mag·i·cal/ˈmajikəl
Adj:giving a feeling of enchantment
Synonyms: bewitching,
charming, spellbinding
There was once this song. It was made many- many years ago-
1973 to be precise-A simple love song that caught the imagination of millions
of music lovers. The perfect combination of lyrics, melody, melancholy and
romance…It would often get requested in dying hours of parties when it was
almost time to leave. Everyone who was or had been in love could relate to it.
Given its popularity many singers sang it – different
voices, different styles. Each lover of this song seems to have their own
favorite. I had mine, too. It was sung by the Ghazal queen Farida Khanum.
And then one day I listened to a version sung by Shafqat
Amanat Ali. And It was MAGICAL. The way he sang it, transformed the meaning of
the song for me. It gave it a new ethereal, spiritual dimension. It was no
longer a simple ballad that talked about common love. It was now the agony that
the thought of being separated from someone you have devoted your life to would
produce. It was realization of the impermanence, the fleeting nature of time;of
the purity of love itself that takes the mortal existence to a higher level of
being all together.
The powerful singing even compelled me to do a very inspired
translation of the beautiful lyrics- my own interpretation of the love and
longing that the song represents.
Do not talk of
leaving tonight
Just be here, sit by
my side
Devastated and lost
that’s what I’ll be
If you even talk of
leaving me
How can I not urge you
not to go
You are my life,
don’t you know
My dearest, promise
me, you have to agree
Tonight you won’t talk
of leaving me
In the shackles of
time, lives are bound to be
Rare moments like
these, set us free…
If you let them just
flit away
You’ll miss them…. every
day
So tell me you won’t
go…and will be here today
So vibrant, this hour,
oh so divine,
Grace and passion
rise in an embrace, sublime
For the ‘morrow there
is no worry no care
When tonight is ours
to feel and share
So be mine, I won’t
let you out of sight
Don’t insist on going
away tonight!
They say that you know that you are in love when the hardest
thing to do is say good-bye. No wonder then that I can’t stop listening to Shafqat’s Aaj Jaane ki Zid na Karo, because his voice
makes you fall in love with it ,each time!
Some facts about the song
- The song was written by Fayyaz Hashmi and composed by the
famous music composer Sohail Rana for the Pakistani film “Badal aur Bijli”
- It was originally sung by Habib Wali Mohammad
- The version sung by Farida Khanum is probably the most
popular, though many other singers including Asha Bhonsle, Talat Aziz and Anup
Jalota have sung it as well
- The song is in Raag Yaman
