The Magic of SPB - My Humble Tribute

 

September 25, 2020 is a very sad day for me, the day when one of my favourite singers S P Balasubramaniam passed away. I have grown up with his Hindi songs in my school and college days and always marvelled at the soft and melodious manner he rendered every song; his singing has always been flawless. SPB made his mark in the Hindi film music in the eighties, the time when a legend like Kishore Kumar was ruling the music charts, Amit Kumar was singing good songs, and newcomers like Shabbir Kumar and Mohd Aziz had just stepped into the Hindi music scene. SPB has a very riveting voice which is like no other singer, absolutely distinctive, unique and identifiable.

I got hooked to his voice from the time I heard the songs of Ek Duje Ke Liye, Ek Hi Bhool and Yeh To Kamal Ho Gaya. He gave a smooth sensuality to his duet with Asha Bhosle “O Milan” from Tohfa which stands out among the other tracks by Kishore Kumar. Likewise in Saagar, his songs for Kamal Hassan are as spectacular and memorable as the songs that Kishore Kumar has sung for Rishi Kapoor. Very soon thereafter, I got mesmerized by his rendition of the songs of the Rekha starrer Sansar, where the pathos he lends to the title track “Dekhiye ye Sansar Hai” and “Buddha ho gaya ghoda” is just unbelievable, almost like he is himself feeling the pain of the old father being ill-treated by his son, and it brings tears to my eyes everytime I listen to these songs.

Later of course he became the voice of Salman Khan and sang for him in his movies like Maine Pyar Kiya, Jaagruti, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, Love, Saajan, Patthar Ke Phool and Andaz Apna Apna. These songs are known to all of you friends, and need not be picked up and talked about, they are all very good and famous ones. Later on, the songs of Gardish and 100 Days too captured my mind and attention and I wondered the ease with which SPB’s voice suited Jackie Shroff also. The song “Hum Na Samjhe The” is my absolute all-time favourite and my Dad too loved this song. The songs of Vansh also are noteworthy. I feel Lataji has sung some of her best duets with SPB. He truly made every song his own and it always seemed the actor on screen was singing the song. I would buy the audio cassette of movies once I knew that it had his voice in it, as soon as the music would hit the market. I would play these cassettes countless times.

After the mid-90s, he was less heard than earlier, times were changing, the music was changing, non-worthy singers had stepped in who knew the knack of snatching songs by pleading with and pampering music directors’ egos. In such scenario the casualty is always genuine talent like SPB and many of his contemporaries. I wish the Hindi film industry had valued him more, used his voice more than it did, we would have got many more wonderful songs. Entirely our loss !  The last we heard him was in the title track of Chennai Express where he proved that he still sings as well as he sang in his prime days.

Definitely, his legacy will always live on, we will continue to be enthralled by his songs. SPB, we are truly honored to be part of the era when you have sung your best songs for us. We will always remember and listen to your songs.  You will always be with us. Thank You, Sir. God bless you.