Jul 27, 2005 11:24 PM
4636 Views
(Updated Jul 27, 2005 11:24 PM)
101 goes to my fellow human beings on the other side of the man-made Line Of Control... we share a lot of similarities - including music.
I'm not picking a current topic. Instead, I fished out a little nugget from the past that can provide a good listen and some warm feelings.
Young Tarang is a pop album by the Pakistani duo Nazia and Zoheb Hassan - siblings who sizzled for a brief yet memorable time in the Hindi Pop music scene.
Nazia and Zoheb Hassan
-------------------------------------------------------------
Way back in the early 80's, Feroz Khan's movie Qurbani featured a song by the young Pakistani singer, Nazia Hassan. The song portrayed on a sleek, stylish, sashaying Zeenat Aman was the huge hit called ''Aap Jaisa Koi''.
At that time, the song that lingered in my mind was ''Qurbani Qurbani...'' because... I liked the way Vinod Khanna danced (two left feet anyone?). Also, the song was pretty powerful as it emphasized the strengths of friendship (thats always a beautiful concept, isnt it?).
Then came the huge hit ''Disco Deewane''. The album did very well. Nazia and Zoheb with music director Biddu provided the music for the Kumar Gaurav disaster ''STAR''. The movie was a bomb, but again the music worked. There's a nice little song in that movie too, this time by Zoheb, that went ''Muskuraye Ja''.
Young Tarang
-------------------------------------------------------------
My sister was pretty big on Nazia Hassan. Thats how I got to hear all these songs. When ''Young Tarang'' was released in the mid 80s, she grabbed a copy and we sat and listened to the record.
I liked what I heard!
From the first song ''Aag'' to the peppy Zoheb song ''Pyar Ka Jadoo'', this was a record with lots of verve and a dash of ''hummability'' added to each song.
Nazia and Zoheb Hassan once said that it took them three years to craft this album and it took Baba Sehgal (about whom, the less said the better) a couple of months to release one. Well, it does take time for a fruit to ripen.
A short note on the music
-------------------------------------------------------------
You wont find many traditional instruments on this one. Its afterall a product of the disco-influenced south east asia of the early 80s. As such you'll get a dash of synth laden music, pretty decentlyrics and some real enthusiastic singing by the duo.
One thing - its not mindless drum loops and decadent rap bits. Its an original work.
My Picks
-------------------------------------------------------------
Pyar Ka Jadoo - I used to sing this everywhere (mostly the bathroom where my crooning abilities are at its peak... a bathroom is a great place to get emotional). Zoheb exhibits a lot of energy while singing ''yeh pyar ka... hai ye... pyar ka jadoo...''.
The rest of the songs worth mentioning are the intense ''Aag'' with lyrics that go ''Chaand Sooraj Aur Taaray Aag Ke Hain Sab Nazaaray...'', the rather sweet ''Dum Dum Dee Dee'' which made one wonder if Nazia Hassan would accept an invite for a date and another sweet song called ''Dosti'' featuring both siblings.
So... whats the moral of this story?
-------------------------------------------------------------
Today, my ears and my brain are owned by 70's rock and heavy metal but if I ever need a chance to reminisce those good old days when life was all about fun - I'd pick up Young Tarang, slip it into the music system, make some popcorn and let myself go...
Tribute
-------------------------------------------------------------
The beautiful Nazia Hassan is no more. She lost her battle against cancer in 2000 at the age of 35. Reminds me of a song that the members of the band Queen wrote and sang in honour of their dead bandmate Freddie Mercury... ''one by one... only the good die young...''. R.I.P.
peace....
~finis~
PS: I un-retired myself after 5 days of retirement. Got too many amigos in here to just hang my keyboard and leave.
