Sar jo tera chakraye

Sar jo tera chakraye ya dil dooba jaye
Aaja pyaare paas humare
Kaahe ghabaraye kaahe ghabaraye
Sar jo tera chakaraye ya dil dooba jaye
Aaja pyaare paas humare
Kaahe ghabaraye kaahe ghabaraye

Tel mera hain muski ganjh rahe na khuski
Jiske sar par haath phira dun chamke kismat uski
Tel mera hain muski ganjh rahe na khuski
Jiske sar par haath phira dun chamke kismat uski
Sunn sunn sunn, arre beta sunn, Iss champi mein bade bade gunn
Sunn sunn sunn, arre beta sunn, Iss champi mein bade bade gunn
Lakh duhkhon ki ek dawa hain, kyon na aajmaye
Kaahe ghabaraye kaahe ghabaraye

Sar jo tera chakraye ya dil dooba jaye
Aaja pyaare paas humare
Kaahe ghabaraye kaahe ghabaraye

Pyaar ka howe jhagda, ya biznus ka ho ragda
Sab lafdon ka bojh hatey jab padey haath ek tagda
Pyaar ka howe jhagda, ya biznus ka ho ragda
Sab lafdon ka bojh hatey jab padey haath ek tagda
Sunn sunn sunn, arre babu sunn, Iss champi mein bade bade gunn
Sunn sunn sunn, arre babu sunn, Iss champi mein bade bade gunn
Lakh duhkhon ki ek dawa hain, kyon na aajmaye
Kaahe ghabaraye kaahe ghabaraye

Sar jo tera chakraye ya dil dooba jaye
Aaja pyaare paas humare
Kaahe ghabaraye kaahe ghabaraye

Naukar ho ya maalik, leader ho ya public
Apne aage sabhi jhukey hain kya raaja kya sainik
Naukar ho ya maalik, leader ho ya public
Apne aage sabhi jhukey hain kya raaja kya sainik
Sunn sunn sunn, arre raja sunn, Iss champi mein bade bade gunn
Sunn sunn sunn, arre raja sunn, Iss champi mein bade bade gunn
Lakh duhkhon ki ek dawa hain, kyon na aajmaye
Kaahe ghabaraye kaahe ghabaraye

Sar jo tera chakraye ya dil dooba jaye
Aaja pyaare paas humare
Kaahe ghabaraye

Movie: Pyaasa (1957)
Director: Guru Dutt
Singer: Mohammad Rafi
Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi
Music Composer: S. D. Burman

Once we’d decided on the comedy theme, I wanted to feature different singers. So, after Kishore Kumar, I zeroed in on Mohammad Rafi. There are probably funnier songs of his to feature but this one always makes me smile. One reason is Rafi; I can listen to this song just to hear him sing ‘ghabraaye’! What a lovely voice he has and how beautifully he modulates it. 

Then, there’s Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi whom many of us know only as Johnny Walker. A bus conductor who became a fixture in the films of the 1950s and 1960s, Johnny Walker was a great actor and a wonderful comedian. In fact, songs like this one were written especially for him, such was his crowd appeal. And he renders this (likely) anthem of the Mumbai malishwallahs with aplomb.

The music is another delightful element. Apparently S D Burman was persuaded to take inspiration from an English film and although reluctant to do so, he did it so skillfully that the maker of the original didn’t recognize the tune. The final product is such a foot-tapping beat that it brings a smile to the face. And the lyrics—Sahir Ludhianvi being playful is so precious. The cure for all ills, from dizziness to depression, baldness to dandruff, tension to love troubles, in a bottle of oil!

Finally, there are the associations, of the malishwallahs on Mumbai’s beaches, sitting down at mum’s feet to have oil massaged onto your scalp, the coolness of the oil on your burning head on a hot summer day… Ok, so it’s not riotous comedy, but it’s sweet and fun. So, enjoy! ~ R