Bappi Lahiri: Dahshat (1981)

This record is one of those Bappi Lahiri soundtracks that tend to have exorbitant price tags attached to them on the second-hand/collectors' market. It sometimes baffles me which ones do and which don't. 'Dahshat' [review] is hardly that scarce – could simply having tracks featured on Western compilations such as 'Bollywood Bloodbath' contribute to the inflation? The score is good in parts, but come on, it shouldn't be costing hundreds of bucks.

Half of it fails to interest me. Kishore's opener I find annoying, and Asha's contribution is quickly forgotten. On the plus side, 'Disco Title Music' is pretty decent. It has a vague 1970s blaxploitation or crime theme feel; for what is essentially an instrumental it could have sounded more adventurous to warrant a 3-minute runtime, but it's still worthwhile. 'Meri Jaan' (on which Bappi takes centre stage himself, along with Sulakshana Pandit) is the album's highlight; a boisterous dance floor stomper situated somewhere between his early (funky) disco experiments and the synthetic (ostentatious) variant of the genre he gradually become famous for.

Track listing:
1. Kishore Kumar: Mere Pyar Ka Metre
2. Bappi Lahiri & Sulakshana Pandit: Meri Jaan
3. Asha Bhosle: Meri Yaar Ghussewala
4. Anand Raj: Disco Title Music
5. Dialogue


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Bappi Lahiri: Baadal (1984)

This is the first of three soundtracks released in 1984 I have lined up. It's not a year that excites me from the off when it comes to Bollywood sounds; when I started this project I avoided most things post-1980, but obviously there were exceptions to be made.

That said, this one is hardly a classic. Bappi Lahiri soundtracks can go either way; had I heard 'Baadal' before warming to his work, said warming might have taken a bit longer. There are tracks here that I find horribly tasteless; 'Go-Go Go-Go Gori' in particular is the sort of godawful song best suited for drunken holidaymakers in tacky Spanish tourist resorts. 'Hari Hari Bhangiya' contains elements of the same but on the plus side it has a decent samba beat sustaining it.

'Mere Jaisi Mehbooba' is the soundtrack's main (at least current) claim to fame, a typical Bappi-remake of a famous western hit, this time Herbie Hancock's electro anthem 'Rockit'. It's not bad at all, and I do have a fondness for Sharon Prabhakar's voice. It's my top pick from the album, along with the trippy 'Tute Na Dil Ka Vaada', performed by S.P. Balasubramanium and S. Janaki (the spelling in the track list is as given on the record) whom I previously know from one of my favourite Ilaiyaraaja efforts.

Track listing:
1. Sharon Prabhakar & Bappi Lahiri: Mere Jaisi Mehbooba
2. Bappi Lahiri & Chorus: Go-Go Go-Go Gori
3. Kishore Kumar & Chorus: Hari Hari Bhangiya
4. Balasubramanium & Janki: Tute Na Dil Ka Vaada (Happy)
5. Bappi Lahiri & Shankar Shamboo(late): Laila Meri Maila
6. Balasubramanium & Chorus: Tute Na Dil Ka Vaada (Sad)


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Bappi Lahiri: Tere Pyar Mein (1977)

Early Bappi Lahiri soundtracks; I tend to like those. Predating the famous disco-era ones we all know and love (or hate), they were often excellent, and 1977's 'Tere Pyar Mein' (the film apparently released much later) is certainly worthwhile. It's uncharacteristically subtle (except for the irritating 'Ui Amma Ui Amma'); in a way it brings Rajesh Roshan's 'Julie' from a few years prior to mind.

'Aankhon Men Tun' comes with a sublime intro and a melody that reminds me of the Ennio Morricone instrumental 'Ninna Nanna In Blu', which happens to be one of my favourite ever soundtrack moments. Did Bappi draw inspiration from it? I wouldn't put it past him. In any case, this sumptuous lounge tune is among his finest songs. I like the happy version best. 'Aa Aa Meri Jaan' is a sweet pop confection, sung by Priti (aka Preeti) Sagar who did quite a bit of that sort of thing. The gentle 'Bhool Gaye Ham' proves that Bappi could effectively tackle traditional Indian composition, and 'Aankhon Men Hain Aansoo' (another great intro) is a lovely slow waltz. Sadly there aren't many clips to be found on YouTube.

Track listing:
1. Bappi Lahiri & Sulakshana Pandit: Aankhon Men Tun (Happy)
2. Shailendra Singh & Priti Sagar: Aa Aa Meri Jaan
3. Bhupinder & Bansuri Lahiri: Bhool Gaye Ham
4. Mahendra Kapoor & Mahesh Kumar: Ui Amma Ui Amma
5. Bappi Lahiri: Aankhon Men Tun (Sad)
6. Chandrani Mukherjee: Aankhon Men Hain Aansoo


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Bappi Lahiri: Sumbandh (1982)

Bollywood beat heads were raving about 'Sumbandh' a few years back due to the two disco tracks that highlight it. Both are quintessential Bappi Lahiri and both are good, almost great even, if not among his very best.

'Pyar Chhalke' has a nice and laid-back lounge feel to it. Running at 8 minutes it includes loads of instrumental breaks, and Sharon Prabhakar's spoken English lyrics bring to mind the sublime 'Come Closer' from 1984's 'Kasam Paida Karnewale Ki'. 'Paas Ao Na' is slightly more uptempo with more of an electro thing going, but still surprisingly restrained (not as over-the-top as Bappi could often be). On it he borrows from 'Wild Thing' again; he'd done so before on 'College Girl' back in 1977.

Track listing:
1. Sharon Prabhakar: Pyar Chhalke
2. Asha Bhosle & Chorus: Raat Ko Mere Kamre Men
3. Asha Bhosle & Bappi Lahiri: Deewane Deewani
4. Asha Bhosle: Paas Ao Na

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Bappi Lahiri: Maut Ka Saya (1982)

It is said about film-makers The Ramsay Brothers that they were Bollywood's prime exponents of low-grade, sleazy 1980s horror cinema. Similarly, Bappi Lahiri's music is often described as the epitome of tacky Bollywood disco. It makes sense then, that they would work together regularly. To Bappi’s credit, his scores were often far more sophisticated sounding than the pairing might suggest. And unlike its appealingly schizophrenic cover, there's not much musically on the soundtrack to 'Maut Ka Saya' that actually suggests horror.

Predictably, the out-and-out dancefloor tracks take centre stage. 'Aafat' is a rousing anthem performed by Bappi regular Annette Pinto and the composer himself, and 'Dance Music' is a percussive jazz dance number enhanced by teasing giggles and sighs. Both are great, but I'm actually even more fond of two of the album's non-disco tracks. 'Yeh Samundar' fuses flamenco with electro and again features Annette in addition to a series of wonderfully exotic solos, while 'Zulfon Tale' is mellow Caribbean flavoured lounge pop, accordion-led with sensuous vibraphone interludes. Shailendra Singh does the honours on this one.

Unusually, there doesn't seem to be a single song clip from this film on YouTube.

Track listing:
1. Bappi Lahiri & Annette: Aafat
2. Amit Kumar, Sachin & Chorus: Tum Phans Gaye
3. Dance Music
4. Annette: Yeh Samandur
5. Shailendra Singh: Zulfon Tale

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Bappi Lahiri: Pataal Bhairavi (1985)

Bappi Lahiri would throughout the 1980s make soundtracks that verged from tackily second-rate to the near sublime. 'Pataal Bhairavi' contains a little of both. Starter 'Mehmaan Majar Ki Ban Ja' is one I'm happy to skip; thankfully things pick up a bit after it. 'Tannana Tannana' is imbued with a touch mysticism (and contains a few delicate breaks), while 'Jhoom Jhoom Ke' is a typically loud disco stomper; not his best by a long shot but neither without at least some merit.

Salma Agha's 'Chumma Chumma' is the album's real standout, a wonderfully catchy track that avoids simply using the trappings of Western dance music, creating instead something approaching a uniquely Indian disco sound. It's impossible to sit still to, it's sexy, and it really is fantastic. And doesn't Dimple Kapadia look stunning?

Silk Smitha does the honours in the picturization of the frenetically percussive 'Ek Dubatti Do Do Mawaali'; of a similar mode and not half bad, but unfortunately lacking the magic of the above. 'Ek Bechara Phas Gaya' is a pleasant ballad, and 'Kalike Kapalike' has an odd folky quality.

Track listing:
1. Lata Mangeshkar & Kishore Kumar: Mehmaan Majar Ki Ban Ja
2. Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar & Chorus: Tannana Tannana
3. Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar & Chorus: Jhoom Jhomm Ke
4. Salma Agha: Chumma Chumma
5. S. Janaki: Ek Dubatta Do Do Mawaali
6. Yesudas & Chorus: Ek Bechara Phas Gaya
7. Anup Ghosal: Kalike Kapalike

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Bappi Lahiri: Bhavani Junction (1985)

There's not an awful lot to say about this one, a mid-1980s Bappi Lahiri effort sounding pretty much as one would expect. That's not to say it isn't any good, on the contrary, I'm quite fond of 'Bhavani Junction'. Bappi's trademark blend of upbeat (and synthetic, mostly) disco-funk, catchy melodies and general campness is evident throughout; 'Aaeeye Baahon Mein' especially is a fabulous take on 'Aie a Mwana', the Yamasuki/Black Blood/Bananarama hit originally written by French pop producers Jean Kluger and Daniel Vangarde. I prefer this version to any of the above.

Track listing:
1. Asha Bhosle & Chorus: Prem Ashram
2. Vijay Benedict & Chorus: Bhavani Junction
3. Dialogue
4. Sharon Prabhakar, Bappi Lahiri & Chorus: Aaeeye Baahon Mein
5. Asha Bhosle: Ghumke Dekho Na
6. Dialogue

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Bappi Lahiri: Wardat (1980)

Those of you who have heard Bappi Lahiri's 'Surakksha' soundtrack will likely have an inkling as to what to expect from its sequel. The 1979 original represented Bappi's first wholehearted foray into the disco genre, and a year later he had already pretty much turned it all up to eleven.

Bombastic, over the top, anthemic, camp, bonkers; I've long since run out of adjectives to describe his musical antics. And the visuals often match; check out 'Dekha Hai Maine Tujhko Palatke', 'Din Ho Ya Raat' or 'Na Mai Hun Tera' (my favourite) if you have no idea what I'm on about.

Derivative is another word you see a lot in connection with Bappi. On 'Wardat' [review] [2] he even nicks from his (UK based) compatriot Biddu; after an intro that brings Ennio Morricone and Edda Dell'Orso to mind, 'Tu Mujhe Jaan Se Bhi Pyara Hai' sounds very much like something Nazia Hasan could have sung on 'Qurbani'.

So do I like it? Well it is kind of fun, but not as good as its predecessor. Still, you'll probably want to have it.

Track listing:
1. Bappi Lahiri & Chorus: Dekha Hai Maine Tujhko Palatke
2. Mohd. Rafi & Usha Mangeshkar: Sara Jahan Chhod Ke Tujhe
3. Usha Uthup & Bappi Lahiri: Tu Mujhe Jaan Se Bhi Pyara Hai
4. Bappi Lahiri, Annette & Chorus: Din Ho Ya Raat
5. Shailendra Singh & Chorus: Jalim Duniya Hum Pey
6. Usha Uthup & Bappi Lahiri: Na Mai Hun Tera

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Bappi Lahiri: Namak Halaal (1982)

I've seen enough appearances and mentions of 'Pag Ghunghroo Baandh' over the years to suspect it's a famous and very popular song. It's certainly a typical Bappi Lahiri disco number; bombastic, cheesy, and catchy as hell. Good? Kind off. Impossible to not tap your feet to, at the very least. But I keep having problems with the use of Kishore Kumar's loud, booming voice on disco songs; it doesn't sound right to me. I fear I'll never get past that. Making up for it though is the track's 3-minute (almost) long instrumental introduction, which is often left off on reissues and compilations. Essentially a Walter Murphy 'A Fifth of Beethoven' rip-off, Bappi nevertheless adds enough to it to make it his own. Fabulous.

The rest of 'Namak Halaal' [review] [2] [3] is more of the same. I like the Asha-sung part of 'Raat Baaqi Baat Baaqi', 'Thodisi Jo Pee Lee Hai' is the first Bollywood drunk song I've come across where it's the bloke who's had too much to drink, and 'Jawani Jan-E-Man' reminds me of about 10 different 70s Eurodisco songs at once; no mean feat pulling that off. A good sounding soundtrack; probably a great one if you listen to it with the visuals.

Track listing:
1. Kishore Kumar & Chorus: Pag Ghunghroo Baandh
2. Asha Bhosle, Bappi Lahiri & Shashi Kapoor: Raat Baaqi Baat Baaqi
3. Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle: Aaj Rapat Jaayen To
4. Kishore Kumar: Thodisi Jo Pee Lee Hai
5. Asha Bhosle: Jawani Jan-E-Man

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Bappi Lahiri: Karate (1983)

More martial arts. Bappi Lahiri is all over the place on 'Karate', making use of every trick in the book, every cliché found on a disco dancefloor. But guess what? It works. Sort of. Super funky bass riffs, relentless percussion (the title track); madcap effects, cheesiness aplenty ('Tum Tum Tumba'); packing I don't know how many different musical themes into a single, amazing intro ('Bazi Pyar Ki'); sonic effects, bombastic arrangements, the obligatory 'I Feel Love' synth line ('Do Diwane Pyar Ke') – for all his derivativeness (lots) and downright stealing (some), Bappi really is a disco sub-genre all on his own.

And to wind things down, the guitar on 'Aaja Gale Too Lagale' and 'Ma Ae Ma' is more than a little gorgeous. 

Track listing:
1. Bappi Lahiri, Amit Kumar & Chorus: Karate
2. Asha Bhosle: Bazi Pyar Ki
3. Asha Bhosle: Yeh Salam Aakhri
4. Bappi Lahiri & Chorus: Tum Tum Tumba
5. Kishore Kumar, Amit Kumar & Chorus: Do Diwane Pyar Ke
6. Kavita Arun & Gurmeet Kaur: Aaja Gale Too Lagale
7. Kishore Kumar & Amit Kumar: Ma Ae Ma

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Bappi Lahiri: Morchha (1980)

There's a martial arts theme running through the next few posts, starting with the soundtrack for 1980's 'Morchha'. I've no idea what the film is about; the scarcity of mentions and shortage of video clips online would suggest it's not very well known. 'Confrontation of Action with Reaction' seems to be a tagline of sorts though, whatever that may mean.

The music is Bappi Lahiri doing what he does best, or worst, depending on preference. There's a chance I've become more lenient towards his brand of disco since I first discovered him, or maybe 'Let's Dance For The Great Guy Bruce Lee' just manages to stay on the right side of cheesy. It's a proper dancefloor stomper based around a highly infectious guitar & synth riff, with anthemic vocals (Annette Pinto) and featuring a cool sax solo. One to get stuck in your head, and to make sure it does they feature it twice.

The Caribbean flavoured 'Koi Ban Jaye Apna Yaar' is similarly hard to resist. I've mistaken tone for content in Bollywood songs previously but I can't imagine this one being performed in anything but happy circumstances. 'Paheley To Bhajia Paao Tha Mushkil' is fun, bouncy and has a swing feel; possibly a bit silly ("Thank you ver-ee much, Kung Fu Ka-ra-ha-te"), and 'Dil Dena Hai To Aaj Hi Dedo' has surf guitar, relentless percussion, big band backing and an abundance of different breaks and interludes; glorious stuff.

I really like this album, and I'm kind of curious about the film too.

Track listing:
1. Bappi Lahiri, Annette & Chorus: Let's Dance For The Great Guy Bruce Lee
2. Chandrani Mukerjee & Preeti Sagar: Koi Ban Jaye Apna Yaar
3. Jagdeep, Bappi Lahiri & Usha Mangeshkar: Paheley To Bhajia Paao Tha Mushkil
4. Usha Mangeshkar & Chorus: Dil Dena Hai To Aaj Hi Dedo
5. Usha Mangeshkar: Aab Ki Baras Bada Juliam Hua
6. Bappi Lahiri, Annette & Chorus: Let's Dance For The Great Guy Bruce Lee

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Bappi Lahiri: Paapi (1975)

The odd thing I found when researching 'Paapi' [review] [2] on the Internet is that it's usually dated 1977, suggesting there was an unusually long lapse between the recording of the soundtrack (I had to double check the date on the LP) and the release of the film. I wasn't able to find out why (anyone?) but, as will be apparent from the next album to be posted here, it wasn't the only time this happened.

Anyway… pre-disco Bappi Lahiri, that's usually good. And there are a couple of cracking tunes on this. 'Aa Jaan-E-Jaan' is summery pop with a lovely melody, Latin flourishes and great wah-wah guitar bits, and 'Come On Come On' is a seductively sexy cool-jazz ballad featuring the sultry voice of Ranu Mukherjee whom some of you will remember from the 'Call Girl' soundtrack. Things peter out a wee bit after these two, admittedly, but the Lata tracks 'Bol Sajna', 'Pyar Hai Gunah' (containing a nod to Led Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song') and 'Shama Jale' all seem to be rapidly growing on me. So all in all then, a very worthwhile score.

Track listing:
1. Lata Mangeshkar: Aa Jaan-E-Jaan
2. Ranu Mukherjee & Lona: Come On Come On
3. Mahendra Kapoor & Chorus: Bolo Bolo Re Bhaiya
4. Mahendra Kapoor: Jeevan Bhi Badnam
5. Doha & Humming
6. Lata Mangeshkar: Bol Sajna
7. Lata Mangeshkar: Pyar Hai Gunah
8. Mohd. Rafi: Kaisa Hai Naseeb
9. Lata Mangeshkar: Shama Jale

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Bappi Lahiri: Kamla (1984)

And another. This one's a very different sounding score from what is usually expected from Bappi Lahiri though; there's nothing bombastic or cheesy or even loud to be found on 'Kamla'. Perhaps it was decided that for a film dealing with modern-day domestic slavery, a more subdued tone would be appropriate. To his credit, Bappi pulls it off just fine - it's a soundtrack well worth a few listens.

There are only three songs, of which Salma Agha's beautiful 'Aaj Phir Aaine Ne' is the one I keep coming back to. The rest of the album is made up of short and sparsely arranged instrumentals. My favourites are the intriguingly titled 'Urban Flesh Market', 'Ego Trip' and 'Rural Flesh Market' (all variations on the same theme) and the Gypsy jazz flavoured 'Ecstasy'.

On the cover, special credit is given to the instrumental tracks' respective soloists, so for anyone interested I'm including that bit of info here.

Track listing:
1. Salma Agha: Aaj Phir Aaine Ne
2. Pankaj Udhas: Kaisa Ye Karam
3. Tribal Theme (Flute by Kunwar Rajendra Singh)
4. Welcome Home (Sitar by Ashok Sharma)
5. Urban Flesh Market (Sarod by Zarina Daruwala)
6. Kamla's Theme (Happy) (Santoor by Ulhas Bapat)
7. Pankaj Udhas: Insaanon Ko Neelam Kare
8. Melancholy (Violin by Kunwar Rajendra Singh)
9. Ego Trip (Synthesizer by Ronnie Monsarate)
10. Ecstasy (Guitar by Tabun)
11. Devotional Theme (Dilruba by D.M. Tagore)
12. Rural Flesh Market (Violin by Surendra Singh)
13. Kamla's Theme (Tarshehnai by D.M. Tagore)

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Bappi Lahiri: Pasand Apni Apni (1983)

I didn't plan on this one. I had presumptively pegged 'Pasand Apni Apni' as a dime-a-dozen, bland, mid-80s Bappi Lahiri soundtrack not really worth bothering with. And it was Sharon Prabhakar I was looking for YouTube clips of (having rather liked her on 'Qurbani In English) when I came across 'Ding Dong Ding Dong'. It took me by surprise that I couldn't stop playing it; that wasn't supposed to happen. But it's such a good track; funky, uplifting, and irresistibly infectious. I couldn't get it out of my head.

Additionally, since obtaining the LP, I've found myself humming 'Kiske Pyar Men' quite often. I realize it's a shameless rip-off from Ann Peebles' 'I Can't Stand The Rain', especially as covered by Eruption, but despite me usually being a bit critical of that sort of thing, I've let it pass this time. Simply because the result is lovely.

And it turns out, so is 'Aesa To Socha Na Tha'. I thought I already had all the Bappi Lahiri I needed...

Track listing:
1. Asha Bhosle: Kiske Pyar Men
2. Shailendra Singh, Shakti Thakur & Chorus: Are Woh Dene Wala
3. Asha Bhosle: Aesa To Socha Na Tha
4. Asha Bhosle: Gayi Kahe Ko Main
5. Asha Bhosle & Suresh Wadkar: Tum Jo Mile Ho
6. Sharon Prabhakar & Chorus: Ding Dong Ding Dong

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Bappi Lahiri: Surakksha (1979)

From what I've heard from those in the know, 'Surakksha' is the soundtrack on which Bappi Lahiri went from merely dabbling in disco to being the first Indian music director to fully embrace it. If that's true, 'Tum Jo Bhi Ho' could well be the first real Bollywood disco anthem. It has all the markings: Heavy beats, Giorgio Moroder-esque electro stylings, disco strings, soaring melody, funky bass lines, sexy chorus… and an instrumental counterpart ('Music') featuring two blokes discussing atomic reactors and generators, gunfire, endless explosions, Also sprach Zarathustra, and wordless vocals by (I think) Annette Pinto. Very cool stuff!

Elsewhere on the album, 'Dil Tha Akela Akela' is worth checking out if for nothing else than its blatant Abba lift. It's kind of saccharine, but I rather like it. And I absolutely love 'Mausam Hai Gaane Ka'. A fantastic garage/mutant disco hybrid; heavy on stomping percussion, camp as hell... super infectious fun! I don't know if it's the song or the picturisation, but I can't think of any YouTube video I've watched more than this lately. I actually plan on seeing the entire film at some point; based on reviews it seems just the type of nonsensical z-grade fun I'd be likely to enjoy.

Track listing:
1. Lata Mangeshkar & Bappi Lahiri: Dil Tha Akela Akela
2. Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey & Usha Mangeshkar: Yeh Duniya Hai Usiki Jo Use Jhukat A Hai
3. Music
4. Bappi Lahiri: Mausam Hai Gaane Ka
5. Kishore Kumar: Main Ne Pyar Kiya To Theek Kiya
6. Bappi Lahiri, Dilraj Kaur & Chorus: Tum Jo Bhi Ho

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Bappi Lahiri: Zakhmee (1974)

Three words: 'Nothing Is Impossible'. I'm almost tempted to leave this write-up at that; I reckon it's what Bappi Lahiri was thinking when scoring the centerpiece of 'Zakhmee'. Years before he became the king of cheesy disco, he took Burmanesque cabaret, garage rock and lounge, threw it all into a pot, mashed it up, turned everything inside out, and proceeded to record the resulting crazyness during a wild, drunken party. By the sound of it anyway. The loopiest Bollywood track I know of; it's fabulous!

And it might make it easy to overlook the rest of the album. Which would be a shame, as that means you'd miss out on (and I wouldn't get the chance to post the videos to) great songs like 'Abhi Abhi Thi Dushmani' and 'Jalta Hai Jiya Mera'. So don't.

Track listing:
1. Lata Mangeshkar: Abhi Abhi Thi Dushmani
2. Kishore Kumar, Mohd. Rafi, Bappi Lahiri & Chorus: Nothing Is Impossible
3. Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle: Jalta Hai Jiya Mera
4. Kishore Kumar & Chorus: Dil Men Holi Jal Rahi Hai
5. Lata Mangeshkar & Sushama Shreshta: Aao Tumhen Chand Pe Lejayen

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Bappi Lahiri: College Girl (1977)

One more before the end of the year; a worthwhile if uneven Bappi Lahiri score. It's from before his disco period, yet does contain signs of what was to come - especially noticeable on the title track. Both the synth-line at the beginning and the 'I love you' chorus in the middle are from Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love'; to Bappi's credit though, borrowing bits from the now classic electro anthem was probably still a novel idea in 1977.

'College Girl' is otherwise noteworthy for the 2 tracks sung by the composer himself. 'Please Dear Please' has a frantic conga-driven beat and edgy guitar playing, but is somewhat lacking in melody. His mod-soul/proto-disco take on 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida' (with a touch of 'Wild Thing') however is fab. There are countless reasons for such an undertaking to go wrong, yet amazingly he pulls it off; 'Everybody Dance With Me' is great fun!

Track listing:
1. Bappi Lahiri: Everybody Dance With Me
2. Kishore Kumar: College Girl 'I Love You'
3. Kishore Kumar: Pyar Maanga Hai Tumheen Se
4. Mohd. Rafi: Phoolon Ki Tarah
5. Yesudas & Chandrani Mukerjee: Nahin Chahiye Rang Mahal
6. Bappi Lahiri: Please Dear Please
7. Mahinder Kapoor: Jab Se Bana Hoon Dulha

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Bappi Lahiri: Disco Dancer (1982)

I have a soft spot for 'Jimmy Aaja'. It's quite probable though, that this is due to me liking M.I.A. and having heard her reworking of the song prior to the original. Bappi's is cheesy as hell, but memorable and kind of fun.

Elsewhere... well, 'Disco Dancer' [review] [2] is a bit of a weird one. The music is Bappi Lahiri at his best, or worst, depending on whether or not you like his 80s disco output. I don't, for the most part. Stuff like the oft-lauded title track and 'Yaad Aa Raha Hai' tends to leave me cold. There's also his incessant stealing of other people's songs, which I don't object to in principle, as long as the end result is good and not horrible. His version of The Buggles' 'Video Killed the Radio Star'... I'm not having that, at all.

But then I look at the mind-bogglingly camp YouTube clips, and all the above songs suddenly start to make more sense. Go figure.

Track listing:
1. Vijay & Chorus: I Am A Disco Dancer
2. Parvati Khan: Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja
3. Usha Uthup, Bappi Lahiri & Chorus: Auva Auva Koi Yahan Nache
4. Kishore Kumar & Chorus: Ae Oha Aa Zara Mudke
5. Bappi Lahiri: Yaad Aa Raha Hai
6. Nandu Bhende & Chorus: Krishna Dharti Pe Aaja Too
7. Suresh Wadkar & Usha Mangeshkar: Goron Ki Na Kalon Ki (Happy)
8. Suresh Wadkar: Goron Ki Na Kalon Ki (Sad)

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Bappi Lahiri: Josh (1981)

Same year, same guy, but a lot better than the previous post.

There are loads of reasons to dislike Bappi Lahiri. Like when he shamelessly steals other people's music; a near endless line of tacky rip-offs. But there are reasons to like him as well. Like when he steals other peoples' music, but actually gets it right. Case in point: 'Sab Kuchh To Hai'. Essentially a remake of 'The Sound Of Silence', but for once Bappi brilliantly manages to redefine the source song, turning Simon & Garfunkel's classic into a slow-burning, late night lounge track. It's wonderful. And so are the other two Asha Bhosle numbers here. 'Jeet Lo Haar Ke' is quirky, disjointed disco, 'Sheesha Sharab Shabnam' is more lounge, on a cool jazz tip this time.

Incidently, 'Josh' is the only Bollywood soundtrack album I can think of that features playback singers on the cover instead of movie artwork. It might be an obscure film though...

Track listing:
1. Asha Bhosle: Sheesha Sharab Shabnam
2. Kishore Kumar & Chorus: Jinke Liye Ham
3. Amjad Khan & Deven Varma: Khaat Pe Khatmal
4. Asha Bhosle: Jeet Lo Haar Ke
5. Asha Bhosle: Sab Kuchh To Hai

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Bappi Lahiri: Jyoti (1981)

The soundtrack to 'Jyoti' became something of a cause célèbre a few years ago, when Dr. Dre was sued for 500 million dollars because Truth Hurts' massive hit 'Addictive' had sampled one of its songs. (The irony of such a suit should be apparent to anyone familiar with Bappi Lahiri's reputation). Subsequently, for a few mad months in 2003, it was among the most sought after of Bollywood albums, fetching several hundred bucks a piece on eBay. Which was pretty stupid, seeing as a. it was never hard to find, and b. it's not very good.

The track in question is 'Thoda Resham Lagta Hai'. Which I kind of like, though I suspect that might be due to the Truth Hurts connection (they improved it). It is the best one here, along with 'Angra Leke Prem Jawani Jagire' which has a similar (and thus also sample-worthy, probably) vibe. The rest is either dull, or annoying (one track has oinking!)

Track listing:
1. Kishore Kumar: Chidiya Chon Chon
2. Lata Mangeshkar: Sun Ri Yashoda Maiya
3. Lata Mangeshkar: Thoda Resham Lagta Hai
4. Lata Mangeshkar: Sooni Sej Saja Doon
5. Lata Mangeshkar: Angra Leke Prem Jawani Jagire
6. Title Music
7. Instrumental Music

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