"Saeein" (Urdu: سائیں, literal English translation: "Oh Lord") is a song by Pakistani sufi rock band Junoon. It is Junoon's eleventh single and the second from the 1996 studio album Inquilaab. The song is written by lead guitarist, Salman Ahmad and lyricist, Sabir Zafar. Due to the song's popularity, it also featured on the band's fourth studio album Azadi released in 1997. "Saeein" is one of Junoon's most popular songs, and has been covered numerous times, most notably by Indian singer Harshdeep Kaur.[1] The song marked Junoon's foray into what later became the sufi rock sound that the band is most popularly associated with. The song uses blending rock guitars and bluesy vocals with eastern elements like the use of tablas (traditional south Asian hand drums), raga-inspired melodies, traditional Pakistani folk music, and Eastern inspired poetry.
| "Saeein" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Junoon | ||||
| from the album Inquilaab and Azadi | ||||
| Released | 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1995 | |||
| Genre | Sufi rock | |||
| Length | 5:34 (album version) 5:24 (music video) | |||
| Label | EMI Pakistan, Sadaf Stereo | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Sabir Zafar, Salman Ahmad | |||
| Producer(s) | John Alec, Salman Ahmad | |||
| Junoon singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Saeein" was named at #3 in a list of Junoon's top 10 songs and at #9 among the top sufi rock songs list published by Gibson Guitar on their website.[2][3]
In addition, the short version of the song featured on the band's fourth studio album, Azadi, released in 1997. The song has also featured in several other albums by the band like Kashmakash (1995) and Dewaar: The Best of Junoon (2004).
Music video
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Track listing
editSaeein
All tracks are written by Junoon
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Saeein" | 5:34 |
| 2. | "Saeein Alaap" | 4:41 |
| 3. | "Saeein" (Video) | 5:24 |
Cover versions
edit- 2008: Harshdeep Kaur (performed live at the singing competition Junoon - Kuch Kar Dikhaane Ka)
- 2011: Usman Riaz (covered an instrumental version of the song on Junoon's 20th anniversary album)
Personnel
edit- Junoon
- Ali Azmat - lead vocals, backing vocals
- Salman Ahmad - backing vocals, lead guitar
- Brian O'Connell - bass guitar, backing vocals
- Additional musicians
References
edit- ^ Harshdeep - Saeein Tu Hi Retrieved on May 4, 2011
- ^ The Perfect Mix: The Top 10 Junoon Songs Retrieved on August 20, 2011.
- ^ Best of Both Worlds: The Top 10 Sufi Rock Songs