The new kind of ‘sad’

Jasmine Singh 

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Every heartbreak would make it to Punjabi singers’ list of sad songs, similar was the case with one sided love; Punjabi singer Master Saleem was the sole rescuer. 

The market for Punjabi sad songs never went of trend, as long as there’s a heart and that breaks, sad songs will always be there. As popular Punjabi artiste Diljit Dosanjh’s new single Pagal hits the music scene, one just can’t help exploring the market for sad songs in the industry where every song has to be a chakwan (a high voltage dance number). Are heart breaks uncommon or singers do not see why they should create numbers for the broken hearts?  

Not a ‘sad’ market 

Well known lyricist and music producer Bunty Bains makes a revelation of sorts as he tells us how huge the market for sad songs is. “Dil tutna is a common phenomenon, and every heartbreak needs an antidote; sad songs serve this purpose. Even today, every Punjabi youth goes back to Babbu Mann or Master Saleem to mend a broken heart.”

Bunty also acknowledges that the presentation of sad numbers has changed a lot. “Earlier, a sad song was sad to its core, listeners would cry with it, it was cathartic, and now sad songs are sarcastic, full of revenge and mudslinging. Sad songs these days have more beats and are so modern in their treatment that one can even dance to a sad song.” 

Happy sad or sad romantic? 

Ammy Virk’s Qismat, Yuvraj Hans’ Paani, Baarish by Bilaal Saeed, Rooh by Sharry Mann, Kaun Hoyega by B Praak, Rondi by Parmish Verma, Mastaani by B Praak, Judaai by Harish Verma, these are just a few sad tracks that released this year with each one hitting the popularity chart. Unlike in the old times, where sad songs would talk about back stabbing, why the lover got ditched and how does he or she plan to cope up with it, the sad songs these days are a direct attack on the lover who has more or less cheated in love. Actor singer Jordan Sandhu laughs. “These days, where do you find romance where the lover pledges to never get over love, today, you criticise, cry and get over and this how sad songs are written these days. In fact, many sad numbers have a happy ending, promising a new beginning.”

Sad songs especially for boys! 

Whether you like to call it sexist or something else, nine out of ten such songs talk about the girls’ betrayal. It is as if only women break hearts and are the villains behind every heartbreak. Producer Poonam seconds the observation, “There is a market for sad songs but sad songs for men, and it is as if girls don’t get heartbroken, as if men don’t betray them. Also, if there are sad songs where a man has betrayed, they will be called a romantic sad song. Now what is a romantic sad song she questions, sad is sad, how can sad be romantic or unromantic?”  

Toughest genre to break

Ideally, every singer wants to enter the market with a sad number, because that is what establishes the versatility of any singer. Music director Harry Singh calls a sad number as a real challenge for any singer, “It is in this genre that one gets know a singer’s pitch, on which notes he or she can sing. Now you have all kinds of sad songs, sad romantic, sad unromantic, sad revengeful, sad remorseful but there is no pure sad song like Sabar koti would sing Tauba tauba karna paina, Sees tali te dharna paina,Bol sai da jarna paina..

jasmine@tribunemail.com