Tuesday, August 14, 2007

340. Rahul Dev Burman - Shalimar (1975)






















Track Listing

1.Title Music
2.One Two Cha Cha Cha
3. Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay
4. Countess Caper (Music)
5. Naag Devta
6. Aaina Wohi Rehta Hai
7. Baby Let's Dance Together
8. Romantic Theme (Music)
9. Mrea Pyar Shalimar
10. Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay (Happy)

Review

The book listing actually has this together with College girl, a much inferior album which is only included because apparently the only version of the album you can get has College Girl stuck to it. This is a lie and so I've focused only on Shalimar. However everywhere on the internet it is said that Shalimar actually came out in 1978, if so this album is in completely the wrong place. And if you want a good example of a great Bollywood album this is actually a great example of it.

Not only is it great music for the most part but it is very representative of the genre, not only do you have Rahul Dev Burman doing all the tracks you also get the great luminaries of the interpretation like Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar. This makes for a great album which although it is a pastiche of western genres is completely infused by a Bollywood sensibility which gives it its particular charm.

Even if you are not a fun of Bollywood music, just the first track will make you think twce about the artistry involved in the songs, yes much of it is Ennio Morricone inspired, but what is wrong with that, so is Goldfrapp for fuck's sake. So if you have even a mild interest in Bollywood this is an album to get.

Track Highlights


1. Title Music
2. Baby Let's Dance Together
3. One Two Cha Cha Cha
4. Romantic Theme

Final Grade

9/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

Shalimar was a Hindi movie released in 1978. Its English version known as Raiders of Shalimar was released in USA. The movie starred Dharmendra, Zeenat Aman, Premnath, Aruna Irani and American actors Rex Harrison, John Saxon and Sylvia Miles in supporting roles. Jayamalini does a dance number in the film.



Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay:

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