The Musical Power of 70s, 80s and 90s: Deepesh Salgia

EE News Desk Feb 28, 2020

The relationship between Hindi films and its songs has always been very symbiotic. There are many films that are remembered only because of their popular songs. Similarly, films, by providing the right launch platform, have not only made songs extremely popular but have also ensured that the current generation remembers musical works that were created several decades ago. How many songs from 50s and 60s would the current young generation in America remember (in America, songs do not have film as their launch)?

Besides films, what has also made music popular is the alternate channels that have made music reach the audiences. Radio was the dominant channel during 50s and 60s. The contribution of Radio Ceylon and Binaca Geetmala in popularising Hindi film Music can never be undermined. And this even made Govt of India launch its entertainment broadcasting radio channel - Vividh Bharti.

Then, there were also those who did not want to listen to broadcasted songs but wanted “choice-based listening”. For them, gramophone provided that unique channel. However, owing to high costs, “choice-based listening” during 50s/60s largely remained only a connoisseur’s option. The huge popularity of radio programs likeaap ki farmaaish, aap ki pasand, aap hi ke geet etc. is the harbinger of the high demand of choice-based listening then.

However, the big boost to choice-based listening came with the affordability of music cassettes and cassette players in 70s. A middle-class family could then again and again listen to songs that the family members loved. They did not have to wait for the next time the radio channels would broadcast their favourite song. This was a revolution.

Soon small restaurants, pandals, picnic functions, family gatherings all would play choice-based music that was easily affordable and accessible. While the listening was choice-based but it was still with a group. This is very important because it is this phenomenon that has made the era of 70s, 80s and 90s a unique cusp. When someone would play the cassette player at home, everyone in the family would listen to the same song. If a hostel mate would play a song, everyone in the wing had the option of gyrating to it. So the song that one would play in his cassette player would not only depend on his choice but also on the preference of family members and friends. Hence, popular melodies would dominate individual choices at home and even at music played at restaurants, public functions, private gatherings etc. So in 70s/80s/90s, wherever you went, you would hear the same popular melodies. This phenomenon made these melodies a big rage across generations. Kids, young people, elderly generation – all would feel energy flowing within them whenever these powerful songs were played.

A few of such these powerful songs are :

Khaee ke paan banaras wala…( Don 1978 )

As India saw huge migration of job-seeking youth from villages to cities, the rural backdrop that had dominated Indian cinema in 50s/60s got urbanised in 70s. This song depicted the urban version of the extremely popular rural numberNain lad gayi hai toh (Gunga Jumna - 1961)

Aap Jaisa Koi ( Qurbaani 1980 )

It would not surprise many if I tell that this song proclaimed the arrival of the disco era. But what would today definitely surprise many is that this rage song that dominated every function, every gathering, was sung by a Pakistani?

Om Shanti Om (Karz, 1980)

If Aap Jaisa Koi was about the disco culture, Om Shanti Om represented the Indian pop culture. If AJK was a short song, OSO was a truly long song with lyrics that everyone would love the memorise.

Ek Do teen (Tezaab, 1988)

This song’s popularity brought young Madhuri Dixit and the debutant film producer Dinesh Gandhi to the centre stage. This song is also remembered for teaching many to count upto 30 in Hindi.

Didi Tera Devar (Hum Aapke Hain Kuan, 1994)

The song echoed the arrival of sangeet culture in Indian weddings and also opened the doors for backless cholis in India middle class. Those days, in every marriage function, one would at least one girl wearing the Madhuri Dixit dress.

In the new millennium walkmans, ipods and digital platforms dominated the channels. Radio listening shifted from living rooms to cars. With technological developments, choice-based listening became more matured. As playlist arrived, choice became more “personal” and listening more “private”. Roommates in hostel would listen to different songs at the same time, as ‘common choice’ gave way to the technologically superior ‘personal choice’. Even when music is played on a friend’s recommendation on social media, the two friends do not enjoy the same music at the same time. So common celebration around music has waned. The power of music in binding and connecting friends/families/neighbours/hostelmates has started fading.

With this weakening of power, few songs today can reach the popularity and the mass impact of those powerful songs from 70s/80s/90s. While the film and the musical content of 70s/80/s90s were not as rich as those of 50s/60s but it was an era when music offered the rare combination of choice as well as of community connect. I still remember how my school friend would shake his body as he would hearKhaee ke paan…or the change in facial glow of my college friends as they would gyrate like Anil Kapur whenEk Do teen….was played.

Missing that powerful era where using technology had developed the power to connect humans to art but was not powerful enough to separate humans.