Nights on Chowringhee: Usha Uthup

Usha Uthup, the irrepressible sari-clad pop star of India, keeps on trucking. In 2011 she was awarded the Padma Shree by the Indian government for her contribution to the Arts.  And just yesterday, she was named BIG Woman Entertainer of the Year for her contribution to Bengali music. (BIG in this instance referring to a commercial entity not to her sari size.)

Tonight we tip our musical hat in her direction by highlighting her first entirely Hindi language non-film music album.  From 1981, 24 Carats is a killer.  The music tracks are lifted entirely from some of the biggest late 70s disco hits: Hot Stuff (Donna Summer), We Don’t Talk Anymore (Cliff Richards), I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor), Nights on Broadway (Bee Gees), Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough (Michael Jackson) and My Life (Billy Joel) but the lyrics are all in Hindi. And they are not direct translations but rather racy verses about love’s magic, tugging saris and heaving breasts.

An early example of Indo-disco, this is a keeper for all those cold winter or hot summer parties where you want to fill the dance floor with something strangely familiar but very different.

On ya, Usha!

            Track Listing:

            01 Lelo Dil Mera

            02 Aha Yeh Root Mastani

            03 Soja Mere Ladle

            04. Aayenge Mere Saajan

            05 Aaj Sanam Mujhe

            06 Aaj Mere Ghar Aaye

            07 Chhupke Kaun Aya

            08 Tum Ho Sanam

            09 Suhana Suhana Suhana

            10 Mujko Kisise Ab

Listen here.