If you've been around for longer a week or so, you must have by now come across Rabbi Shergill's rendition of Bulleh Shah's 'Bullah, kee jana mein kaun'. I wrote about the
Rabbi Shergill phenomenon some time back, and while he has since became pretty much inescapable, even back in pakistan (i cant imagine what must be going on accross the border, what with the media circus that envelopes everything) and my little posting became this site's most popular, a random trawling through his album back then didnt return any [other] promising numbers and i just left it at that. One hit wonder was the word that came to mind.
A few weeks ago, on the radio station i love to hate - [See
FM89, Karachi- How cool is too cool?] i heard another one of Rabbi's songs that i instantly took a liking too.
Its called Gill te guitar, and its a story about friendships- its one im sure most of us would be able to relate to. Sung in punjabi, it narrates (the slightly trite) story of all the friends we leave behind and part ways with, but with a fresh flair and gusto. Reminds me of Bruce Springsteen's art of spinning tales in songs (what was that song, glory days?), and this ones put to music with some great guitar riffs in the background that make it all gell together rather well.
The lyrics, for those interested i've put in after jump-but really, its the whole package that just works, and not just these in isolation.
Rabbi Shergill: Gill te guitar.
Ek minute ek minute paaji shuru ton...
1, 2, 3, 4...
ve yaar mere kade sege tin chaar
katthe ched dey si kudiyaan
katthe Khaadi assan maar
Pehlaan Pallaa gaya
phir aeru gaya baar
hun saanga vi dubai
bache gill te guitar
palle te meri kismat si buri
assi firde rahe par na manni koi kudi
bhave kahk si kaj si (?)
sannu si nasha
Kadde hovange kalle
sanu ki pata
ve yaar mere kade sege tin chaar
katthe ched dey si kudiyaan
katthe Khaadi assan maar
Pehlaan Pallaa gaya
phir aeru gaya baar
hun saanga vi dubai
bache gill te guitar
Aeru si lammba main si chotta
main si bahutaan kharab oh zara si thoda
uddon lad ke kai din na assan bolnaa
hun chah ke vi milda na dukh kholna
mileyaa kal ik raahi mainu
kehndaa gal sun meri tu khol kann
jaddon na kujh agge disse
tahiyon bandaa vekhe picche
sanga apna si bandaa tagraa
kade darr na fikar udde nede lagaa
bare din baad kal aaya udda phone si
kehndaa din taan lang jaada ae
par shaam nai
ve yaar mere kade seege tin chaar
katthe ched dey si kudiyaan
katthe Khaadi assan maar
Pehlaan Pallaa gaya
phir aeru gaya baar
hun saanga vi dubai
bache gill te guitar
ve yaar mere
ve yaar mere
ve yaar mere
ve yaar mere
Lyrics shamelessly taken from: http://sameer.ddhd.com/2005/04/gill-te-guitar.html [He has an English translation]