Learn and Sing 1 Bollywood Classic Hindi Song per day for 300 days, that is what I did. 300 PLUS songs recorded.
Thanks to COVID to be able to do this from home in Nashville TN.
Born & raised in India, I mostly listened to western rock, blues, punk, reggae & jazz.
I challenged myself to learn & sing old Hindi songs which, as a child, I used to hear at home on classic radio or TV.
Recorded live, one take, no edits, with backing track, or with an acoustic guitar.
It is day 18, and today's song is Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni Phir Kahan from the 1952 movie Jaal, directed by legendary Guru Dutt. The song is sung by Hemant Kumar, music composed by the legendary best S.D. Burman, and lyrics by Shailendra.
It turned out to be not a very easy song to sing since it needed smooth soft voice to emulate the emotion conveyed by the song. A perfect song for the Valentines day today, today.
Here is another rendition of the song with Lyrical Video (posted on Apr 11, 2025):
Here is a rendition of this song, Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni Phir Kahan (posted on Feb 14, 2021):
It is day 32, it is Sunday evening. Today is Feb 28, 2021, the last date of the month. Not a leap year 2021. A leap year has 29 days in the month of February.
Today's song is Ya Dil Ki Suno by Hemant Kumar from the 1966 movie Anupama, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The song is sung by and music composed by Hemant Kumar, and lyrics written by Kaifi Azmi.
I like this song very much. I like the movie too. I think I will watch this movie again sometime soon. It is a good movie. You should watch it.
Here is a lyrics video of the song (posted on Mar 20, 2025):
Here is my solo rendition with acoustic guitar (posted on Mar 06, 2023):
Here is my rendition of the song (with backing tracks, posted on Feb 28, 2021):
It is day 110 of 300, and today's song is Jaane Woh Kaise Log The Jinke sung by Hemant Kumar from the 1957 movie Pyaasa, directed and produced by Guru Dutt. Music composed by the legendary great, and my all time favorite, S.D. Burman, lyrics written by Sahir Ludhianvi.
Great movie! Great song! Great music!
This movie has to be one of the top classic movies like Gone with the Wind or something. Lots of really good songs in this movie.
Here is a rendition with lyrical video (posted on Nov 11, 2024):
Here is my solo unplugged version with acoustic guitar (posted on Mar 08, 2023):
Here it is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on June 07, 2021):
It is day 274 and today's song is Zara Nazron Se Kah Do Jisung by Hemant Kumar from the 1962movieBees Saal Baad directed by Biren Nag and produced by Hemant Kumar. Music composed by Hemant Kumar, and lyrics written by Shakeel Badayuni.
Great movie! Great songs! Super talented Hemant Kumar. Too bad he did not go on to produce more Hindi movies and compose more Hindi songs.
Raag: ?
Taal: Kaherava
Here is a rendition of the song with lyrical video (posted on August 09, 2024):
Here is a rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on March 02, 2022):
Day#3, this is my third song of the series, 1 song per day for 300 days, and I am thinking, what was I thinking and what did I get myself into. Why am I singing and posting these classic Bollywood songs when the original recording as sung by the original singer, and as recorded by the original music director and his musicians are still available for anybody to listen to on popular streaming sites like spotify, youtube, pandora, etc. 🤷
I guess I have found a liking to singing these old Hindi songs. Songs that radio played and I would listen to as a boy growing up in India.
Yeh Nayan Dare Dare, meaning frightened eyes, is the title of this smooth song sung by Hemant Kumar. The song is from the movie Kohra. A thriller mystery movie from 1964 directed by Biren Nag. Hemant Kumar is the music director, and lyrics written by Kaifi Azmi. Jhoom Jhoom Dhalti Raat by Lata Mangeskar is another hit song from this movie Kohra.
I must say, I do not remember listening to this song on the radio much. It perhaps was on the greatest hits tape of Hemant Kumar which we had at home. One from my father's song tape collections. In the last few months I have heard a few people sing this song on karaoke apps like Smule.com and Starmaker.com. I learned a lot from them. Quite fun apps too. But it has been a good avenue and experience for me to recollect and learn and sing these classic Bollywood songs. Many of these songs I have never sung before in my life. But thanks to Corona, I am having this opportunity to recollect and learn and sing these songs.
I must say, the pitch or key of the song is half a tone lower than what I would have preferred. Some apps like starmaker do give the option to lower or raise the pitch, but I feel the music quality is compromised. The app I used to record this song does not give me the option to change the pitch. So I went with what was there. So here it, my rendition of Yeh Nayan Dare Dare.
Here is a version with lyrics (posted on April 07 2024):
Here is a solo with acoustic guitar version (posted on April 11, 2023):
Here is a version with backing tracks (posted on Jan 30, 2021):
Day 3, and 297 more to go...Let's see how many songs I can do. Fingers crossed.
It's 11:11pm here, and I think I am going to go now and watch this movie Kohra. Kohra was made in 1964, a Bollywood masala adaption version of Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, which in turn was an adaptation from Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel Rebecca, only with a different end.
Hope I like it. Hope you like it too. Good night!
Tomorrow is another day, another song....1 song per day for 300 days....
Ye Nayan Dare Dare Ye Jaam Bhare Bhare Zara Pine Do Kal Ki Kisako Khabar Ik Raat Hoke Nidar Mujhe Jine Do Ye Nayan Dare Dare Raat Hasi Ye Cahand Hasi To Sabase Hasi Mere Dilabar Raat Hasi Ye Chaand Hasi To Sabase Hasi Mere Dilabar Aur Tujhase Hasi Aur Tujhase Hasi
Tera Pyaar Tu Jaane Na
Ye Nayan Dare Dare Ye Jaam Bhare Bhare Zara Pine Do Ye Nayan Dare Dare
Pyaar Me Hai Jivan Ki Khushi Deti Hai Khushi Kai Gam Bhi Pyaar Me Hai Jivan Ki Khushi Deti Hai Khushi Kai Gam Bhi Mai Maan Bhi Lun Mai Maan Bhi Lun Kabhi Haar Tu Maane Na
Ye Nayan Dare Dare Ye Jaam Bhare Bhare Zara Pine Do Kal Ki Kisako Khabar Ik Raat Hoke Nidar Mujhe Jine Do Ye Nayan Dare Dare
It is day 91, and today's song is Ganga Aaye Kahan Se sung by Hemant Kumar from the 1961 movie Kabuliwala, directed by Hemen Gupta, produced by Bimal Roy. Music by Salil Chaudhury and Lyrics written by the great, and my all time favorite Bollywood lyrics writer, Gulzar. The movie is based on a short story by Rabindranath Tagore.
I actually did not even remember this song, and had never sung it before, not have heard it much in my life. But there must have been a tape of Hemant Kumar in my father's collection due to which I kind of knew the song. But it was really because my mother reminded me this song when I called and talked to her on Mother's day. Then I decided to listen, learn and sing. What a great song! The music is very Bengali folk based.
Here is a solo version with an acoustic guitar (posted on Sept 04, 2023):
Anyways, here is a rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on May 13, 2021):
It is day 122, and today's song is a popularly known retro classic, Bekarar Karke Hume Yun Na Jaiyesung by Hemant Kumar from the 1962movieBees Saal Baad, directed by Biren Nag, produced by Hemant Kumar. Music composed by Hemant Kumar, lyrics written by Shakeel Badayuni.
Today is Jun 16. Happy 103rd Birthday Hemanto Da.
Here is my solo rendition with an acoustic guitar (posted on Jun 16, 2023):
Here is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on June 24, 2021):
It is day 52, and today's song is Tere Dwar Khada Ek Jogi from the 1954 hit Bollywood movie Nagin, directed by Nandlal Jaswantlal. Music composed by Hemant Kumar, and lyrics written by Rajender Krishan.
Based on Bangla folk music.
Here is my solo rendition with an acoustic guitar (posted on May 12, 2023):
Here it is my rendition with backing tracks (posted on March 20, 2021):
It is day 41 and today's song is Na Yeh Chand Hoga by Hemant Kumar, from the 1954 movie Shart, directed byBibhuti Mitra. Music composed by Hemant Kumar, and lyrics written by S.H. Bihari.
This song is not such a popularly known classic Bollywood song. I know the song because there was a Hemant Kumar songs tape in my father's music collection. I remember playing that tape few times myself in my childhood days. Good songs. In the recent times, I have started appreciating Hemant Kumar as a music composer too. I did not know he had composed some of those classic Bollywood songs. I like the vibe and feel of the melodies he created, and rhythms of Spanish, Italian, Latin American fused with Bengali folk and classical styles. Awesome! I love it.
Hemant Da is super awesome! Smooth jazz voice.
I sure am not attempting to emulate or copy him. MmMm...I would do a sloppy job of that. Instead, I am just doing it the way I feel I would sing these lyrics.
So here it is, solo with acoustic guitar rendition (posted on May 10, 2023):
Here it, another rendition of the song with backing tracks, Na Yeh Chand Hoga (posted on March 09, 2021):
That was the day back in Oct 2019, way before I had started my youTube channel Puraane Gaane.
I was a beginner and was learning to sing hindi songs. This was the first song I posted on my channel. So I will call that day day-zero.
It was day 0 of 300, and song is Tum Pukar Lo Tumhara Intezar Haisung by Hemant Kumar from the 1969movieKhamoshi directed by Asit Sen and produced by Hemant Kumar. Music composed by Hemant Kumar, and lyrics written by Gulzar.
I must admit, I learnt a lot initially from Hemant Kumar and Gulzar, and then Geeta Dutt ji has been by posthumous guru.
Raag: Pahadi
Taal: Kaherava
Here is a solo rendition of the song with acoustic guitar (posted on May 01, 2023):
Here is a rendition with backing tracks (posted on October 06, 2019):
It is day 118 and today's song is Chup Hai Dharti Chup Hai Chand Sitaresung by Hemant Kumar from the 1955movieHouse No. 44, directed by M. K. Burman and produced by Dev Anand. Music by S. D. Burman, with lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi.
I think this song may not be such a popular or well known song from the retro classic Bollywood Hindi music. I know it from the Hemant Kumar songs cassette tape from my father's music collection.
I have always loved the smoothness of Hemant Kumar's voice, but I am beginning to appreciate more as I am listening to these old songs again. Retro classic!
Here is my solo rendition with an acoustic guitar (posted on Feb 01, 2023):
Not by any way attempting to copy or emulate the original, but here it is, my rendition of the song (posted on June 18, 2021):
It is day 224, and today's song is Raah Bani Khud Manzilsung by Hemant Kumar from the 1964movieKohraa, directed by Biren Nag, and produced by Hemant Kumar. Music composed by Hemant Kumar, and lyrics written by Kaifi Azmi.
I feel, Hemant Kumar was genius music composer, but it is sad he did not go on to create a lot more music in Hindi in Bollywood.
It is day 184, and today's song is Na Tum Hamein Jaanosung by Hemant Kumar from the 1962movieBaat Ek Raat Ki, directed by Shankar Mukherjee. Music composed by S.D. Burman, and lyrics written by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Even thought before my time, this music director is my all time favorite in Bollywood, unequivocally the best.
It is day 163, and today's song is Hai Apna Dil To Awarasung by Hemant Kumar from the 1958movieSolva Saal, directed by Raj Khosla. Music composed by S.D. Burman, and lyrics written by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Great Song! Evergreen Classic!
Mouth organ in this song was played by R.D. Burman, who played the role of assistant music director to his father in quite a few movies before he started doing his own music creation work.
I don't recall watching this movie ever, perhaps something to watch sometime soon.
It is day 86 and today's song is Teri Duniya Mein Jeene Se sung by Hemant Kumar from the 1955 movie House No. 44, directed by M.K. Burman and produced by Dev Anand. Music composed by S.D. Burman and lyrics written by Sahir Ludhianvi.
Great song! Not sure I can say anything more than that, since S.D. Burman composition needs no words of mine, and he is my all time favorite Bollywood composer. Plus Hemanto da's singing. What else can I ask for.
I know I have done an average job at singing this song, but nevertheless, here it is, my rendition of the song:
It is day 58 and today's song is Zindagi Pyar Ki Do Char Ghadi sung by Hemant Kumar from the 1953 movie Anarkali, directed by Nandlal Jaswantlal. Music composed by C. Ramchandra and lyrics by Rajinder Krishan.
One of my favorite songs by one of my favorite singers. Also, coincidentally, I watched this movie a couple months ago, not bad.
