Basic Songs-e Phire Jan

Other Singers

Virtually every well-known singer of Bengal (some also from outside Bengal) in the '50s to the '80s recorded for Salil. Some recorded just a couple of songs and others a few more. But each singer and each song was unique. Singers like Utpala Sen, Pintu Bhattyacharya, Protima Bandyopadhaya etc will always be remembered for those exquisite Salil songs they recorded. Salil had this wonderful gift of composing just the right type of song for a singer. The song would just fit the singer's voice and his or her personality. Just listen to Manobendra Mukhopadhaya's 'Aami paarini bujhite paarini'. Just suits his style, doesn't it ? Salil even wrote songs for the then famous and handsome film actor Biswajeet. In stead of dedicating one page to each singer I have tried to list them together in one page. This does not, in any way, show disrespect to the singers nor does it make these songs less important. In fact some of Salil's best compositions are here.

Salil's first record released as a lyricist and a composer contained the first two songs listed here. He composed them for IPTA and sings them as well!

ID	Shilpi (Singer)	Ganer Shironam (Song Title)	Bochor	Cross-Ref
OS1	Utpala Sen	Amaar kichhu moner aasha	1953	Hnd: EK5
OS2	Utpala Sen	Prantarero gaan amaar	1953	Hnd: CD5
OS3	Hiralal Sarkhel	Brishti parey tapur tupur	1954	-
OS4	Bani Ghosal	Iskaboner deshey	1954	Bng: AN11
OS5	Bani Ghosal	Teler shishi bhaanglo boley	1954	Bng: AN12
OS6	Protima Bandyopadhaay	Ghoom aay re aay	1955	Hnd: DZ4
OS7	Protima Bandyopadhaay	Naao gaan bhorey	1955	Bng: SC45
OS8	Sachin Gupta	Ebaar aami amaar thekey	1961	Bng: LM24
OS9	Sachin Gupta	Jaani naa jaani naa	1961	Hnd: HM6 Bng: SS5
OS10	Manobendra Mukhopadhaya	Jodi jaante, O tumi jaante	1962	-
OS11	Manobendra Mukhopadhaya	Aami paarini bujhite paarini	1962	Hnd: CS4
OS12	Jatileshwar Mukhopadhaya	Paagol hawaa	1962	Hnd: CB2 Bng: SS10
OS13	Jatileshwar Mukhopadhaya	Aamaar e jibone sudhu	1962	-
OS14	Bishnupada Das	Bhaangaa gharey o baroshaa	1962	Hnd: JR1 Bng: SB56
OS15	Bishnupada Das	Mon moyur ponkhi	1962	Bng: SB3
OS16	Nirmala Misra	E mon more jaani na	1963	Hnd: PP5
OS17	Nirmala Misra	Aamaar e bedon maajhe	1963	Hnd: PP3
OS18	Krishna Chattopadhaya	Gun gun gun gun mon bhromoraa	1963	Hnd: JH3
OS19	Krishna Chattopadhaya	Kaachhey thekey bhuley gachhey	1963	-
OS20	Dhananjoy Bhattyacharya	Antabiheen Ei andha raater sesh	1963	Hnd: PK3
OS21	Dhananjoy Bhattyacharya	Jhanana jhanana	1963	Hnd: CS2
OS22	Nirmalendu Choudhury	Sunayoni, Sunayoni aar e pathey	1967	Hnd: JJ2
OS23	Nirmalendu Choudhury	Haay haay ki herilaam	1967	Mal: CM4
OS24	Chandrani Mukhopadhaya	Jaay jodi jaak na	1967	-
OS25	Chandrani Mukhopadhaya	Jomuna dhire dhire baho na	1967	-
OS26	Biswajeet	Jhar jhar more	1967	-
OS27	Biswajeet	Jhir jhir jhir jhir jhare	1967	-
OS28	Biswajeet	Jaay jaay din	1969	Tam: AK3
OS29	Biswajeet	Baaje jhanana jhanan	1969	Kan: SL3
OS30	Mukesh	Jhunjhun moinaa naacho na	1968	-
OS31	Mukesh	Mon maataal saanjh sakaal	1968	Hnd: MT1 Mal: OB28 Bng: OS65
OS32	Manas Mukherjee	Shudhu tomaari jonney	1969/70	Hnd: ND2 Bng: OS62/SC15/JB1/MW15
OS33	Manas Mukherjee	Champaaboti ogo kanyaa	1969/70	Hnd: AN5 Kan: SL4 Bng: LM29
OS34	Tarun Bandyopadhaya	Eso kaachhe boso	1971	-
OS35	Tarun Bandyopadhaya	Aar deri nei aami aashchhi	1971	Mal: SW3 Oth: OB26
OS36	Pintu Bhattyacharya	Aami cholte cholte theme gechhi	1972	Hnd: RJ1 Mal: CM1 Bng: OS66/LM30
OS37	Pintu Bhattyacharya	Ogo amaar kuntalini priye	1972	Hnd: AD3
OS38	Anup Ghosal	Emni chirodin to kobhu jaayna	1973	Hnd: JY1
OS39	Anup Ghosal	Haay phaguno din	1973	Mal: TV2 Oth: OB5
OS40	Ranu Mukhopadhaya	Aakaash kusum diye aami	1976	Mal: TS3 Bng: AN22
OS41	Ranu Mukhopadhaya	Kuheli raat aka aka	1976	-
OS42	Usha Mangeshkar	Doore prantore	1976	Hnd: DD3 Mal: MS2 Tam: PV2 Kan: AP1
OS43	Usha Mangeshkar	Jaa jaa re gaaner paakhi jaare	1976	Hnd: MP2 Bng: AS14/SC57
OS44	Usha Mangeshkar	Bolo ki kore bojhaai	1977	Hnd: KU2 Hnd: DD1 Mal: MS4 Tam: PV1 Kan: AP2
OS45	Usha Mangeshkar	O phooler dal	1977	Hnd: DD2 Mal: MD1/MS6 Tam: PV3 Kan: AP3
OS46	Salil Chowdhury	Ei roko prithibeer gaarita thamaao	1978	Hnd: RN4
OS47	Pankaj Mitra	Aar deri noy	1978	Mal: EG4 Bng: SK8
OS48	Pankaj Mitra	O bhaai re bhaai	1978	-
OS49	Sagar Sen	Ki holo chaand kano	1980	-
OS50	Sagar Sen	Ei jibon emni korey	1980	-
OS51	Banashree Sengupta	Kano mon kamon kamon	1982	-
OS52	Banashree Sengupta	Ei to pher elaam	1982	-
OS53	Banashree Sengupta	Akbaar duibaar	1982	-
OS54	Banashree Sengupta	Mon mon mon thakataai jantrona	1982	-
OS55	Kartik and Basanta	Swaraswatee nodi tirey	1982	-
OS56	Kartik and Basanta	Naam taar mollikaa	1982	Hnd: HT1
OS57	Kartik and Basanta	Taalpukurey aagoon legey	1982	-
OS58	Kartik and Basanta	Ohe nandalaal	1982	-
OS59	Sunanda Mukherjee	Chole je jaay din	1982	Hnd: AN4 Bng: MW13/AS22
OS60	Sunanda Mukherjee	Ei Jibon	1982	Hnd: ND1
OS61	Suparna Guha	Aar naa, e bhaabe bhirur moto	1982	Bng: HS10
OS62	Suparna Guha	Jodi sabaar jonnei	1982	Hnd: ND2 Bng: OS32/SC15/JB1/MW16
OS63	Gautam Dasgupta	Swadeshey bideshey	1983	Hnd: MM1
OS64	Gautam Dasgupta	Jodi na aastey bhaalobaastey	1983	Hnd: MM6 Bng: JB4
OS65	Gautam Dasgupta	Ei pather sesh kothaay	1983	Hnd: MT1 Bng: OS31
OS66	Gautam Dasgupta	Kotobaar chhondo bodlaabey	1983	Mal: OB27 Bng: OS36/LM30/CM1
OS67	Usha Utthup	Ei haashi ei gaan	1995	Hnd: HT5
OS68	Usha Utthup	O maajhi bhaiyo	1995	Bng: HM5

Musical Reflections & Anecdotes

The song 'Prantarero gaan amaar', made immortal by Utpala Sen, was originally recorded by Kanika Banerjee, the famous Rabindrasangeet singer. However, as Salil writes in his book 'Jibon Ujjibon', Biswa Bharoti didn't allow Kanika to sing non-Rabindrasangeet, resulting in her record never being released. Utpala Sen recorded it later, though rumor has it Kanika's original recording still exists somewhere.

It is also interesting to note that Salil worked with Biswajeet, the debonair Bengali actor, recording four songs with him. Biswajeet had been singing since the early '60s and even established himself in Bombay cinema. Similarly, Usha Uthup brought a unique energy to Salil's compositions, particularly her spirited rendition of the Hemanta classic 'O maajhi bhaiyo'.

During Salil's first visit to the United States in the early '80s, he collaborated with Gautam Dasgupta, a Columbia University Professor and great Salil admirer. The album, released under the CBS label in 1983, featured new lyrics for well-known melodies. This was the same era as the privately produced 'Uttaran' album, now a prized collector's item. Simultaneously, Salil recorded an EP (#OS59 to #OS62) that included the new composition 'Aar naa, e bhaabe bhirur moto', where Salil himself sang alongside Suparna Guha.