When I posted my list of ‘background songs’ (songs that form part of the film, but to which nobody lip-synchs), I made one stipulation: that they wouldn’t include ‘credits songs’, or songs that play while the credits roll. Not all of these, as you’ll see from my list below, are necessarily ‘background songs’ as well: some of them are ‘sung’ by people onscreen. And they run the gamut from songs that introduce the film’s ethos or primary theme, to—well, just another song to add to a list of songs the film already boasts of. And they are all sorts, from romantic to philosophical to patriotic.
Without further ado, then, the list. Ten of my favourite ‘credits songs’, all (barring one) from pre-70s films that I’ve seen.
1. Wahaan kaun hai tera (Guide, 1965): When I published my ‘background songs’ post, several people remarked that SD Burman sang quite a few of the best background songs out there. Some commenters specifically mentioned this one—and I had to tell them that yes, Wahaan kaun hai tera was on my long list for that post, until I rewatched it again, and realized that it’s really (as per my criteria), a credits song, not just a background song.
I am not much of a Guide fan, but I admit freely to an immense love for the music of this film. Every single song—composed by SD Burman, written by Shailendra—is a classic, and the film pretty much begins with this philosophical song, sung in SD Burman’s hauntingly beautiful voice. What I especially like about the picturization of it is that the credits are spaced out in such a way that they do not really interfere with the progression of the story even as the song proceeds and the credits roll: we see Raju, the ex-guide, as he journeys through the hills and away, going from dapper and confident to tired, scruffy—and finally ending up bearded and revered at a little village temple. A journey that’s well reflected in the lyrics of the song.
2. Garjat barsat saawan aayo re (Barsaat ki Raat, 1960): Rather like Guide, Barsaat ki Raat had one fabulous song after another—and it is, in my opinion, the film with the best-ever qawwalis in Hindi cinema. But even before the stunning qawwalis of Barsaat ki Raat begin, there is the song that accompanies the credits. Roshan had originally composed this tune—sung by Lata to the lyrics (by Indeevar) Garjat barsat bheejat aayi lo for the 1951 film Malhar (which, coincidentally, also used the song as a credits song). In 1960, Roshan reused the tune for the start of Barsaat ki Raat. This version is a duet (sung by Suman Kalyanpur and Kamal Barot), and to me sounds faster, more full, more evocative of the joy of the monsoon’s arrival.
The picturization and the credits here take the easy way out: while the credits start rolling as the camera moves from the musicians accompanying the two sisters (played by Shyama and Ratna) as they do their riyaaz, we barely even get a glimpse of them before the camera moves up to a chik-shaded window through which one can see the rain pouring down. A fine (if boring) backdrop for the rest of the credits. But, oh, what a brilliant monsoon song.
3. Rangeen bahaaron se hai gulzaar China Town (China Town, 1962): Vastly different from Garjat barsat saawan aayo re is the song which introduces this thoroughly entertaining Shammi Kapoor (in a double role!) starrer suspense film, with music by Ravi. This one’s a performance: Helen, as the Chinese club dancer Suzie (whose boyfriend, the suave gangster Mike, is a bigwig in the China Town crime scene), performs at a nightclub. Seductive, playful, the quintessential club song.
I like the way the credits and the picturization of this song are stitched together: the credits occupy only the first half of the song, about two minutes. During that time, the background is of Calcutta at dusk, seen from a moving vehicle: traffic, illuminated buildings, passersby. And then, as the camera moves into the heart of China Town and the credits end with the director Shakti Samanta’s name, the scene shifts into the nightclub where Suzie’s performing.
4. Aji aisa mauka phir kahaan milega (An Evening in Paris, 1967): From one Shammi Kapoor-Shakti Samanta collaboration to another, and from one credits song that introduces a place to another. As the words themselves make it amply clear, this song—Aao tumko dikhlaata hoon Paris ki ek rangeen shaam (Come, let me show you a colourful evening in Paris)—is all about Paris. Shammi Kapoor swings and dances and flirts his way through Paris in the nighttime, surrounded by a bevy of beautiful (if often bemused-looking) Frenchwomen.
What I especially like about this song is the clever way Shakti Samanta uses it as a credits song: he doesn’t let the credits come in the way of his very popular leading man: Shammi holds centrestage all through the stanzas; it’s only during the interludes—when the background is relatively boring, showing scenes from the city, that the credits roll.
5. Yeh Lucknow ki sarzameen (Chaudhvin ka Chaand, 1960): This song has a couple of things in common with Aji aisa mauka phir kahaan milega. Both have been sung by Mohammad Rafi (and what a brilliant contrast, a fine example of the man’s versatility as a singer!); both are about a specific city; and both are about, too, the people of that city, their love for romance, their open, generous hearts.
But they couldn’t be further apart—because this one, from one of Guru Dutt’s more self-sacrificingly melodramatic films—is a gentle, fitting paean to the tehzeeb and the nazaaqat of Lucknow. Nothing very much happens in the background as the song plays and the credits roll: a long burqa-clad woman wanders against a backdrop of various sights of Lucknow, her black figure often the only moving thing against those tall, impressive imambaras and gates and riverside pavilions. Like Rangeen bahaaron se hai gulzaar China Town, here too the credits end midway and the song continues.
6. Basti-basti parbat-parbat gaata jaaye banjara (Railway Platform, 1955): Like several of the other songs in this list, this one too doesn’t end as soon as the credits are over and done with: it goes on, the last verse of a philosophical song being shown after the director’s name has gone past. Manmohan Krishna, as the sometimes benevolent, sometimes oddly cynical mendicant, sings of how detachment from the world is essential—because the world is so pre-occupied with material things, it cannot go beyond them. Excellent lyrics (by the inimitable Sahir Ludhianvi); good but often underrated music by Madan Mohan; and a song that is repeated again and again through the film.
The picturization of Basti-basti parbat-parbat isn’t any great shakes, though: director Ramesh Saigal simply uses the railway track, shot from the last carriage of a train as it chugs along the track. Against that rather boring backdrop of rails and a flat, uninspiring countryside, the song plays on until, once the credits are over, it shifts into the carriage where the ‘singer’ is sitting.
7. Doli mein bithaaike kahaar (Amar Prem, 1972): When I put in that caveat about one song in this list not being from before the 70s, this was the one I meant—and how could I leave this one out? SD Burman’s hauntingly beautiful voice sings plaintively of a new bride being carried in her palanquin to her new husband’s home—while a forlorn Sharmila Tagore, as the woman thrown out of her home by her husband, who has remarried, looks on. And moves on, aware that she has nowhere to go and no-one to turn to.
Shakti Samanta seems to have had a penchant for credits songs, and he seems to have generally done a good job of doing justice to both the song and the visuals: here, too, the bulk of the credits roll while distant objects—the kahaars carrying the doli, or Sharmila Tagore walking past a pond—are in focus. The camera only zooms in on her face when there’s a pause in the credits.
8. Saare jahaan se achcha Hindostan hamaara (Dharmputra, 1961): I admit I don’t much care for the ‘usual’ version (as far as music goes) of Iqbal’s Saare jahaan se achha—the tune we were taught in school and which is generally heard doesn’t appeal to me. But this particular tune, composed originally by N Dutta for Bhai-Bahen (1959), is a lovely one. N Dutta reused it two years later in BR Chopra’s excellent Dharmputra, this time though with Iqbal’s original words instead of Sahir’s (who, by the way, was lyricist both for Bhai-Bahen as well as Dharmputra).
Nothing fancy as far as visuals are concerned, here: the credits appear in the form of a common device used in Hindi cinema: as pages in a photo album which a beringed hand flips through. The concession made to the context is in that each page has, as a backdrop to the names on it, a painting highlighting some aspect of India’s beauty: natural scenes, historical monuments, and so on.
9. O ji saawan mein hoon beqaraar (Kalpana, 1960): Director RK Rakhan takes a leaf out of Shakti Samanta’s book by doing a fairly decent job of a credits song. O ji sawaan mein hoon beqaraar (the lyrics of which, by the way, never fail to make me smile at the irony of the words, since the Kashmir Valley—where this is set—does not actually have a monsoon!) introduces both the film and the heroine, as Padmini dances and sings her way through a Kashmir landscape. The credits maintain a discreet distance from our heroine: when the camera closes in on her, the credits stop, and recommence only when she’s away in the distance, or when the camera moves briefly to show the river or the mountains. A song that screams “OP Nayyar!” in every note.
10. Main hoon jhum-jhum-jhum-jhum-Jhumroo (Jhumroo, 1961): And, while the rest of this list may not be in any particular order, I’ll end with a particular favourite of mine. Because the music is so good, and because Kishore Kumar’s singing (not to mention his yodeling) is fantastic. Because the picturization—that pretty little train chugging away against a backdrop of snowy peaks—is so pretty. And because Madhubala is so (as she always is) gorgeous, and because Shanker Mukherji has the good taste to keep the credits out of the way when his camera zooms in on the heroine. A wonderful song, and one that always brings a smile to my lips.
Which songs would you add to this list?
Dustedoff 
Nice post, Madhulika! Each time I think of opening titles song, the first song that comes to my mind is this one.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cY3O-lTXVL4
I couldn’t find only the song – for this song comes twice in the film: once in the opening credits, and then later on in the film, and since both versions are the same, the YouTube search gives the version later on in the film, not the opening titles one – so I posted the entire film.
One hitch here: This film is from 1975. 😐
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I’m ashamed of myself that I forgot Chupke-chupke chal ri purvaiyya – even if it’s from 1975, it should at least have occurred to me when I was compiling this post, considering I’ve seen the film so many times! What a delight Chupke-Chupke is. :-) Thank you for this, Hansda.
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And this film is from 1967. Does the first song in this film qualify as an opening titles song?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x_zupZgZeag
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You know, I was certain Neele gagan ke tale dharti ka pyaar pale was a credits song, so I’d had it in my longlist for this post – until I actually went and rewatched it. Yes, it’s the opening song, all right; but where are the credits? Unless I’m missing something.
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And I give up! No more opening titles songs playing in my mind. So I am posting this.
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Ah, yes. The James Bond films have always had great credits songs, haven’t they? My favourite from the golden era isn’t Goldfinger but For Your Eyes Only:
And, in more recent years, the absolutely brilliant Skyfall:
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Ah, I’m glad you did make this list, and so soon after your background songs list, too. They go together, these two themes. I love every single song in your list. (And it gave me the idea for a post, only I don’t know if I’ll find enough songs to make up a complete theme.) As I told you, I had a list made – except for the songs from Kalpana and An Evening in Paris, it was identical to this. :)
I had this instead:
Saanwre saanwre from Anuradha
and this one:
Ye zindagi hai ik safar from Raahi
Here are some ‘credits’ songs that I particularly like –
Woh mera gaon hai from Majhli Didi
Na taaj-e-shaahi na badshaahi from Shirin Farhad:
Kiske liye ruka hai from Ek Saal
Golmaal hai bhai golmaal hai – love the lyrics, and the way the song is woven so creatively into the titles.
One of the new ‘credits’ songs that I really liked was Behti hawa sa tha woh from 3 Idiots.
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“They go together, these two themes.”
And your ‘unexpressed emotions’ post comes pretty close to forming a trio with these two!
I had forgotten Saanwre saanwre as being a credits song (I’d also forgotten the Majhli Didi song), and while I’ve heard Yeh zindagi hai ek safar, I’d never seen the video, so had no idea it was a credits song. The same goes or Na taaj-e-shahi na baadshahi (Something wrong with this particular video, though, I think – I can hear some very vague, soft music but no vocals).
I love Golmaal hai bhai sab golmaal hai. :-D
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And your ‘unexpressed emotions’ post comes pretty close to forming a trio with these two!
Actually, that post could form a twin with your ‘Who’s that singing?’ post, and all of them, together, could form a quartet. :)
Na taaj-e-shahi na baadshahi (Something wrong with this particular video, though, I think
Really? I’m playing it on your blog right now, and it’s working perfectly well. Do you mind switching links for it, if it doesn’t play for you? Perhaps it is a regional issue?
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This is very odd. I again tried playing Na taaj-e-shahi on my blog, and it didn’t work: couldn’t hear anything other than a weird hum. Finally, I managed to find the movie on Youtube, and heard it. Yes, lovely song.
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I find it most galling that films featuring top-notch classical vocalists frequently either made them sing for minor charcacters (while the stars continued to be voiced by established playback artistes) or – and infinitely the worse – relegated them to the opening credits and little else. My idol Ustad Amir Khan has this happen to him in at least four films!
1. Tori Jai Jai Kartar – Raga Pooriya Dhanashri, Baiju Bawra (1952)
2. Daya Kar He Giridhar Gopal – Raga Multani, Shabab (1954)
3. Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje – Raga Adana, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje (1955)
4. Jogiya More Ghar Aaye – Raga Lalit, Ragini (1958)
Only in Baiju Bawra does he get to sing anything beyond the credits track. And in that film, but only in the climactic musical duel, the protagonist gets voiced over by the maestro DV Paluskar. Apart from this single instance I cannot recall offhand where a classical vocalist plays back for the protagonist or some other weighty star.
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Fabulous quartet of songs, Abhik. Each one’s a gem – thank you! And yes, it is a pity how such maestros end up invariably singing playback for an extra whom almost nobody can identify. Sad.
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Lovely post, Madhu! I love the Suman Kalyanpur – Kamal Barot version of Garjat Barsat aayo re. Had I made such a list this would have definitely been there and yes the China Town song and the Guide song. Do not remember the Chaudhvin Ka chand song at all – but then havent seen that movie in ages.
Two “credit” songs that I like very much are:
1) Bhula do zindagi ke ghum (Mem Didi) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8c_AR1QWPw
2) Chal Akela Chal Akela Tera Raahi ( Sambandh): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pflINcgXW9Q
Not many recent movies have credit songs, do they? Cannot remember any except the two Sooraj Barjatya movies – Hum Aapke hain Kaun and Maine Pyar kiya.
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Thank you, Harini! I’m glad you liked these songs. :-) And thank you for the songs you suggested. It’s been so many years since I watched Mem-Didi, I’d forgotten it had a credits song, let alone which song that was. And I haven’t watched Sambandh, so hadn’t known that Chal akela was a credits song. I like that song – it’s a really nice one.
Talking about more recent films with credits songs, I was watching Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! the other day, and the credits song, with Byomkesh going through China Town, reminded me of the credits song for China Town (not at all in the same vein, but since the setting was the same…). I can’t find it on Youtube, but if you’ve seen the film, you’ll know.
Oh, and not very new, but still. Ek din aap yoon humko mil jaayenge from Yes Boss is a credits song:
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I love this song from Yes Boss. Actually, this movie had so many good songs..
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Yes! I tend to think of the 90s as pretty bad for songs, but Yes Boss had some really nice ones.
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Great post as usual! Here are a couple of my favorites in this genre.
The first is the poignant ‘Aaj bichde hai’ sung by Bhupinder, penned by Gulzar, music by Khayyam with Shabana and Rajesh looking very conflicted and handsome! It also occurs later in the film in a couple of scenes as a background song.
The second is Kishore on glorious song on Rajesh of course from Laxmi-Pyare’s ‘Aap ke anurodh pe’, lyrics by Anand Bakshi.
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Thank you, Suhan – both for the appreciation, and for the two songs. Thodi si Bewafai was one of the first Rajesh Khanna films I remember watching (when I was far too young for it to have made much sense to me, emotion-wise). I’d forgotten this song was a credits one. Oh, and I haven’t heard Aap ke anurodh pe for years! Lovely song. :-)
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Thanks to Suhan for reminding me of “Aaj Bicchde Hain”.. A great piece of of work by Bhupinder/Gulzar/Khaiyam..
Gulzar’s lines “Kehne Walon Ka Kucch Nahi Jata, Sehne Wale Kamal Karte Han.. Kaun Dhoondhe Jawab Dardon Ke, Log to Bas Swawal Karte Hain…” are sung so beuatifully….
The best part of this blog for me is to find these forgotten gems… It feels like treasure hunting…
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Very nice post and amazing songs! Some songs that I like a lot are already added (like Majli Didi and Golmaal). It seems to me that credit songs strictly depends on dorector – Shakti Samanta certainely adored them and Bimal Roy didn’t use at all. Hrishikesh-da was in between and there is one credit song in his film not still mentioned – from Mili, I can’t find it on youtube but I think everybody remember it.
There is also one brilliant opening song which I appreciate for visualisation and music – from Saraswatichandra – this is the real introducing song which present us the brief history of the hero and the some points that formed his character and personality. There is neither on youtube separately so I post the movie itself.
And let me post here the best use of bollywood song in the opening credit of Hollywood song – it’s from Inside Man.
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Thank you, Anna! Yes, the use of credits songs seems to be very dependent upon the director, doesn’t it? Even as I was compiling this post, I kept thinking, “Shakti Samanta does seem to like using them!”
I haven’t watched Saraswatichandra, though its songs are good. I hadn’t realized Sau saal pehle ki baat hai was a credits song. And I had no idea at all that Chal chhaiyaa chhaiyaa was the credits song in Inside Man! Wow. I’ve always liked that song; glad to see others think so too. :-)
But you have reminded me of another absolutely brilliant Bollywood song that was used in the credits for a Hollywood film. Gumnaam’s Jaan-pehchaan ho, which is the credits song for Ghost World:
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Do you remember there used to be someone called Ash who used to post comments on MemsaabStory, as well here on your blog? Thanks to his comments on my blog I discovered that the credits song from one of my father’s films Umeed was sung by the film’s music director Ravi. Ash uploaded this song on YT.
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Oh, yes. I remember Ash; he used to be very regular on my blog. Vanished now, like a lot of others.
I hadn’t heard Insaan jee rahaa hai ummeed ke sahaare before. A rare song, indeed – I hadn’t known Ravi had ever sung for any movie.
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Here is another one from one of my father’s films. It is Ek Nazar, it does not fit into your blog’s time frame but as I am not bound by those rules here it is
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Pyaar ko chahiye kya ek nazar ek nazar was new to me, Shilpi! Haven’t seen this film, though I think I’ve heard this song.
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A delightful post and what lovely songs ! Music at its best. The first two songs I thought of were Garjat barsat and it’s twin from Malhar. They both have left a lasting impression, Barsat ki Raat one a little more. I do remember watching movies with credit songs, but when it comes time to actually know them, one is at a loss. You have come up with so many good ones. Other.s are included in the comments, a great group of songs to listen to. I do have one S.D. Burman’s “meri duniya hai maa, tere aanchal mein”. There is a starting scene and then the song and credits roll !
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Thank you, Neeru! Yes, Garjat barsat saawan aayo re is a wonderful song, isn’t it? I’ve always loved it. :-)
I’ve heard Meri duniya hai maa tere aanchal hai before, though I didn’t remember that it was a credits song. Do you know if this has another version somewhere else in the film? Because what I recall is a song without any credits (and a different picturisation too) – though I could be mixing this up with a totally different song).
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For a first cut-
Tora man darpan
Amar
Bhabhi’
Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya
Koel
Rudaali
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Though I’ve watched Kaajal, I remember beginning to see it sometime after it had begun (this was on DD, years back) – so I never realized that it began with a credits song.Insaaf ka mandir hai yeh was on my shortlist, but there ended up being other songs I liked more, so that had to be skipped.
Chal ud jaa re panchhi is good; Kaun apna kaun paraaya is, too. Garaj-garaj ghir aaye baadar was new to me – liked it a lot, thanks.
I’d forgotten Samay o dheere chalo was a credits song. Beautiful.
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Ah, another song saluting Lucknow! I haven’t seen Palki and hadn’t heard Ae shahr-e-Lucknow before.
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What a great list of credit songs – in the main post and the comments! Madhu, I am very glad that you included the opening to Kalpana (1960). :) If I were to do a full list of these, I certainly would put that on it. Two others that I would definitely include were contributed in comments by Chitrapatsangeet – the opening songs to Koel and Kaajal.
Three more came to my mind, although I am not sure if they all count (you’ll see why). They all contain great music by Naushad…
The first is from Ratan (1944).The introduction to the song is the part that plays during the credits. but maybe not everyone considers it part the song. I think it is, because the intro flows into the song so well. On YouTube, only one person (at least as far as I know) posted the entire song, including the opening credits. Unfortunately, the sound is a little wobbly in places, but at least we do get to see/hear the whole song.
If we are counting a song in which only the introduction goes on during the credits, then does it matter if that introduction is a very small part of the song?
The third credits song that I had in mind really is a song made completely for the credits, although the video also includes the opening dialogue afterwards as well as another song.
There is nothing special going on visually here, but the music is great. I would call this beautiful dirge music, which is totally appropriate for this grim film. This credits song lasts about two minutes.
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Richard, thank you for those songs. I especially, especially love Udan khatole pe ud jaaoon – what an absolutely lovely song. Rum-jhum barse badarwa is lovely too, and since I allow all sorts of liberties to be taken (including putting in songs from Hollywood) in the comments, we’ll overlook the fact that these aren’t exactly playing out all through the credits – or are only taking off from that. :-)
I haven’t seen Mela yet (though my father keeps telling me about it – he loves the music), so hadn’t realised there was a credits song here. Yes, definitely dirge-like. And good.
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I feel rather ashamed of myself Madhu didi. I do not have a single song to suggest. I had thought of Sanware Sanware and Garjat barsat but I was too late!
But thank you for the post; all your songs are very nice especially the song from Jhumroo. I didn’t know the composer was Kishore Kumar himself!
There’s another song from Kalpana ‘Bekasi had se jab’ which is also very nice actually.
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Thank you, Rahul! Glad you liked the songs (yes, the one from Jhumroo is a special favourite of mine, too!)
Kalpana did have lovely songs, didn’t it? I do like Bekasi hadh se jab, too.
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Great songs and great memories, as always!!
I remember in the Jim Carey film, ‘Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind’, there are hindi film songs playing in the background, the heroine likes to listing to old hindi songs!!
may be the next list can be hindi songs in english films!!
Thank you
Girish Vaidya
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That’s a very interesting suggestion, though if I’m not mistaken, this concept of Hindi film songs in English films is a relatively new phenomenon – I certainly don’t recall this happening in the pre-70s (which is what I restrict this blog to), so that probably won’t happen.
“I remember in the Jim Carey film, ‘Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind’, there are hindi film songs playing in the background, the heroine likes to listing to old hindi songs!!”
Ah. So that is what it’s about. I haven’t seen the film (can’t stand Jim Carey), but kept wondering why IMDB lists Mohammad Rafi as being ‘known for’ Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. All because of the Hollywood bias, of course.
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the film is not the typical Jim Carey film. It is a serious and good movie, worth a watch. I liked it
Regards
Girish Vaidya
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I will keep that in mind. Thank you for the recommendation!
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Enjoyed the list. Now time to listen to them again.
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Thank you, Banno!
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as is obvious there are innumerable credits songs in the movies. so posting one here which is relatively new and unsettling…
Dhuan Dhuan from Mission KAhmir (it has been used in the kashmir post earlier i think)
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I’d forgotten about Dhuaan dhuaan being a credits song, even though it was pretty well-known. Nice song, AK. Thanks!
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Thoroughly enjoyed this post, and did not know there were so many title/credits songs. Several of your list are amongst my favorites, specifically #1, #2, #3, #6 & #10.
Re: Saare Jahan Se Accha from Dharamputra, this song was also used in the credits of another later film from the 70’s “Yeh Gulistan Hamara”, starring 70’s Dev :)
Has the 26th January Republic Day Parade as background, and music by SD Burman, and directed by Guru Dutt’s brother Atma Ram.
Another 70’s credits song is from Dhund, Sansar Ki Harshay Ka
BTW — Loved the Ek Nazar, Amitabh Jaya credits song; and remember this movie when it was released, and also remember Amitabh from those days; so go Shilpi :)
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I hadn’t known about Saare jahaan se achha being used in Yeh Gulistan Hamara (very appropriate!) – but since it’s that original tune – the one we sang seemingly unceasingly in school – it doesn’t really appeal to me.
And, Samir, a special thank you for putting in Sansaar ki har shay ka. I had so been hoping someone would – I love that song, and was even toying with extending the time period of this particular enough to just fit that one in. :-) Lovely song, and Sahir’s lyrics are lovely. Film was pretty good too, at least as far as I remember.
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Credit songs was quite obviously the successor the background songs. Both have the same “background”.
wahaan kaun hai tera had grown up on me over the years. I clearly remember not liking it much in my early teen years along with o jaanewale ho sake to and chal ri sajni.
Now, I wonder why I wouldn’t like them then. Particularly adore the lines, “tune to sabko, raah bataayi, tu apni manzil kyun bhoolaa, suljha ke raaja, auron ki uljhan, kyun kachche dhaagon mein jhoolaa” For me the song is a summary of the movie, showing Raju’s evolution.
garjat barsat sawan aayo re is a wonderful song. So much of zest and joi de vivre in this song and also reflected by Shyama and Ratna Bhushan.
I heard the title song of China Town today for the first time.
I’ve heard the title song of An Evening in Paris so often, but didn’t know that it was a credits song. And the same goes for basti-basti parbat-parbat.
ye lakhnav ki sar-zameen is not one of my favourite songs, but I like the photography. Lucknow must have changed a lot since then.
doli me bithai ke kahaar is the only song, which Dada Burman sang for another music director. But the melody is his own.
I have a sort of love-and-hate relationship with the Jhumroo song. The over-exposure makes it sort of a nuisance for my ears, but love Kishore’s singing.
Lovely songs have been posted by your readers as well. I’d completely forgotten that the Chupke chupke song was a credit song too.
Big thanks to Anu for sanwre sanwre from Anuradha. Her credit song from Raahiw as new to me.
Abhik Majumdar’s contributions are simply fabulous. I went through it again and again. Thank you Abhik!
The only song, which came to my mind, after reading your post has been posted by chitrapatsangeet and that tora man darpan kehlaaye
So now you should follow this post up with an ending or climax song, like
or
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Harvey, how come you forgot to thank me for yet another song from an OTT 70’s Dev movie :))))
@DO, second Harvey’s suggestion of climax songs.
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“@DO, second Harvey’s suggestion of climax songs.”
Hmm. I will really need to do a lot of thinking and even more research for that – as I wrote in my reply to Harvey, offhand I can’t think of any complete songs – other than the ones he’s mentioned – that fit that theme!
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Sorry Samir, I must have overlooked it, after all it is THE favourite song of mine, not at all marred by childhood memories of propaganda. ;)
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Thank you, Harvey! – and I’m glad you liked the songs (or most of them). Did I ever mention, when I was small, I thought that stanza in Wahaan kaun hai tera began Kehte hain, jaani, duniya hai faani (I must’ve been thinking of Raj Kumar!!) :-D
Lucknow has changed since Chaudhvin ka Chaand, but a lot of those old monuments are still very impressive. The Bara Imambara, for example, and the Residency, which is very well-maintained. Or was, at least, when we visited some years back.
That’s an interesting idea, about climax/ending songs. Only, barring the two you’ve suggested, I can’t think of any other full-fledged ones. Oh, perhaps, Mohabbat ho gayi from the Premnath-starrer Shehnai, though he actually sings only one verse, so it’s hardly a complete song.
But I’ll think about it!
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Since you have told me about ‘jaani’, I can’t hear anything else in the song. :)
As for climax songs, it doesn’t have to be really at the tail end of the film, it can also be like the songs in the villain’s den or something like this
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I can make this list with just 70’s+ potboilers — Sholay, Shaan, AAA, HRHK, Shareef Budmash, Chuppa Rustom, Chori Mera Kaam, Naseeb, Blackmail :)
However, I would like to see a list based on DO’s rules; Nixonian I call them :)
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LOL!
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Oh, yes. Now that I think of it, there can be plenty of songs that would arise simply out of all those lost-and-found people reunited by a song (yes, Yaadon ki Baarat is outside of my timeline, but hey – Pyaar ka Mausam is!) I will do some more thinking. Thank you for the suggestion, Harvey! :-)
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Once again, a terrific list! I am amazed to find so many songs that I love but didn’t know/remember they were “Credit Songs”. Some of those in your original list (china-town and jhumoroo) and some added by others (Aaj bichhde hain, Chupke Chupke..)… WOW!
Interestingly there are some songs that I thought were credit songs but are not (anand – zindagi kaise hai paheli, Tere Ghar Ke Samne – Sunle Tu Dil ki Sada)..
During the “Background songs” discussion I had listed a Tapsya (1975) song which I think is a decent “Credit Song”. Kishore’s “Jo raah chuni Tune” music by Ravindra Jain…
Doli Main Bithai ke Kahar is such an emotional song. I don’t think I could listen (or watch) with a straight face.. credit to RDB/SDB/Anand Bakshi..
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Thank you, Ashish! Glad you liked the songs. :-) Yes, Jo raah tune chuni certainly fits the bill.
Doli mein bithaaike kahaar is so very poignant, isn’t it? And I’m glad RDB had SD Burman sing it – I somehow don’t think anybody else would have been able to do justice to that song; it requires SDB’s voice.
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i think this is a memorable credits song too :)
non-film, non-pre-70s, one single credit ….but hugely iconic… what do you say DO?
Gulzaar saab’s chaddhi pehan ke phool khila hai from Jungle Book :)
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Haha! Oh, yes. Iconic, indeed. :-D
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Since no-one has mentioned the credits song I indicated in the first screenshot, I may as well put it in. I don’t like this song much, but for what it’s worth… Jis mulk ki sarhad ki nigehbaan hain aankhen, from Aankhen:
And, another credits song I discovered the other day. I’d seen Ferry many years ago, and forgot it started with this lovely song, Naav badhaa le maajhi zor lagaa le:
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2 wonderful credit songs of recent times
‘Zindagi maut na ban jaye sambhalo yaro’ from ‘Sarfarosh’
Very earnest rendering by Sonu Nigam and Roopkumar Rathod
‘Kyou mein jagu’ from ‘Patiala House’
I suddenly woke up to wonder called Shafaqat Amanant Ali and it reminded me why I like Akshay Kumar :)
Both songs set the tone for respective movies
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Sorry link for first song is https://youtu.be/qW6aztDd9S8
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I haven’t seen Patiala House (and hadn’t heard Kyun main jaagoon), but this is really nice. Thank you – that was a real pleasure. And I’d forgotten Zindagi maut na ban jaaye. Also good, and quite popular back in its time.
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My song is :
Watan KI Raah Men Watan Ke Naujawan Shaheed Ho – Shaheed (1948) – Mohammad Rafi, Khan Mastana and Chorus – Ghulam Haider
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Oh, lovely. One of my favourite patriotic songs. I haven’t seen the film, so hadn’t known it was a credits song. Thank you for this.
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hi,
i am posting the credit song from malhar, which is the original song for garjat barsat sawan aayo from barsaat ki raat.
the tune is exactly same, as roshan used it again after 8 years!
garjat barsat bhijit aayi lo
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Yes, lovely song. I prefer the Barsaat ki Raat rendition, though.
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nirbal se ladai balwan ki from toofan aur diya
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Yes, this is a lovely song, too. I should watch this film sometime…
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another by Rajkamal
by V Shantaram,
navrang the credit song has narration by shantaram himself, as he describes his accidental eye injury during the shooting for do aankhen
Rang de re
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Ah, yes. I have heard this one, since I’ve seen the film.
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one more
from janam janam ke phere, not a particularly good one!
what extra info i got , from this was, the other name of this movie was sati annapurna
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I agree. ;-) Not a great song. I had heard of Sati Annapurna, but not of Janam-Janam ke Phere, so this was news to me too!
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one more,
kabhi dhoop kabhi chhaon by pradeep
this is the only song that i know, from the movie.
Music by chitragupt
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I’ve heard of this film, but am not familiar with any of the songs – not even this one.
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mem didi song
bhula do zindagi ke gham
all the songs of this movie are good.
i was familiar with only raaton ko jab neend ud jaye
but other songs r also good
bachpan o bachpan I ilked the most,
beta wow wow is also a funny song!
i heard these songs for the first time and liked them all
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One of my daughter’s favourite songs (she’s three) is Beta wow wow wow. She loves it.
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My daughter’s also three!
but, she hasnt heard this song yet,
i will try this song, may be with vdo, as the doggy in the song is adorable!
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My little one first heard this one when she was about two, and she’s loved it ever since. :-)
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she is your daughter after all!
must be having a good ear for music since childhood.
:-)
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Plus, of course, we do our best to get her to hear good music. Yesterday, she heard Mohe panghat pe Nandlal for the first time, and I am proud to say that she liked it a lot. “I love this song!” was the verdict. :-)
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oh!
If she keeps this pace,
She will start a blog herself soon!
:-)
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LOL!
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one more credit song, not from pre 70s
in late 90s, 1997, Dil to pagal hai
ek duje ke vaste
i dont know why, but i always get emotional while hearing this one!
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I’d forgotten this was a credits song.
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one more song. from 40 days.
Baithe hain rehguzar par by asha
i didnt know, this was a credits song.
i like this song a lot, very nice lyrics by kaifi azmi.
this song was wasted, as we tend to forget such credits song…………………..
it should have been in the movie actually,
by the way, have u seen this movie?
It has shakila. i dont know, it was a hit or not.
Could be suspense thriller, as the name suggests!
one more song…..
from anarkali, ae bad e sba ahista chal…..
this song is not so particularly popular, despite being equally good.
this is my point.
we tend to forget it, as we dont include it as a major song from Anarkali.
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Oh, yes. Two really good songs. I have seen Chaalees Din years ago – Shakila and Premnath. It had some good songs, and yes, it was a crime thriller, but not very good, from what I remember. I keep getting confused between this film and Chaubees Ghante, which also starred Shakila and Premnath. In one of these two films, his character is a cop who goes undercover as a villager and ends up falling in love with Shakila’s character.
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oh yes!
choubis ghante has a very melodious sweet song by asha talat
hamein haal e dil tum se kahna hai
music was by babul
so many things are similar between the two films
:-)
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Yes, I love this one. In fact, from between the two films, this is the only song that I remember. :-)
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one more to add,
the famous one from jhanak jhanak payal baaje by Ustad Amir Khan
the title track.
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hi, one more song,
from ek saal by rafi
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Even though I’ve watched this film (and liked it), the only song of this that I remember offhand is Sab kuchh lutaake. I’d forgotten this one.
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I think these are the only decent ones from those movies.
Aate jate haste gate from Maine Pyar Kiye
Hum aap ke hai kong title song
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So does Amar Prem classify as a 60s or 70s film?
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It has a definite flavour of the 60s, so if needed, I’d probably pitch that with the 60s.
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you know madhu! all the best credit songs are things not caredof but theydeserved. Like if they are so good, making them situational and picturizing them would have been better. I feel sort of sorry for such wonderful gems.Dont you think?
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I honestly don’t think so. A lot of credits songs are much-loved and very popular – including several on this list.
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