MUMBAI: The legendary Ameen Sayani, whose voice has warmed the hearts of generations of millions of radio listeners for decades now, and who has been perhaps the most emulated radio voice since the days when a radio personality was a natural presenter conversing with the audience and hadn't got down to �jockeying' under the iron hand of a stern computer software that frowns upon deviations from link lengths and formats, was in his element on Wednesday. The occasion? The launch of yet another strong-on-nostalgia collection that is sure to warm the hearts of music lovers, anchored as it is by the great man himself introducing song, and featuring those memorable Bollywood melodies from the early Sixties that, in spite of being very popular, somehow did not make it into list of the year's final 16 in the mother of all countdowns, Binaca Geet Mala.
Best, the songs have been handpicked by Ameen Sahab himself, and represent his choice of the best songs that, he says, did not receive the kind of sunlight that the final top 16 hits of those years – 1961, 62 and 63 -- received by featuring in the episode on the final Wednesday of the year. So you could say that these excellent and memorable songs sort of remained in the shadow of the top 16 charts of each year of Binaca -- or Cibaca as it was later known – Geet Mala....
This, the fourth five-CD compilation in the Geet Mala Ki Chain Mein series, has reached the years 1961 to 63. Compilations 1, 2 and 3 celebrated the master's selection of memorable-but-not-in-the-year's-top-16 melodies from the earlier years. The first celebrated the early years of Geet Mala, while the second 5-cd compilation looked Ameen Sahab's choice of the most memorable also-rans from 1956, 57 and 58. The third compilation of 5 CDs celebrated songs from the years 1959 and 1960.
The five volumes of audio CD, numbers 16 to 20 in Collection 4 of Geet Mala Ki Chhaon Mein, present an interesting retrospect of the three years. Not only does Ameen Sahab introduce the songs, which of course are featured in their entirety, the set also features snatches of the top 16 of each year. Music- and trivia lovers will especially like the bonus features of comments on milestone events, entries, exits and controversies of the era, by such musical stalwarts as Lata Mangeshkar, music director Shankar, Manna Dey, Jaidev, Ravi, Sardar Mallik and Laxmikant, and film directors and stars like B R Chopra, Meena Kumari, Kum Kum, Nutan, Shammi Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Jeetendra and Mehmood.
Memorable songs from the collection that surprisingly did not make it to the top 16 of Geet Mala, include, among others, such melodies as Aye Mere Pyare Watan, Allah Tero Naam, Main Hoon Jhum Jhum Jhum Jhum Jhumroo, Ghar Aa Ja Ghir Aaye, Ja Re Ja Re Ud Ja Re Panchhi, Wo Bhuli Dastaan Lo Phir Yaad Aa Gayi, Thandi Hawa Ye Chandni Suhani, Ganga Aaye Kahan Se from 1961, and Nain Lad Jaihein, Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke, Pawan Diwani Na Maane, Chhoti Si Ye Duniya, Dekho Rootha Na Karo, Kisne Chilman Se Maara, Nigahein Milane Ko Jee Chahata Hai, O Re Maajhi – Mere Saajan Hain Uss Paar, Poochho Na Kaise Maine Rain Bitai, and Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukaar from 1962 and 63.
Reminiscing about the olden days when younger music directors like Kalyanji Anandji, Laxmikant Pyarelal and Rahul Dev Burman started to become extremely popular and began to dominate the Geet Mala charts,.. Ameen Sahab says that many of the older, established music directors... -- he refuses to name them— whose songs were being elbowed out of the popularity charts by these new talents, came to me in a group, and questioned the authenticity and the process of by which we arrived at the Geet Mala song ratings. It was, I think, unfathomable for them that these new music directors' songs were more popular than theirs. But I opened our books and showed them how we arrived at the Geet Mala ratings. We used to look at Record Sales, song requests, and the surveys of around 200 to 300 radio clubs that had been set up by dedicated music lovers. To their credit, when the senior music directors who had come to meet me saw the information and the process of our ratings, they had the supreme grace to concede that the songs that appeared on the Geet Mala lists indeed deserved to be there....
Ameen Sahab also recounts that initially, to arrive at the Geet Mala ratings, they were giving weightage to listeners' requests too, along with music company record sales. But one day, I saw that there were seven or eight requests for one song, from seven different cities like Lahore, Lucknow, Delhi, and others, but when I turned the post cards, all of them were postmarked �Kalbadevi Mumbai'! That's when we realised we must look at record sales and also encourage the radio clubs formed by music lovers whose only motivation for forming the clubs was their love for music, and we started co-opting their inputs through surveys they did internally amongst their members week upon week....
When the conversation veers to Radio presentations today, Ameen Sahab refuses to rate or rank any Radio Jockey. They're all known to me, and I cannot praise one and not praise another. They are like my nieces and nephews,... he says, guileless and avuncular as always. However, he believes they are all sincere youngsters trying their best. When asked what he feels about the fact that today, most Radio Jockeys do not really converse with their audiences at east, Ameen Sahab defends them by saying the current restrictions of format are enforced by the computer that is used for playing out the songs and the commercials. Throw out the computer, and the human element of different individuals with different personalities conversing with their listeners will return. Release the radio presenters from the �bandish' (limitations) and encourage them to converse with the listener if they want to, for longer than a link would allow them,... is his advice. One more crucial piece of advice to all radio presenters is: Learn about the subject of your conversation, and make sure you don't have only superficial knowledge. Most important, know when to stop talking!...
Coming back to Geet Mala Ki Chhaon Mein-IV, Ameen Sahab has obviously reveled in researching and lovingly putting together this project. In fact, he begins by saying, in his inimitable and memorable style and voice, Bhaiyo aur Behno, the success of 'Geet Mala Ki Chhaon Mein' is entirely due to you – the Golden Period Music Lovers! It has been a wonderful and joy-filled experience re-living the old days of talking to and playing music for India. I am extremely grateful and indebted to those that remember me, and I share a common bond with those who still remember and love the old Indian music from back then, that will be on the album – after all, old is gold! I cannot thank Saregama enough for the wonderful opportunity....
Saragama MD Apurv Nagpal is quoted as saying in an official release, "It is truly an honor and a pleasure, associating with Ameen Sahab on the album. His is a voice that I am sure many Indians have grown up hearing, and he is one the most imitated Radio jockeys that I have ever heard. I hope that everyone enjoys what this album has to offer."
At Rs 545, the 5-volume audio CD compilation is a good buy, especially as it also features some slightly forgotten songs that, once relived, are likely to get firmly ensconced on your mental home page. Enjoy the music.
At the release of Geetmala Ki Chhaon Mein-IV
MUMBAI: The legendary Ameen Sayani, whose voice has warmed the hearts of generations of millions of radio listeners for decades now, and who has been perhaps the most emulated radio voice since the days when a radio personality was a natural presenter conversing with the audience and hadn't got down to �jockeying' under the iron hand of a stern computer software that frowns upon deviations from link lengths and formats, was in his element on Wednesday. The occasion? The launch of yet another strong-on-nostalgia collection that is sure to warm the hearts of music lovers, anchored as it is by the great man himself introducing song, and featuring those memorable Bollywood melodies from the early Sixties that, in spite of being very popular, somehow did not make it into list of the year's final 16 in the mother of all countdowns, Binaca Geet Mala.
Best, the songs have been handpicked by Ameen Sahab himself, and represent his choice of the best songs that, he says, did not receive the kind of sunlight that the final top 16 hits of those years – 1961, 62 and 63 -- received by featuring in the episode on the final Wednesday of the year. So you could say that these excellent and memorable songs sort of remained in the shadow of the top 16 charts of each year of Binaca -- or Cibaca as it was later known – Geet Mala....
This, the fourth five-CD compilation in the Geet Mala Ki Chain Mein series, has reached the years 1961 to 63. Compilations 1, 2 and 3 celebrated the master's selection of memorable-but-not-in-the-year's-top-16 melodies from the earlier years. The first celebrated the early years of Geet Mala, while the second 5-cd compilation looked Ameen Sahab's choice of the most memorable also-rans from 1956, 57 and 58. The third compilation of 5 CDs celebrated songs from the years 1959 and 1960.
The five volumes of audio CD, numbers 16 to 20 in Collection 4 of Geet Mala Ki Chhaon Mein, present an interesting retrospect of the three years. Not only does Ameen Sahab introduce the songs, which of course are featured in their entirety, the set also features snatches of the top 16 of each year. Music- and trivia lovers will especially like the bonus features of comments on milestone events, entries, exits and
controversies of the era, by such musical stalwarts as Lata Mangeshkar, music director Shankar, Manna Dey, Jaidev, Ravi, Sardar Mallik and Laxmikant, and film directors and stars like B R Chopra, Meena Kumari, Kum Kum, Nutan, Shammi Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Jeetendra and Mehmood.
Memorable songs from the collection that surprisingly did not make it to the top 16 of Geet Mala, include, among others, such melodies as Aye Mere Pyare Watan, Allah Tero Naam, Main Hoon Jhum Jhum Jhum Jhum Jhumroo, Ghar Aa Ja Ghir Aaye, Ja Re Ja Re Ud Ja Re Panchhi, Wo Bhuli Dastaan Lo Phir Yaad Aa Gayi, Thandi Hawa Ye Chandni Suhani, Ganga Aaye Kahan Se from 1961, and Nain Lad Jaihein, Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke, Pawan Diwani Na Maane, Chhoti Si Ye Duniya, Dekho Rootha Na Karo, Kisne Chilman Se Maara, Nigahein Milane Ko Jee Chahata Hai, O Re Maajhi – Mere Saajan Hain Uss Paar, Poochho Na Kaise Maine Rain Bitai, and Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukaar from 1962 and 63.
Reminiscing about the olden days when younger music directors like Kalyanji Anandji, Laxmikant Pyarelal and Rahul Dev Burman started to become extremely popular and began to dominate the Geet Mala charts,.. Ameen Sahab says that many of the older, established music directors... -- he refuses to name them— whose songs were being elbowed out of the popularity charts by these new talents, came to me in a group, and questioned the authenticity and the process of by which we arrived at the Geet Mala song ratings. It was, I think, unfathomable for them that these new music directors' songs were more popular than theirs. But I opened our books and showed them how we arrived at the Geet Mala ratings. We used to look at Record Sales, song requests, and the surveys of around 200 to 300 radio clubs that had been set up by dedicated music lovers. To their credit, when the senior music directors who had come to meet me saw the information and the process of our ratings, they had the supreme grace to concede that the songs that appeared on the Geet Mala lists indeed deserved to be there....
Ameen Sahab also recounts that initially, to arrive at the Geet Mala ratings, they were giving weightage to listeners' requests too, along with music company record sales. But one day, I saw that there were seven or eight
requests for one song, from seven different cities like Lahore, Lucknow, Delhi, and others, but when I turned the post cards, all of them were postmarked �Kalbadevi Mumbai'! That's when we realised we must look at record sales and also encourage the radio clubs formed by music lovers whose only motivation for forming the clubs was their love for music, and we started co-opting their inputs through surveys they did internally amongst their members week upon week....
When the conversation veers to Radio presentations today, Ameen Sahab refuses to rate or rank any Radio Jockey. They're all known to me, and I cannot praise one and not praise another. They are like my nieces and nephews,... he says, guileless and avuncular as always. However, he believes they are all sincere youngsters trying their best. When asked what he feels about the fact that today, most Radio Jockeys do not really converse with their audiences at east, Ameen Sahab defends them by saying the current restrictions of format are enforced by the computer that is used for playing out the songs and the commercials. Throw out the computer, and the human element of different individuals with different personalities conversing with their listeners will return. Release the radio presenters from the �bandish' (limitations) and encourage them to converse with the listener if they want to, for longer than a link would allow them,... is his advice. One more crucial piece of advice to all radio presenters is: Learn about the subject of your conversation, and make sure you don't have only superficial knowledge. Most important, know when to stop talking!...
Coming back to Geet Mala Ki Chhaon Mein-IV, Ameen Sahab has obviously reveled in researching and lovingly putting together this project. In fact, he begins by saying, in his inimitable and memorable style and voice, Bhaiyo aur Behno, the success of 'Geet Mala Ki Chhaon Mein' is entirely due to you – the Golden Period Music Lovers! It has been a wonderful and joy-filled experience re-living the old days of talking to and playing music for India. I am extremely grateful and indebted to those that remember me, and I share a common bond with those who still remember and love the old Indian music from back then, that will be on the album – after all, old is gold! I cannot thank Saregama enough for the wonderful opportunity....
Saragama MD Apurv Nagpal is quoted
as saying in an official release, "It is truly an honor and a pleasure, associating with Ameen Sahab on the album. His is a voice that I am sure many Indians have grown up hearing, and he is one the most imitated Radio jockeys that I have ever heard. I hope that everyone enjoys what this album has to offer."
At Rs 545, the 5-volume audio CD compilation is a good buy, especially as it also features some slightly forgotten songs that, once relived, are likely to get firmly ensconced on your mental home page. Enjoy the music.
