The Rafi Mystique
This article is written by Ms. Sajdah. Source: Mr. Binu Nair and Pradeep.S.Kumar.
Movies, commercial movies as distinguished from the arty ones ( parallel cinema ), have always been targeted at the masses, the general populace, keeping their tastes in mind. The music too was crafted especially to appeal to a wide section of society as possible. Thus film music even in its glorious heydays was never elitist. Or meant to appeal to a connoisseur. But despite this all important point, the musical standards of the movies that came out of the Bombay movie industry spanning the years between the late 40’s through the dreamy 50’s into the late 60’s and even the restless 70’s was never crass. To whom or what do we owe this phenomenon to? The music composers who set the taste for the public or was it the other way around?
If that’s so, then it was a remarkable accomplishment that somehow went unnoticed.
Particularly when ‘composers’ of our times coolly lash out at the unmusical public for demanding foul sounding melodies and tunes that were surely never meant to be let loose on an unsuspecting human ear.
A song cannot be just a bunch of musical notes, it serves a much greater purpose – it holds within it a reflection of the times in which it was born. So it is safe to say that when we listen to an original recording, we are being given a very unique opportunity to peek into that era. Take that way from you and you are left with nothing. Which is what the makers of Naya Daur have done – they’ve in a moment of ill advised hubris gone and ‘digitalized’ the songs, the glorious original studio recordings to satisfy the demands of a section of noveau riche public who bless them wouldn’t know the difference between a Rafi and a Sonu – a sad commentary on the times we live in. What’s to be expected when several influential generations have grown up on an unwholesome diet of Sonu’s cover version ‘tributes’ to Rafi sahab. This, when the originals are very much around. Is it laziness or plain ignorance ( unforgivable, if so ! ) that helps in selling these ‘albums’, is worth pondering.
What should concern everyone who appreciates good music is the amount of liberty being taken in the name of digitalizing the old classics. The Rafi I grew up listening to from vinyl isn’t quite the same as the one that I hear from a CD. There is a whale of a difference in musical experience. Generation XYZ who are being weaned on these new CD recordings don’t know what they’re missing out. I repeat there’s nothing that will ever come close to a good vinyl recording – the low, the middle and the high registers of the voice, all there in pristine perfection.
Not savagely sliced as in the digitized recordings with complete disregard for aesthetic purity. People are being cheated out of the experience of listening to the real Rafi and the saddest thing is they aren’t even aware of it.
For someone of such a phenomenal talent as Rafi sahab, there can be no such thing as definitive years – that kind of evaluation should be reserved for other singers.
In a movie industry powered by the stars, he was much in demand for the multiplicity of voices that were at his command. He sang for everyone, from the lead actor, the comic, to character artistes, spanning several decades – the 40’s to the early 80’s. An astounding feat, considering the short shelf life of a playback artiste – dependent on several variable factors, none of which are in ones control as many a would be singer has found out to their dismay.
Some of these pairings became extra popular, like the Rafi – Dilip Kumar team, or the Rafi – Shammi Kapoor partnership, but the Truth is Rafi sahab made a hit pairing with every lead actor that ever made a mark in the Mumbai movie industry.
Mohd Rafi with Jaikishen and Shashi Kapoor
In an industry notorious for its careful concealment of prejudices, too often he was denied justice.
Eager to repeat the huge musical success of Baiju Bawara, Bharat Bhushan wanted all the songs of Basant Bahar to be sung by Rafi sahab. But the ones behind the scenes thought otherwise. They came up with surely one of the wildest excuse ever invented – if Rafi sahab sang for Basant Bahar, then their movie’s songs would sound no different from the music of Baiju Bawra, and they couldn’t allow that. They should have implemented the same reasoning with Lata too. But did they? That’s another story.
Kalyanji Anandji tasted real fame with the musical success of Jab Jab Phool Khile – which had Rafi’s imprint all over it. Their earlier musical scores too heavily relied on Rafi sahab’s vocals – a Truth they don’t wish to acknowledge, for reasons best known to them.
Composer Ravi a devout Rafi fan, reluctantly had to work with Mahendra Kapoor because the Chopra brothers’ had certain undisclosable differences with Rafi sahab. The title song of Waqt was a one time concession granted to a composer who never hid his preference for Rafi sahab over other singers.
Well, Rafi saab was a class apart. No doubts! And I fully agree with Irfan saab that after Rafi saab and Kishore Da, Mohd Aziz, who sounded so vibrant (in fact magica!)l was the best. For me post Rafi-Kishore era, Mohd Aziz had been the most all-round, versatile, and gifted singer – and I am including everyone who joined the singing bandwagon post 1980 era – to date.
Aziz had the range and that something-special in his voice. But, I feel he didn’t get his due – perhaps he joined the industry when the music was not at its best. I am really surprised he is not given any songs nowadays. I imagine some of today’s hits in his voice, and I feel itchy as to why he is not asked to sing all these numbers.
Music Directors, for God sake, bring back Aziz saab, Wadekar ji, Amit Kumar, and Nitin Mukesh.
Jai Hind!
Vikky
The true voice of rafi sahab’s is the inspiration of joy & love
when Rafi sahab sang a most sorrow song , we feel so joy. with his only voice
quality.
Mohammed Rafi is one of the most magnificent singers that India have ever produced
Ms Sajdah Sahiba,
The best article read by me so far and in touched an emotional chord. Kindly write more such articles and also can we all request u to publish these in the print media where many music lovers can read n gain immense knowledge.
What a wonderful tribute exquisitely written about Mohd Rafi – Ms. Sajdah!
I have often wondered what it was like for famous hindi film lyricists (Sahir, Shailendra, Majrooh, Shakeel, Rajah Mehdi Ali Khan, Kaifi Azmi, Hasrat Jaipuri, Indivar and several others) and composers (Naushad, Roshan, Shankar Jaikishan, SD Burman, OP Nayyar. Madan Mohan etc.) to take their masterpiece songs to Mohd Rafi and have him sing it back to them and start practice sessions before the recordings. Obviously, there is no doubt in my mind that they were all mind-blown away when they heard the master recite back their poetry and tune. If Rafi required extra time to practice and fine-tune their work, they obliged very willingly fully knowing that in return they would receive the best rendition of their creation. Since very few individuals (currently living and residing in the neighbourhoods of Mumbai and elsewhere) who were involved as musicians, recordists or assistants are willing to open up and discuss those heady days, we the fans will never know the minute details that racked the brains of Naushad, Roshan, Madan Mohan and other famous music directors.
Just to take this subject matter a bit further, a couple of years ago Kerala Film Music fans were stunned to hear the sudden passing away of ace music director Raveendran due to cancer. MD Raveendran ruled Malayalam Film Music world from 1979 onwards until 2005. A combination of Naushad, OPN, Roshan, Madan Mohan, Illaiyaraja and others all rolled into one – he composed some absolutely everlasting songs for legendary singer Yesudas. Raveendran’s compositions were nearly all raaga based and had extremely complex structures. His penchant was to test the skills of the vocalist to the extreme –and see if the singer could handle the scales, the gamakas, the swaras and all the other intricacies of the tune. As he acquired more film assignments, Raveendran fully utilized Yesudas’s magnificent bass voice and gave him some very difficult tunes, daring that the singer would be unable to reach the scales. Till the last song they recorded together, both the MD and singer tried to outdo each other – and both of them came out very even in their friendly tussles, and ultimately the music lovers were the winners fully enthralled with several delightful compositions. Commenting at the sad demise of his close colleague and friend, Dr. Yesudas commented, “Whenever we recorded our best songs together, Ravi would come to the singer’s booth and tell him – brother, I have created this tune for you only; the musicians are ready, the recordists are ready. You may take this song and fly away like a bird. Soar as high as you want and come back to earthâ€. Yesudas always obliged and sang some of his best songs for Raveendran.
The primary reason for Rafi Saab’s songs being immortal and still fresh as if it were just recorded yesterday is the full dedication, practice-till-perfect behavior that he imparted to every assignment that he undertook. I would assume that the MDs, lyricists, musicians and everyone involved in those recordings of yesteryears were fully willing to let the bird soar as high as he wanted….fly freely with abandonment…and then softly land back on mother earth.
Thanks Haldarji
Although this issue is irrevelant but since you have mentioned i would mention I do not consider sonu’s voice to be that much close to Rafisaab,Given his range I think Mohd Aziz was the best clone if you consider totality.This is one reason why he has maybe more than 200+ songs for LP only.,Considering Voice resemblance Anwar was the nearest to Rafisaab.Even if you hear sonu’s songs in the early part of his career,specially his first song ‘Agar aasman tak mere haath jaate’ from Meherbaan he seems to copy Mohd Aziz.The problem was that Aziz used to get nasal at high pitch whereas for sonu you have songs in which he has sung in such hoarse voice ‘Hum tujh ko utha kar le jayege’ -Jab pyar kisi se hota hai’.plus hsis voice seems feminine at times Have you heard his title song for the serial Man mein hai vishwas that is coming on Sony TV’.He has just throated it.Well that is just my personal opinion.Its nothing against Sonu.
ref post 8:
Irfan bhai, thanks for sharing the links. I’m sure you know who Tendulkar was named after, so his taste for good music is not surprising.
I’ve seen Bheja Fry but I can’t remember the actor’s name. He really acted well in the film and sang a few Rafi numbers to impress the producers. I agree with his views on the Rafi-Asha masti. This is my personal bias, but I consider that pair to be one of the very best in terms of duets. I’m not going to say anything more on this topic because there are some knowledgeable people on this forum who don’t even consider Asha to be a great singer.
Anyway, I just loved the picture with Geeta and Rafi; there was so much chemistry between the two of them in the 50s and early 60s: Udhar tum haseen, Hum apke aankhon mein, Jaane kahan mera jigar gaya ji, Aankhon hi aankhon mein…. Geeta’s voice had Lata’s sweetness and Asha’s oomph. I can understand why OP started ignoring her in the 60s, but for the life of me, I don’t understand why SD didn’t use her more in that period. There’s this lilting duet from Manzil (probably 1960), “Chupke se mile pyase pyase kuchh hum kuchh tum”, but after that, SD started easing her out of the recording room. Granted that she was self-destructing herself with alcohol, but she still had so much left in her even in the 70s (listen to her Avishkar and Anubhav songs).
Given the buzz around Sonu Nigam nowadays, I recently attended a concert of his. He sang six or seven numbers but half the time he was talking while singing. The other thing I’ve noticed in the new singers is their tendency to alternate between singing and pointing the microphone towards the audience. So the audience is expected to sing half the time! Last time I heard Rafi live, he sang 17 songs, without hardly ever speaking. Last year, when I heard Manna Dey at a concert — he was 84 then — he sang for more than three hours and that too some of the best classical songs in films. And I saw this Sonu Nigam chap trying to mimic “Hari Om, man tadpat” in a video. If you want to sing such songs, you should try to sing them properly with due respect. I don’t know how people can compare Sonu with Rafi.
Again, thanks for sharing the links.
Greetings all rafians
check this out
http://www.mid-day.com/smd/play/2007/july//161507.htm
If you are not a fan of Sachin tendulkar by now, this one ought to make you for sure
http://www.mid-day.com/virtual_gallery/gallery_slideshow.asp?GalleryID=26&ID=216&CurrentPage=9
DEAR MS SAJDAH
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR FANTASTIC ARTICLE ON OUR BELOVED RAFI SAHAB !
YOU HAVE HIGHLIGHTED SOME RARE PATRIOTIC SONGS WHICH WERE TOTALLY UNKNOWN TO ME TILL DATE .
THANKS ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS INFORMATION !
BEST REGARDS/A.T.M. SALIM
Excellent article!
Ms.sajdah is a well informed rafi lover and i love her writings…She
used to write for shama magazine in urdu before , I suppose..
Sajdaj ji well done… please keep it up .. and I request is to be in
touch with the nascent rafi foundation of Mumbai and Sargam magazine
which is the voice of rafi lovers – around the world.
binu nair… binus2000@hotmail.com the rafi foundation.
Excellent
Wah Sajdah,Wah!
Aesthetically-packed recounting of a fecund life, if accounted romantically, by means of one’s aesthetic wits “astheticizes†the aesthetic sensors of the readers’ aesthetic system. The author valuably evaluates the values of a valuable life through value-rich description.
Cheers!
A simply brilliant article!