Articles

Details

Published: 24 January 2019

Last Updated: 24 January 2019

Manohar Deepak and his brothers (Gurbachan and Avtar) popularized the Bhangra in India. They performed all over the world. Of course, in Hindi films too.

Now You Know!

Rafi 206

Details

Published: 18 September 2017

Last Updated: 18 September 2017

Listen to song 3 of Chhaya (1936) from Jodhpurwale Girdharilal Vashwakarma here

rakhiyaa bandhaavo bhaiyaa

Not sure if this is the first ever, but surely the earliest rakhi song that I have heard.

Now you know!

Jay's recent BCSP songs 4 

Details

Published: 24 August 2017

Last Updated: 03 November 2017

Song structure

In the songs of the 50s to 80s a very similar structure is heard. It may begin with an intro line, e.g. in the aayegaa aane walaa, one hears Khaamosh hai zamaana ... Then there is intro music. Then the sthaaee or the refrain. More intro music, the first antaraa or stanza, followed by more interludes and stanzas.

But if one listens to songs from the 30s or early 40s, in most songs, there is hardly any interlude music. The singers start singing, keep singing and singing till the end. The music is in the background playing almost a secondary part.

The sthaaee-antaraa form became standard some time during the late 40s. Many people believe that it was Anil Biswas who did that. But it is a matter of ongoing research.

Now you know!