Monday 24 October 2011

Bappi Lahiri: Surakksha (1979)

Surakksha

From what I've heard from those in the know, 'Surakksha' is the soundtrack on which Bappi Lahiri went from merely dabbling in disco to being the first Indian music director to fully embrace it. If that's true, 'Tum Jo Bhi Ho' could well be the first real Bollywood disco anthem. It has all the markings: Heavy beats, Giorgio Moroder-esque electro stylings, disco strings, soaring melody, funky bass lines, sexy chorus… and an instrumental counterpart ('Music') featuring two blokes discussing atomic reactors and generators, gunfire, endless explosions, Also sprach Zarathustra, and wordless vocals by (I think) Annette Pinto. Very cool stuff!

Elsewhere on the album, 'Dil Tha Akela Akela' is worth checking out if for nothing else than its blatant Abba lift. It's kind of saccharine, but I rather like it. And I absolutely love 'Mausam Hai Gaane Ka'. A fantastic garage/mutant disco hybrid; heavy on stomping percussion, camp as hell... super infectious fun! I don't know if it's the song or the picturisation, but I can't think of any YouTube video I've watched more than this lately. I actually plan on seeing the entire film at some point; based on reviews it seems just the type of nonsensical z-grade fun I'd be likely to enjoy.

Track listing:
1. Lata Mangeshkar & Bappi Lahiri: Dil Tha Akela Akela
2. Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey & Usha Mangeshkar: Yeh Duniya Hai Usiki Jo Use Jhukat A Hai
3. Music
4. Bappi Lahiri: Mausam Hai Gaane Ka
5. Kishore Kumar: Main Ne Pyar Kiya To Theek Kiya
6. Bappi Lahiri, Dilraj Kaur & Chorus: Tum Jo Bhi Ho

10 comments:

  1. Finally! Awesome :)
    Thanks a lot!

    Harshi

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  2. Oh I missed out on your part about watching the movie. I don wanna give you spoilers BUT get ready for the worst special effects ever. None of the scenes are weaved together and oh yeah a stupid fight to just run the clock forward. Its a Hindi movie after all. They cannot release under 160 mins+ of a movie. Have fun. I recommend you drinkin few beers while your at it. Jow! Have fun ;)

    Harshi

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  3. Oh, I'm fully aware of the film's production values - that's part of the attraction. And it's actually only 135 mins. long, the DVD I have anyway.

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  4. Thanks PC for sharing this soundtrack.

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  5. Surakksha is a treasure, of sorts :)

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  6. PC IS BACK!!!!! Awesome...

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  7. Thanks for this one, and for all the other LPs !

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