Musical Shades Of An Evening – Songs Describing An Evening

By Deepa | February 27, 2018

AEfnung – an old English word which means dusk falling or time around sunset, which eventually became Evening!! Evening – the time between daytime and night. In other words twilight, dusk, nightfall or even sunset. What images conjure up in your mind when you say evening? A peaceful atmosphere, tranquility, serenity, the restful surroundings. Chirping of some insects, birds going back to their nests, the sky bursting into different shades of blue and orange. In fact, William Wordsworth describes it in one of his sonnets as thus –
It is a beauteous evening, calm and free,
The holy time is quiet as a Nun
Breathless with adoration; the broad sun
Is sinking down in its tranquillity;
The gentleness of heaven broods o’er the Sea:
Listen! the mighty Being is awake,
And doth with his eternal motion make
A sound like thunder–everlastingly.
Dear Child! dear Girl! that walkest with me here,
If thou appear untouched by solemn thought,
Thy nature is not therefore less divine:
Thou liest in Abraham’s bosom all the year;
And worship’st at the Temple’s inner shrine,
God being with thee when we know it not.

A simple walk on the beach and getting one with nature. Evenings often are also connected with romance. Our poets have described evenings in all their splendour. An evening which usually is a meeting point for the lovers. To exchange their feelings for each other. Evenings are also associated with contemplation. Those who are lonely or choose to be lonely, have evenings as their friend and ponder on the thoughts sitting during these lonesome evenings. Evenings are also associated with celebrations. Be it weddings, parties, get togethers, it is the evening which bring in all pomp and show into the celebration increasing its style quotient. For some evenings also connect with God. The tranquility in the atmosphere enhances one’s feelings. Which Hindi film song comes to your mind when you think about evenings or any one evening in particular? What memories to do you have associated with evenings?

Here are a few songs which show us many sides or musical shades of an evening –

1. Saanjh ki bela – Jwar Bhata (1944) – Composed by Anil Biswas, rendered by Arun Kumar, it describes a melancholy evening.

2. Shaam-e-gham ki qasam – Footpath (1953) – The feeling lonely shade of the evening. Rendered by Talat Mahmood, composed by Khayyam.

3. Saanjh dhali dil ki lagi – Kala Bazaar (1960) – The flirtatious evening!! Rendered by Asha Bhonsle and Manna Dey, composed by S D Burman.

4. Yeh shaam ki tanhaiyaan – Aah (1953) – The forlorn evenings. Rendered by Lata Mangeshkar, composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2jsjAiXbZ8

5. Parbaton ke peedon par – Shagoon (1964) – Composed by Khayyam, rendered by Suman Kalyanpur and Mohammed Rafi, the song gives away all that is romantic in the evening.

6. Woh shaam kuch ajeeb thi – Khamoshi (1969) – The mysterious evening. Music by Hemant Kumar, rendered by Kishore Kumar.

7. Kahin duur jab din dhal jaaye – Anand (1971) – An evening of nostalgia. Bringing the memories of your loved one. Rendered by Mukesh, composed by Salil Chowdhury.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmYT79bYIQw

8. Yeh shaam mastani – Kati Patang (1970) – A flirtatious evening with whistle to go with. Rendered by Kishore Kumar, composed by R D Burman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sZg4EUB3IM

9. Shaam suhani aayi – Zinda Dil (1975) – An evening full of celebration. Composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal, rendered by Lata Mangeshkar, Mahendra Kapoor and Shailendra Singh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBK9x8CD7xQ

10. Surmayi shaam iss tarah aaye – Lekin (1991) – A haunting evening. Composed by Hridaynath Mangeshkar, rendered by Suresh Wadkar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouB8J3UGZHE