Hindi film songs with some English

Posted on Trivia – The Spice of Life on 15/11/2023

Our fascination and sometimes obsession with the Queen’s Tongue is reflected in our film music too. While the British left India, the English language did not. I am by no means debating the importance or otherwise of English in this post. This post is just about a few film songs with a smattering of English.

Have you noticed how English is the language for addressing one another, tendering apologies, wishing one another or even professing one’s love in our film songs especially of the golden era? The words sorry, hello, madam, mister, bye bye, good morning, good night and of course I love you are uttered quite generously! This is true for both songs and dialogues. But beyond a phrase or two in English, one will not find entire stanzas or long dialogues in English unlike the present day songs where there is too much of a mish-mash.

Our allure of English can of course be attributed to our colonial legacy and in some cases colonial hangover. There are also quite a few songs where there is a clash of cultures depicted with language becoming one of the bones of contention. In fact there is a very interesting song from Sanwaria(1949) – Chale Gaye Angez English Gaana Nahin Achha, which says that everything English must be denounced as we have broken the shackles of British rule. On the other hand, there is also a song from Basant (1960) where the lady says that the man is trying to impress her with his English git pit.

It is also interesting how when the westernized man is depicted in the golden era, the ensemble is very often that of Charlie Chaplin whose silent movies were as rage even in India. Be it Mumtaz Ali (in Shehnai, 1947) or his son Mehmood (in Aulaad, 1968) or even Nanda dressed up as a modern English bred man (in Dulhan, 1958). Raj Kapoor also fashioned himself after Charlie Chaplin in his movies which spoke of the struggles of the poor and the downtrodden.

So, here’s my list of songs where I have ensured that there is at least a phrase of English. Songs with a word or two of English, here and there have been excluded.

1) All Line Clear – Chori Chori (1956) – Hasrat Jaipuri – Shankar Jaikishan – Md.Rafi. This light hearted song from Chori Chori is almost a clarion call to the family to march ahead in true military style. The song is tastefully picturised with Johnny Walker and his family marching along. The rotund wife who is in tow becomes the object of some ridicule. The phrase All Line Clear rings through out the song. Rafi sings it beautifully trilling his Rs in clear…..rr… He also pronounces it as celear instead of ‘clear’ to make it sound very apt for the character he is singing.

2) Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu – Howrah Bridge (1958) – Qamar Jalalbadi – O.P.Nayyar – Geeta Dutt. This foot tapping number accompanied by some spirited dancing by a young and beautiful Helen dressed as a Chinese damsel is a pleasure to watch. Sung in a club set up, with Ashok Kumar and K.N.Singh puffing away, Helen sings Hello Mr., how do you do? Like I said at the beginning of the post, salutations in many a Hindi song are in English for some strange reason. The costumes are also changed to suit the lyrics of the song. Notice how the sailors appear as soon as the words Sindbad the Sailor are sung. O.P.Nayyar excels in this song. Qamar Jalalabadi’s lyrics are spot on.

3) Aana Meri Jaan Sunday Ke Sunday – Shehnai (1947) – P.L.Santoshi – C.Ramchandra – C.Ramchandra, Meena Kapoor & Shamshad Begum. This lovely stage song with some fusion music and lyrics where English has been used quite liberally showcases a clash of cultures. Mumtaz Ali dressed in Charlie Chaplin style is of course barking up the wrong tree till he finds his match in Rehana who is as westernized as him. So she sings – O dear, come here, don’t fear. The female voices in the audio and video versions are different.

4) Maine Kaha Miss – Mitti Mein Sona (1960) – Raja Mehdi Ali Khan – O.P.Nayyar – Md. Rafi & Asha Bhosle. It is rather unfortunate that the video of the movie as well as the song is not available for viewing. It would have been a lovely song to watch. From the lyrics and the mood of the song, it does not appear to have been shot on the lead pair – Mala Sinha and Pradeep Kumar. Rafi sings – Maine kaha Miss, what is this? There are quite a few English words used in the song.

5) Gaana Na Aaya – Miss Mary (1957) – Rajinder Krishan – Hemant Kumar – Kishore Kumar. One of the ways in which English features in many a Hindi song is as a line or two of a nursery rhyme. In this mad song from Miss Mary, Kishore Kumar sings lines from the nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice. If there is someone who can sing songs of this genre which are complete entertainers with little rationale, it is Kishore Kumar. Hemant Kumar’s music also matches the madness of the song. The lyrics too are pretty desultory. But altogether, the song is a wonderful piece of musical comedy, if one may call it so.

Kaash ki main jaa saktaa London, hello sir, how are you? haha
seekh ke aataa wahaanse violin
hmmm hmmm
 hmmm hmmm
three blind mice, three blind mice
see how they run, see how they run...

6) Ek Din Tum Bahut Bade Banoge – Akhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se (1978) – Ravindra Jain – Ravindra Jian – Hemlata & Shailendra Singh. This song is set in college with the young couple romancing. The song is of course a part of their common daydreaming exercise of what the future holds for them. Ravindra Jain who is both the lyricist and music director, incorporates some English into the song in the form of questions and answers like – Will you forget me then? How I can, tell me how I can. Also, how I can would sound better as how can I but for the sake of the rhyme scheme, there is some liberty taken with English grammar. Though the English diction could have been better, the song is great to listen to. This innocent love story ends on a tragic note though. The movie has some lovely music, courtesy Ravindra Jain.

Ek din
tum bahut bade banoge ek din
chaand se chamak uthhoge ek din
will you forget me then?
how I can
, tell me how I can

7) Hum Tum Jise Kehta Hain Shaadi – Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) – Shailendra – S.D.Burman – Md. Rafi. If there was one singer, whose style of singing matched perfectly for Johnny Walker, it was Md.Rafi. It is difficult to think of one without the other. In a morose movie filled with poignant songs, is hidden this Johnny Walker song sung by Rafi which warns men against marriage. Getting married would only led to disaster, is what he feels. Sung in a club, there is some English in the song to begin with followed by Hindi but the mind you continues now and then.

O Peter O brother Harry
O Valla O Mister (B?)erry
Mr. Iyer, are you there?...

8) Pyaara Pyaara Hai Sama – Kamal (1949) – Raja Mehdi Ali Khan – S.D.Burman – Meena Kapoor & Motilal (?). Sung almost in the same vein as Sunday Ke Sunday, in this song, the lady is asking her beloved to come to her: My Dear, Come to me! Both of them are game for some innocent banter and fun. There are some light hearted threats too. It is a pity that the video of the song is not available.

Preet Nagar ka king hai tu
main preet nagar ki queen
tum na aayi to
pi loonga tincture iodine
this is very very very bad
my heart is very sad

9) I Love You O Madam – Dulhan (1958) – S.H.Bihari – Ravi – Geeta Dutt & Asha Bhosle. This jovial song features Nanda and Nirupa Roy. Nanda is dressed as an English man (Charlie Chaplin style) whereas Nirupa Roy is the Bhartiya naari. As the man professes his love for the woman in English – I Love You, O Madam – the lady ignores these overtures realising that there is little in common between them.

I love you, o madam
aise machalte jaao naa
tumko meri kasam
O Mister, O Mister
 baatein banaao kam
aise tumhaare pyaar se to
naak mein hai dam

Tu gaaye Angrezi gaanaa
main Bhaarat ki naar re
tera mera mel nahin
to kaise hogaa pyaar re
mujhko na bhaaye teri tarararum

10) Aao Tumhe Chaand Pe Le Jaaye – Zakhmee (1975) – Gauhar Kanpuri – Bappi Lahiri – Lata Mangeshkar & Sushma Shrestha(?). This is a Hindi song where an Indian version of a popular Christmas song has been incorporated. The song begins with Jingle Bells that Lata Mangeshkar sings and another voice singing for the girl on screen joins in. I do not find the manner in which Lata sings English very impressive but then English was not the language she ever sang in.

Jingle bells jingle bells
jingle all the way
Santa Claus is coming along
riding on a sledge

This brings me to the end of the list. Which songs, especially of the golden era, can you think of which would fit here?

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