Music Around the World: Bangladesh

This week, we stop by South Asian country Bangladesh for our Musical World Tour. Home of the world's largest river delta, the longest natural uninterrupted sea beach, and beautiful Bengal tigers, I was excited to learn about the musical culture of this place and, as usual, I was not disappointed. Let's educate ourselves on the basics first:

-Capital City: Dhaka

-Official Languages: Bengali

-Government: Unitary dominant-party parliamentary republic, currently under the leadership of President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

-The country was conquered by the Muslims in 1204, was divided up during the Partition of India in 1947, declared their independence from Pakistan in March 1971, and ratified their current constitution in December 1972

-Land Area: 57,320 square miles (92nd largest in the world, and 6.4% of its area is water)

-Population: 165,158,616 as of 2022 (8th most populous in the world)

-Religion: 91.04% Islamic, 7.95% Hindi, 0.61% Buddhist, 0.3% Christian, 0.12% other religious affiliation

-Drive on the left side of the road

Bangladesh is a huge, important part of the Asian music scene, with many renowned performers, composers, and producers calling this country home. They are well known for their particular classical, folk, and rock music, with their folk music alone able to be divided into at least 18 different subgenres. Classical instruments of the region include the sitar, violin, flute, harmonium (pump organ), esraj (stringed instrument), ektara (single string instrument), dotara (two stringed instrument), khamak (single stringed percussive instrument), dhak (drum), and dhol (drum). I enjoyed all of the music I listened to this week, and I'm so excited to share it with you. Let's get started!

Morning Meditation by Ali Akbar Khan (written by A. Khan)

Ali Akbar Khan was a Bangladeshi composer and sarodiya (musician who specializes in the stringed instrument called the sarod). Born in 1922 in Shibpur (about 198 miles southwest of Dhaka), Khan was a fixture of Hindustani classical music and helped to popularize Indian classical music in the Western Hemisphere. Over his long and distinguished career, he was a Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Music at UC Santa Cruz, received 5 Grammy nominations, received a MacArthur Fellowship and the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship, and released three solo albums before his death in 2009. Morning Meditation is featured on his 1990 album Journey and is a beautiful, peaceful instrumental piece that's perfect for (you guessed it) meditating and creating a calm space for yourself.

Bangladesh by Azam Khan (written by A. Khan, Shetu)

Azam Khan was a Bangladeshi singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Born in Dhaka in 1950, he was known as the Pop Samrat (Pop Emperor in English) and the Rock Guru for his contributions to both genres as a solo artist and lead singer for the pop rock band Uccharon. A former freedom fighter in the Liberation War of Bangladesh in the early 1970s, Khan had a forty-four year career as a vocalist and guitarist, releasing 12 studio albums just as a soloist and becoming known as one of Bangladeshi pop music's greatest artists before his death in 2011. Bangladesh is featured on Khan's 2005 album Saleka Maleka, and while it started off feeling a little dated and awkward for me I was a fan by the time it was done. An English translation of the original Bengali lyrics is below.

In that slum on the railway line/A boy was born/His mother cries/The boy is dead/Alas, Bangladesh/Bangladesh, Bangladesh, Bangladesh

Koshto Pete Bhalobashi by Ayub Bachchu (written by A. Bachchu, L. Shiblli, Robin)

Ayub Bachchu was a Bangladeshi singer, musician, record producer, and businessman who is considered by many to be one of the greatest singers of all time to come from the country. Born in 1962 in Patiya (about 171 miles southeast of Dhaka), Bachchu was a pioneer of Bangladeshi rock and pop music and helped found the rock band Love Runs Blind, or LRB for short. Proficient on guitar, bass, vocals, and keyboards, he released 16 albums as a solo artist before his death in 2018. Koshto Pete Bhalobashi is featured on his 1995 album Koshto and is a really fun throwback to 90s pop and rock. An English translation from the original Bengali lyrics is below.

Not to touch any happiness/Not looking for a new life/Looking into your eyes/Not a bright smile/Not to touch any happiness/Not looking for a new life/Looking into your eyes/Not a bright smile/Hope not/No is not a language/I love to suffer/So come to you/I love to suffer/So come to you/I kept it on one side of the chest/A waterless desert/Whenever you want/Give me tears/I will give you if you want/Cross the ocean/I love to suffer/So come to you/I love to suffer/So come to you

Amaro Parano Jaha Chay by Bappa Mazumder (written by R. Tagore)

Bappa Mazumder is a Bangladeshi singer, guitarist, and composer. Born in Dhaka in 1972, he's known in his home country as The Melody King of Bangladesh and helped form the pop rock band Dalchhut. Over his thirty year career, he's shown proficiency in vocals, guitar, and keyboards and released 14 solo albums. Amaro Parano Jaha Chay is featured on his 2015 album Bendhechhi Amar Pran. It's a cover of a traditional song by polymath (expert on multiple subjects, in his case poetry, writing, playwriting, composition, philosophy, social reform, and painting) Rabindranath Tagore, and the instrumentation and vocals from Mazumder are beautiful. I wasn't able to find a good English translation of the lyrics, but don't miss out on this one.

Amar Sonar Bangla by Fahmida Nabi, Lucky Akhand, & Mohiuzzaman Chowdhury (written by R. Tagore, G. Harkara)

Amar Sonar Bangla, or My Golden Bengal in English, was officially adopted as the national anthem of Bangladesh in March 1972. With words written by the aforementioned Rabindranath Tagore in 1905 and music composed by Gagan Harkara (from his original piece Ami Kothay Palo Tare), this particular cover is performed by Bangladeshi singer Fahmida Nabi, singer & composer Lucky Akhand, and musician Mohiuzzaman Chowdhury and was released in 2015. The English translation of the original Bengali lyrics is below.

My golden Bengal, thee I love/Forever thy skies be/Forever thy skies be/Thine air, my heart/O Mother, like a flute set my heart in tune/Golden Bengal, thee I love/O Mother, aroma of mango orchard in Falgun driveth me crazy/Ah, such miraculousness/O Mother, aroma of mango orchard in Falgun driveth me crazy/O Mother, seeth in Ogrohayon all through fields of paddy/Time seeth smiles sweet/Golden Bengal, thee I love

Bolna Tui Bolna by Hridoy Khan (written by G. Chowdhury, H. Khan)

Hridoy Khan is a Bangladeshi singer, songwriter, composer, and actor. Born in 1990, Khan has shown his talent as a vocalist, keyboardist, and guitarist as well as composing 12 film soundtracks over his fourteen year career. Bolna Tui Bolna is featured on his 2007 album Bolna, and I really enjoy the beat and Khan's vocals on this song. An English translation of the original Bengali lyrics is below.

I tell you as much as I can/You're gone like you are/Is it possible that my vacation is behind you/Mind says you want back/How can you survive without the mind/Who else is there in this life without you/What cause is uncaused/Do you tease so much/Dotana does not like this/Uchaton all the time/Do not say, you do not say, why this deception/Oh mind, you don't say I love you/Don't say, you don't say, don't lie by forgetting/Don't just say once, don't say love/How much do you talk about this and that/Just don't say what's on your mind

Faisa Gechi by Hyder Husyn (written by H. Husyn)

Syyed Hyder Husyn, known professionally as Hyder Husyn, is a Bangladeshi aeronautical engineer, singer, and songwriter in the pop, folk, and pop rock genres. Born in 1963 in Begum Bazar, a neighborhood in Old Dhaka, Husyn is a singer and guitarist who has released five studio albums since switching from a career in engineering to music. Faisa Gechi is featured on his 2007 album of the same name and has a fun, traditional feel while still sounding modern. I couldn't find a good English translation for this song either, but it's really enjoyable and you won't want to miss it.

Ki Jala Dila Tumi by Imran Mahmudul (written by I. Mahmudul, R. Jibon)

Imran Mahmudul is a Bangladeshi playback singer and composer. Born in 1991 in Dhaka, he got his start professionally in music when he received 2nd Place on Channel I Sera Kontho in 2008. Over the last nine years, he's released 9 studio albums in the genres of world, pop, R&B, and soul. Ki Lala Dila Tumi was released as a single in 2019 and features a calming vibe with nice vocals from Mahmudul. An English translation of the Bengali lyrics is below.

How much you belong to this mind/All hope is like a storm if broken/You don't know my eyes/The river flows/You don't see this chest shaking/In your pain/What did you do, my friend/Mind doesn't mean me/What did you do, my friend/I don't understand life

I hope you found some interesting new music to enjoy this week just like I did. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!