‘Taray Taray’: The poem behind the Rock Classic

Shamsur Rahman, the unofficial poet laureate of Bangladesh, once wrote a legendary poem titled 'Uttar'. While his majestic poetry has enchanted millions of hearts, few know how 'Uttar' transformed into one of the country's most recognizable rock anthems. 

The unanswered questions of a silent sky finally found their voice in James's legendary song 'Taray Taray'. Poet Shamsur Rahman (1929-2006) is widely regarded as Bangladesh’s foremost modern poet. He was closely associated with the country's language movement and the independence era. Written in the 1970s, his poem 'Uttar' consists of three parallel stanzas. Each stanza is built on a recurring pattern of the sky, a flower, and the moonlight - and their absolute silence. 

The core theme of the poem explores nature's indifference to human ownership. While humans naturally tend to claim natural elements as their own, the sky, the camellia flower, and the moonlight offer no response to these claims. This creates a deeply melancholic tone, echoing a lover's patient wait for his beloved to accept his unrequited love. 

This melancholic sentiment was later reshaped into a passionate rock song by legendary rock star  James. He released the track in 1996 as part of the album Nagar Baul with his band, Feelings. 

While James modified some parts of the text to suit his musical delivery, the core poetic brilliance of the original poem remained intact, continuing to mesmerize literary enthusiasts. 

Notably, James did not diminish the poem's depth; he preserved the primary theme while adapting the lyrics for a rock ballad. 

The silence of the original poem became an emotional outburst in the song. The lyrics declare: 'If you call me yours, I will not stay silent. I will announce our love across the stars.' 

This genius adaptation went on to become one of the most-played Bengali songs in history. While official physical sales records from that era are scarce, digital trends highlight its enduring popularity, with the song garnering over 28 million views on YouTube. The Daily Star has previously hailed James's 'Taray Taray' as a timeless classic of Bangladeshi music.

Yet, while the song continues to enjoy massive success, the literary masterpiece that birthed it is slowly fading from memory as fewer people turn to classic poetry today.