Cheap thrills

Jasmine Singh

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‘Bad wali feeling aa rahi hai tujhko dekhke, ek tu ek main, dono ek bed pey. One wish more I wanna see you n****’....  The lyrics of  singer Indeep Bakshi’s new song Bad Wali Feeling might just startle you for once. You might even dismiss it as vulgar, cheap and not in good taste, a view that singers from the Punjabi music industry support as well. 

After struggling with an extended phase of vulgar lyrics, which had once become the order of the day in Punjabi music, the industry has now washed its hands off it. However, some singers are still hooked to nonsensical songs, going gaga over goli and barood, raving about the macho jatt, but it is a strict no when it comes to ‘cheap lyrics’. (Barring two or three singers of course). So much so, you could even be ostracised from the industry for singing something like Bad Wali Feeling.  

No dirty picture 

Rapper and music director Yo Yo Honey Singh always finds himself under the line of fire for his obscene songs. One of his tracks Condom featuring Raftaar gave red ears to the listeners. This, however, is one odd case; because Punjabi music has largely put an end to adopting vulgar lyrics. Music director Sachin Ahuja who has contributed in bringing about a positive change in the music scene laughs off the song. “Punjabi music has moved away ahead of vulgar and cheap lyrics. There was a phase when we saw and heard enough of it, but now, we are out of it.” As for bad Wali Feeling, Sachin has only one thing to say, “Who is this singer anyway, these attention seeking techniques don’t fetch popularity.” 

Lyrically yours 

A new crop of lyricists spreading their words in the music industry are writing songs keeping the young and happening generation in mind. They talk about unrequited love, about money-mindedness of women, about women drinking or cheating in love, about men being crazy for cars... “But all this is not vulgar,” says lyricist Babbu. “My sole criteria while writing any song is whether I can play it at home, in front of my mother. And it is this check that doesn’t let me write anything cheap. At the same time, I don’t think this generation is interested in any kind of vulgar lyrics.” 

On the other hand Jasbir Jassi, a singer who has always advocated the need for clean lyrics, hasn’t heard Punjabi singers sporting vulgar lyrics. “Some singers are still singing nonsensical and useless numbers, however, especially the ones who are desperate to make their name in the industry, as soon as they can.” 

A conscious effort 

If you were to recall one of Honey Singh’s track G*** main*** had 8.5 million views. Are we assuming that listeners do not want to do anything with the songs that are high on cheap lyrics? Party by Fazilpuria has some really ‘cheaply weird’ rap ..chooriyan managwa rakhi hai...The video has firangi bikini- clad babes dancing all over the pool. “I wouldn’t say the days of vulgar lyrics are totally over, there are singers experimenting with it, still. More than lyrics, you have to check out their music videos,” says a leading singer actor who doesn’t want to be named. “Some singers purposely shoot such cheap videos, semi-nude girls dancing all over, in order to get publicity. It becomes difficult to decide whether the lyrics are cheap or the video.”

Aha! This hints at the start of a all together new debate...

jasmine@tribunemail.com