Gaadi bula rahi hai seetee baja rahi hai
Posted on: August 3, 2008
Kishore Kumar was a master of comedy songs, but he could sing sad songs equally wonderfully, as we have seen earlier. Here we see yet another quality of Kishore Kumar’s singing. He could sing nostalgic songs just as remarkably. Laxmikant Pyarelal are at their versatile best in this song.
The fact that this song uses a train in the lyrics as well as in the picturisation makes listening and watching this song a wonderful experience.
While listening to this song, I realise that our rail songs get lots of inspiration from steam locomotives. Just look at the lines
sar pe hai bojh, seene mein aag, lab par dhuaan hai jaano
phir bhi ye jaa rahi hai, nagmen suna rahi hai
I am still waiting for the day when some lyricist will write a song describing the operational mechanism of a diesel or electric locomotive. I wonder how Anand Bakshi would have written his lyrics had it been a diesel locomotive instead of steam one.
Seriously, it is a great song that has rightly become a memorable song. Lyrics in this song are so nice to listen to. I really wonder how Anank Bakshi could write so many stanzas in this lyrics without repeating himself.
The movie in fact opens with this song, and that way it is a movie opening song, with credits rolling on the screen as this song plays in the background. subsequently, there is this song again in the middle of the movie.
Here is this song, in its various parts, including full audio.
Movie opening portion of the song
Full video (combining the various portions)
Song- Gaadi bula rahi hai (Dost) (1974) Singer-Kishore Kumar, Lyrics-Anand Bakshi, MD-Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyrics
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
chalnaa hi zindagi hai,
chalti hi ja rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
dekho wo rail,
bachchon ka khel,
seekho sabak jawaanon
dekho vo rail,
bachchon ka khel,
seekho sabak jawaanon
sar pe hai bojh,
seene mein aag,
lab pe duaa hai jaano
phir bhi ye ja rahi hai,
naghmein suna rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
aage toofaan,
peechhe barsaat,
oopar gagan pe bijli
aage toofaan,
peechhe barsaat,
oopar gagan pe bijli
soche na baat,
din ho ke raat,
signal huaa ke nikli
dekho wo aa rahi hai,
dekho wo ja rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
aate hain log,
jaate hain log,
paani ke jaise rele
aate hain log,
jaate hain log,
paani ke jaise rele
jaane ke baad,
aate hain yaad,
guzre huye wo mele
yaadein mitaa rahi hai,
yaadein banaa rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
gaadi ko dekh,
aisi hai nek,
achchha buraa na dekhe
gaadi ko dekh,
aisi hai nek,
achchha buraa na dekhe
sab hain sawaar, dushman ke yaar,
sabko chali ye leke
jeenaa sikhaa rahi hai,
marnaa sikhaa rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
gaadi ka naam,
na kar badnaam,
patri pe rakh ke sar ko
gaadi ka naam,
na kar badnaam,
patri pe rakh ke sar ko
himmat na haar,
kar intezaar,
aa laut jaayen ghar ko
ye raat ja rahi hai,
wo subah aa rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
Translation
The train is calling, her whistle is blowing
Life is about going on, and it is going on
Look at the train, that plaything of kids, all you grownups, and learn from that
she carries load on her top, fire in her heart, and smoke on herlips
still she is carrying on, and is singing songs too
There is storm brewing ahead, and it is raining in the rear, with lightening in the sky
The train does not bother about all that, she proceeds as soon as she gets the signal.
Look here she comes, look there she goes
People come and people go, like ripples in still water
We are reminded of them only after they become history
She is creating memories, and she is erasing memories
Look at the train,how kind she is, she does not differentiate between good and bad,
she is carrying all kinds of people,be they friends or foes
She is teaching us about life, she is teaching us about death
Do not give the train a bad name by jumping in front of it,
Do not lose heart,, wait for the tide to turn, go back to your home
The night is coming to an end, being replacved by new dawn
The train is calling, her whistle is blowing
19 Responses to "Gaadi bula rahi hai seetee baja rahi hai"
October 17, 2009 at 3:30 am
I in fact like to listen to the entire song. Every line has something new to say.
December 10, 2009 at 8:22 am
Thanks so much i had been looking for this song for quite sometime. great site
March 14, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Great song. I never paid attention to the antraa before. Thanks for posting and translating. The last stanza was somewhat unexpected but beautiful nevertheless.
September 21, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Thank u for the song. I am a train engine driver and this song means so much for me. In fact this song sometimes makes my eyes wet. But can u give me a link to download all the versions in mp3 format.
June 16, 2011 at 11:04 pm
My favourite life-must-go-on song.
Gaadi ko dekh, kaisi hai nek, acchha bura na dekhe/Sab hain sanwaar, dushman ke yaar/Sabko chali yeh leke/Jeena sikha rahi hai, marna seekha rahi hai…..
I also remember noting with some surprise, that the Gaadi ka naam na kar badnaam stanza related to Amitabh’s character trying to commit suicide, when I watched this movie many years ago. He had a very minor role in the movie, with Shotgun essaying the bigger role of a true `dost.’
September 16, 2011 at 4:25 pm
Thanks for the complete lyrics. This is my no. 1 favourite song since my childhood. Now, as I used to travel by train daily to office, it has become my morning Alarm. Starting music really gets u going for the day.
Thanks a lot.
November 11, 2014 at 4:35 am
Video of entire song with words of missing stanza-
suniye paighaam yeh hai sangram
jeewan nahin hai sapna
dariyaa ko faad parbat ko cheer
rastaa banaa le apna
neenden udaa rahi hai
jaago jaga rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
chalnaa hi zindagi hai,
chalti hi ja rahi hai
gaadi bula rahi hai,
seetee bajaa rahi hai
June 30, 2015 at 4:23 pm
What a wonderful, inspirational, melodious song. Hats off to Anand Baxi for beautiful lyrics and Kishore Kumar for great rendition. Dharmendra appears quite handsome and charming in the movie. My favorite song.
October 16, 2009 at 12:11 pm
ye raat ja rahi hai, vo subah aa rahi hai
all the essence of the song is in the above two lines.
What do u say Atul?