आगे भी जाने न तू, पीछे भी जाने न तू

When you hear an instrumental of this song, as I did tonight, it seems to be more poignant in reaching you. It is true, isn't it, that you don't know what the future holds, and you don't quite know why certain things happened in the past? This song reminds you that all there really is, is the present. The song exhorts that listener "to seize the present to fulfill the wishes'.

A Bollywood version of Carpe diem.

इन आँखों की मस्ती के

You sometimes hear a song that fleetingly gets your attention, but you really don't pay serious attention to it until you become aware some characteristic the song has. I learnt recently that this song is, for the most part, in raag ♫भूपाली.

I am a student of this raag and, naturally, had to explore its lyrics: Bollywood's lyrics are sometimes amazing.

ये रातें, ये मौसम, नदी का किनारा, ये चँचल हवा

Kishore Kumar's rendering of

ये बाहों में बाहें, ये बहकी निगाहें
लो आने लगा ज़िंदगी का मज़ा

is a treat to listen to. Bollywood seems to excel when producing rhythmic music capturing romance.

एक परदेसी मेरा दिल ले गया

A recent suggestion by someone is the prompt for this post.

"A foreigner stole my heart ..."

दो लफ़्ज़ों की है, दिल की कहानी

"The tale of [two] hearts, is made of [only] two words ... love or youth."

If you interpret love or youth to mean true love or infatuation, you can see some justification in this simplified interpretation. It is said that Asha Bhonsle herself regards this song as one of her best renditions.

दिल चीज़ क्या है, आप मेरी जान लीजिये

The listener is struck by the simplicity of the woman's plea, with abandon. "You ask for my heart? Why don't you take my life [which is dearer] ..."