... Of The Beatles In India

I think it wouldn't be stretching a point to say that Indian film music has always been heavily 'inspired' by foreign influences over the years, from right next door to as far off as Korea. Most songs pale in comparison with the originals, for reasons too numerous to go into now. But there are some that approach, or even surpass the brilliance of the originals, although these are rarer than hen's teeth.

We know The Beatles landed in India somewhere 'round 1967-68, stayed a while with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, got in among the Transcendental Meditationists, got disillusioned (Sexie Sadie says it all) and left. But what most don't know is that India had had it's own version of the Fab Four at least four years before the Beatles ever stepped foot there.

Shammi Kapoor was Bollywood's answer to Elvis, even matching the King's percipitious weight gain with an alarming rapidity. He could dance the hell out of any song, and with Rafi's voice almost tailor-made for him (it's a testament to Rafi's greatness that his voice seemed tailor-made for every actor), Shammi defined the swinging '60s for the sub-continent. Films like Dil Deke Dekho, Junglee, Professor and Tumsa Nahi Dekha had solidified his position as India's biggest (no pun intended) star when Beatlemania swept the world.

Bollywood wasn't immune to the worldwide craze, and when the lads from Liverpool recorded this in 1963....


....Bollywood had to respond. And what a way to respond. Barely a year later, in 1964 Jaanwar was released. It starred Shammi Kapoor and Rajshree, it had Rafi and Asha as playback singers with the incomparable music directors Shankar-Jaikishen providing the score. And, it had this ....



A final word of trivia, Shammi Kapoor had played a singing drummer in Baar Baar Dekho and Teesri Manzil, and if we stretch our imagination a little bit, Shammi (here in white) might give us an idea of what the Beatles might have been if they hadn't let go of drummer Pete Best, the "fifth" Beatle....

But then again, maybe not.

Song Of The Week,"I Feel A Change Coming On", Bob Dylan
Movie Of The Week,"Blade Runner, The Final Cut"

....Of A Good Excuse To Sing The Blues

You can't be expected to receive a billion dollars worth of blues records and not be inspired to write a blues song. But there's preconditions to writing the blues. The first thing I'm gonna need is a proper bluesman name, even Bobby Dylan had to call himself "Blind Boy Grunt" when he was in the hollerin' mood. Although my eyes have finally started to give in to the strain, calling myself "Blind Musab" will be a bit premature. Considering the medical degree I oughtta get when my five years in the pen end and the massive paunch that I seem to be destined to carry, I think " Big Doctor Moose" will do fine..... unless I can think of a better one.

So, here goes. In the tradition of Elmore James, Otis Rush and Blind Willie McTell, my first blues song.

"Springtime Blues" by Big Doctor Moose. All rights reserved and so forth...


"The springtime sun was shinin', I was sleepin' in my bed;
Lawd, the springtime sun was shinin' , but I was snoozin' in my bed,
Sunlight streamin' on my pillow, shinin' on my weary head.

When the blues they come to wake me, I was dreamin' of my gal;
When them blues come to wake me, I was dreamin' of my gal,
Walkin' with my pretty baby, by the banks of the ol' canal.

There's a million things goin' on, millions more about to start;
I said there's a million things' a waitin', millions more that I could start,
But these springtime blues have got me, and they're tearin' me apart.

All my friends they ask about me, wonderin' why I don't show up;
All them friends they ask about me, wonderin' when'll I show up,
While I'm runnin' from my blues Lawd, hopin' they never catch up.

I'm gonna lay my weary head on some lonely railroad track;
Friends I'm gonna lay my weary head down on some lonely railroad track,
And if them springtime blues come steamin' up, I'm gonna pull my damn head back !"

Now if only I can get someone to record it.........