Everyone recycles (updated)

Posted on by

Apache Indian resurfaces as a dreadlocked auto mechanic in a remix of Desmond Dekker’s 1969 Jamaican hit ‘The Israelites‘ (thanks, Ashish). His heroines, like the cutie in ‘Pyaar Pyaar,’ used to be fly Punjabans; this one’s a standard-issue, Wonderbra-chested blonde. It’s a smooth tune, but he looks all grown up now. Watch the video.

The Black Eyed Peas just sampled Asha Bhosle (thanks, Harish and Umang). The first 15 seconds of the lead single off their new album, ‘Don’t Phunk With My Heart,’ are a sped-up version of ‘Yeh Mera Dil Yaar Ka Deewana.’ Listen to the original and the new version. Watch the video.

The song from Don is pure masala western. Bhosle also starred in a remix of that song a couple of years ago. The video, with a woman taking revolver-revenge upon her cheatin’ man, was ubiquitous on MTV India.

Here’s a review of the Peas’ new album, Monkey Business:

Other guests of note are… Sting on “Union” (sonically inspired by the former Police-man’s “Englishman in New York”), while funk legend James Brown contributes to a scorching soul track dubbed “They Don’t Want Music.”

Update: Manoj and iTwofs point out that the rest of the melody is lifted from Apradh’s ‘Aye Naujawan Hai Sub Kuchh Yahan’ (1972), also by Bhosle. Listen to the original.

Maybe we need a HollyCat. Although the Peas should credit the composers, it’s hard for the Indian creative industries to take the moral high ground here.

10 thoughts on “Everyone recycles (updated)”

  1. Thanks for the Apache Indian link, Manish!

    that song makes me want to bounce and drink something with an umbrella in it…

  2. Was the Black Eyed Peas track produced by The Kray Twinz? Because those bhangra producers from Coventry who worked with Panjabi MC did some productions with them….

  3. The rest of the ‘Don’t Phunk…’ song is lifted from another Kalyanji-Anandji number called Ye Naujawan from Apradh.

    So, where are they digging up these numbers from? An easy speculation would be this mildly popular Bollywood music collection – BeginnerÂ’s Guide To Bollywood, more specifically Disc 2, which features both songs involved. Hey, itÂ’s available on Amazon.comÂ…and whatÂ’s a meagre $22.49 when you can translate that (literally) into a chartbusting single thatÂ’ll bring in the millions.

  4. Yeh mera dil,,,,submitted by harish,,,,was told to him by his roommate who did some reasearch on the topic and made him listen to both songs,,,and that roommate is me,,,umang doshi,,,,,

    Don- yeh mera dil pyar ka deewana Hollycat:

    Black eyed peas=dont funk with my heart

    Let me add NAINA copy of “The EYES”

  5. Wow Umang… you’re faster than me… Yes, all credits to Umang. Kudos.

  6. Holy copyright issue, Batman! I can’t seem to find a complete list of the album credits. It’s possible that they (did what they are supposed to) and worked out a deal with the original copyright holders.