Forgotten Composers, Unforgettable Melodies (1) – Daan Singh
I saw a small news item tucked away deep inside the Times of India’s today’s edition stating that music director Daan Singh passed away at his Jaipur home of liver ailment at the age of 78 on Saturday June 18. If you are not a keen reader or aware of Daan Singh’s music you are quite likely to have missed the news item.
He was one of the most neglected music directors of Hindi films, yet he composed some everlasting melodies for Mukesh. The paper also quotes Nitin Mukesh offering profuse praise for him.
There was a time when I was a Mukesh-obsessed fan and one particular song which whirled inside me again and again like a record stuck in its groove wasGham-e-dl kisse kahun, without knowing its composer or film. Much later I came to know that it was from a film titled Bhool Na Jana, which never got released and its music director was Daan Singh. It is amazing that not only this song but several more from this film survive. These songs are extremely melodious.
His special talent with Mukesh got further acclaim with two iconic songs of Shashi Kapoor- Sharmila Tagore starrer My Love (1970)
The news of his passing away reminded me of my planned series on Forgotten Composers, Unforgotten Melodies, which I mentioned in my last post. Daan Singh would have surely figured some time down the line, but now I am advancing it and making him the first in my series. It is a sad way to start the series with an obituary for a composer I hugely admired.
You are now invited to listen to some great Daan Singh melodies as my tribute to him.
1. Gham-e-dil kisse kahoon by Mukesh from Bhool Na Jana (1965), lyrics Dr Hari Ram Acharya
2. Pukaro mujhe naam lekar pukaro by Mukesh from Bhool Na Jana, lyrics Gulzaar
3. Gora gora mukhda by Mukesh from Bhool Na Jana, lyrics Gulzar
Now this is a fast song from the same film but maintains all the grace of Mukesh.
4. Laga mohe ab ki baar by Asha Bhosle from Toofan (1969), lyricist Akhtar Romani
A completely different tack now. A fast dance number by Asha Bhosle for Helen, but quite a treat.
5. Wo tere pyar ka gham by Mukesh from My Love (1970), lyricsAnand Bakshi
Who has not heard the two great Mukesh solos from My Love?
6. Zikr hota hai jab qayamat ka by Mukesh from My Love, lyrics Anand Bakshi
And finally a live Dan Singh video of a function in Jaipur in which he pays tribute to his favourite singer Mukesh: