I don’t often need to take a taxi to get around, but when I do, I always steel myself, because 9 times out of 10, the taxi driver will have music playing—a CD or a radio—and 99% of the time, it’ll be some completely vile stuff with just a monotonous beat, and no melody to speak of.
Last Friday, I had to take a taxi (for a longish ride, moreover—Delhi to Gurgaon and back, nearly 2 hours in the taxi). Sure enough, the radio was turned on. And what a pleasant surprise!—this driver had tuned into a radio channel that seemed to play only old Hindi film songs.
Those two hours were total bliss, and I was reinforced in my belief that good music can make a long and otherwise boring car journey also pleasurable.
So, a list of my favourite car songs. These are all from pre-70s films I’ve seen; other than that, I’ve also stuck to these rules:
(a) The song is sung by someone sitting in (or on) the car. Which is why Yeh dil na hota bechaara doesn’t figure in this list. There may be other singers—not in the car—joining in, but the primary singer(s) is/are in the car.
(b) The singer(s) spend at least 80% of the duration of the song in or on the car.
(c) These are only car songs, not jeep songs. The latter merit a post of their own.
Here we go. These are in no particular order:
1. Kisi na kisi se kabhi na kabhi (Kashmir ki Kali, 1964): This song comes first on my list for the simple reason that this was the first song that I heard when I climbed into the taxi the other day, and I was struck by the fact that I was listening to a car song while travelling in a car.
Shammi Kapoor—who I think did at least one ‘mode of transport’ in each of his films—multitasks big time here. He sings, he plays the harmonica, he even ‘dances’ a bit in his seat. And he drives, of course, through a very pretty landscape of Kashmir in the spring.
2. Jeevan ke safar mein raahi (Munimji, 1955): If Shammi Kapoor was looking forward to his true love in Kisi na kisi se kabhi na kabhi, Dev Anand in Jeevan ke safar mein raahi has found his true love—and he’s bugging the hell out of her. A playful song, even though the mostly-flirtatious lyrics and the peppy music hide occasionally philosophical words, too. The sadder, Lata Mangeshkar version of the song, is also a car song (and a lovely one at that).
3. Jiya o jiya o jiya kuchh bol do (Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai, 1961): Dev Anand again, and this time on top of the car, rather than inside it. Here, he’s trying to woo his girlfriend (who is quite amenable to being wooed, anyway) as she travels on the Darjeeling Hill Railway. A car full of our hero’s friends drives alongside, with Dev Anand sitting atop the luggage on the roof of the car. Precarious, to say the least. Coincidentally, like Jeevan ke safar mein raahi, this one too has a sad female version, though without the car.
4. Yeh lo main haari piya (Aar Paar, 1954): The good thing about being the passenger, rather than the driver, is that you can put your heart and soul into singing (not that that seems to have been a constraint for most car songs). And Shyama, with her lovely flashing eyes and that gorgeous smile, puts her heart and soul into trying to sweeten up a huffy boyfriend who happens to be a taxi driver and is giving her a lift. She pleads, she coaxes, she does a come-hither act; she even gets a little huffy.
One of my favourite Shyama songs, as well.
5. Baaju samjho ishaare (Chalti ka Naam Gaadi, 1958): How could one not include this song, from a film which includes, in its very name, a vehicle? The Ganguly brothers—Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar, and Anoop Kumar—come together in this madcap song in their rather ramshackle car (it was a 1928 Ford model ‘A’ roadster). The car careens all across Bombay, and we get not just a glimpse of the city, but also a good idea of the minds of these three loony characters. Loads of fun, but dangerous for pedestrians and other traffic.
6. Raahi mil gaye raahon mein (Dil Deke Dekho, 1959): Back to Shammi Kapoor, and here he’s doing a Dev Anand-in-Jeevan ke safar mein raahi number: driving while singing to a lady who’s not kindly disposed towards him. The lady he’s pestered and managed to get into riding alongside him in his car is an irritated Asha Parekh. In the car towed behind—a long way behind—is the lady’s even more irritated fiancé, Rajendranath, who’s suddenly found himself bereft of female company. Quintessential Shammi Kapoor, doing his wooing while driving, and succeeding too.
7. Jab dekh liya toh chhupenge kahaan (Chirag, 1969): Although the last verse of this song is sung outside the car, the rest of the song takes place with Sunil Dutt and his pal (played by Mukri) sitting inside the Datsun—whether it’s moving or stationary. A song somewhat reminiscent of Pukaarta chala hoon main, in that it’s set in Kashmir, with Asha Parekh playing a heroine surrounded by a group of sahelis, all of them on cycles, while the hero travels in a larger vehicle. There’s a lovely lilt to this tune, and I like the fact that we see such beautiful glimpses of the countryside—the poplars, the grazing sheep, the hills beyond.
8. Unse rippy-tippy ho gayi (Agra Road, 1957): Compared to the other songs in my list, this one’s a relatively little-known one, and one short verse is actually sung between two cyclists.
Despite that, one reason I’m including this is that I like both Shakila and Vijay Anand. Another is that I like the fact that, in a refreshing change from the usual, the woman’s the one driving the car, while the man is the one sitting in the passenger seat. And, of course, it’s a cute song. [What is it with filmi cars and cycles, by the way? Here too, the chorus is on cycles, while the ‘lead singers’ are in the car].
9. Chaahe koi khush ho chaahe gaaliyaan hazaar de (Taxi Driver, 1954): Dev Anand again—and this time not in romantic mode, but totally nutty, with a bunch of equally carefree pals (including Johnny Walker). This is one of those ‘to hell with the world’ songs, which combines a socialistic outlook with a motto of not worrying about what the future will bring. These men are ready to take on life: even if it means having to push and pull their dilapidated car along, or change a punctured tire while they’re out on a joy ride.
10. Yeh rang na chhootega (China Town, 1962): I began this list with a Shammi Kapoor song, and I’ll end it with one, too. A sweetly romantic song, with the very handsome Shammi paired with a pretty-as-a-picture Shakila. It’s in the car throughout, and at night, too, on what seems to be a fairly lonely stretch of road. Thank heavens for the lack of traffic; since he spends most of his time looking affectionately at her (rather than at the road), it’s just as well.
Which are your favourite car songs?
Dustedoff 
Hi, Madhulika. Very useful post. I’ve not heard “Unse rippy-tippy ho gayi”. Thanks so much for mentioning this song.
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Thank you for the appreciation, Hansda! Yes, Unse rippy-tippy ho gayi isn’t very well-known, though I believe it was quite a hit when the film was first released. The music’s by Roshan.
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“Aao tumhe chaand pe le jaaye” and “Chakke pe chakka, chakke pe gaadi”, are they pre-70 or post-70 songs?
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Neither qualifies, but let me post the links, anyway:
Aao tumhe chaand pe le jaayein is from 1975, so it wouldn’t have fitted in here. In any case, I somehow don’t like that song too much – probably because of the way it starts. That “Jingle bell jingle bell…” is frightful, even though the main song is quite nice.
Chakke pe chakka had been on my shortlist – in fact, it was one of the first songs I thought of – until I had a closer look at it, and realised that a good bit of the song is not in the car.
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It beats me how you and Harvey and probably other film bloggers come with these topics, I am glad I came here early before everyone else put in their selection leaving nothing for me, sounds childish? but then I am young at heart.
I would not rate this as my favourite I like the lyrics and also there is the nostalgia bit. The lead couple are however not in car throughout the song
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I perfectly understand the satisfaction that comes from being among the first people to comment, so that you can get in ‘your’ songs before others do!
This is a nice song – Kohraa did have fabulous music. I must watch it sometime again soon; it’s been a long time since I saw the film. Or maybe I will wait until you’ve set up your father’s blog/site, so that I can link to any inside information you may have about the film. :-)
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>I am glad I came here early before everyone else put in their selection leaving nothing for me, sounds childish? but then I am young at heart.
I know that feeling Shilpi. Glad somebody else shares it with me :)
Love the song with Rajesh Khanna in the other comment of yours.
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“Glad somebody else shares it with me :)”
Me too. ;-)
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Another fun car song sung by my favourite singer and with some lovely music by R.D.Burman
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If I hadn’t restricted myself to pre-70s songs, this one would have certainly been there! One of my absolute favourite car songs. The music is wonderful and Kishore’s rendition of it has a fabulously carefree air to it. Delightful!
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Two more dev anand film songs:
1Ruk jaana O jaana humse do baate…Warrant.
2. Yeh dil na hota bechaara – Jewel thief
Ok… the hero is outside the car and heroine is inside..So this qualifies or not?
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Yeh dil na hota bechaara was on my long list, but when I decided to restrict myself to songs where the singer was in/on the car, that had to go. I’ve mentioned this song specifically in the post, where I’ve listed the rules.
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One more 80s song..Fantastic song by Kishore da and filmed on a sober Amol palekar in taxi taxi
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I thought I’d heard most of the songs from the 70s, but this one was a new one for me. A good song, thanks for introducing me to it.
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Wonderful post, Madhu! Though I think your list is a bit too Shammi-Dev heavy. :-) You could have got some other guys – like Sudhir Kumar or IS Johar – in your list. :-) Or actresses like Kumud Chugani and Sonia Sahni. :-)
Let me do that for you.. :-)
Presenting “paas aakar to na yunh” from Laadla (1966). 100% car song. Rafi saab and Asha. I discovered this song one day on youtube, was so impressed by it (ok, by Kumud Chugani too) – and saw the movie right afterwards. Nothing great about the movie but the song is a cute one. I even wrote a quick blogpost on the song.
Am not sure many know the song though.
And then IS Johar and Sonia Sahni in Johar in Bombay (1967). The lyrics are total timepass. :-) And a 100% car song.
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Thank you, Raja, for expanding the list to beyond Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor – and how! I’d not heard either of these songs before. I love I S Johar’s car in that song – it looks so cute. So much character to that gaadi. Yes, the lyrics are total time pass and nutty. :-)
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WOOHOOO! I love your list. I just love it. :DDD -does a dance- Yay, yay, yay!
Okay, sorry. Got a little overexcited when I saw “Jiya O Jiya” on there. :P -giggle- And I jumped around when I saw a song from Agra Road (Cos, well, GOLDIE IS IN IT. And Shakila too!). You just made my… morning?
Okay, so one song I like is “Kaun Hai Jo Sapnon Mein Aaya”. YES, BECAUSE IT’S FROM JHUK GAYA AASMAN. And it’s just nice in general. I thought I’d heard it before, but it turned out that I had heard the Elvis Presley version. But Rafi is awesome awesome awesomeeee! And just tell me, really, it’s Rajendra’s fault for driving off the cliff. He turns 90 degrees to the left, then 90 degrees to the right and the car still goes straight. But it’s a jeep, right? So… meh, I just realized that. xP
Uhhh… -thinks- Okay, I don’t remember any other of Dev’s songs that were in a car and fit your requirements, so… hmm… I’ll have to think harder.
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Glad you liked this list, Sasha! I thought you would. ;-)
No, sorry – Kaun hai jo sapnon mein aaya doesn’t qualify. Jeep song, not a car song. But it is a fantastic song, anyway.
I can think of at least one more Dev Anand song that’s filmed in a car. The point is, it’s from the 70s. Pretty popular song, though I didn’t care for the movie much.
Can you guess which one? :-)
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I know, I just realized that after all of that rambling. Oh well. :P
It is an awesome song! Now, if Rajendra had been more careful with that jeep, he wouldn’t have landed in that terrible mess. Although, if he can stay for so long in a freaking cupboard anything is possible for him.
70’s song?! -shudders and forces self to think- I haven’t seen the movie, and I’m taking a guess from the thumbnail, but is it from Shareef Budmaash? I don’t know the name – I just saw the thumbnail on some website while looking up Dev’s songs a couple of months back.
I don’t dare to go near the movie though. Oh my gosh. -shudders again-
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No, not Shareef Budmaash. Incidentally, the actress in this particular song debuted in a very good film opposite Parikshit Sahni (who also debuted in that film).
There. Now with a little intelligent Googling, you should be able to discover the song. :-)
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Interesting selection – from romantic like Ye lo mein haari piya to comedy like Chalti ka naam gaadi and Taxi Driver. I would include Kishor- Asha duet Piya piya piya mera jiya pukare …tum to basi ho gori man men hamare from the film Baap Re Baap. Both the singers have given their best and Kishor Kumar’s voice sounds very good when it touches lower octave notes, like in the song Thandi hava ye chandni suhani.
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Would you include Piya piya piya in a ‘car songs’ list? ;-) It’s a tonga song – the ‘tonga‘ beats give it away, and anyway, all you have to do is watch the song. Absolutely in a tonga:
I’d included it in my favourite ghoda-gaadi songs list, though.
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Rollicking post, Madhu. Lovely, lovely songs. It’s no surprise that the list is populated by Shammi/Dev, is it?
Here is a rare one; you don’t usually have the heroine singing by herself in a cab. :)
Aakhri Dao
One more with a heroine I usually do not associate with singing happy songs(and she’s driving!) From Sangram
Only Kishore’s car can fly. He doesn’t even have to steer it.
This is past the 60s cut-off date, but it is a fantastic Madan Mohan composition. From Hanste Zakhm
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Oh, Anu. Lovely. I simply fell in love with that first song – had never heard it before, and now I’m listening to it again and again! Tum jo mil gaye ho would’ve been on my list if it had been made in the 60s; I always think of it as a classic car song. (My test for that is: has my husband – who’s not big time into old Hindi films – come across it? And when I told Tarun I was doing this post, he asked, “Are you putting that Naveen Nischal song in it? The one in the rain?”). :-D
And, a confession. I’d never seen Khoobsurat haseena before, though I love the song. Thank you for that!
Yes, a car songs post would be dominated by Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor, no? And I haven’t even added a couple of other Shammi Kapoor songs which fit my rules, but which I don’t like too much…
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Anu, these are such melodious songs. I hadn’t heard the first two. I’m quite taken up with the Nutan song. But who’s the driver? Is he the hero? What funny expressions.
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Madhu, glad to have introduced you to some ‘new’ old songs. I simply loved the Nutan song – song *and* picturisation. It’s great to see Shammi whistling, while Nutan looks so dreamy.
Pacifist, it’s a chap called Shekhar. He was Nutan’s first hero. :)
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I didn’t know Shekhar (wasn’t he also known as Chandrashekhar?) was Nutan’s first hero! I don’t recall seeing any films of his, but I do know that he was in Bank Managar, which had that gorgeous song, Saba se yeh keh do ke kaliyaan bichhaaye.
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The only Chandrashekhar I know is the one who acted with Helen in Cha Cha Cha – this is not the same person.
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Oh, okay… I know whom you mean. Frankly, even though this Shekhar isn’t an oil painting, I think he’s better looking than that Chandrashekhar!
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Oh, and before Samir comes and posts this one! (Madhu, you’re going to hate me for this!)
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I had forgotten this song, thanks for reminding me. By posting 70’s/80’s songs, I stand up for the 99 % of sub-par category; unlike you 1 % 50’s-60’s elites :)))
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Anu. Yuck, yuck. I like Amitabh Bachchan in some films and some songs, but this one doesn’t feature in my list of AB favourites!
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Hehehe. You shouldn’t have commented ;
>Only Kishore’s car can fly. He doesn’t even have to steer it.
:-D
Love Amitabh in these ‘aggressively correcting people’ roles.
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Samir, pffft to you. Reverse snobbery, that’s what it is. :)
Madhu, couldn’t resist. :) I knew you would hate it! Honest confession? I don’t like this either.
Pacifist, I know! I was just setting myself up, na? And yeah, the self-righteousness is amazing. That’s why I love Parveen Babi in this film. She was hilarious as the ‘pregnant’ bootlegger. This is not a film that Amitabh should be proud of, anyway.
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The only thing to NOT like about this post is that all the cars shown are 100 % gasoline burning. I am still waiting for an environmentally correct all electric or at least a gas-electric hybrid to show up in film songs. And of course the electricity for an electric car has to be generated from renewable sources. :)
Apart from that nitpicking issue, this is a wonderful post. With 7 out of 10 songs belonging to either Dev or Shammi or Kishore, how can any list be bad :) This is not to ignore the other 3 wonderful songs, #3 is a great favorite.
Unfortunately all the songs I am about to add also fall in the fossil-fuel burning automobile category, but I still like them :)
1) Kishore driving a flying car, wonder how badly does it affect the environment :)
2) Another goofy Shammi song, but has only about 33 % in the car. I think you should give some points for not burning precious fuels, and promoting a healthy lifestyle :) Oh all right, anything with Shammi is OK.
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“With 7 out of 10 songs belonging to either Dev or Shammi or Kishore, how can any list be bad :)”
Exactly! Glad you liked that post, Samir. :-)
I had thought of including the Prince song, but dropped the idea – because there are nicer Shammi Kapoor-in-a-car song. Actually, with a little bit of effort, I think I could probably come up with a list of ‘Ten of my favourite Shammi Kapoor car songs’. Here’s another one, which nobody’s posted till now. Haseen ho tum khuda nahin ho from Budtameez:
– and the car isn’t being driven, either. Environmentally friendly, in a roundabout sort of way? I don’t think so, though… since the truck towing it is bound to be burning up loads of fuel. :-(
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Damn, how did Anu get ahead of me, I see she already posted “Khubsoorat Haseena” :)))
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My favourite car songs have been listed by our or by others. Great list!
One that is not there is: chaand aahen bharega. i don’t know if it will qualify fully, because it starts in a car and then meanders away in fantasy land!
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I’ve heard this song, but never watched it – so that’s a revelation! I wouldn’t count it as a car song, because it meanders off into fantasy land too soon! (incidentally, that fantasy land – with those flimsy ‘curtains’ and the billowing smoke and Mala Sinha – reminds me of Hum aapki aankhon mein).
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:-)
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This is a nice one from the stable of L-P.
It also only starts in the car and then goes in the valleys of Sahyadri
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Now that you’ve posted it, I remember watching this song recently. Nice song (and I like the views of the Sahyadris). Meena Kumari looks rather rundown here, no? Must’ve been one of her last films, I guess.
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The song is sublime.
And you are right, Meena Kumari does look very famished. On the other hand she plays the mother of a grown-up daughter, so it is okay if she looks a bit old, but that is no reason to look so run down. On the other hand she plays a character, who undergoes severe trauma. But her looks didn’t have much to do with the character she played but rather her health problems.
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“But her looks didn’t have much to do with the character she played but rather her health problems.”
You mean health problems in the film, or health problems in real life? I do know that she was in a bad way in real life by this time.
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not my very favourite but suits the theme here:
ham tum yug yug se
it is 80% in the car
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Hehe! Not one of my favourites either, and though I’ve watched the film, I’d completely forgotten this song was filmed mostly in a car. This seems to be one of the somewhat rare songs where the car is actually being driven (at least shortly after it starts), no? The way Sunil Dutt moves the steering wheel in that first bit of the song, it’s obvious he’s really driving. I like the way Nutan puts a hand to the steering wheel and moves it too, once. :-)
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You are right about the steering wheel. Moreover Sunil Dutt-Nutan made a good jodi. The film has better songs than this for sure.
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60% car
and one of my favs is jo tum ko ho pasand
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This was on my shortlist (even though I’m not especially fond of the song – Safar has other songs which I like much more). Then, watching it, I realised it’s not mostly in the car, so I scrapped it.
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A very lilting post and breezy discussions!!……
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BTW, now I recall one of my favorite Rafi / OP Nayyar Song – Pukaarataa Chalaa Hun Main, Gali Gali Bahar Ki –
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Nope, wouldn’t include that here (as I’ve mentioned in the beginning of the post). That’s a jeep song, not a car song. Jeep songs merit a post of their own. There are enough of them out there.
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Oh, well, I thought only truck songs were not included!
In any case, waiting for jeep songs is ceratinly called for.
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If you read the post, I do specifically state that it doesn’t include jeep songs.
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I did read it on my second, more detailed and liesurely reading, when I also noted that Kaun Hai jo Sapne Men Aaya, along with its original Elvis Priesley number were also not able pass through this filter.
I totally agree.
BTW, the reason to wrod the comment the way it was done, to just check up on the idea of a separate post on songs on a truck.
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I would have liked to do a truck songs post, but I’m going to have to let someone else do it – for the simple reason that, offhand, I can think of only one pre-70s song (Subhaan Allah haseen chehra) picturised on a truck. I suppose some people would consider Hum hain raahi pyaar ke humse kuchh na boliye as a truck song, but I think of that vehicle as a lorry. I haven’t seen Miss Bombay, but Le chala jidhar yeh dil nikal pade may qualify, though I can’t tell whether it’s a truck or a lorry.
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A nice post… I always like car songs, even though I never even learned to drive a car.
I think I have shown you (Madhu and maybe a few other people reading this) my favorite car song already. But I’ll post it here too. :) It certainly fits the “before ’70s” criteria; in fact, it’s from before the 1950s. And it’s my favorite car song by miles!
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I did learn how to drive a car years ago, but haven’t really driven much since then – and, frankly, the traffic in Delhi is so crazy, I’m too scared to even try driving.
I remember this song; you’d included it in that delightful post on people singing in chorus on cars, hadn’t you? Nice song, and a car song can’t get better than two cars, each chockfull of people singing – and with the lyrics so much about ‘motors’ too. :-)
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Oh, lovely.
I’ll come back with a longer comment, and more songs. Just writing in a hurry.
I’m glad you have ruled jeeps out – but not vans! Hahaha.
I rarely like contemporary songs, but some are fabulous.
Just love this one.
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Vans are nowhere close to cars in my lexicon, Pacifist! That’s why I didn’t even bother to mention that. :-)
But I agree with you on this one. Even if it is a new song, I love it. Great lyrics, good music, and wonderfully sung. One of my favourites.
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>Vans are nowhere close to cars in my lexicon, Pacifist! That’s why I didn’t even bother to mention that.
I know, I was being sneaky so I could post that song :-(
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I don’t mind, actually. Be my guest! :-D
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DO you’ve posted all my favourite songs, and the rest in the comments section. Of course the songs in a car *have* to be dominated by Dev and Shammi :-D
But here’s one with Pradeep Kumar, with Madhubala driving.
Ufff, such dangerous driving – staring at each other, making faces at each other, looking lovingly at each other, looking teasingly at each other – instead of at the road!!
Another one with OP Ralhan in Aurat.
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My goodness, where on earth have you managed to get hold of these songs, pacifist? I’d never heard (let alone seen) either of them before. Totally new for me. Thank you!
And yes, that Pradeep Kumar-Madhubala song is a recipe for disaster. She spends most of her time glaring at him or putting her hand up beside her face… asking for an accident to happen!
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I forgot to mention that from .50 – 1.33 the second song from Aurat featuring OP Ralhan, goes silent, but goes on normally after that.
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Yes, I’d noticed that. It was kind of odd. I figured it was because he was getting a fresh lot of passengers into the taxi, so he’d stopped singing until he’d got them well entrenched. But even then, most directors would’ve had background music, maybe even conversation (as in Aage bhi jaane na tu. That utter silence made me think something was wrong – until the song began again.
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Both are interesting songs, pacifist.
Who is the male singer in the song from Passport?
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It’s Subir Sen, harvey.
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Thank you Madhu!
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Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! We love to sing (and listen to) songs while driving, often driving our sons to desperate measures in their younger days, such as threatening to jump off if we didn’t stop! My younger son later learned to counter with his own effective measure – he would sing, really badly, some song he would make up as he went along, until both of us took note and turned around and told him to stop!
It looks like all my favorite songs have already been posted – Kisi na kisese …, jeevan ke safar mein raahi …, jiya oh jiya oh jiya …, and Baaju samjho ishaare … – have already been posted, and there are others which I have to listen to, but here’s one more, albeit from a slightly later period:
It is not entirely in the car, in fact, to borrow from Harvey’s post, it is 66% only – I noticed he was using percentages, a sure sign of someone who is in the business of researching and writing papers to defend his position!
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I’m glad you enjoyed this post, Lalitha! I loved your description of car journeys and singing. I can relate to that: my husband and I love going on long road trips, and we invariably listen to music or sing (with me doing most of the singing, unfortunately). When we’d bought our first car, it was a model without a stereo, so I’ve actually spent hours singing while on really long trips. :-)
You’ve posted the one song I’d been trying to give Sasha hints about. Very much a car song, this one, even if not all of it happens in the car.
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Oh my-
-faints- I KNEW IT WAS. -BANGS HEAD ON WALL- CURSE MY BAD MEMORY. AAAAARGGHHHHHHHH.
Sorry. >_>” At least this song wasn’t too bad, but I’m not sure about the movie. Never mind, I’m going to stick to his 50’s and 60’s films as always. :)
I want to learn how to drive a car, that’s fun! But I gotta wait. And I gotta learn how to ride a freaking bicycle (Learning point: Walking anywhere in America is useless. You have to have a bicycle. In Singapore I used to walk to the shopping mall and back to buy ice-cream.) first. Oh, the scrapes and the sore muscles.
By the way, Anu is such a meanie. She wants to shoot Rajendra and Raj. -bursts into tears-
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Only in Sangam. Oh, and Rajendra, along with Raj Kumar in Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi. Promise. Just one teeny-weeny shot. Cross my heart. *looking angelically up*
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BUT I LIKE SANGAM! -cries some more until she almost floods Dustedoff’s blog- And not Rajendra! -cries- If he shot himself, fine, but you shooting him is NOT nice. -cries-
Well, I don’t really care about Raaj Kumar, so do whatever you want. But do not shoot Raj Kapoor or else… :(
See, I like him, really, I do! -cries again-
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“But do not shoot Raj Kapoor or else… :(
Why not? I think of a lot of films – or parts of films (Sangam included) where I’d want to put a gun to his head and tell him to stop behaving like a moron.
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-sobs- But I like him! I like his tramp avatar and his innocence and stuff like that! And he directed awesomely! -cries again-
BUT WHAT ABOUT RAJENDRA? He isn’t moronic. :(
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His tramp avatar is what I hate about him! I guess that’s why I like him in films like Chori Chori or Teesri Kasam – because he’s not the tramp.
Try watching Rajendra Kumar in Amar, Geet and Ganwaar. Tell me what you think! Please! :-D
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But he’s cute! :(
I think a general rule of thumb is that we don’t like what they did as a “standard” – I hate Dev’s hippy stuff (That day my Aunty brought back this damn orange plastic hippie necklace from work for me, and I promptly went off to play with the cats – argh, I’m not wearing that.), I hate Manoj’s patriotic stuff, you don’t like RK’s tramp avatar, and stuff like that.
NOOOOO. NOT THOSE FILMS. I fell out of my chair. Now my stomach is churning. >_>” WELL. I saw your review of Akeli Mat Jaiyo. Fine, I’ll watch that movie and I’ll tell you what I think. (-gulp- This might be my first “bad” black and white film… But it has Rajendra in it. Good enough for me.)
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Well, I wouldn’t say walking anywhere in America is useless. Doesn’t it depend on how far you are from your destination? I remember walking to a nearby mall in Chicago in January (very snowy and very windy).
Back to the topic: yes, the song’s not bad. I don’t remember the film. I rarely do, when it comes to Dev Anand’s 70s films.
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I agree with Madhu here – if you live in places like New York or Chicago or Boston, you will find lots of people walking because a) car parking is limited and expensive, and b) public transportation is excellent. We lived in NJ for a year after we arrived and we walked everywhere because we didn’t have a car. We would walk to the grocery store on the weekends and do our shopping and return in a taxi and that was fun! Everything is fun when you are young and active and newly wed!
I haven’t seen the movie, either; I couldn’t stomach those 70’s films.
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Really? Chicago is very, very cooooold! We walked out of the Chicago airport for a while when we stopped over (But to be honest, I loved the Tokyo airport! I was so excited about it because of Love in Tokyo! :DDDDDD Couldn’t see the Tokyo Tower anyway. Sigh, I’ll have to go back and visit one day. :D) and darn, it was like someone had turned on the AC outside. It was so windy, and so cooooooooold!
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But here in Jacksonville everything is so far! And my Aunty’s driving is horrendous! Aaaaaaaagh! And it’s been six months since I got any new DVDs! I’m probably going to frizzle up and die of lack of DVDs. -cries-
My Uncle said it was… 2, 3 miles? I dunno about miles and Farenheit and all that stuff.
Not gonna try. The poster was bad enough. o_O
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Heh. I can understand your grouse about miles and Fahrenheit and all that stuff – we don’t use it here in India either, so I can’t make sense of them (except when it comes to body temperature – that I can’t relate to in Celsius!)
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YEAH, I just hate all of that stuff. Body temperature is easy, 36, 37 degrees Celcius? Celcius is easy to remember – 0 for freezing, 100 for boiling.
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“You’ve posted the one song I’d been trying to give Sasha hints about. Very much a car song, this one, even if not all of it happens in the car.”
Sorry for spoiling the thrill for both you and Sasha, Madhu! I hadn’t read the comments properly, just listened to the songs and saw the percentages being given by Harvey and wondered why he was doing percentages!
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S’all right! But Lalitha, please, can you help me? Dustedoff is hellbent upon killing me. Read the above comments. -gasping for air-
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Oh, miss noir, dustedoff is merely trying to tell you that she wants to shoot any guy who acts like a moron, and who can blame her for that? You are getting too caught up in these movies, they are not real, but then you are a teenager! You will understand when you get older (sage advice from a grey haired granny!).
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B-but, but, what… what if she says Rajendra is a moron (I hate to admit it, but I’ve seen him act like a complete moron in some places and, hey, I don’t want him shot!) and shoots him? Then what am I gonna do? -sobs-
Why am I getting too caught up in these movies? It’s fun to do stuff like that! And I find these discussions amusing. :)
I watched Sangam last night, and, uh, I think I’ll talk about that more on my blog. One thing though – I just can’t get the part in “Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega”, when Rajendra says, “apna hai kisi ko begana jayega” and he shrugs, I just can’t get that part out of my mind. I dunno why. He’s just that cute. :DDD
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Not a problem at all, Lalitha! Sasha would have guessed very easily, though – I’d given her sufficient hints to enable her to just look up IMDB and find it. :-)
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That was an amusing anecdote, Lalitha!
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Please make a list of your favorite piano songs, We will have many gems to discuss with. And also a list of wedding/bidai songs. All will be pre 70s ofcourse.
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Favourite wedding/bidaai songs might be do-able, but favourite piano songs? That would be impossible to restrict to ten songs! How about some suggestions on narrowing that down?
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Ok, restrict to black and white movies.
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Even that’s not enough… I can think of plenty of black and white songs that are played at pianos (in fact, the B/W songs at pianos probably outnumber the coloured ones).
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I would suggest B&W piano songs with ladies on the piano?
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Okay. That’s a helpful suggestion. I’ll start doing a first draft of the list. Thanks, Chris!
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Madhu ji,
I thought someone would include this song also-
from film Haathi mere saathi-1970.
it does qualify,doesn’t it ?
-AD
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Absolutely would qualify! Yes, definitely a car song. :-)
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Here’s a bhoola bisra gaana with Shyama looking ever so beautiful wasting her time on that oaf.
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“wasting her time on that oaf.”
So right, pacifist! Who is he? Any idea? I do hope he wasn’t her hero in the film. Hadn’t heard this song before, though… and it’s a jeep song, not a car song. ;-)
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To me it looks somewhat like this;
If you look at the stripes on the seat behind, and when the whole car is in view one can see the folded top at the back.
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The stripes on the seat behind were what reminded me of a jeep first. I remember my father having an official jeep (not a car) when he was in the IPS and posted in MP, still quite junior… it had seats like that too. What really made me think the vehicle here was a jeep was the rear. The metal ‘cutouts’ (what is the usual word for that?!) shielding the tires are squarish (see at 2:12 in the song), rather than circular, which was also how I remember Papa’s jeep.
That folded top also used to be a part of the jeep, from what I recall.
Maybe I should forward this song to a nephew of mine whose nuts about old cars and jeeps; maybe he’ll be able to identify it!
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You are probably right. I went by the seats and the folded top at the back. I’ve never seen a jeep like that.
The ones I’d seen had very functional olive coloured seats and some jeeps even had a door at the back to jump in.
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Are you talking of hubcaps, Madhu? I should take a second look at this song – square hubcaps? That is definitely worth a second look.
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I think Madhu means the mudguard or fender.
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No, Lalitha. Not hub caps. Pacifist is right – I meant the fender. If you FF the song to 2:12, you’ll see that the fender is square, which was what made me think it was a jeep rather than a car.
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Definitely a Jeep:
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Ah, thank you!
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Madhu ji,
This is a song from film ‘SHART’-1954.Deepak was the Hero and Shyama,the Heroine.
-AD
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Thank you, Arunji!
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I came across this song by accident. It suits Richard’s ‘A Bunch of People’ in a car very well, but since this is the current topic here I’m posting the song in both places.
You have not one, but two cars.
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Nice song! :-) I like the music, the picturisation, and the lyrics (plus, of course, Meena Kumari being teasing).
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Madhu,one of your/our favourites “Jhukti Ghata Gati Hawa” is also a car song isnt?
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My goodness, Karthik. I haven’t seen Dhool ka Phool and didn’t know that song was in the movie. I must amend that ASAP! I used to love Jhukti ghata gaati hawa as a child – my parents had it on an LP, and we used to hear it often. It’s been years since I heard this song, and it was the first time I’ve seen it. Thank you so very much! :-)
For others like me, here it is:
(though I wouldn’t put it as a car song, since about halfway through it switches to being more a boat song than anything else).
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Isn’t it awesome that so many of the car songs have Shammi Kapoor!! Delightful post Madhu :)
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That’s one major reason for loving car songs, isn’t it? ;-)
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That song from Gambler (1971) turns out to be my favorite car song. That film is not that bad, not sure why people seem to dislike it.
BTW, how is that film ‘Chirag’? Plot on imdb doesn’t sound.too good.
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I don’t know, I don’t have the guts to go see it. I banned myself from Dev’s 70’s films after Hare Rama Hare Krishna… oh the horror.
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Chirag starts off all right – usual romance, and a disapproving mother-in-law who doesn’t like her bahu. After that it gets woefully depressing and melodramatic. Even though I love the songs and am very fond of both Asha Parekh and Sunil Dutt, I’ve never been able to pluck up the courage to rewatch the film (I last saw it about 25 odd years back!)
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Madhu, so sorry for all those wrong songs. Here’s one really really in a car.
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Oooh. :-) This was a very pleasant introduction to another ‘new’ old song. Loved it! Thank you for that. Maybe one could even come up with a separate post for car+cycle songs…
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I know what you thought when you saw the first scene of the song DO, :-D hahaha
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What? That it’s a cycle song? ;-) Come on, pacifist. It’s perfectly possible to mistake a jeep for a car (and not that we’ve sorted that out completely yet – who knows, it could be a car of some odd sort)… but a bicycle? No, I hold your eyesight and intelligence in much greater esteem than you seem to think! :-D
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Hehehe! :-D
Oh yes! Do make a list of car/cycle songs.
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I spoke (wrote?) without thinking! No, no – not in the near future. Frankly, now that I come to think of it, there aren’t those many songs I can recall (and my favourite one, Pukaarta chala hoon main, features a jeep, not a car). But will keep it in mind!
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Aah! a travel post !! This is the one thing we have in common with films. We sing as we travel :-)
Wonderful post as always. I think the music directors were enthused by the fact that the actors will be travelling and hence would churn out such melodious tunes.
Some of my own favourites are:
(Sorry, I am not including the links for the songs that I am adding here)
1) Meri Jaan, Meri Jaan – Do Chor (1972)
2) Bahaaron Ki Baaraat – Yakeen (1969)
3) Chala jaata hoon – Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972)
4) Pukarta Chala Hoon Main – Mere Sanam (1965)
It will be great to see you doing tonga or bus-posts too :-)
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Thank you, Shashi!
Please have a read through my post; I stated very specifically that jeep songs would not count – only car songs – that’s why I mentioned that I wouldn’t include Pukaarta chala hoon main (that’s one of my favourite songs).
Shilpi had mentioned Chala jaata hoon (another favourite of mine, though I hadn’t included it in my list because it’s from the 70s). I’ve included the link to the Youtube video above, in my reply to Shilpi’s comment.
Here is the link to Bahaaron ki baaraat; I’ve seen Yakeen, but had forgotten about this song.
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P.S. Sorry, I forgot to respond to that last sentence of yours. I can’t think of any bus songs from the pre-70s period, so that list may not happen in a hurry…but I did a ghoda-gaadi songs post some time back, and along with the ten songs I listed there, readers contributed dozens more. Here’s the link:
https://dustedoff.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/ten-of-my-favourite-ghoda-gaadi-songs/
Enjoy!
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Talking of bus songs, wasn’t there a bus song in Asli Naqli, where Dev Anand drives a bus for a school and teaches the children a song on the way to school? I seem to remember one. I think he quit that job after that day because he was late to school and the principal got angry.
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Yes, Lalitha. Gori zara hans de tu, where he drives a bus for a bunch of schoolgirls. Sweet song, but a lot of it happens outside the song. Here it is:
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I have heard so many horrible songs that are put on by taxi/bus drivers, that some of my nightmares revolve around it. I was once travelling to Delhi by a Volva and heard a chaloo punjabi number that went – Nokia da le laya tu mukhde mobile ni – a pbi romeo singing about his beloved having acquired a Nokia mobile, it was one of the yuckiest moments of my life. Not only that, the driver so liked this song that it was repeated many many many times. Even now, the memory of that day makes me want to gag.
However, one time I was returning from Ludhiana by a non-a/c simple roadways bus and was pleased to find it nearly empty. Sone pe suhaga was that the driver had put on a cassette of filmi qawwalies, waaaah.
I cant post any songs right now, but I just adore Mere Sapno ki Rani, its a jeep song, but it is a four wheeler LMV.
I adore all the songs you have listed here. Dev ko dekh ke to meri aankhon me chamak aa jati hai.
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Yikes. That “Nokia da le laya tu mukhde mobile ni” sounds horrid. Poor you! Those sort of songs seem to be the norm, don’t they? Really bad lyrics, non-existent ‘music’, and for some unfathomable reason, very popular with the drivers. Our driver keeps some really awful CDs in the glove compartment, which he presumably listens to when he’s driving on his own, without us in the car.
Mere sapnon ki rani is good; I like it a lot too. But a jeep song, not a car one…
“Dev ko dekh ke to meri aankhon me chamak aa jati hai.”
You aren’t the only one! :-)
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Nice list. Chudee nahee mera dil is a notable omission.95 percent of the song is in the car.I think one can make a similar list exclusively with dev anand songs
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Thank you, glad you liked that. Churi nahin yeh mera dil hai wouldn’t fit because it’s from 1971 (and, if you read my ‘rules’ in the post, all the songs are from pre-70s films). But yes, I do agree that with a little thought (and some license – probably including 1970s songs – one could compile a ‘Dev Anand car songs’ list.
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Besides, I can’t can’t can’t can’t watch those horrible films – I couldn’t even face the climax of Suraj, so how am I supposed to watch those? Oh my stomach. o_o”
And my hands are trembling now.
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But you were the one who called him ‘cute’! So don’t you want to see cutie in all these films? ;-) Watch, watch. See how cute he is! :-D
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-faints-
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To be fair, though, do watch him in Mere Mehboob. He and Sadhana are great together.
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-like a fish out of water-
I… -gasp- I… -gaspgaspgasp-
-dies-
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Hey, Dustedoff? -knocks imaginary door-
Uh, if I kinda took it too far with that (But my stomach still went beserk!), then, I’m sorry. :P Maybe I am nutty and I like my favorite actors too much.
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Not a problem. Hope you’re okay now! ;-)
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Yay. :D I just watched Sangam last night and I’m very sleepy now.
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I love this cute and zany number from “Apna Haath Jagannath”
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That was a new one for me (though the music reminds me of some other Kishore song – I can’t remember which). Yes, it is cute, and typically nutty Kishore! :-)
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I like ek ladki bheegi bhaagi se; technically it’s wrong but still :P And, kaun hai jo sapnon mein aaya (Jhuk gaya aasman) and babu samjho ishare, horan pukare, pum pum pum! :D
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Technically, even Kaun hai jo sapnon mein aaya doesn’t fit – because it’s a jeep song, not a car song. :-)
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Hahaha, ok! Didn’t think you were being that specific. :)
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Read the post. I’ve written that, even mentioning Pukaarta chala hoon main as a specific example of a jeep song I love but wouldn’t include because it’s a jeep song rather than a car song.
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No new songs to contribute but a thought, or rather, a memory – the song, Jeevan ke safar mein raahi … became a favorite after it was sung at one of our college functions by a dear friend – where are you, Shamala? She was always in demand when we needed someone who sang well, and thanks to her, I came to love so many songs like Tora man darpan kehlaaye …, Bata doon kya laana …, Jeevan ke safar …, and … Shashi Kapoor! Her room used to be plastered with his pictures, and of course, some of us loved to tease her about it, right down to yours truly doing an imitation of her hugging his picture and dancing with it, on Seniors’ night, on stage, with the whole college laughing! Wonder where she is now, and does she follow your blog?
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Hi Folks,
Great collection of car songs. How did you guys miss out this beautiful song from Hanste Zakhm – “Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho” – its a car song and it has got rains too. The way music progresses and picks up tempo along with the rains – its just amazing composition by Madan Mohan. Add to it the silky voice of Rafi Saab. Its a little Jazz like rendition. Simply amazing!!
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“How did you guys miss out this beautiful song from Hanste Zakhm – “Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho” – its a car song and it has got rains too.”
How did I miss that out? For the simple reason that it’s from a 70s film. As I’ve mentioned in my post (read the ‘rules’ at the top), the songs are confined to songs from pre-70s films. But yes, it is a great song. If you read the comments, you’ll see that it’s already been suggested by Anu Warrier, and I’d given my own take on the song…
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I was exactly thinking what Sunil said. The song is really great.
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Enjoyed all the taxi songs, but my favorite are the songs from Taxi Driver –Dad with Dev Anand & from Agra Road & China Town–my beautiful aunt Shakila .Thanks-Tasneem Khan
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Thank you! I adore Shakila – I think she was so gorgeous. Would you like to do a guest post on her for us? (Or a post on your mother and her?)
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Shakila A. is gorgeous even today,Would love to do a post on her & mum !!! Thanks Tasneem
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Thank you so very much! I’ve just sent you an e-mail, and can’t tell you how excited I am that you agreed! :-)
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Oh So you have to made those rules, Else Yeh Dil naa hota bechara was a good choice, Or Hum hai Rahi Pyar ke hum se kuch na boliye (my best on-the-move song), and what about modern Dil Chahta hai, nice one indeed…..I loved how the people remembered Khoobsurat Haseena Jan-e-ja-janeman, (Ae mere humsafar older version)…
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Yes, I always put in rules – otherwise it gets difficult to control the number of songs! It helps put boundaries on what songs to list. :-)
I love Hum hain raahi pyaar ke too.
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And sorry I forgot to thank you for putting “Chahe Koi Khush ho chahe Gaaliyan hazaar de” in the list….Thanks for that…
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Hi! I just came across your website. Like you I am a fan of old songs. How about doing a list of train songs. That would be appropriate!
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I’d done a train songs post just over a year ago. Here you are:
https://dustedoff.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/ten-of-my-favourite-train-songs/
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Thank you. A very good list. I am really impressed with your knowledge.
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