Lost melodies part 1

Those were pre-Mangeshkar days of playback singing. Female singers like Parul Ghosh, Khursheed, Rajkumari, Shamshad Begum, Uma Devi (who later became famous as comedienne Tun Tun), Suraiya, Noor Jehan (until she left India and settled in Pakistan), Zohrabai Ambalawali and Amirbai Karnataki ruled the roost. The advent of the Mangeshkar sisters, however, changed the playback singing scenario altogether. Here in this series of brief posts, I take up some of these marvellous singers, both male and female, of that bygone era. These are randomly picked songs and are not presented in a particular order.

Amirbai Karnataki - Maar Katari Mar Jana (Shehnai 1943) :  



Amirbai Karnataki - Mora Dheere Se Ghoonghat (Bhartruhari 1945) :  





Zohrabai Ambalawali - More Saiyanji Ne Bheji (Pahele Aap 1944) :  



Zohrabai Ambalawali - Mori Bali Umariya (Nateeja 1948) :