Friday, November 13, 2009

My all time favourite English Songs...

Posted by astuti at 3:59 PM 6 comments
I'd written a blog sometime back on Forgotten Hindi melodies of the 90's and many anonymous readers leaving comments, requested for a list of English numbers too... So now, by popular demand, here's my list of English Classics (or what I call so :) ).

These twenty songs are simply, in my "all time favourites" folder, on my I POD, and are not in any specific order:


Neil Diamond's I can see clearly now: Johny Nash, Jimmy Cliff and many others, this song has been sung by many singers and is a great number. The song's got extremely optimistic lyrics, an unabashedly upbeat tempo and a quick sustained crescendo. Feel free to hear it when you need a mood upliftment... It works!


Nelly Furtado's I'm like a Bird is her signature song and there's a freedom about it that's totally lovable. Every woman has to hear it and sing it to herself in front of the mirror- it does wonders to the self esteem! :)


Every breath you take by The Police has been something I have literally grown up on... I think, it definitely had a hand in defining my idea of passion. The die-hard passion in this song, is something that should be considered biblical... The lyrics are the words of a sinister, controlling character, who is watching everything his lover does- it's about unrequited love and about the obsession with the lost lover and let's not forget the jealousy and surveillance that followed!


Another day in paradise by Phil Collins, is a soft, slow number about homelessness (if that's a word!) that's completely heart touching. A simple yet lovely number.


Save the best for last by Venissa Williams has already been blogged about, so I'll just leave you with the link... :)

http://astutalks.blogspot.com/2008/09/save-best-for-last.html


I heard Michael Learns to Rock when I was in class 5 and loved it. At that time, in my child-like glory, I believed it was what's popularly classified as the"Rock Genre"! Hence Paint my love was my all-time-favourite rock song! :P However I have grown tonnes since then and now know the difference; but the song still remains, up there, in my favourites list!



Bryan Adams is the first international concert I attended and so to me all his songs are like 'spoken by thee himself'! But Cloud Number 9 and Everything I do are a part of his "Best of Me" collection, which speaks for itself and does not need any other introduction! Also, Everything I do, was the first song sung to me and so has its very own special memories.

Father figure by George Michael is a sharp and sensual tale of seduction. Its kinnda obsessive in places and the video has always confused me to the exact nature of the relation between the cab driver and the model/ diva! All in all, I'll say, hear it and loouuu it.

Celine Dion has been influenced by genres ranging from rock and R&B to gospel and classical and her songs are known to address romance, happiness and melancholy.  While I know most men find her music soppy, I believe, That's the way it is and Because you loved me, are her finest tracks. While former is a great mood-lifter (read happiness) the latter is the best thing that can be said to anyone in your family... Dad, hubby, bro- it sure is a tribute for the encouragement they give without question!

You're still the one by Shania Twain is an ode to the union between a lover and her man. Here she explains how she is glad they did not listen to the critics, as, if they had done, look at what they could have been missing. Its a lovely thing to say to someone you've been in love with forever! :)


Ahhhmmmm, this blog is becoming way too long, so I'd rather not add my own two lines about my other happy-mood-songs. Here's the list:
The way you love me by Faith Hill
Love today by Mika
The Animal Song by Savage Garden
Ordinary Day by Dolores O Riordan
Stranger things have happened by Foo fighters
Soak up the sun by Shery Crow
Life is a rollercoaster by Ronan Keating
Nothing else matters by Metallica
In the end by Linkin' Park
We didn't start the fire and Uptown girl by Billy Joel
and Frozen by Madonna


 I'll end it at that... but I promise if there's an addition to this list, you'll be the first to know!


And to all you anonymous commentors, I'd say, hope I lived up to your expectation... Ofcourse you are free to leave your anonymous comments, yet again!


But P.S: FYI, I don't bite! :)

Monday, November 9, 2009

A personal look on the song "Tu Jaane Na... "

Posted by astuti at 1:53 AM 0 comments
I love the lyrics of this song... My favourite part of the song is the sufi style chorus that's repeated thrice in the song. It's my latest awwww moment and I find it totally heart melting!

The basics: Composed by Pritam and sung by our very own Pakistani- Piscean singer Atif Aslam, the lyrics are by Irshad Kamil & Ashish Pandit (the new masters in town).

The feelings: Any and everyone who has ever 'loved and lost' will identify with the feeling. The beat takes sometime to get into your blood but once it does, it stays. The complete desperation of the lost-lover is so amazingly obvious here. Be it the fact that the singer's voice is so full of pain or the fact that his biggest desperation comes from the fact that he doesn't understand how to make things better. To top it all, it's every lover's worst nightmare; that his love doesn't even know about his feelings... It is a low, lower than low... actually an epitome of a new low all together!

The film: I have already written an extensive review on the film. (http://astutalks.blogspot.com/2009/11/apkgk-movie-review.html ) But this song in the film  gives you a mixed reaction. Ranbir doesn't come across as all that desperate after all. Emotions are not his forte yet! So while he excels at all scenes comedy and fun, his facial expression borders on weird here. But having said that it sure does make a great background score...


Kaise batayein kyun tujhko chahe yaara bata na paaye

Baatein dilo ki dekho jo baaki akey' tujhe samjhaye
Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na

Milke bhi hum na mile tum se na jaane kyun
Meelon ke hai faasle tum se na jaane kyun 
Anjaane hai silsale tum se na jaane kyun 
Sapne hain, palkon tale tum se na jaane kyun


Kaise batayein kyun tujhko chahe yaara bata na paaye
Baatein dilo ki dekho jo baaki akey' tujhe samjhaye
Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na


Nigahon mein dekho meri jo hai bas gaya
Woh hai milta tumse hubahu
Ooo jaane teri aankhein thi ya baatein ki wajah
Huea tum jo dil ki aarzoo
Tum paas ho ke bhi tum aas ho ke bhi
Ehsaas ho ke bhi apne nahi
Aise hain humko gile tumse na jaane kyun
Meelon ke hain faasle tum se na jaane kyun


Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na
Ooo jaane na jaane na jaane na .. aaa tu jaane na ..

Khayalon mein lakhon baatein yun tu keh gaya
Bola kuch na tere samne
Ooo huea na be-gaane bhi tum hoke aur ke
Dekho tum na mere hi bane
Afsos hota hai dil bhi yeh rota hai
Sapne sanjota hai pagla hua soche yeh
Hum the mile tumse na jaane kyun
Meelon ke hain faasle tum se na jaane kyun
Anjaane hai silsale Tum se na jaane kyun
sapne hai Palkon tale tum se na jaane kyun


Kaise batayein kyun tujhko chahe yaara bata na paaye
Baatein dilo ki dekho jo baaki akey' tujhe samjhaye
Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na


Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na

Feel free to listen to it and make your own opinion... :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv0eXRpOncQ

Saturday, November 7, 2009

APKGK: A Movie Review

Posted by astuti at 2:43 AM 3 comments

Prem (Ranbir) is a happy go lucky fun loving chap staying in a small town (ooty actually). But problems follow him everywhere as we see from frame one . Prem along with his friends runs a ‘Happy Club’ which believes in joining lovers (even when they have to be kidnapped). Naturally our hero saab loses his heart to our heroine madam who is the new girl in town- Jenny (Katrina). After loads of bollywood melodrama and hindi songs we are shown that its not a straight love story after all, coz our heroine loves one Rahul (Upen) and wants to elope and get married to him. Prem (in true hindi-sacrifice-your-love-style) decides to bring the two lovers together. But complications arise further. What happens after this, forms the rest of this fun filled entertainer.

The songs, need one ask, are truly hummable! Pritam’s done it yet again... Tera hone laga hoon is absolutely beautiful and has quite a huge fan following on most social network sites. Prem ki naiya is the perfect fun song that is picturized to completely entertain... Tu jaane na nah, will be the slow-big-hit-sensation of the flick, which will catch on once people watch the movie.

The Katrina-Ranbir pair is cute, totally- young, stylish, happening and look absolutely great together! There is something about the good looking people coming together, that makes good chemistry. Their on-screen romance is completely endearing and you come out wanting to see the couple together again-and-again! A definite winner.
Raj Kumar Santoshi has attempted a rom-com and has got somethings right...
One, the romance is a sure shot livewire. Two, the film makes you laugh your heart out. Most importantly, the on-screen chemistry is electrifying. Ranbir and Katrina look nothing but great together. (move on Akshay and look out Sallu bhai!)
As for the cast, both Ranbir and Katrina, I repeat, make a wonderful fresh jodi as they share a crackling chemistry. Upen Patel needs to stop acting (seriously!) and is awful as competition to Ranbir. There is not even an iota of doubt in your mind, and you know from the moment you see him, that there is no way KK will go for him. Darshan Jhariwala and Smita Jaykar playing Ranbir’s parents are first-rate amazing. Darshan has always excelled in comedy and this role’s tailor made for him. His comic timing whether he’s screaming or repeating his dialogues are truly hillarious.
"Ajab is the kahaani of Prem, but is it gazab?" is the one thought that does strike you towards the end... but you walk out all smiles, knowing you have just seen a simple, clean, romantic film after ages (all bollywood glory in-tact).


And so finally my verdict is... Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani with shades of comedy & loads of fun; is definitely watchable & highly hummable!
So guys, go for it and don’t forget to take your girlfriend along. :)


 

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