SD Burman: A giant's century - Page 2

Dada has composed music for almost 667 songs in 89 Hindi Films, as well as about 20 (or more, exact no is not known) Hindi Non-film songs, In Bangla there are not much films in dada's account but he has given a rich treasure of modern and folk songs.

Hindi Film Music
Hindi Non-film Songs
Bangla Film Music
Bangla Modern Songs

Sachin Dev Burman (Respectedly called "Dada Burman") was born October 1, 1906 as one of the nine children of Prince Komilla of Tripura. His father Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman, was a sitarist and dhrupad singer as well as his first teacher too. Later his training continued with Ustad Badal Khan and Bhishmadev Chattopadhyay, and this classical training gave him a firm rooting for the music that he was to compose later in life.

He had explored the forests of Assam and Tripura from where he gained his formidable knowledge and rich repertoire of the folk of that region and Bengal.

Later he became a disciple of Ustad Aftabuddin Khan, becoming an ace flautist, He had started his own music school, 'Sur Mandir' in Calcutta in the 1930's. He rose to be a popular singer there. He joined the illustrious K. C. Dey in the Calcutta.

He started his musical career in Bengal as a singer of folk and light classical music and also composed music for the radio, which bore prominent traces of East Bengali and north-eastern folk music, music that had inspired him early in life.
His first Film debut singing was for Pankaj Mullick in Atorthy's Yahudi Ki Ladki (1933) but the songs were scrapped and re-sung by Pahadi Sanyal. Finally his first film as singer was Tinkari Chakraborthy's Sanjher Pidim (1935).

His film compositions are influenced by his huge repertory of folk-tunes from the Bengali Bhatiali, Sari and Dhamail traditions of the North East. As a singer, his thin but powerful, accented voice was often used as a bardic commentary.

Dada started work as a music director in Calcutta in 1939. In Calcutta he tried to to compose muisc for new theatre movies but he couldn't got opportunity, Five years later, he moved to Bombay. His first major breakthrough came the following year with the Filmistan's Do Bhai (1947) Aath Din(1948) and Sabnam (1949). Munimji was another hit.

Dada was disgusted with materialism and the sheer commercial nature of the Mumbai film industry. Volcanic in nature, Dada decided to quit mid–way through Mashaal (1950) and return to Calcutta.
Luckily he was persuaded by Dadamoni (Ashok Kumar) to stay on, though Manna Dey completed the assignment – and with Burman's 'Upar Gagan Vishal' (which established Manna Dey as a singer) from this film, Dada finally arrived.

Dada was himself a great singer and has sung many songs in Bengali which were released during the Puja season as well as in Hindi films. Though his singing was limited after he ventured in to composing music full time, his accented voice was used for tunes that required a folk-like rendition.

Dada Burman was very choosy in selecting films for scoring music. He never took too many assignments at a time. Likewise, he was very choosy in selecting the singers. It is said that he used to telephone to the singers early in the morning, study their voice indirectly while making conversation and then select.

Dada was also very fond of fishing and sports, especially foot ball and tennis. Though he wore only a dhoti and kurta, his creative outlook in music was very modern in the sense. that he used to blend Indian classical ragas with Western and make the tune most appealing in melody by his golden touch. He has used the flute very effectively in most of his compositions.

His career never flagged till 1974 when he quit signing films from ill–health. He is remembered even today, through his great compositions. This great composer attained his heavenly bliss on October 31, 1975.

An interesting fact about Dada is that he never considered any singer to be indispensable. Between 1956 and 1963, Dada and Lata-ji were not in good terms due to some misunderstading. But Dada still gave hit after hit after hit using Asha-ji's and Geeta-ji's voice. His hit movies in that period--Fantoosh (1956), Pyasa (1957), Nau Do Gyarah (1957), Kala Paani (1958), Sujata (1959), Bambai ka Baboo (1960), just to name a few, did not have a single song by Lata-ji but all female songs were still great hits. It is said that Dada never wanted to patch up with Lata-ji. It was only on insistance of his son RD Burban that Dada patched up with Lata-ji since RD wanted his first film song to be sung by Lata-ji.

Bandini (1963) marked the return of Lata-ji to SDB and the song mora gora ang laile,mohe shyam rang daide was one the initial songs that Lata-ji recorded with SDB after the patch up between the two.

In the same year Lata-ji then did 3 hit songs for Dada in Tere Ghar ke Samane -- 1 solo -- Yeh tanhai hai re hai re jane kyun na aye and 2 duets -- ek ghar banaoonga tere ghar ke samne and dekho rutha na karo, baat nazronki suno..

Qwest Da,
thanx for sharing the articles.They are informative.

Salil thanx to u too

wow... As I read all these songs mentioned in the posts above....I can practically hear, in my mind, the vividh bharati on All India Radio.... with that very familiar voice of the female announcer.... Geet MazroohSultanPuri ke... Sangeet S D Barman ka... Aur Filma ka naam hai..... 👏

Originally posted by: ChameliKaYaar

wow... As I read all these songs mentioned in the posts above....I can practically hear, in my mind, the vividh bharati on All India Radio.... with that very familiar voice of the female announcer.... Geet MazroohSultanPuri ke... Sangeet S D Barman ka... Aur Filma ka naam hai..... 👏

Film ka naam kya hai bhai ???.......it seemed as if listening to sum radio....and Chamelikayarr(srry dnt knw ur real name) is hosting it!😉😆

btw....S.DB. ws inded a really gr8 composer....gr8 to aj kal b hain..lein har composer S.D.B nai htaa!! unke muzik ki apni alag pehchan thi......jts lky datt!!!!!!!!!!!!!! suntey h elgey..ITS S.D.B'S!😃

Originally posted by: salilu

An interesting fact about Dada is that he never considered any singer to be indispensable. Between 1956 and 1963, Dada and Lata-ji were not in good terms due to some misunderstading. But Dada still gave hit after hit after hit using Asha-ji's and Geeta-ji's voice. His hit movies in that period--Fantoosh (1956), Pyasa (1957), Nau Do Gyarah (1957), Kala Paani (1958), Sujata (1959), Bambai ka Baboo (1960), just to name a few, did not have a single song by Lata-ji but all female songs were still great hits. It is said that Dada never wanted to patch up with Lata-ji. It was only on insistance of his son RD Burban that Dada patched up with Lata-ji since RD wanted his first film song to be sung by Lata-ji.

Bandini (1963) marked the return of Lata-ji to SDB and the song mora gora ang laile,mohe shyam rang daide was one the initial songs that Lata-ji recorded with SDB after the patch up between the two.

In the same year Lata-ji then did 3 hit songs for Dada in Tere Ghar ke Samane -- 1 solo -- Yeh tanhai hai re hai re jane kyun na aye and 2 duets -- ek ghar banaoonga tere ghar ke samne and dekho rutha na karo, baat nazronki suno..

SDB might not have thought anyone indispensable but he clearly said that between Lata and Asha, he preferred Lata.

To us - his admirers, he was indeed INDISPENSABLE!

One memorable song by Burmanda

wahan kaun hai tera musafir jaye ga kahan

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uG5t1eErbsU

Originally posted by: sareg

One memorable song by Burman da

wahan kaun hai tera musafir jaye ga kahan

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uG5t1eErbsU

Sareg,Thanks for the link really enjoyed the song after a long time.