24
Nov

A Lucky kinda day!

This morning, while sipping the morning tea, I glanced at an interview of Lucky Ali talking about remixes. And the memories came flooding. I knew right away it was a lucky kinda day….

I was in Class XI when ‘Sunoh’ was released. And we were mesmerized with ‘O Sanam’. Those were the years when we’d get to sing in class whenever the teacher was absent. And among the requests, I’d be asked to sing ‘O Sanam’. Such a magical song! I still remember the girls in my class who’d complimented me for my rendition of it, and a girl in class with whom I sang this in perfect harmony!

Since I was about 14 years old or so, I started listening to music while studying. It is a habit that continued into my work-life, enabling concentration, and also enabling blissful moments throughout a chaotic or busy day. Sunoh is an album I used to listen to early in the morning, waking up at 4 am to study, with a morning cup of tea!

About a year later, I moved cities from Calcutta to Hyderabad and the love affair with Sunoh continued. Over time I learned to appreciate almost every song from Sunoh. And it so gladdened my heart this morning, when I started listening to the album, that I can still recollect so many of the lyrics. My other favourites from the album are ‘Aap Par Arz Hai‘, ‘Yeh Zameen Hai, Aasman Hai‘, ‘Kya Mausam Hai‘, and ‘Tum Hi Se’. A cousin of mine used to play the guitar and sing ‘Milegi Milegi ‘ from the same album. The evening appreciation of music is a tradition that carries on within some parts of my family and extended family!

In 1997, the album Sifar was released. And I was in love again. My bestie in college dedicated ‘Teri Yaadein Aati hai‘ to me when we parted ways. One of my sisters and I totally hearted ‘Nahin Rakhta Dil Mein Kuch‘. ‘Jheel Pe Jaise ‘and ‘Mausam‘ were my other favourites, while Dekha Hai Aise Bhi was quite popular. Back in 2001 when I had met my husband, I’d won a bet about the lyrics of ‘Mausam‘ from Sifar! And it wasn’t a bet he lost intentionally 😉

Then there was the heart-wrenching ‘Gori Teri Aankhen’ which I heard non-stop for days on end, crying tears silently at the beauty of the song and its lyrics (and the video, in which the girl loses her lover/spouse). And much much later, I started appreciating ‘Aa bhi jaa‘ from ‘Sur’.

His movie songs ‘Ek pal ka jeena’ and ‘Na tum jaano na hum’ played so many times on my tiny little walkman when I was prepping for my CA Intermediate exams. Over and over the tape played so much that I know every nuance of every song as I sat into wee hours studying.

I just love the distinctive voice he has, the different quality of his songs and the amazing lyrics almost across the board. So grateful reminiscing all these wonderful memories associated with Lucky Ali songs!

Penning down some of my favourite stanzas from some of his songs ….

Samjhe zamana ki dil hai khilona, jaana hai ab kya hai dil ka lagaana, nazron se ab na humko girana, mar bhi gaye toh bhool na jaana …….. ‘O Sanam’

Ab jayein kab jayein kaise bolo, Jinke saath dil lagta hai, Unke saath ho lo,Jaana kahan tha humko, kahan hum chal diye, Choti Choti hasraton pe hum ghul mil gaye; Soch ke kya nikle the yeh kya hum kar gaye, jo kehte woh nahi karte na in mein reh gaye…Rab yeh jaane ab kya hoga rasta hai mushkil, kis chourahe pe khade hain yaar.. ‘Kya Mausam Hai’

Nahin rakhta hoon dil mein kuch rakhta hoon zubaan par, samjhe na apne bhi kabhi, kah nahi sakta main kya sehta hoon chupa kar, ek aisi aadat hai meri, sabhi to hain jinse milta hoon, sahi jo hai inse kehta hoon, jo samajhta hoon ….. ‘ Nahin rakhta hoon’