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 356 of 300, and today's song is Koi Saagar Dil Ko Behlata Nahinsung by Mohammed Rafi from the 1966movieDil Diya Dard Liya directed by Abdur Rashid Kardar and Dilip Kumar. Music composed by Naushad, and lyrics written by Shakeel Badayuni.
Day 37, and today's song is Jiska Koi Nahin, sung by Kishore Kumar from the 1981 movie Laawaris, directed by Prakash Mehra. Music composed by Kalyanji Anandji, and lyrics written by Anjaan (meaning anonymous). There is another version of this song sung by Manna Dey, and that version is my favorite version. However, I could not find backing tracks for that version.
I remember two different occasions in my life when I sang this song. One was in my school when I sang this song on stage in a school day celebration event. The other time was when I first started singing Hindi songs again after many years, and that was couple years ago. At that time, I just sat in a closet and sang into my phone, and recorded with backing music playing on my boom box.
It's been a bit. Hopefully I am learning and singing better.
Somedays are better than others, and today when I recorded this live singing video, I cannot say it was one of my best days.
But, for what it's worth, here is a solo rendition with an acoustic guitar (posted on May 28, 2023) This is the Manna Dey version of the song:
And, for what it's worth, here is another rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on March 5, 2021) This is the Kishore Kumar version:
It is day 355 of 300, and today's song is Ye Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Haisung by Mohammed Rafi from the 1957moviePyaasa directed and produced by Guru Dutt. Music composed by S.D. Burman, and lyrics written by Sahir Ludhianvi.
There is so much truth in this song, and it still very much applies to the human world today.
Here is a solo rendition with an acoustic guitar (posted on May 22, 2023):
Here is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on May 19, 2023):
It is day 354 of 300, and today's song is Ab To Hai Tumse Har Kushi Apnisung by Lata Mangeshkar from the 1973movieAbhimaan directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Music composed by S.D. Burman, and lyrics written by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Raag: Mand
Taal: Kaherava
Dedicated to my 10 year old daughter, here is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on May 16, 2023):
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):
It is day 353 of 300, and today's song is Tan Man Dhan Sab Hai Terasung by Mukesh from the 1973movieManchali directed and produced by Raja Nawathe. Music composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal, and lyrics written by Anand Bakshi.
Here is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on May 05, 2023):
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 352 of 300, and today's song is O Mere Shah-E-Khubansung by Mohammed Rafi from the 1966movieLove In Tokyo directed and produced by Pramod Charavorty. Music composed by Shankar Jaikishan, and lyrics written by Hasrat Jaipuri.
Raag: Bhupali
Taal: Dadra
Here is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on April 28, 2023):
It is day 82, and it is time to take a break from singing my renditions of Bollywood classic old hindi film songs, a day a song. Sometimes the renditions are good, many other times they are average, and sometimes not so good. But this is a great learning exercise for me. I am beginning to see my limitations as a musician and a singer. Some times the mood of the song and my emotions are aligned, and sometimes not. But it is a learning exercise and I am glad I chose to do this 1 song a day for 300 days. I am also glad I am actually doing it and have gotten to 82 songs so far. Yes, still 218 more songs to go to reach 300, and I only hope to learn a lot more from singing these evergreen timeless Bollywood Hindi classic songs.
Today's song is Babuji Dheere Chalna sung by Geeta Dutt from the 1954 movie Aar Paar, directed and produced by Guru Dutt. Music composed by O.P. Nayyar and lyrics written by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Here is a solo rendition with an acoustic guitar (posted on April 20, 2023):
Here is another rendition of the song, and after this post I shall take a short break of few days, change the environment a bit, get out a bit before I get back to singing song #83 and keep singing my way towards 300 songs Here is song with backing tracks (posted on April 27, 2021):
It is day 351 of 300, and today's song is Mere Mitwa Mere Meet Resung by Mohammed Rafi from the 1970movieGeet directed and produced by Ramanand Sagar. Music composed by Kalyanji Anandji, and lyrics written by Anand Bakshi.
Here is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on April 18, 2023):
It is day 350 of 300, and today's song is Basti Basti Parbat Parbatsung by Mohammed Rafi from the 1955movieRailway Platform directed by Ramesh Saigal and produced by Keval Krishan. Music composed by Madan Mohan, and lyrics written by Sahir Ludhianvi.
Raag: Darbari Kanada
Taal: Kaherava
350 songs so far.
All songs I have recorded and posted here as part of Bollywood classics blog were single take live recording using #apple #ipad #starmaker app and #shuresm58
Here is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on April 13, 2023):
It is day 29 and today's song is Tadbeer Se Bigdi Huyi Taqdeer, a very old song sung by Geeta Dutt, from the 1951 movie Baazi, directed by Guru Dutt. Music composed by the great, and my all time favorite, S.D. Burman. Lyrics written by Sahir Ludhianvi.
It's been a busy busy day, juggling work, meetings, and researching, planning and purchasing for new studio and live streaming home studio setup. Since my old audio device and my iMac, that I used for about a decade, stopped working back to back in last 2 days, I am forced to design a new setup, and make purchases, and set it up when it is all here. For now, oh well, all will be well. Once set up, which may take couple weeks, it will be a completely new, flexible and a modern setup.
Here is a solo rendition with acoustic guitar, me playing live at 615ChuTNey, Nashville, TN (posted on April 07, 2023):
Anyways, here is today's song, my rendition with backing tracks (posted on Feb 25, 2021):
It is day 281 and today's song is Chingari Koi Bhadkesung by Kishore Kumar from the 1972movieAmar Prem directed and produced by Shakti Samanta. Music composed by R.D. Burman and lyrics written by Anand Bakshi.
Raag: Bhairavi
Taal: Kaherava
Anyone who knows Bollywood songs knows this song, and my words will not do justice to it.
So, here, without saying anything more, is my renditions of the song.
Solo with an acoustic guitar (posted on March 31, 2023):
It is day 349 of 300, and today's song is Shree Ramchandra Kripalu Bhajmansung by various singers including Lata Mangeshkar. Music composed by Hridayanath Mangeshkar, and lyrics written by Saint Tulasi Das in the sixteenth century. The prayer/ode glorifies Shri Rama and his characteristics to the best. It's Rama Navami in a day. Happy Rama Navami
Raag: Yaman Kalyan
Taal: Rupak
Here is my rendition with backing tracks (posted on March 28, 2023):
It is day 348 of 300, and today's song is Main Ek Raja Hoonsung by Mohammed Rafi from the 1971movieUphaar directed by Sudhendu Roy and produced by Tarachand Barjatya. Music composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal, and lyrics written by Anand Bakshi.
Raag: Bhairav
Taal: Kaherava
Here is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on Mar 24, 2023):
It is day 347 of 300, and today's song is Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Haisung by Mukesh from the 1972movieShor directed and produced by Manoj Kumar. Music composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal, and lyrics written by Santosh Anand.
Raag: Pahadi
Taal: Kaherva
Here is my rendition with backing tracks (posted on March 21, 2023):
It is day 346 of 300, and today's song is Teri Duniya Mein Dil Lagta Nahinsung by Mukesh from the 1950movieBawre Nain directed and produced by Kidar Nath Sharma. Music composed by Roshan, and lyrics written by Kidar Sharma.
Raag: Darbari Kalyani
Taal: Kaherva
Here is my rendition with backing tracks (posted on March 17, 2023):
It is day 140 and today's song is Tumko Dekha To Ye Khayal Aayasung by Jagjit Singh from the 1982movieSaath Saath, directed by Raman Kumar and produced by Dilip Dhawan. Music composed by Kuldeep Singh and lyrics written by Javed Akhtar.
What to say about this ghazal. One of the top hits of Jagjit Singh songs.
I am in no way attempting to emote the original. Just doing it how it comes to me when singing in a lower register than preferred.
Here is a rendition of the song, singing solo with an acoustic guitar (posted on Feb 28, 2023):
Anyways, here it is my rendition of the ghazal (with backing tracks, posted on July 16, 2021):
It is day 345 of 300, and today's song is Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko Aajsung by Mohammed Rafi from the 1952movieBaiju Bawra directed and produced by Vijay Bhatt. Music composed by Naushad, and lyrics written by Shakeel Badayuni.
Raag: Malkauns
Taal: Tintal
Here is my rendition of the song with backing tracks (posted on Feb 19, 2023):
