Music and Lyrics

Those who know me well might be surprised by what I'm going to write next. Can't blame you, I was stunned myself when I found myself swaying and humming along to an old song that was playing on TV - a handsome Dev Anand (yesteryear's of course) was serenading Simi Garewal with the melodic 'Khwaab ho tum ya koi Hakeekat'; perched on a piano and doing his famous, trademark head-nods. It brought back memories, some 22-odd years ago, when Dad would sing this beautiful song to the kiddo-me. Dad was a huge music-enthusiast in those days - he knew every popular Hindi song by heart (the older the song, the better) and showed off his vocal skills by singing to us, whenever we cried or were being particularly moody. My sister and I lapped it all up with joy... no wonder we still know these songs, despite they being churned out several decades ago. You still can't beat Dad at that so-ingrained-in-our-picnic-culture game of Antakshari, the mere mention of which evicts an agitated cry from me, mostly because I suck at it. A profound hate for this game is the sole reason why I don't travel by bus anymore, because you inevitably end up reflecting, 'Baithe baithe kya karein?' (how about sleeping, guys? Sigh, no takers!). Then someone gets a brainwave... the 'bright' idea of playing Antakshari has magically popped in his/her heavily constrained head, praise be the Lord! What follows next is anyone's guess. Very reluctantly, you are dragged into the silly charade, meanwhile fending off several allegations (don't be a spoilsport yaar/ so what if you have a sore throat/ so what if you don't know Hindi songs?/ don't worry, you are in 'both teams'). Then somewhere between Mumbai and Pune you find yourself singing horribly out of tune, clapping to imaginary drums, and making a colossal fool of yourself, because you know only the first 2 lines of the song, even fumbling with that. Almost immediately you hear wild cries of 'Cheating, cheating!! Minus 10!! Minus 10!!' Hey now, wait a minute.... WTF!! Didn't I tell you... no... INSISTED that I didn't want to play this dumb game before?!? Hmmmpf!! Bhalai ka zamaana hi nahi raha :(
PS: Note how effortlessly I have grossly digressed from the point of this post. Well, what can I say? Antakshari has that sort of an effect on me.

Anyway, I was saying.... that this appreciation for music (except Antakshari, of course) has passed on to me as well. During my teenage years, I underwent this metal/rock music phase (like most teenyboppers... in my time LP, and The Rasmus, for some reason were considered cool). However, sadly, this almost always had a disturbing and throbbing effect on any peace-loving soul that had the misfortune to co-habitat in my vicinity. Pounding headaches, cardiac arrests and even a burning desire to commit grave, multiple murders could not be ruled out; especially when Chester Bennington (of the LP fame) & Rob Zombie were yelling their lungs out from the confines of my speakers. My neighbour Uncle George, while passing by our house quipped one day, "Yeh Shastriji ka ghar nahi, koi Fernandes ka ghar lagta hai," then guffawing aloud at his own lame joke. Very funny uncle, HA HA HA. You couldn't get more stereotyped than THAT, even if you tried really hard to prove otherwise.

Fortunately, I have grown up (duh!) and am a much calmer and restrained version of the previous me. Uncle George now sleeps less fitfully and Mom has broken two coconuts at the local temple, as a symbol of great gratitude for rescuing her hearing faculties from total annihilation. Since this post began with a mention of one of my favorite songs, allow me to enlist a few more - songs that I can listen to at any hour of the day.

1. Home (Michael Buble) "Another aeroplane, another sunny place... I'm lucky, I know... but I wanna go home" Everyone of us can relate to that!

2. Starry, Starry Night (Josh Groban): "But I could've told you Vincent, this world wasn't meant for one as beautiful as you..." *goes weak in the knees*

3. Strawberry Swing (Coldplay): "Now the sky could be blue, I don't mind.... without you, its a waste of time" Awwwwww, Chris Martin... when you're around, everyone else is a waste of time!

4. Apologize (One Republic): "I loved you like a fire red, now its turnin' blue... And you say, sorry like the angel, heaven let me think was you... But I'm afraid its too late to apologize" Another broken heart? Too many of them these days! Misery loves company though!

4. Say it Right (Nelly Furtado): "No, you don't mean nothing at all to me... but you got what it takes to set me free.... Oh you could mean everything to me" Nelly says it right!

5. Aaoge Jab Tum (Ustad Rashid Khan): "Aaoge jab tum saajna... angana phool khilege.... barsega saawan jhoom jhoom ke… Do dil aise milenge" You can't go wrong with lyrics like these!
6. New Shoes (Paolo Nutini): "Hey, I put some new shoes on and suddenly everything is right" How many of us have felt THAT way one Monday morning?

7. Oxford Comma (Vampire Weekend): "Who gives a f**k about an Oxford comma? I've seen those English dramas too, they're cruel. So if there's any other way to spell the word, it's fine with me. Why would you speak to me that way, especially when I always said that I haven't got the words for you? All your diction dripping with disdain... through the pain I always tell the truth " Smartest lyrics I've heard in a long time!

8. In Da Club (50 Cent): The lyrics are too profane to be included here ;) But I'm positive that the whole world and its uncle LOVES this groovy hip hop number!

9. Kiss Me (Sixpence none the Richer): "Kiss me beneath the milky twilight, lead me out on the moonlit floor, lift your open hand strike up the band and make the fireflies dance, silver moon's sparkling, so kiss me" Mushiness rules!

10. Hello (Evanescence): "Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken... Hello.... I'm the lie living for you so you can hide" How the HELL do they come up with lyrics like these?

There are so many more.... but that's all I can think of right now! And yes, I have included one Hindi song so don't accuse me of being the angrez wannabe. I relate to the Queen's language more... not Hindi, not even my mother-tongue.... so run off, naysayers!

My Baby Shot Me Down

Nancy Sinatra for Beatrix Kiddo. Two incongruous personalities, yet this song is befitting both.

I was five and he was six

We rode on horses made of sticks

He wore black and I wore white

He would always win the fight

Bang bang, he shot me down

Bang bang, I hit the ground

Bang bang, that awful sound

Bang bang, my baby shot me down.

Seasons came and changed the time

When I grew up, I called him mine

He would always laugh and say

"Remember when we used to play?"

Bang bang, I shot you down

Bang bang, you hit the ground

Bang bang, that awful sound

Bang bang, I used to shoot you down

Music played, and people sang

Just for me, the church bells rang

Now he's gone, I don't know why

And till this day, sometimes I cry

He didn't even say goodbye

He didn't take the time to lie

Bang bang, he shot me down

Bang bang, I hit the ground

Bang bang, that awful sound

Bang bang, my baby shot me down...

MJ Mojo

As a kid, his was the only 'English' music my parents listened to. I don't think they could've escaped from it if they wanted to; he ruled the 80's, ubiquitous over the radio, TV, newspapers, concerts... you name it. And he appealed to almost all sections of the society, young and old. He invented the 'Pop' culture. So inadvertently, I grew up listening to Michael Jackson. And boy, didn't I just dig his music! Be his crazy outfits, his brilliant dance-moves, the unique 'moonwalk' (I remember a guy who perfected it, everyone thought he was SO cool!), the lavishly-produced music videos and of course, his catchy music.... they were all truly loved by MJ fans worldwide.

My first brush with Western music was 'Bad'. I remember Dad inserting a dainty plastic cassette in the 'tape-recorder', rewinding it (it took so long!) and finally playing it, the 'wooooh-ooohs' and 'aaaa-ooohs' of the superstar resounding in the air (only he got away by uttering those strange exclamations; he would be ostracized in this age if he did that!). Then, I saw him on TV. I thought he was pretty neat, doing that famous moonwalk of his, those aviator glasses and flashy dresses that somehow didn't look garish on him at all (except his trademark crotch-grip... 'cheee!' I used to say). The Way You Make Me Feel, Beat It, Black and White, Remember the Time, They Don't Really Care 'Bout Us, Ghosts..... they were ALL my favorites and could recite them by-heart at one time. He also visited Mumbai in 1996 and I remember how the entire city went gaga over his concert.

But then, it all went downhill for him. Child-abuse accusations, indebtedness, drugs, disease and other maladies become the norm of his life. Personally, I think he suffered more than what he deserved. And this, not cause he's dead and gone. Somewhere, I always felt sorry for him despite his various eccentricities. Pushed into stardom at an early age, tasting stupendous success, being surrounded by thieves claiming to be friends, the glitz and the glamour.... how is a man expected to keep his sanity intact? That's not to defend what he may or may not have done, but he deserved so much more.

But let all this not cloud our judgment of the incredible music he made. Fact remains, MJ was a great entertainer & musician, right up there with the greatest music icons (Elvis, the Beatles etc.) of all time. I'm glad I was witness to the MJ era. He left a void behind with his untimely death, but also left behind a vast treasure of good music behind, and for that we shall always remain grateful! Michael Jackson - R.I.P.

Death & All His Friends

Anyone who hasn't listened to this masterpiece of an album yet... HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK???

Go listen. Now!!

And oh, while you're at it, will you please give some love to Chris Martin & Brian Eno? What a briliant musical duo!