The musical crowns of 2004. Review on Ten Best Songs of 2004

It has been an eventful year. And the time has come when one can sit and look back at the highs and lows of the year gone by.

Refining the search for the Ten Best Songs of 2004 is a very tricky and ardous task. Tricky because there are always some songs that you'll feel like adding but cannot. And ardous because, the year has given such good melodies, that it has indeed become a musically rich year. This in complete contrast with the below than average success rate of the movies.

This year was different for at least one reason musically. *The coming of age of the item song. * There was a deluge of item songs, and some of them were great compositions too. And Sunidhi Chauhan was the empress of all the item numbers. So, I am dividing the ten best songs into two parts.item and non-items. Possibly, I can further divide the non-items into film and non-film. As of now, only film numbers are included. Also, all music released in 2004 are considered irrespective of whether the film was released in 2004 or not.

So here goes.

Ten Best non-item film songs:

1. *Mathura Nagarpati *(Raincoat): How long has it been since we have heard a song that is so pure, raga-based and no-frills attached to it. It literally fills your heart with emotions. Sung by Shuba Mudgal, this beauty is the best melody that one has heard in 2004 and definitely one of the best ever. Composed by Debojyoti Mishra with beautiful lyrics by Gulzar.

2. Yeh Dhuan Dhuan *(Tumsa Nahin Dekha): Nadeem-Shravan possibly produced one of their best albums ever with *Tumsa Nahin Dekha. All the songs are great, and the gem of the collection is unquestionably this beautiful Roop Kumar Rathod- Shreya Ghoshal duet. Roop Kumar simply does what he has all along been doing. Brimming with feelings. His is one under-utilised voice. And Shreya shows why she is not a flash in the pan, with this song. She had a lot os releases, in fact, this year. But this beauty stands out among them.

3. Piya Tora Kaisa Abhimaan(Raincoat):How have I longed to hear Hariharan in his meliflous voice do this type of songs. He has been busy with his Indipops and Ghazals, but this song gives us a rare insight into what this man can do given the right platform. He performs this classical gem wonderfully and in style. Though the Shubha Mudgal version is also good, but this version is simply far more touching than it. Debojyoti Mishra scores a double on my Top Ten.

4. * Main Yahan(Veer Zaara): Madan Mohan proves the saying *'Old is Gold' with elan. His heartwarming score for this Yash Chopra movie is a great piece that should put today's composers into contemplation about their own compositions. Udit Narayan shines through this composition with his voice reaching new depths. Though Sanjeev Kohli's orchestration leaves much more to be desired, the tune shines through.

5. * Aao Naa.*(Kyon.Ho Gaya Na!):Last year's most successful composers Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy(Kal Ho Na Ho), returns with great music in this album. The film sank without a trace, but the music lives. And the crowning glory of the album was this love duet sung beautifully by Udit Narayan & Sadhna Sargam.

6. * Hum Hain Is Pal Yahan *(Kisna): In a year dominated by other composers, the KING returns at the far end of the year with this treasure of a song. Allah Rakha Rahman, composed only one tune for the Subhash Ghai film(the theme is a rehash of this tune), and that is the crowning glory of the album. Sung very well by Udit Narayan & Madhushree, and very well written by Javed Akhtar.

7. Agar Main Kahoon(Lakshya):Farhan Akhtar might not have lived upto the expectations with this movie, but it definitely was a more than sincere effort, and talks a lot about the average moviegoer not appreciating well-made movies still. Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy turn up a couple of great melodies, and this is the best of the lot. Udit Narayan & Alka Yagnik do a great job with this song penned by Javed Akhtar.

8. *Kitne Ajeeb *(Page 3):Another Lata Mangeshkar song to warm your hearts. The male version by Suresh Wadkar is also excellent. It's been a long time since we heard these vintage voices. And they come up trumps! Lyrics by Ajay Jhingra-sandeep Nath and excellent music by Shamir Tandon.

9. Huzoor-e-Alaa(Page 3):Another vintage voice. Another great song. Asha Bhosle is back in her elements, with this waltzy duet with Abhijeet that reminds us of the days that have long gone by. The days os the giants like O.P.Nayyar, Madan Mohan, Shankar-Jaikishen. Thanks to Shamir Tandon for letting us relive those days in the current era.

10. *Bheege Honth Tere *(Murder): Anu Malik sure takes a break from the run-of -the -mill stuff with this album. It seems as if Kunal Ganjawala is singing the song of his life. He has put everything into it, and takes it to greater heights. Definitely one of the highs of the 2004 musical scene.

Ten Best item songs:

I would not go into greater details as the space does not permit me. I simply list the best fom the year.

1. * Saaki Saaki Re.(Musafir): Sukhwinder Singh-Sunidhi Chauhan. Composed by **Vishal & Shekhar.

2. * Dhoom Machale(Dhoom): Sunidhi Chauhan.Composed by **Pritam Chakrabarty.

3. * Aisa Jadoo *(Khakee): Sunidhi Chauhan Composed by Ram Sampath.

4. * Sholon Se *(Shabd): Vishal Dadlani & Sunidhi Chauhan Composed by Vishal & Shekhar.

5. * Mujhe Tumse Mohabbat Hai *(Tumsa Nahin Dekha): Shreya Ghoshal & Shaan. Composed by Nadeem-Shravan.

6. * O Solemiya.*(Popcorn Khao Mast Ho Jao!): Sunidhi Chauhan. Composed by Vishal & Shekhar.

7. * Door Se Paas*(Musafir): KK.Composed by Vishal & Shekhar.

8. * I Want To Make Love To You*(Aitraaz): Sunidhi ChauhanComposed by Himesh Reshammiya.

9. * Dhoom Machale *(Dhoom): Tata YoungComposed by Pritam Chakrabarty.

10. * Dil Mein Hain Hulchul *(Elaan): KK & Sunidhi ChauhanComposed by Anu Malik.

That in all sums up my list. I shall be back soon with the non-film best of 2004 list!