Never Been Able To Get Rid Of Good Riddance

Tannishtha Bhattacharjee

If asked, I’d not be able to recall when exactly I grew beyond Linkin

Park and Backstreet Boys, as far as my music taste is concerned. But
whenever I did, it was under the shadow of this song.

Another turning point.
A fork stuck in the road.

So it was. Introduction to what I now call ‘my kind of music’ happened
with this song. And it was sheer chance that brought me to enter into
this life-long contract with pure awesomeness. I literally stumbled
upon the song while googling for a suitable farewell song, on being
asked for suggestions for my Tenther’s Graduation ceremony.

A turning point, no less than the age I was at.

But then I realized this song is NOT merely a farewell song. What is
remarkable about it is that it is a song that consoles, reminds,
motivates, and sums up the point of being alive-one of which I'd say,
would be to listen to songs like this.

For what it’s worth it was worth all the while.
It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

The abruptness of the prelude chords establishes the class of this
acoustic song right at beginning. The violin, the Scottish bagpipe
touch with a hint of Russian country music towards the end make it
stand apart from normal acoustic masterpieces of the Alternative genre
(in which Greenday prospers). The simplicity of the lyrics and the
dire candor of the words almost compel the listener to agree with the
tone and essence of the message this song tries to convey.

So take the photographs and still frames in your mind,
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good times.

The raw sounding baritone in which Billie Joe Armstrong has sung the
song, defines a different kind of melody altogether. As mundane as the
voice may sound, on having tried to reproduce the impact, my attempts
have resulted in dumbstruck awe of this song.

To me, every bit of the song defeats that which other songs strive to
achieve. This is one song that never fails to touch or move the heart.
It unnerves me every time I listen to it.

It's unlike any song that I have heard till date. Some songs just
never die or fade. These have that goose bump effect, the tear effect
every time someone plays them. Good Riddance is one of them. It’s not
like Summer of 69, which you’d want to scream with an entire gang of
old friends. It’s not like Hotel California, which thrives on the
brilliance of the symphonic magic that the song entails. It’s not like
In the End, which have the ‘bang your head’ and drown in rock
effect. It is an evergreen song like any of the aforementioned.

But it’s that song which you’d wanted to just sit, listen, understand,
absorb and cry over. It’s a song for the soul.

Very Complete.

The song, several times in loops, has played through moments of
despair, at a farewell, sheer joy and when I’ve been in the mood for
tears. The song would just not disappoint.

To me this song embodies the synthesis of the purposes of a song being
written and brilliant music being composed. It just refuses to let go.
You just never get over it :)

That’s about it, I guess, on being asked to say what music makes me
think of. It defined my basis of perceiving music the way it impacts
me.

Time of your life- Tannishtha 

Junoon

You are sitting in a room and you put your earphones on, put the ipod on shuffle mode and a song starts playing, there is silence and slow sweet sound of the guitar starts. You sit back and relax and within 10 seconds later table beats kick in and the bass follows. You take a deep breath and a magical voice starts singing, Sayonee. You close your eyes and you are in heaven.

What follows is one of the greatest songs ever played by any rock band. The depth in lyrics and philosophy, the chords progressions, the vocals, the bass and the guitar solo. It is almost a divine experience, something similar to hearing the Bm chord of Hotel California or Robert Plant singing the eternal words from Stairway to heaven.

Junoon was a Sufi Rock band from Pakistan, formed in 1990. The lineup had Salman Ahmad on guitar, and Ali Azmat on Vocal and Brian O’Connell on Bass. Even though Salman Ahmad and Ali Azmat were the famous guys from Junoon, but I would like to give equal importance to Brian, as the Bassline in Junoon songs is mind blowing. A comparison to Cliff Burton in terms of his importance in Metallica is definitely in order.    

I started with Sayonee, which according to me is the band greatest song, however there are many songs whose riffs and guitar solos still make Asians Proud of once having such a great Rock Band, when almost all the legendary rock bands are from the West.

Junoon is a widely recognized band all across the world but for me Junoon is more like an inspiration to write in Hindi. Also, you can see the strong classical foundation in their music and this is something which has always driven me to pursue classical music.

A few of my favorite Junoon songs are Garaj Baras, Jazba Junoon, Yaaron Yehi Dosti Hai, Lal Meri Pat, Pappu Yaar etcetera.

You have to really start listening to Junoon if you are not a fan already.

It’s quite ironic that Sayonee has a line which says, “Kya basher ki Bisat, Aaj hai kal Nahin”, which means that the existence of us, the mere mortals is very temporary. But the same song has made them immortal.  

Another irony (not as great), was in the song Yaaron Yehi Dosti Hai, which talks about the eternal friendship. Eventually Junoon disbanded in 2005 due to many reasons and Ali Azmat and Salman Ahmad still don’t share a very pleasant relationship. As they say, all good things come to an end one day.

Led Zeppelin had to stop

Doors had to stop.

Junoon had to stop.

But it is not about that end.  

It is about the legacy they left behind.

PS: Salman Ahmad is like an unofficial inhouse UNGA musician much to the displeasure of Ali Azmat :P

Also my loyalties have shifted towards Ali  Azmat.  He is really awesome.