Lyrical and Melodic Content of Bengal’s Jibonmukhi Gaan: Ananalytical Study

Abstract

In the early 1990s, a genre called ‘Jibonmukhi Gaan’ became popular in West Bengal, followed by a controversy over the word ‘Jibonmukhi’ which meant life oriented. Because of its name the other genres then automatically were turned to be ‘Moronmukhi’ i.e., death oriented or ‘Jibonbimukh’ i.e., anti-life. Whatsoever controversy it raised, the term ‘Jibonmukhi Gaan’ was readily accepted by the younger generation while the older generation followed silently and slowly, though the established older generation artistes
categorically denied its claim to be at all a melodic expression. However, Jibonmukhi Gaan for a while eclipsed all other genres of Bengali Songs and took the young generation by storm in the urban as well as rural areas; and still is, very popular among the Bengalis across the world. Though the lyrics of these songs were in Bengali reflecting the daily concerns of urban
society of Bengal, but their melodies were reinterpretations of Anglo-Saxon forms, mixed with the melodies of Bengali classical and folk tradition.