My fingers quiver as I type this… We think that we understand the concept of death… Its ubiquity, certainty and finality… Till it comes knocking for someone we love and respect… Someone, who may not even know us, but is an inextricable part of our life. SPB was… is one such voice… Today, when the news of his passing away started trickling in, it brought with it waves after waves of memories… of songs… of instances from my life associated with that song… Everything came crashing down…
It is impossible to summarize a career of 50+ years and over
40,000 songs with a “Best of …” listicle. So, I won’t even try. This list
comprises songs that impacted me at a personal level. Just that. Not the best.
Not the most famous. Just the ones that really impacted me.
1. Hum Bane Tum Bane Ek Duuje Ke Liye (Ek Duuje Ke Liye): As a Tamilian growing up in Gujarat. I could really relate to "I don't know what you say!"… This was a heartbreaking movie… A movie so good that I could never really manage to see this movie in its entirety since my adolescence.
2. Sach Mere Yaar Hai (Saagar): It is difficult to give voice to the expressions of Kamal Hassan in this melancholic song in the midst of a party. And SP did it beautifully. SPB was the voice for Kamal, Rajinikanth as well as Salman Khan for some of the best songs of their careers. Such versatility.
3. Hum Na Samjhe The (Gardish): One of an underrated gem of a song from an underrated movie. SP gave so much soul to these brilliant words by Javed saab. The way he wrenches out the pain of a son reminiscing his childhood is truly mesmerising.
4. Mandram Vantha (Mouna Ragam): The only Tamil song in this list, but the most personal for me. As a newly minted father, I was clueless about what to do when you have a crying child in your arms.. how to put her to pacify her or put her to sleep... They say that we always resort to our mother tongue when we are most vulnerable… So despite knowing so many lullabies in Hindi, I resorted to the only Tamil song I knew.. the way it starts is magical… and it struck a chord with this one-week old in my hands as well... she still recognizes this tune and calms down, when I sing this song… after 4 years…
5. Tere Mere Beech Me (again, Ek Duuje Ke Liye): Not one of my all-time favourites... but a song that I relate to today…
