of all music directors that Rafi sang for, somehow he was never repeated by Anil Biswas. Anil Biswas always claimed that his soft music was not suited for Rafis loud voice an argument that can go on forever, but Rafi has sung some very good soft numbers, such as apni to har aah ik toofan, jaane kya dhoonti rahti hai, tumse kahoon ik baat, which is proof enough of the control he had on his voice.

It seemed as though he could scale any heights of the pitch. The song from Mughal-e-Azam titled zindabad ai mohabbat is proof enough. His voice carried expressions and gave the listener an understanding of the scenes and actions without having actually seen the film. For example, in Barsaat Ki Raat the song zindagi bhar nahi has a poetic line, surkh aanchal ko dabakar jo nichora usne. And the way Rafi has emphasized the word nichora, you could almost imagine Madhubala wringing her aanchal. Or if you listen to the song from Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi, phrased aap ke haseen rukh pe aaj naya noor hai, you can imagine the detailed facial expressions as expressed in the song.

Naushad-Shakeel-Rafi was a team that started off way back in the 1940s and produced hits upon hits till mid 1960s. They seemed to be made for each other and none of the three let the other down. Who can forget songs such as is duniya mein si dilwalo Dillagi, tasveer banata hoon teri Deewana etc.

To write and record from the 1940s to the 1980s would take up a lot of pages, so I will end this article by listing out various songs that have been my personal favourites for a long time and will remain so.

Zindagi ke safar mein akele the ham Nartaki Ravi
Ba hosh-o-hawas mein diwana Night in London LP
Mohabbat se dekha khafa ho gaye hain Bheegi Raat Roshan
Raaz-e-dil unse chhupaya na gaya Apna Banake Dekho Ravi
Dil mein ek jaan-e-tamanna ne Benazir S D Burman
Tu mere saamne hai Suhagan Madan Mohan
Pahle mile the sapnon mein aaj saamne Zindagi Shankar-Jaikishan
Dil ki tamanna thi masti mein Gyarah Hazar Ladkiyaan N Dutta
Gar tum bhula na doge Yakeen Shankar-Jaikishan
Masti mein chhed ke tarana koi dil ka Haqeeqat Madan Mohan
Mujhe le chalo aaj phir us gali mein Sharabi Madan Mohan
Ankhiyan sang ankhiyan laagi aaaj Bada Admi Chitragupta
Saaz ho tum awwaz hun mein- Saaz aur Awaaz Naushad
Maana mere haseen sanam Adventures of Robin Hood G S Kohli
Teri zulfen pareshaan Preet Na Jaane Reet Kalyanji-Anandji
Paas baitho tabiyat behl jaayegi Punar Milan C Arjun
Haaye tabassum tera Nishan Usha Khanna
Teri tasveer bhi kuch Kinare Kinare Jaidev
Zara sun haseena Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya Ravi
Hamne kya pyar kiya Naag Mohini Sardar Mallik




Movie Taj Mahal: Paaon Chu Lene Do

Movie Hum Dono: Abhi Na Jao Chod Kar

Movie Shankar Hussain: Kahin Ek Masoom Nazuk Si Ladki

Movie Khawab: Tu Hi Woh Haseen Hai

Movie Basant Bahaar: Duniya Na Bhaye Mohe

Movie Aasha: Aashaon Ke Sawan Mein

 

[Bret Hawk]

Mohd Rafi and His Unforgettable Memories



This Article is based on the Memoirs of Bhaktavatsala & Basher Mekri Appeared on The Sunday Deccan Herald on August 1998





View attachment 96



Mohd Rafi With Asha Bhosle





They (Bhaktavatsala & Basher Mekri) recall sheer magic of his golden voice captured on scratchy, old shellac discs and through personal encounters. “We have a piece of history there”, they declare. ‘Don’t meddle with it’

The two of us met almost half a century ago, on June 7, 1949, to be precise. Bhakta had come from the hinterland to study at the (to him) highly anglicized, St Joseph’s. Basheer was all Bangalore and son of the most famous eye doctor in old Mysore, to boot. Love of music brought us together.

Though singing cinema (early cinema was all songs and little talk) had come quite some time ago, it was at this time that film music took a total and completely unexpected turn. The old tuffs called it western influence. Maybe, but somehow it immediately appealed to us. Every morning Radio Ceylon poured out a bucketful of dew-fresh ones, each more scintillating than the other. But in the Cantonment one was ashamed to talk of Hindi songs. After all, those were the glorious days of the Eurasian beauties. One only sang Bing Crosby to them.

So we talked of Hindi songs surreptitiously and little did we know that the anonymous singers, lyricists and music directors were to become household names half a century hence!

Bhakta’s Shimoga was still into classical – pure South Indian or rather old Mysore – music, and looked upon film music as vulgar. One barely noticed the second singer after Mukesh and Talat in Mela and Babul – even after Tera Khilona Toota Balak in Anmol Ghadi (1946). In 1947, when Saajan came with Hum ko Tumhara hi aasra and then Jugnu with the fantastic duet with Noor Jehan, Yahan Badla Wafa Ka, one could hardly not inquire. You see, the old shellac discs carried the names of the characters in the film that mouthed the songs and not of the singers. Only later did the playback artists earn the right to have their names on the shellac. At any rate, very few fortunate ones like Bhakta could buy shellacs. Others would come home and crowd around their song books when he played them on his old HMV gramophone, which could be heard all down the road. Rafi’s name filtered into our consciousness soon after.

It took Raj Kapoor to push Mukesh as a name and Dilip Kumar to do the same for Rafi. Their faces and those voices were to our generation inseparable.

In such a world his appearance, much less his biography, was not of much interest. No newspaper (there were hardly any film magazines save Film India of Babu Rao Patel) was interested in even mentioning music men, let alone publishing their photographs. So no wonder that though we had seen Nazir’s Laila Majnu in 1945 and Jugnu in 1947 several times, we had not noticed Rafi who appears briefly in group scenes in both the films. Not surprisingly, a mischievous rumor caught on among us, the apologetic lovers of Hindi songs, that Rafi was a pockmarked, ugly man, who can never act and will continue only to sing, that is, if the singing stars allow him. We did not know then that singing stars would disappear.

For the record, Rafi’s biography brief it must be for a lot is not known – is that he was born in Kotla Sultan Singh village in Punjab (now in Pakistan) in 1924. He moved to Lahore at the age of 14 and studied music under Khan Abdul Wajeed Khan, Jeevanlal Matto and Gulshan Ali Khan. Composer Feroz Nizami (who did Jugnu) introduced him on Radio Lahore. His film debut was in a Punjabi film Gul Baloch (1944) with the music director Shyam Sunder. But his real music mentor was Naushad, who gave him his break when he arrived in Bombay in Pehle Aaap (1944). It was Naushad indeed who saw Rafi through to the realization of his full capabilities with Deedar and Baiju Bawra and S D Burman who refined him further (no Punjabi inflections) starting with Nau Do Gyarah, and O P Nayyar who gave him the carefree touch commencing with Aaar Paar. And Roshan started him on the shayari trail in Barsaat Ki Raat, which was destined to change the nature of the film songs for the next two decades. He could make you cry like in Meri Kahani (Deedar), he could make you want to romance like in Pukarta Chala Hun Mein (Mere Sanam), he could make you laugh like in Baap Bada Na Bhayya (Sargam).

Now for personal reminiscences, recalls Naushad, a skimpy little boy in a white shirt came to see me in Bombay with a reference from someone I knew. He had a perpetual smile on his face. A little nervous, he confided that his greatest ambition was to sing with Kundan Lal Saigal, the melody king of the ’40s Naushad fulfilled that dream of Rafi’s and got him to sing in Shahjehan with Saigal – the song Mere Sapnon ki Raani.

Basheer knew Naushad for quite some time and thus had known of Rafi, but he got to meet him only in 1976 when he got him over a concert Shivajinagar, Bangalore, in 1947. And then again when Rafi was passing through on the way to Coimbatore and had a stopover for two hours and had called from Bombay and asked to meet the ‘doctor who sings’, Basheer went with his favorite food, prawn curry and rice. The next year, Basheer went to Bombay and called on him at his house. He cannot forget the hospitality he got from Rafi. Basheer recalls Rafi as a short man of five feet who was always smiling. Surprisingly, his speaking voice was a bit squeaky. “You can ask me to sing as much as you want, but I cannot talk much.” Basheer’s little daughter mentioned her favorite two songs. He put her on his lap and sang them for her – Basheer’s fondest memory.

Bhakta did not know he was going to end up in the film industry. Eventually he found himself as the President of the Film Federation. At Talkatora Statdium during the National Film Festival, tired of coaching Smita Patil, he had moved across to be a listener in a conversation between some friends and Rafi. That was in 1979 and Rafi was there to accept the National Award for the best song of the year Kya Huva Tera Vaada from Hum Kisise Kam Nahin.

He sang that song that evening without a flaw, while Smita Patil goofed by passing over the address by President Sanjeeva Reddy. Bhakta apologized. The President, in his address, advised that we should have compares from AIR!

Next year, i.e. 1980, Rafi died suddenly. He was only 56.

It is now 18 years since he passed away – little knowing how his voice would grow with each passing year. There are any numbers of ‘version’ voices of Rafi. A Rafi clone, as Anil Biswas said, is dime a dozen but not Talat’s. It is just that everyone wants to be Rafi, but a clone is always a clone. As Naushad said, many sing like him but there cannot be another Rafi.

The voice quality is assessed on several parameters. The major one is the registers. In the west it is linear – bottom heavy ascending to very light transcending the ‘middle’ voice. But our music demands intricate forays into each register. Rafi was a master of that for in ’swell tones’, i.e. the crescendo, his voice never lost the essential heaviness, the quality of timbre. (Compare Lata’s readiness, and Talat’s lack of heaviness.) He could easily transcend also from ‘focus’ to ‘open throat’ and back. So also the pulsation in pitch accompanied by fluctuations in intensity. But Rafi, over and above everything else, scores in resonance – skill of producing a fantastic range of vocal tone colors accurately depicting the mood and emotional content of a song – without ever straining. He is the best singer on the breath – the portamento style – the sounding pouring out and not pushed out.

There are any numbers of attempts of reworking him. No way. When he sang, a music maestro conducted, the lyricist (who was a poet) honed the words, and individual instrumentalists (not key board machines) played (many of them later to hold batons themselves), and a magic came to be. Give us that old shellac complete with the scratch noise. We have a piece of history there. It is sacrilege to meddle with that. Just put on O Duniya Ke Rakhwale from Baiju Bawra. It exemplifies all that we mentioned above and more. If you love music at all, your hair will stand on end. Rafi’s voice, recorded 45 years ago, does that to you. Like he does it to Basheer and Bhakta, with almost every song of the 50s and 60s.






Movie Taj Mahal: Jo Wada Kiya Woh Nibhana Parega (Part II)

Movie Aarti: Ab Kya Misaal Doon

Movie Parasmani: Woh Jabh Yaad Ayee

Movie Amar: Insaaf ka Mandir Hai Yeh

Movie Deedar: Meri Kahani Bholnay Wale

Movie Urran Khatola: O Door Ke Musafir

Movie Ustadon Ke Ustad: Sau Baar Janam Leingay

Movie Madhumati: Tote Huwe Khuwabon Ne

 

[Blue Moon]

I been away for a few days. Excellent collection Bret Saab, thanks. What an artist.

 

[Bret Hawk]

Rafi Sahab's Legacy Lives On

This Article Appeared on Express India on Account of Rafi Sahab’s 19th Death Anniversary in August 1999.




View attachment 204

Rafi Sahab With Naushad Ali


It is exactly 19 years since Mohammad Rafi passed away (July 31, 1980), but his voice continues to haunt us even today. After all, he’s left behind a rich legacy of songs sung by him over 35 years.

Rafi’s voice, ranging from the melancholic to the boisterous, was such that it suited every mood and every occasion in films. His is one voice that has been imitated the most to be called a Rafi clone is actually regarded as a compliment by most newcomers.

Yet, no one has been able to recreate the Rafi magic. Perhaps, no one can. At best, each of these singers has been able to imitate just one aspect of his voice. But nobody possesses the versatility that Rafi did.

He could become the soul of Guru Dutt in songs like Dekhi zamaane ki yaari bichde sabhi bari bari Kagaz Ke Pool, Johnny Walker’s voice in the mischievous Tel maalish Pyaasa or sing the catchy Yeh hai Bombay meri jaan CID.

He could match Shammi Kapoor’s energy and zest in Yahoo Junglee and do a soft, romantic Ehsaan tera hoga mujh par in the same film. He could give character to a legend like Dilip Kumar with Tere husn ki kya taarif karoon Leader as well as do wonders for a mediocre actor like Joy Mukherjee with songs such as Mujhe dekh kar aapka muskurana Ek Musafir Ek Haseena and Champa **** dekho jhuki gayi re Ziddi.

In spite of his success, Rafi remained an extremely quiet and reserved person. Many of his admirers could not fathom how such a low-profile man sounded so flamboyant in some of his songs. His son Shahid recalls, when we asked him whether he had actually sung the ‘yahoo’ number, he just smiled and nodded. We kept asking him, ‘how did you sing this song?’ But he wouldn’t expand on the subject. It was difficult for us to imagine a gentle person like him shouting out that yahoo.”

Perhaps, it was Rafi’s humility and willingness to learn that made him such a great singer. He respected all his music directors, whether they were young or experienced. His contention was you are teaching me a new song, so you are my ustad. If someone could not pay him his fees, he’d still sing for him and treat him the same way.

Rafi was born in a small village called Kotla Sultan Singh near Amritsar in December 1924. His family shifted to Lahore when he was still a baby. A fakir used to come to their locality in Lahore every day and sing. The young Rafi was so fascinated by him that he used to follow him around.

His elder brother Hamid was aware of Rafi’s love for music and encouraged it. In fact, says music director Naushad, A lot of credit for Rafi’s success must go to Hamid who knocked on several doors and tried everything to ensure that his brother got work.’

In Lahore, Rafi started taking music lessons from Ustad Wahid Khan. One day Rafi and Hamid had gone to attend a performance by K L Saigal. But the legendary singer refused to sing since there was a power failure at the venue. Hamid went up to the organiser and asked if his brother could sing to keep the audience quiet.

That was Rafi’s first public performance at the age of 13. As it turned out, the setting was just right for him. Among the audience sat noted composer Shyamsunder who was so impressed that he invited the young Rafi to come to Bombay. Hamid brought him to Bombay without telling their father why they were going. Their mother, however, knew about it and blessed them.

But things were difficult in Bombay. The brothers had very little money. They lived in Bhendi Bazaar and walked every day to the studio in Dadar to meet Shyamsunder. They had filled two pillow cases with chana (gram) and lived off it for days. Finally, they did meet Shyamsunder who, as promised, gave Rafi a song in the Punjabi film Gulbaloch. His second film was a Hindi one, Gaon Ki Gori.

Naushad Ali was one of the first composers to work with Rafi. He narrates an endearing story. When I heard Rafi, I liked his voice and promised him work in future. I was already doing a film called Shahjehan with Saigal. Rafi, who was a fan of Saigal, came to me with a request, that it was his greatest desire to sing with Saigal. I gave him one line in the song Roohi roohi mere sapno ki rani,” recalls Naushad.

The first full song he sang for me was in Anmol Ghadi — it went like Tera khilona toota balak… he adds. Then again he sang for me in Dillagi Is duniya mein aye dilwalon dil ka lagana khel nahin and Tere koonche main armanon ki duniya leke aaya hoon.”

After this, Rafi became very popular and started getting work from other music directors as well. But it was left to Naushad to explore the wide range of Rafi’s voice. The film was Baiju Bawra, the song O duniya ke rakhwale sun dard bhare mere nale. Naushad discovered that in an era when low octave singing was the norm, Rafi had a phenomenal range, and yet, he never sounded out of tune.

Shammi Kapoor acknowledges that Rafi had a lot to do with his success. It was amazing the way Rafisaab adapted himself to what I wanted him to do. I used to be terribly involved with my songs and go for all the recordings. I used to make it clear how I wanted a certain line sung and Rafisaab always responded, says Kapoor.

He cites an instance. I remember when the song Tareef karoon kya uski in Kashmir Ki **** was being recorded, I wanted the signature line Tareef karoon to be repeated till it reached a crescendo. O P Nayyar, the composer and a friend of mine, objected. He thought it would sound boring. But suddenly, Rafisaab spoke up and said ‘I would like to do it the way the boy wants it because I know what he wants,’ Kapoor remembers.

When the film was released, the song was a big hit. Nayyar hugged Kapoor and congratulated him for his foresight, but the actor maintains it was possible only because Rafisaab had taken the song to such a pitch and had sung each repetition in a different style.

He adds, with a touch of pride, Though Rafisaab sang for all the actors be it Dilip Kumar or Johnny Walker he was especially identified with me. Some songs sung by him and picturised on Joy Mukherjee and Biswajeet were actually my kind of songs. Baharon phool barsao, Pukarta chala hoon main or Teri pyari pyari surat ko these were my songs, sung in Rafi’s special style for me. I remember when he sang Main gaoon tum so jaao for Brahmachari, I told him how I wanted him to sing one particular line. When he saw the picturisation he came and kissed my hand and said, ‘it’s very beautiful, why I didn’t think of that?’

Lata Mangeshkar, who has sung some of her most beautiful duets with Rafi, says that our songs together are so lovely that it is a pleasure to listen to them over and over again. Some of the memorable songs of the duo are Jeevan mein piya tera saath rahe Goonj Uthi Shehnai, Tum to pyar ho Sehra, Tasveer teri dil mein Maya, Dheere dheere chal Love Marriage, Tujhe jeevan ki dor se Asli Naqli, Chalo dildar chalo Pakeezah, Tere husn ki kya tareef karoon Leader.

According to Shahid, Rafi used to take a great deal of interest in his songs. He always wanted to know who he was singing for. After that, you would hear shades of that person’s voice in his singing this was his special gift, says Shahid. Indeed, Rafi was special. All those actors he sang for felt a sense of possessiveness for him and acknowledged his contribution to their popularity.

His voice always struck a chord, even when he sang non-film songs such as Paaon padoon tore shyam… For generations to come there is a repertoire of 35,000 Rafi songs to revel in. His last song was Tu kahin aas paas hai dost for the film, Aas Paas.

Today, in the midst of the cacophony of voices, Rafi’s is the one which stands out, even almost two decades after he’s gone.



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