The movie is “Jaane Anjaane”( 1971). This movie was more “anjaane “(unknown) than “jaane”(known) even in those days, not to speak of today as this movie had flopped at the box`office. The movie had an over the hill Shammi Kapoor and a young Leena Chandavarkar in the lead roles.

Movie failed, but what songs this movie had ! Especially the song under discussion.

“Chham chham baaje re paayaliya” is a semi classical song,and it is a kind of song that lay public would stay away from. But listening to this song turns out to be such a pleasant experience. First of all, the lyrics are so easy to understand. The first line “chham chham baaje re paayaliya” is the most important line, and other lines are tied to it. Lines preceding it needed to have words rhyming with “paayaliya” and the lyricist S H Bihari came up with words like “gagariya”, “dagariya”, “badariya” and “nagariya” . Great rhyming words he came up with !

The music is appropriately semi classical, and is so pleasant to listen to.

And what about the voice of Manna Dey ? Divine!

He has sung quite a few memorable songs like this in his career, and this song has to be among his very best. The singing is just sensational. I have just listened to this song a few times, and evey time I have been left spellbound.

Picturisation of this song shows Shammi Kapoor in disguise posing as a musician in a stage ( like Raj Kapoor in “Dil Hi to Hai” ). Even in that “Dil hi to hai” stage song, it was Manna Dey, who had sung another memorable song viz “laaga chunri me daag chupaaun kaise”.

Here Leena Chandawarkar and others dance to the song sung by Shammi Kapoor. Leena Chandawarkar may not have been a trained dancer ( unlike say Hema Malini etc) and I am not sure how good her dancing is, but the picturisation in any case was meant for lay public and the picturisation is colourful enough.

In summary, listening (and watching) to this song is a sublime experience.

Song-Chham chham baaje re paayaliya (Jaane Anjaane 1971) Singer-Manna Dey, Lyrics-S H Bihari, MD-Shankar Jaikishan

Lyrics

aaaa

chham-chham baaje re paayaliyaa
chham-chham baaje re paayaliyaa
raah chalat lachke panihaari
raah chalat lachke panihaari
chhalke gagariyaa
chham chham baaje re paayaliyaa
haa chham-chham baaje re paayaliyaa…

gore badan par bheegi saari
bheegi saari
gore badan par bheegi saari
aur lage sundar ye naari
gore badan par bheegi saari
aur lage sundar ye naari
moti ban-ban tapke paani
moti ban-ban tapke paani
bheegat jaaye dagariyaa
chham chham baaje re paayaliyaa
chham chham baaje re paayaliyaa …

Chandramukhi jab lat bikhraaye
Chandramukhi jab lat bikhraaye
jag saaraa ye dhokhaa khaaye
Chandramukhi jab lat bikhraaye
jag saaraa ye dhokhaa khaaye
koyi kahe lo saawan aayaa
koyi kahe lo saawan aayaa
aayi kaari badariyaa
chham chham baaje re paayaliyaa
aaa chham chham baaje re paayaliyaa …

mukhde par aanchal malmal kaa
mukhde par aanchal malmal kaa
yaa koyi khiltaa phool kamal kaa
mukhde par aanchal malmal kaa
yaa koyi khiltaa phool kamal kaa
aayi na jaane kaun nagar se
aayi na jaane kaun nagar se
jaaye kaun nagariyaa
chham chham baaje re paayaliyaa
chham chham baaje re paayaliyaa
raah chalat lachke panihaari
raah chalat lachke panihaari
chhalke gagariyaa
chham chham baaje re paayaliyaa