As randomly chosen by survey on Mastodon, our next spotlight is on number 711 on The List, submitted by platenworm. (The survey choices given were “In”, “These”, “Golden”, and “Years”, following the earlier survey with “Run”, “For”, “The”, “Shadows”; as the winning selection, “Golden”, was the 3rd choice, the survey result was translated as picking the 3rd album in The List with “golden” in the title.)

This is the first in a set of three compilations of classic Indian film soundtrack songs, as featured in the British TV series Movie Mahal. This TV series, directed and produced by Nasreen Munni Kabir, ran on Sunday mornings from 1987 to 1989 on Channel 4. Movie Mahal focused on classic films from Indian cinema (especially films from the 1950s), highlighting the making of the films, as well as the stars and the fantastic music.

Released in 1990 (and, if Discogs is correct, never reissued), all three volumes of Golden Voices From The Silver Screen seem to only have had physical releases (on both CD and vinyl). However, there’s a Youtube playlist for volume 1 and some downloads swimming around for all three volumes (let me know if you need help finding them). Or, if you’re feeling adventurous and want to find the songs in their natural habitat, below is the tracklisting for volume 1 complete with the name of the playback singer(s), the film names the tracks came from, and links to the full films – at least for Canada, all but one is available in full on Youtube! (Note the years may be a bit off – they’re what is noted in the album, and doesn’t always match what it says elsewhere online.) If you just want a taster, my favorites are “Aplam Chaplam” and “Chahe Koi Mujhe” (which features some delightful “yahoo”ing).

• Asha Bhosle – “Jaadugar Kaatil” (Kohinoor, 1959)
• Lata Mangeshkar & Usha Mangeshkar – “Aplam Chaplam” (Azaad, 1955)
• Mohammed Rafi – “Toote Huwe Khwabon Ne” (Madhumati, 1957)
• Lata Mangeshkar & Geeta Dutt – “Bechain Dil Khoi Si Nazar” (Yahudi, 1958)
• Asha Bhosle – “Dil Cheez Kya Hai” (Umrao Jaan, 1981)
• Mohammed Rafi – “Chahe Koi Mujhe” (Junglee, 1961)
• Lata Mangeshkar – “Sari Sari Raat” (Aji Bus Shukriya, 1958)
• Lata Mangeshkar – “Inhi Lohon Ne” (Pakeezah, 1971)
• Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle, S. D. Batish & Sudha Malhotra – “Na To Karavan Ki Talash Hai” (Barsat Ki Raat, 1960)
• Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey, S. D. Batish & Sudha Malhotra – “Yeh Has Ishq Ishq” (Barsat Ki Raat, 1960)

Happy listening!

• Youtube (playlist): Golden Voices From The Silver Screen Volume 1
• Youtube (CD bonus tracks): bonus 1 and bonus 2
• Discogs: Various – Golden Voices From The Silver Screen Volume 1
• Discogs: Various – Golden Voices From The Silver Screen Volume 2
• Discogs: Various – Golden Voices From The Silver Screen Volume 3
• Bonus: I can’t quite tell if this documentary was an actual episode of the Movie Mahal series or a spin-off, but it seems to have been made by the same people, and looks like a great one to watch for the history of music in Indian cinema.

https://1001otheralbums.com/2024/06/23/golden-voices-from-the-silver-screen-volume-1-1990-india/

#1001OtherAlbums #1950s #1960s #1970s #1980s #AshaBhosle #Bollywood #GeetaDutt #IndianCinema #LataMangeshkar #MannyDey #MohammedRafi #MovieMahal #SDBatish #SudhaMalhotra #UshaMangeshkar