Jayen To Jayen Kahan: Lata Song from Taxi Driver Translated
Meta Description: Jayen To Jayen Kahan is a golden oldie
from Dev Anand starrer Taxi Driver. The Lata Mangeshkar Sahir Ludhianvi hit
song also has a Talat Mahmood male version.
Setting the Background for Translating Jayen To Jayen
Kahan (Lata Version)
Mangal (Dev Anand), a taxi driver, rescues and befriends Mala (Kalpana Kartik), and soon the two fall in love. However, Mangal, at that time, was in an ongoing relationship with a cabaret dancer Sylvie. When Mala learns of this, she leaves him. The Lata Mangeshkar version appears at this point, expressing Mala’s poignant grief. The Talat Mahmood version appears later when Mangal has searched for Mala and has failed to find her.
Male and Female Versions of Bollywood Songs
It was a common practice, particularly in Bollywood films of the 1950s and 1960s, to have male and female versions of the same song, rendered on screen by the lead actor and actress respectively. Sometimes the lyrics of the two versions were identical; at other times, they were subtly nuanced to suit the context of the narrative and reflect the differing perspectives of the two protagonists. Such paired songs added value to a film’s music album, an important consideration at a time when these albums enjoyed a much longer shelf life than they do today.
At Bollywood Translations, I endeavour to bring you such male–female song pairs that were popular in their time. Jaayen To Jaayen Kahan is one such song. The male version was translated earlier, and the female version is the subject of this blog. Other such pairs featured on Bollywood Translations are listed later.
The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Jayen
To Jayen Kahan (Lata Version)
Tell me O where should I go
Tell me O where should I go
Here no one will follow
This tale of my heart’s sorrow
Tell me O where should I go
Here no one will follow
This tale of my heart’s sorrow
Tell me O where should I go
You who have left me
and have gone away
I can’t forget you and
live day by day
You who have left me
You who have left me
and have gone away
I can’t forget you and
live day by day
Easier to die, my hero
Tell me O where should I go
Here no one will follow
This tale of my heart’s sorrow
Tell me O where should I go
Heart’s filled with
embers, breaths are full of strife
How can I carry on
with such a life
Heart’s filled with
embers
Heart’s filled with
embers, breaths are full of strife
How can I carry on
with such a life
Passions are now zero
Tell me O where should I go
Here no one will follow
This tale of my heart’s sorrow
Tell me O where should I go
The Original Hindi Lyrics of Jayen To Jayen Kahan (Lata
Version) from Taxi Driver
Jaayen to jaayen kahaan
Jaayen to jaayen kahaan
Samajhegaa kaun yahaan
Dard bhare dil ki zubaan
Jaayen to jaayen kahaan
Samajhegaa kaun yahaan
Dard bhare dil ki zubaan
Jaayen to jaayen kahaan
O jaane waale daaman chhudake
Mushkil hain jeena, tujhko bhula ke
O jaane waale
O jaane waale daaman chhudake
Mushkil hain jeena, tujhko bhula ke
Isse to hai, maut aasan
Jaayen to jaayen kahaan
Samajhegaa kaun yahaan
Dard bhare dil ki zubaan
Jaayen to jaayen kahaan
Seene mein shole, saanso mein aahe
Is zindagi se kaise nibhaye
Seene mein shole
Seene mein shole, saanso mein aahe
Is zindagi se kaise nibhaye
Har jazba hai veeran
Jaayen to jaayen kahaan
Samajhegaa kaun yahaan
Dard bhare dil ki zubaan
Jaayen to jaayen kahaan
Meanings of Difficult Urdu Words
Daaman = Hem
Daaman Chhudana = To separate from
Shole = Embers
Aahe = Sighs
Nibhana = Fulfil responsibility
Jazba = Passion
Veeran = Barren
The Literal English Translation of the Lyrics of Jayen
To Jayen Kahan (Lata Version)
If I go then where should I go
Here, who will understand
The voice of my sorrow filled heart
O you who have ditched
me and left
It is difficult to
forget you and live
Dying is easier than this
There are embers in my
heart and sighs in my breath
How will I carry on
with this life
My passions have
become barren
Jayen To Jayen Kahan (Lata Version) Fact Sheet
· Movie: Taxi Driver
