Ye Dil Deewana Hai Dil Toh Deewana Hai – Ishq Par Zor Nahi – Doting Ditty

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush
Here we go round the mulberry bush…..on a cold and frosty morning!!
Toddlers not only learn faster when the words are repeated several times but they enjoy the rhythm caused by the repetition and learning becomes fun. Repetition – repeating the same words or phrases several times to stress on the point or to make it memorable. Repetition is used in prose and poetry both. Repetition enhances the effect of the words or phrases on one’s mind. Not only that but it also forms a type of rhythm pattern for fast memorisation. Best example of repetition will be our ancient mantras. Apart from their poetic nature, their rhyme scheme etc, mantras generally have a repetitive pattern.
Similarly the Sanskrit Subhashita have the repetitive pattern. It enhances learning and retaining. Subhashitas are the concise forms of ethical messages or worldly wisdoms brought out in form of verses. They are set in the same meter and have 4 verses usually. Hindi film songs too have some best examples of repetition.
As Anand Bakshi uses these words repeatedly –
Ye dil deewana hai,
Dil toh deewana hai
Deewana dil hai ye,
Dil deewana….
In a concise form he stretches on the idea that he/she is in love and the heart has gone bonkers. A ditty for a doting couple.
What happens when the music is repeated too? Monotonous in music is seen as ordinary or boring. As boring as drinking a glassful of same white milk everyday. But it is rarely that when it comes to S.D.Burman. The above lines are the best example. He has very cleverly repeated the same 4 notes with those repeating phrases. Result – mesmerizing. This duet from Ishq Par Zor Nahin (1970) featuring the very beautiful Sadhana (but her beauty is eclipsed by her thyroid disorder) and the handsome Dharmendra on screen and Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi off it. The song doesn’t have any prelude. It straightaway begins with Lata’s rendition. The light percussion might be the congos along with the maracas. But the rabaab dominates throughout the song, giving the song a Persian/Kashmiri touch. And as the song progresses we are in for more repetitions. Lata begins the song repeating the phrases and her lines in the mukhda end with Aa ha ha….repeat same line….Rafi picks up Aa ha ha…ye dil deewana hai….repeats phrases…..and both repeat aa ha ha together…super example of epimone.
The repetition (both – words and music) itself hypnotizes instead of getting boring. The interlude is filled with clarinet, flute (has to be there!) rabaab and guitar.
Kaisa bedardi hai…..(stretch on that haiiiiiii again feels like a Persian/ Kashmiri song) Note how the notes are on the higher side only in the beginning and the line repeats – Kaisa bedardi hai
Iski toh marzi hai
Jab tak jawani hai
Ye rut suhani hai
Nazarein juda na ho
Armaan khafa na ho
Dilkash baharon mein
Chhupke Chinaron mein (Kashmir reference in the lyrics too)
Yun hi sadaa hum tum
Baithe rahein gumsum
Wo bewafa jo kahe humko jaana hai…
Ye dil…
The entire stanza is repetitive music – wise. All stanzas slide down to Ye dil deewana hai…. Beautifully. The entire song as if cascades stealthily to remain in your ears and capture your mind.
Bechain rehta haiiiii
Bechain rehta hai, chupke se kehta hai
Mujhko dhadakne do shola bhadakne do
Kaanton mein kaliyon mein, saajan ki galiyon mein
Phera lagaane do, chhodo bhi jaane do
Kho toh na jaaunga, main laut aaunga
Dekha suna samajhe acchha bahana hai
Ye dil….

Saavan ke aate hiiii
Saavan ke aate hi, baadal ke chhaate hi
Phoolon ke mausam mein, phoolon ke mausam mein
Chalte hi purvaai, milte hi tanhaai
Uljha ke baaton mein, kehta hai raaton mein
Yaado mein kho jaaun, jaldi se so jaaun
Kyon ke saanwariya ko sapnon mein aana hai
Ye dil….

S.D.Burman always knew how to make monotonous interesting. His song of the 70s was an inspiration to a song 2 decades later from Thevar Magan (1992) composed by none other than another maestro Ilayaraja, which was later blatantly copied by Anu Malik for the Hindi remake Virasat (1997). Everybody might be knowing the story behind this but I’ll share the links.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW9HznWQzoQ&t=5s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0GzhxRhwhc

We might get bored of drinking milk everyday. Same white milk with some added sugar might not sound exciting. But what if we are given a spoonful of condensed milk one day? S.D.Burman does that with music. Monotonous music, minimal music. Never mind. He feeds us with those spoonfuls of creamy, condensed milk!!