http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2010/sep/010910-CWG-theme-song-AR-Rahman-musicians-mumbai.htm
Say Mid Day readers and musicians from across the country, about AR Rahman's
just-launched CWG theme song
What stings the most? Indifference or rejection? Ask AR Rahman. Fellow
musicians
across the country seem far from impressed with Oh Yaaro, Yeh India Bula Liya.
Mid Day's spot survey on the just-released Common Wealth Games song, revealed,
that a sizeable chunk of 44 % hadn't bothered to give the song a listen.
Another 28% said they didn't like the song, 20 per cent felt it was 'okay'. A
thin slice of 8 per cent enjoyed Oh Yaaro, Yeh India Bula Liya.
Perhaps indifference isn't the right word. Disappointment is. "Music evokes
feelings in you. Love, anger, hope. This is probably the only song that does
not
make me feel anything.
Except disappointment," says Sapna Bhavnani, music producer and celebrity
hairdresser.
Echoes Ritoban Das, aka Ludo, percussionist for Kolkata-based Cassini's
Division, "It sounds like Rahman's clone made the song.
It's not him," says the member of the Alt Rock band that made it to the finals
of Launchpad 3 last year.
It's the lyrics, most say, that lack spunk. "Jeeyo Utho Badho Jeeto it sounds
sappy. Almost like the Kolkata Knight Riders' song Korbo Lorbo Jitbo (Do Fight
Win). But even that had a sort of catchiness," says Ludo.
This one, on the other hand, is barely memorable.
For Bruce Lee Mani, guitarist and vocalist with Bangalore-based Thermal And A
Quarter, whose own song for CWG games Kickbackistan has just been uploaded on
YouTube, the track hasn't left an impact "although I have heard it a couple of
times. It didn't stick in my mind."
Apparently, Mani has company from members of the Group of Ministers (GoM)
overseeing the Games preparations, who Sports Minister MS Gill claimed, were
unhappy with the track.
This despite the fact that Rahman was asked to tweak it by the GoM, which
delayed the launch because the composer asked for a 10-day extension.
It lacks Indianness, feels percussionist and music director Bickram Ghosh. "He
could have used a little bit of what India stands for.
Indian string instruments, maybe drums ¦ India offers so much scope in terms of
sound. Which is why I am surprised, because all this is often there in his
music," he says.
Where is the sportsman spirit, ask others. "It sounds like a film track.
The energy of a sporting event is missing. It's borderline patriotic. I've been
a huge fan of Rahman since Roja, but this just doesn't have that connect," says
musician Arijit Datta.
But there is hope yet, because there are those who are waiting for the song to
grow on them. Singer-songwriter Nikhil D'Souza says, "It's a good composition
that requires multiple listens to fully appreciate it."
