If only songs could help cricketers!
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IN India, cricket is not a game; it is a creed. We go overboard whether we are celebrating a victory or pouring scorn over the players when they lose a match or tournament. If the former is an occasion for a national celebration, the latter calls for national mourning.

In such an atmosphere, it was but natural that an official music album should have been compiled to cheer up the Indian boys when they were going to the ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa. It has been conceived as a vehicle to gather the dreams, aspirations and good wishes of a billion-plus people so that the event becomes an enriching experience for all.

Instead of being an album about cricket, it focuses on passions and trials and tribulations required for making one’s dreams come true. So, there are melodies that talk about life and inspire one to face life. Overall, the album gives out sufficient positive energy. It features 12 songs, including the official theme song of the extravaganza. This English-Zulu hybrid, titled Welcome, has been produced by Sello Ernest Twala a.k.a. Chicco, and performed by the best-known performers from South Africa.

Jatin-Lalit, Rajesh Roshan, Sajid Wajid, Lalit Sen and Nitin Raikwar have joined hands with new and young talent like Harpreet, Jeet M. Ganguly, and Jayanta Pathak to contribute some soulful and energetic tunes. Lively vocals have been provided by Sukhvinder Singh, Alka Yagnik, Abhijeet, KK, Sunidhi Chauhan, Vasundhara Das, Sudesh Bhosle, Vinod Rathod, Bali Brahmbhatt and others. Bands like Parikrama and PMC contribute their mite. No wonder the album has sufficient variety and breadth.

"Humko hai yakeen …" is the only song that talks cricket. It has been sung by Vinod Rathod with great enthusiasm.

The album as such is enough to soar spirits and hopes, the dreams and goals of Indians. Now it is for the cricketers to be motivated by it and come back with pride and honour.

Yes, the title is right. Adnan Sami and Jagjit Singh have never come together in one album. But make no mistake about it. They do not sing together. It is just that one side features Jagjit and the other Sami.

Sami’s rendition of Riaz-ur-Rahman Saghar’s lyric, "Bheegi bheegi raaton mein …" and "Kabhi to nazar milao …" (the latter with Asha Bhosle) are the pick of the lot. Also there are two haunting numbers from the film Shakti, Hum tum mile … and Dil ne pukara …. The side closes with Adnan’s Ajnabee hit, Mehbooba, mehbooba .…

Flip the side and you come to Jagjit Singh. It includes his ghazals from the album Unique (Tera chehra kitna suhana lagta hai …), Vision (Aaapko Dekhkar… and Kuchh na kuchh to …), Desire (Din aa gaye shabab ke anchal sambhaliye…) and Insight (Chand se phool …).