Lady - Colonial Cousins (The Way We Do It, 1998)

Apologies for the long silence.

'Lady', by Colonial Cousins. An older song, if you consider the year (1998), but I recently got the album 'The Way We Do It' in my hands. Colonial Cousins for me means a confluence of two seemingly contrasting worlds, that are brought together by two brothers in music. Hariharan, from what I know and believe, a master in anything between classical or ghazal and funky fusion, and Leslie Lewis, a to me fairly unknown musician compared to Hari but who's got the groove close to his heart; both cross the borders of music, both break the fences of the different genres they are born in, and make new pathways to greater music. They inspire me, show me new worlds, show new roads that I couldn't have imagined being possible.

I love their Indian Rain, Krishna, Sa Ni Dha Pa, Sri Rama, Mata Pita, Sundar Balma, Visions... They keep on finding new ways to my heart. Though I find some of their songs more commercialized and missing out on creativity at times, the overall ideas they bring to their music is - to say the least - praiseworthy and outright divine expressions of the God of Funky and Sweet Music.

'Lady' is a quite straightforward song, it is sung mostly in English. A nice and soothing melody... with stringparts based on Raga Hamsadhwani that remind me of 'Milan', a track from the album Liberation by Karsh Kale and Zakir Hussain (but this album is from 2003, so do not think that Colonial Cousins ripped it). It is haunting... it is mesmerizing...

Guitarpatterns and strings build the mood... Lezz and Hari sing the lines:

Will you be my lady, will you be my lover
Will you be the one love, always and forever
Will you be the sunlight, wake me in the morning
Will you be the starshine, touch me when I'm dreaming
Will you be my lady, will you be my lover
Will you be the one love, always and forever

A smooth rhythm starts, by an electronic snare and a pakhawaj-like sound... And the lines are repeated along with a scintillating and minimalistic tanpura-sound... the song seems to be getting it's wings.

And after that... it takes off...

When your friends surround you, I will be your laughter
When the party’s over, I will be thereafter
When you’re feeling down girl, I will be your sorrow
When your day is over, I will be tomorrow
Will you be my lady...

(Am I the only one to notice the beauty in Hari's way of singing the English text...?)

The strings add, raga Hamsadhwani in flashes adorns the melody.

When your eyes are smiling, I will be the reason
King of your heart girl, right through all the seasons
When your world is lonely, I will be your shadow
When your day is over, I will be tomorrow
Will you be my lady...

Hariharan adds the flavour of hindi lyrics and melodies...

Sajanaa... Kahe nahi aaye
My love... why haven't you come...

When your feeling lonely, I will be your shadow
When your day is over, I will be tomorrow
Will you be my lady...

Will you be the sunlight, wake me in the morning
Will you be the starshine, touch me when I'm dreaming
Will you be my lady...

Sajanaa... Kahe...
My love... why...
Kahe nahi aaye...
Why haven't you come...
Sajanaa... Kahe...
My love... why...

:)

Will you be my lady... *dozing off..* wonder when I get the chance to sing this song for someone :)

(The song can be found on Musicindiaonline.com :: 'The Way We Do It' Tracklist.)