Kuldeep Manak, the bhangra singer who worked with Jazzy B on his album Maharajas, died today aged 62. He was suffering from kidney problems and was admitted to hospital in Ludhiana with pneumonia. The singer was renowned for his traditional vocals and had hits throughout a career that spanned the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Kuldeep Manak Passes Away
Kuldeep Manak, the bhangra singer who worked with Jazzy B on his album Maharajas, died today aged 62. He was suffering from kidney problems and was admitted to hospital in Ludhiana with pneumonia. The singer was renowned for his traditional vocals and had hits throughout a career that spanned the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Monday, 28 November 2011
Why This Kolaveri Di? The Remixes
The sincerest form of flattery is imitation. In the music world, this translates to remixes. Why This Kolaveri Di is India's biggest hit right now and the remixes and cover versions are already appearing. In this post I present some of the wierd and wonderful versions of Why This Kolaveri Di in one handy list.
The Carnatic Fusion Kolaveri Di
The Psychedelic Trance Kolaveri Di
The Calvin Harris Mash Up Kolaveri Di
The Heavy Metal Kolaveri Di
The Violin Instrumental Kolaveri Di
The Highpitched Dance Kolaveri Di
The Crazy Hip Hop Kolaveri Di
The Anti Corruption Kolaveri Di
There are probably more Why This Kolaveri Di remixes out there and probably a few more to come. If there are any more good ones, there will be an updated list!
Why This Kolaveri Di, Why?
Sometimes something unexpected happens and there is absolutely no reason behind it. The viral of Why This Kolaveri Di from the film 3, is one of them. This "soup song" about a boy's feelings after he has broken up with his girlfriend is a huge hit and has even been endorsed by Amitabh Bachan, Karen Johar and other stars of music and screen. The song is so popular that it even has its own T shirt!
But unlike the rest of India, I hate it! Unlike the usual hit songs I blog about, the lyrics are silly, the video is boring, the are no beautiful people dancing and I think that is part of its appeal. The film and music industries bombard us with flashy videos and catchy beats which can start to look and hear the same after a while. This song is so different that it was either going to be a massive flop or a massive hit.
There are a few other reasons why it has become such a hit. The lyrics are simple to remember and easy to sing along to. The lyrics are also easy to quote on twitter or facebook. The subject of the song, problems in love, is something that many have experienced. The language of the song is also important. By singing in a mix of Tamil and broken English, Dhanush has ensured that the song appeals to a range of different backgrounds
It's interesting that this song was leaked like Chammak Challo from Ra.One. But instead of moaning about it, the directors of 3 went ahead and released the final version complete with a specially made video. They are now reaping the benefits of this quick thinking and have created a massive international buzz around a regional film that will not hit the screens until January. It is a marketing executive's dream.
According to the director, "kolaveri di" translates as "a murderous rage" and there are reports that husbands are singing this song to their wives. It takes a lot to write a hit song, but this song was apparently written in just 20 minutes and does have a slightly improvised feel to it which just adds to the appeal.
The success of this song must be making music directors think. Why This Kolaveri Di has broken the rules of what makes a hit song. I predict numerous songs in the style releasing soon to try and recreate the success that this song has had. Only music listeners can decide whether they will succeed in being as successful as Why This Kolaveri Di.
Check out the list of Why This Kolaveri Di remixes!
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Bilal Khan - Khabi Gham Na Aey
Bilal Khan, the guitarist who started his musical career under a tree in a University in Lahore, has made a video for the song Khabi Gham Na Aey. This is his second professional video after Bachana.
The song in this version is a different version to the acoustic version from the Bilal’s album Umeed. I like this video version more than the album version. The production is better and the extra instruments add interest. I like the option to turn on captions and sing along. Translated captions, like those on Bilal’s performance on Coke Studio, would have been nice for those who can’t understand what he is singing.
The video is set in a clothes shop and stars a shop assistant and Bilal as a mannequin. Nothing much happens in the first half. There are some arty shots of rain against the window and footage from the security cameras as well as close ups of the characters. In the second half it’s all action as the sales assistant accidentally knocks off Bilal’s head and puts it back on. There is an earthquake and lightening strikes. Bilal comes to life and makes his way over to his girl. But when he gets there and reaches out to her he finds that she herself doesn’t move.
Music videos starring shop mannequins are not new, but these are the first mannequins I have seen who suffer an existential crisis. I like it when a music video tells a story, but I’m not sure I want to spend time trying to figure out what that story is. I like Bilal’s music because it is simple and beautiful. This video detracts from the music and the view spends too much time thinking about the video and not about how beautiful the song is.
There has been confusion over the story and what the exact meaning of the concept is. The film’s director Abdullah Haris tried to explain his abstract concept on his facebook page, but I’m of the opinion that if you have to explain your concept so that people can understand it then it doesn’t work in the first place. I rather like the following story suggested by a youtube user: the girl is not a shop assistant, but a mannequin who comes to life at night and spends her time admiring Bilal. When she has finally willed him to come alive, he touches her and their time together runs out.
Overall, this video is different, creative and interesting. The concept might be too abstract for some people, but I like the ambiguity of the story. Both the song ad the video are good but it’s a shame that there has been more talk about the concept of the video than the music.
The song in this version is a different version to the acoustic version from the Bilal’s album Umeed. I like this video version more than the album version. The production is better and the extra instruments add interest. I like the option to turn on captions and sing along. Translated captions, like those on Bilal’s performance on Coke Studio, would have been nice for those who can’t understand what he is singing.
The video is set in a clothes shop and stars a shop assistant and Bilal as a mannequin. Nothing much happens in the first half. There are some arty shots of rain against the window and footage from the security cameras as well as close ups of the characters. In the second half it’s all action as the sales assistant accidentally knocks off Bilal’s head and puts it back on. There is an earthquake and lightening strikes. Bilal comes to life and makes his way over to his girl. But when he gets there and reaches out to her he finds that she herself doesn’t move.
Music videos starring shop mannequins are not new, but these are the first mannequins I have seen who suffer an existential crisis. I like it when a music video tells a story, but I’m not sure I want to spend time trying to figure out what that story is. I like Bilal’s music because it is simple and beautiful. This video detracts from the music and the view spends too much time thinking about the video and not about how beautiful the song is.
There has been confusion over the story and what the exact meaning of the concept is. The film’s director Abdullah Haris tried to explain his abstract concept on his facebook page, but I’m of the opinion that if you have to explain your concept so that people can understand it then it doesn’t work in the first place. I rather like the following story suggested by a youtube user: the girl is not a shop assistant, but a mannequin who comes to life at night and spends her time admiring Bilal. When she has finally willed him to come alive, he touches her and their time together runs out.
Overall, this video is different, creative and interesting. The concept might be too abstract for some people, but I like the ambiguity of the story. Both the song ad the video are good but it’s a shame that there has been more talk about the concept of the video than the music.
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Take Five: Trains
Today's Take Five is all about songs with trains. Dancing on them, singing on them and even pretending to be one.
Dil Se - Chaiyya Chaiyya
Filmed on a train to Ooty in Tamil Nadu, this is song had nothing to do with the rest of the film but was still a hit. Farah Khan's choreography, which was inspired by a Tamil film from the 70s won her an award. Suprisingly there was only one person who was injured while dancing on the train. A modern classic.
Mangal Singh - Rail Guddi
The original 80s party track that had its own dance which only a drunken uncle could have choreographed. No wedding, party or other celebration is complete without a round of Rail Guddi even if it falls apart after the first verse. There have been a few versions of this over the years, but none of them are as good as this one.
Bunty Aur Babli - Dhadak Dhadak
Rani Mukherji and Abhishek Bachan dream of new lives and dance on a few trains. Often overlooked by Kajra re, which seemed to dominate the film even though Ashwariya was only starring in a cameo role, this is a great song and dance number. I don't know how Abhishek managed to stay on than moving train.
Bilal Khan - Lamha
Bilal
Khan doing what he does best with a guitar whilst on a train. Simple
and atmospheric, the music speaks for itself against the back beat of
the rails.
Pakheezah - Chalte Chalte
A classic from the tragedy queen Meena Kumari. As she dances she remembers the stranger who admired her feet whilst she lay sleeping on the train and left them a note. Due to her ill health at the time of filming, some of the full length shots and dance scenes were performed by a body double. This remix is also worth a listen.
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