All time high- November 2009

Ack! Its been 3 months since I did the monthly all-time high. Unacceptable!

So what I'll do to make up for it is to post 3 this month, one for every month I've missed.

I will start with one of my all-time favorite singers - Manna Dey. This classic by him is timeless. The melody, the meaning, the voice, the lyrics- simply divine.



Tell me how you like it(Aside, did you notice the lyrics in the side bar of the youtube clip? Pretty nifty- no?)

All time high-Aug 2009

Sigh. I am miserably late for this month's all-time high. Its summer's fault, that much I can tell with certainty. Summer brings heat, thunderstorms, house guests, trails, road trips and much much more.

Rambling-stop. Music-start :).

An easy one, a chirpy fun one from the movie 'baaton baaton mein'

All time high-July 2009

This month I bring to you one of my all-time faves(yes, it is an all-time high, no less)- this masterpiece by Gulzar, sung by Manna Dey from the movie 'Anubhav' directed by Basu Bhattacharya, produced by Basu Chatterjee. A heady combination which makes for an all-time high.

I specially like the second paragraph, chockful of meaning. The tune, the voice, the lyrics- love love love it all.



Phir kahi koyi phool khila, chaahat na kaho usko
Phir kahi koyi deep jala, manzil na kaho usko
Phir kahi koyi phool khila...

Mann ka samundar pyaasa hua, kyu kisi se maange duwa
Lahero ka laga jo mela, toofaan na kaho usko
Phir kahi koyi phool khila...

Dekhe sab woh sapne, khud hi sajaaye jo hamne
Dil unse behel jaaye to, raahat na kaho usko
Phir kahi koyi phool khila...

All time high- June 2009

And for this month I have a song from a favorite movie of mine- Guddi. Released in 1971, a classic Hrishikesh Mukerji movie, starring Jaya Bhaduri and Utpal Dutt. Without further ado, here goes ...

PS : No lyrics included since those are available in the right panel of the page.

All time high-May

April showers bring May flowers... its that time of the month - time to post the all-time high for the month of May! And I offer this...



From the movie Bazaar. While I found the movie itself quite heavy and depressing, the songs are each a masterpiece, brimming with meaning and tune. Music by Khayyam, sung by stalwarts such as Lata Mangeshkar, Talat Aziz and Bhupinder. There are also two songs sung by Jagjit Kaur, wife of Khayyam.

Lyrics for this eternal song go thus :

karoge yaad toh, har baat yaad aayegi
guzarte waqt i, har mauj theher jaayegi

ye chaand beete zamaanon ka aaina hogaa
bhatakthe abr mein chehra koi banaa hogaa
udaas raah koi daastana sunaayegi

barasta bheegta mausam dhuaan dhuaan hoga
pighalti shammon pe dil ka mere gumaa hoga
hatheliyon ki heena, yaad kuchh dilaayegi

galee ke mod pe, soona sa koi darawaaza
tarasti aankhon se, rastaa kisi ka dekhega
nigaah door talak, jaa ke laut aayegi

All time high-April

You see, the thing about nostalgia is that it can be sweet, it can sometimes be saddening. There are some songs that make me want to bawl and most times I can never tell why. It feels like an era bygone, of simple times and reasonable needs. A slice in time that can never be rewound. And conditioning tells you not to hold on to it, for what's gone is gone and whats now is a gift, the present. It seems silly to weep over what you haven't experienced. Perhaps that's what makes it alluring and exciting-what you didn't know. You can create fantastic tales from period settings, can't you? The mind is such a foolish dreamer, it can make mountains out of molehills and create sepia tinted fantasies from the past, or the future even, for that matter. Never able to stay with the current...

Oh well, see- all this rambling is because I've been listening to 70s music for some weeks now and I was glad we got to April finally, cos its that much-awaited time to post this month's all-time high. Something I look forward to quite eagerly. So here's my pick, from the movie 'Umrao Jaan'.



zindagi jab bhi teri bazm mein laati hai hamein
ye zameen chaand se behtar nazar aati hai hamein

surkh phoolon se mehak uTathi hain dil ki raahen
din Dhale yun teri aawaz bulaati hai hamein

yaad teri kabhi dastak kabhi sargoshi se
raat ke pichhle prahar roz jagaati hai hamein

har mulaqat ka anjaam judai kyun hai
ab to har waqt yahi baat satati hai hamein

A hug for life

For some weeks now, I am diving into this playlist in my ipod called 'all-time highs'...a special place to find old gems rich with meaning and soulful melody. These are songs which have stayed with me over many many years, a treasure chest which I immerse myself in, when the mood strikes.

Ok, ok..since you ask- starting this month I will post one every month with a small story and lyrics perhaps? So you can choose to agree or disagree with the choice. Okay? Alright!

This month's picks(there are two, as an introductory offer :), are a special dedication to a special person- Scarlett!






and the second one is :


And since the second one has no visuals, I post the lyrics

Zindagi Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana Aana Zindagi
Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana Aana Zindagi
Zindagi O Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana Aana
Mere Ghar Aana
Zindagi Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana Aana Zindagi

Mere Ghar Ka Seedha Sa Itna Pataa Hai
Ye Ghar Jo Hai Chaaron Taraf Se Khula Hai
Na Dastak Zaroori, Na Aavaz Dena
Mere Ghar Ka Darvaaza Koi Nahin Hai
Hain Deevaren Ghum Aur Chhat Bhi Nahin Hai
Badhi Dhoop Hai Dost
Kadhi Dhoop Hai Dost
Tere Aanchal Ka Saaya Churake Jeena Hai Jeena
Jeena Zindagi, Zindagi
O Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana
Aana Zindagi Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana

Mere Ghar Ka Seedha Sa Itna Pataa Hai
Mere Ghar Ke Aage Mohabbat Likha Hai
Na Dastak Zaroori, Na Aavaz Dena
Maein Saanson Ki Raftaar Se Jaan Lungi
Havaaon Ki Khushboo Se Pehchaan Lungi
Tera Phool Hoon Dost
Teri Bhool Hoon Dost
Tere Haathon Mein Chehra Chhupa Ke Jeena Hai Jeena
Jeena Zindagi, Zindagi
O Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana
Aana Zindagi Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana


Yenjoy and have a good weekend all!