Fri 17 Feb 2006
Habib’s music is rocking international clubs now. A few days ago, a friend said she heard Krishno at an Iranian wedding in London. Go figure! Who knew Shah Abdul Karim Boyati’s song would rock the dance floors in London. Thanks to Habib and many more new generation musicians like him. Listen to this feature in NPR on Habib’s influence in Bangladeshi music
Incidentally, another favourite artist of mine is Ornob. Ornob will be rocking Queen Elezabeth Hall at the south bank ( a very mainstream theatre) in London on March 13. If you are in London, don’t miss this show.
Thanks to Iffat for giving us the habib link.
What do you all think of this new trend in Bangladeshi music? Good, bad or ugly?
-Asif
February 17th, 2006 at 5:23 pm
I am not sure what all these new generation musicians are up to.
The first part of the NPR feature, that showcased Habib, also presented a folk group from Kolkata, named ‘Bhumi’ and to be frank, despite the limitations of Kolkata kids in pronouncing east bengal way, I believe they did a super job.
Talking about Habib ( I listened to Krishno years ago) I can’t say they are ingeneous in their music. Rather, these kids of famous artists ( Habib being Ferdous Wahid’s son, Anushe being Lubna Mariams daughter), I feel are harming our folk culture. There is a metamorphosis of folk tunes into Dhaka street tunes when Habib or Anushe are singing.
If you sing in street tune, you better be original in your lyrics, like Azam Khan, Ferdous Wahid, Souls, Miles, Feedback etc. But you should not destroy our thousand years treasure folk tunes by turning them into Dhaka street songs.
-Rumi
February 18th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
hmmm…can’t agree. If Bangla and Habib did not popularise these songs, they would never be listened to by the younger generation. Habib and Anushey have found a way to connect these songs of this generation. Very few people in the younger generation know who Lubna Mariam is. So Anushey being her daughter can’t be the reason of her popularity. I think this can’t be bad for Bangladeshi music. On the contrary, this is a very positive counter attack to the Hindi aggression by our younger generation.
February 19th, 2006 at 12:51 am
Young generation does not only mean the hindi-english music loving foreign educated elite class kids in Bangladesh. Young people in Bangladesh villages and smaller towns are singing these songs for centuries. Recent sensation Close Up one Nolok Babu came all the way up the ladder by singing folk and same is true about the new Lalon sensation Beauty. Even bands like Souls etc sang folk lores maintaining the integrity of the basic tune.
It is difficult for me to accept our folk treasures get destroyed only because our so called younger generation likes to sing it in a different way.
Then let’s start chaging rabindro Shangeet or Nazrul geeti to make it suitable for this new generation audience.
In another note, general people may not know Lubna Moriom, but music industry people know her. I feel, this connection, rather than the talent makes Bangla or Krishno famous.
February 19th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
Young people in Bangladesh villages and smaller towns who are singing these songs for centuries also love to watch the khullam khulla dance of Munmun and Anju Ghosh. However, not necessarily, that should represent Bangladesh or makes it right. They can still listen to the songs in the original form. However, I still don’t understand what’s the harm in increasing the audience base of this music? Also elite class foreign educated youth just don’t listen to Hindi music. THe threat of hindi is very much in mainstream urban youth. Whether its TSC crowd or the concert going middle class crowd or the bored housewives — its very real among all of them.
February 21st, 2006 at 5:02 pm
I’ve just listened to it. It sounds good. If a violinist can do a techo version of Vivaldi’s music then why not Bengali folk music with a modern twist?
February 22nd, 2006 at 5:20 pm
So, what we celebrate nowadays is keeping at par with Indian pop culture and making sure that Indian culture (and by that, music, language, etc.) does not pervade our Bangladeshi culture? To uphold our own culture, we twist the original vision and dreams of artists (taking their work totally out of context) in the name of giving it a new flavor that reaches a bigger audience? Music, much like intellectual property, has its own rights … to take an original’s artists work and refashion it is nothing short of gross violation of those rights. Imagine taking Tolstoy’s novels and rewriting part of it to attract more readers … sad I tell you. And the argument that if other nations are doing it, why can’t we? How about we have that attitude for creating original work instead of celebrating distorted illusion.
February 22nd, 2006 at 7:04 pm
Let’s agree to disagree Asif.
I wonder how you would feel if a new ” hippo” artist comes up making remixes of Rabindro sangeet and Nazrul sangeet, sim ply because he doesn’t have the talent to compose his own notes ( So resort to pilferage) and because some of us believes that it is good because our “new generation” likes Rabindro Sangeet to be played this way.
And ‘Muhamad’, there is no problem doing a techno version of Vivaldi because the real version of Vivaldi is also readily available, is regularly listened and played. The problem with our folk treasure is that nobody is preserving them. You won’t get them anywhere. And if this go on as it is going on now, 10 years later people will only remember the Habib or Anushe version. The original notes will be lost.
-Rumi
February 22nd, 2006 at 7:31 pm
Yeap …agree to disagree. I don’t think the appeal of the classical version will ever go away. It was there and it will be there. In fact, a new girl called Shahana has come out with Rabindra Sangeet which is true to its tune but very different in the musical treatment and I love it. So does my daughter. Nothing to do with Indian culture but the experientation just makes things interesting.
Think of it like the contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare. Some adaptations are horrendous, some are really good. Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet comes to mind. It doesn’t make the appeal of the original version any less. It brings out new element to the creation where a new generation kid may connect differently.
Okay , I am tuning out
February 27th, 2006 at 10:45 am
Rumi,
if what you say is true, that, no one is preserving it, and it is no longer available, then, it is a sad day for us. I’m very fond of nazrul giti and rabindra sangeet.
Please don’t put my name in quotes, it’s rather presumptuous. My actual name is Muhamad Lodhi, and I don’t lay any insignificance to it. Neither should anybody else.
February 27th, 2006 at 11:07 am
I meant significance. :-))
April 30th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
accha im looking for a song by habib(most likely)…dunno the title or the album..but the song goes..”bhalobashbo-bashbo jotone”…~~wher can i find tht song
May 13th, 2006 at 6:35 am
habib wahid rocks. I think bangldesh,after long days got a real talentand something to cheer for
May 17th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
hey shoiti yea i kno dat you don’t know me but i noticed dat u were lookin for a song that i was my self. i found the song. if u don’t mind i can send it to u if u don’t mind givin ur email ad.
June 6th, 2006 at 1:50 am
its really sad that habib wahid got divorced recently with LUBAINA i think she was a very sweet girl…. much better than the MONALISA… she sucks
June 16th, 2006 at 4:20 am
hey tasmia, how do you know Lubaina? I know her too! But I thgt the d thing was hanging abt some settlements. So its over? I like mona. She is pretty.. very pretty. Why do you think she sucks?
June 20th, 2006 at 5:56 am
piya,do you REALLY know LUBAINA?i miss her a lot and i’m really really sorry that i cannot tell youhow do i know her but yes it IS all over.the reason i hate mona is that she is a very bad girl, very very bad girl…..
June 20th, 2006 at 9:47 am
Anybody who questions Habib’s talent should listen to “Din Galo” and “Esho Brishti Namai” - both composed and sang by Habib.
Both can be downloaded in mp3 from
The first time I heard “Din Galo” it just blew me away! I haven’t heard such an original and melodious Bangla song in a long time. Since he goes by Habib, I had no clue who his Dad was.
I like Ornob-Tahsan team too. Some people dub their creation as distortion to Bangla culture. I say they are bringing new dimension to Bangla Rock - and it’s very commendable!!
Zafa
June 20th, 2006 at 10:51 am
Ladies, lets not get into the personal lives of people while we are discussing music. It has no relevance. We are being judgmental here without knowing any details and also what Habib does in HIS personal life is HIS business and that should not cloud how you or I feel about his music.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
We feel great about his music. Don’t worry dear administrator! but you know what? These little things about the personallives add spice to life. Try it out, I bet you’ll like it too. And they are public figures so that the public can talk about them! And by the way not everyone named PIYA (on the screen) is a girl!
June 21st, 2006 at 11:39 am
To all that are still looking for the song “Bhalo bashbo re bashbo” by Habib - I have the song in *wma. It’s a hefty 7 meg file. If you have an account that can handle a file this big I’ll be happy to e-mail it to you. It has a nice tune as expected from Habib - it has a flavor of Jalsha-type song - could be easily used for a dance routine for gaye-holud type ceremonies.
BTW when someone mentioned that Habib got divorced I think it was meant that he broke up with someone. According to my sources (very reliable ones) he’d never been married.
Z
June 21st, 2006 at 1:40 pm
Shhhh! Z, didn’t you hear the administrator! Talk only abt his songs and not HIS personal life, bcz, HIS personal life is only HIS! DID u know that?
June 21st, 2006 at 3:13 pm
If it’s OK with the administrator then I can provide the website where you can register to become a member and then download the song “Bhalo bashbo re”.
I understand that the idea behind this forum was to talk about issues related to BD, especially the human right violation, political chaos etc. But this song in question is really nice, and I’d like fans of Habib to be able to listen to it.
I wouldn’t like Shujon to get into trouble for promoting other websites unsolicited, and I surely didn’t mean to use this forum for criticising Bangla songs (there are way too many sites devoted for that purpose already).
Thanks
Z
June 22nd, 2006 at 1:19 am
As long as we are not hosting the song on our server, that’s fine. I love that song also. Aparently its a song from a Bangla movie?
June 26th, 2006 at 1:17 am
Dear ZN, is the song “bhalo bashbo…” really from HABIB?if it is, then could u please give the information from where to get it cuz i am really a great fan of HABIB and it would help me a lot. I really love his voice and songs especially the “DIN GELO” and ” ESHO BRISHTI”.And as far as i know and for ur kind information it has been 2 WHOLE YEARS since he has been married and it has been 6 WHOLE months(JANUARY 2006) since he got divorced with LUBAINA.
I DESPERATELY WANT THE SONG AND WOULD ANY ONE HELP ME OUT.
PS: I AM TRULY VERY VERY VERY…. SORRY THAT I TALKED ABOUT HABIB’s PERSONAL LIFE. I GUESS HABIB AND THE ADMINISTRATOR WOULDN’T MIND.HA BIB IS SO CUTE!
June 26th, 2006 at 9:26 am
I thought I posted the website where you can legally download Habib’s “Bhalobashbo” — It must have gone to the blackhole of cyber space.
Go to PoLaPiNe.com (that’s how they spell it), click on download to get to the download-window, scroll down to select “Requested song”. Habib’s song should be there unless they’d taken it off. You need to register first to be able to download.
Enjoy.
Z
July 3rd, 2006 at 5:58 am
Hi there, I’m new here. Just got the site while I was searching. I am a great great great… fan of Habib. If you guys can take me as friends, please send me more information, image, and songs of Habib. I need nothing else. My mail address is “upalermail@yahoo.com”. Please mail me.
And Zafa Noor , please if you can, send me the song “Bhalo bashbo re bashbo” by Habib.
July 18th, 2006 at 4:27 am
Hey ZN,i got the song BHALO BASHBORE and it rocks!IT is really a great creation specially the tune and habib’s HMMMM one.the lyrics is also great.Those who want the song can get it in the markets as it has been released.ADMINISTRATOR,the song is from a bangla movie named “REDOER KOTHA”.please please please could you fellows send me some pics of HABIB. I am his GREATEST FAN.MY MAIL ADDRESS IS shift10_search@yahoo.com
August 11th, 2006 at 11:05 am
Hi, I am Nur. I came to US on the 7th of august. I am a great fan of Habib, but now I feel stranded from everything that’s going on in Bangladesh, so it would be great if any one, even the administrator could update me on the things tht are going on regarding Habib, his singing and music.
August 18th, 2006 at 9:01 am
Habib is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is really very talented and I’m crazy about him and his songs!I just want him to be happy always!!!!!!!!!!!
August 27th, 2006 at 1:22 am
Ok… no body seems interested to update me. Ne ways, can anybody tell me if Habib’s new CD is out in the market? Did he compose any new jingles?
September 13th, 2006 at 8:17 am
I Just Love Habub!He’s Great!!!I Love His Music A Lot!I Wish Him All The Best For His Solo Album.
October 7th, 2006 at 6:51 pm
hi people, i also think that habib is very good at what he does, i also think that maybe he needs to move away from remixes and loop based music. I’m a musician myself and i’ve come across alot of the flute loops he used in one of his albums. I know you do need to be talented to attract so many fans and listeners but the whole aspect of creativity is limited. The people who wrote the lyrics for the remixes habib has done dont even get mentioned or thanked. Does anyone feel that this is right?. The tracks that he has composed and written are the best i’ve heard yet as far as any singer or band, but then again he’s at an advantage where he can bring in any musician to play in parts that make his music apealing to us. still, he’s doing us and bangla music proud and hope he carries on and inspires many other young budding musicians to create such great “remixes” and maybe original pieces of music, by the way did anyone hear the girl sing “Bhalobasho Bashbore” on the Close up one program. Check it out, you’ll be amazed.
October 8th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Ya did listen to the song, and was really amazed how she turned a modern pop song into a “gramer”song. Now dont get me wrong here, I have nothing against songs from villages, but fact is that, I, and many other Bangladeshi girls like me cannot identify with songs sung in a “village” mood. We appreciate songs with contemporary music and style better. I think for the propagation, popularization, and overall survival of the bangla culture, it is vital to create songs in the contemporary style.
October 9th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
maybe your right in many ways but i think some principals need to remain, you can take the song out of the village but you cant take the village out of the song. Contemporary is one way of being creative. This song is known by the artist Habib, but is it really his. Was is not a song from a really old film?. Did he change the srtucture, melody, or lyrics
October 9th, 2006 at 11:19 pm
With all due respect, No, the song “bhalobashbo bashbo” is not an old song. It is a song for the new bangla movie Hridoyer Katha. The name of the lyricist, vocalists and musicians are printed on the CD cover of the movie. So u can check it out for better clarification.
I remember in your previous blog you mentioned that the great writers and composers that is the Bauls whose songs Habib has remade are not given due respect. I don’t think that is very true. Because if you check out the CD covers of Krishno and Maya, you will notice that Habib has dedicated his CDs to the “mohan loko [shilpi] jader gan guli ae albume tole dhora hoeche”. Can you suggest a better way to honor the great baul singers? Added to that, both these CD covers contain the lyrics of the song along with the name of the Fakir of Baul who composed it. Trust me, if it wasn’t for these CD covers me and my friends would never even be able to imagine we have so many baul composers in our country!
October 10th, 2006 at 8:10 am
sorry for misunderstanding, but i think we need to try harder to promote the “originality” of these songs as well as the remixe versions, many songs have been disgraced due to this. What you say is also right that contemporary styles are good and enjoyed by the younger generation, but i think they also need to taste the traditional styles of our music also. A musician listens to all kinds of music so that his or her musical knowledge and creativity expands, exactly as listeners maybe we should do the same.
October 13th, 2006 at 1:35 pm
Then you can probably propose some ideas on how musicians can work towards promoting the “original”songs. You can only tell the listeners “please listen to the original songs, they are really good and need your appreciation”; but you cannot make the listeneres listen to it. They will listen only what they like. Yes, original form of the folk songs need to be in the market, so that listeners who choose to listen to them can buy the CDs. So please go ahead and take an initiative to do that. Blaming people who “remade” the songs is not going to solve the problem. I would like to emphasize on what I had said previously: that, the popularity of folk songs in our culture was dying away before it was revived by Habib in remix style. Now that people have seen how rich the folk song treasure is, they are against remix. I really wonder what is the source of this behavior. And you are right that a musician needs to listen to all kinds of music. After all, music is his passion and profession. Listening to variety will only help him enrich his knowledge of music. But, as a musician you cannot determine what the listerners “should” listen to. Listeners are not bound in any way to listen to a particular kind of music. It depends absolutely on personal choice and what is available to the listener. Listeners will continue to listen to what they like to listen.
October 13th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
i think your getting me wrong, i’m not against musicians who remix, it’s a skill many others dont have. I appreciate what new musicians have done. but check this out, people like habib have made a lot of money but how much in royalties did the “original” composer recieve,maybe none, is the issue of copyright important. Remember that this is a way of living and maybe the only source of income. You also mentioned that this style of music was dying,I’m sorry but i have to disagree, history would say that Rabindranath got awarded noble prize for literature, majority of his songs are sang in a folk style and instrumentation, Paban Das has his last name as “baul” internationally regognised. Shah Abdul Korim awarded “Baul Shamrat” along with Paban Das have people singing their songs all across the world. To say that it was dying before such and such came along and saved the day is a bit harsh dont you think? These people have carved their names into history, that puts bangla music on the map. “Old is gold” is still on the lips of many musician. I know that musicians have a target audience but when it comes to general terms “collective responsibilty” comes to mind.
October 22nd, 2006 at 3:10 am
hey guys did u hear the song from his latest album “shono”? it is a blast speacially the first song.the lyrics r very nice. all of the songs r great.the song that FW sang was very funny(the music).habib is THE CUTEST GUY I’VE EVER SEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE AND MOST TALENTED
October 26th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
yeah i have the new album “Shono!”…..it is just amazingg….love the songs “shopner cheyeo modhu” and “projapoti”…..did anyone hear habib’s “tomake chere ami”…..wowww that song is just tooo good to be truee……btw is he really going out with Monalisa?….damnnn she is sooooooooooo pretttyyyy….