Ananda Shankar (11 December 1942 – 26 March 1999) was an Indian musician be… Read Full Bio ↴Ananda Shankar (11 December 1942 – 26 March 1999) was an Indian musician best known for his fusion of Western and Eastern musical styles. He was married to Tanushree Shankar.
Born in Almora, Uttar Pradesh, India, Ananda was the son of Amala and Uday Shankar, popular dancers. He was also the nephew of renowned sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar. Ananda did not learn sitar from his uncle but studied instead with Dr. Lalmani Misra in Varanasi.
In the late 1960s Shankar travelled to Los Angeles, where he played with many contemporary musicians including Jimi Hendrix. There he was signed to Reprise Records and released his first studio album, the self-titled Ananda Shankar in 1970, featuring original Indian classical material alongside sitar-based cover versions of popular hits such as The Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and The Doors' "Light My Fire". This album has become an enduring cult classic.
Returning to India in the early 1970s Shankar continued to experiment musically and in 1975 released his most critically acclaimed album, Ananda Shankar and His Music, a jazz-funk mix of Eastern sitar, tabla and mridangam, Western rock guitar, drums and Moog synthesizers. Out of print for many years, Ananda Shankar and His Music was re-released on CD in 2005.
After working in India during the late 1970s and 1980s, Shankar's profile in the West began to rise again in the mid-1990s as his music found its way into club DJ sets, particularly in London. His music was brought to a wider audience with the release of Blue Note Records' popular 1996 rare groove compilation album, Blue Juice Vol. 1., featuring the two standout tracks from Ananda Shankar and His Music, "Dancing Drums" and "Streets of Calcutta".
In the late 1990s Shankar worked and toured in the United Kingdom with London DJ State of Bengal and others, a collaboration that would result in the Walking On album, featuring Shankar's trademark sitar soundscapes mixed with breakbeat and hip hop. Walking On was released in 2000 after Shankar's sudden death from heart failure the year before.
In 2005, his song "Raghupati" was featured in the soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
Born in Almora, Uttar Pradesh, India, Ananda was the son of Amala and Uday Shankar, popular dancers. He was also the nephew of renowned sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar. Ananda did not learn sitar from his uncle but studied instead with Dr. Lalmani Misra in Varanasi.
In the late 1960s Shankar travelled to Los Angeles, where he played with many contemporary musicians including Jimi Hendrix. There he was signed to Reprise Records and released his first studio album, the self-titled Ananda Shankar in 1970, featuring original Indian classical material alongside sitar-based cover versions of popular hits such as The Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and The Doors' "Light My Fire". This album has become an enduring cult classic.
Returning to India in the early 1970s Shankar continued to experiment musically and in 1975 released his most critically acclaimed album, Ananda Shankar and His Music, a jazz-funk mix of Eastern sitar, tabla and mridangam, Western rock guitar, drums and Moog synthesizers. Out of print for many years, Ananda Shankar and His Music was re-released on CD in 2005.
After working in India during the late 1970s and 1980s, Shankar's profile in the West began to rise again in the mid-1990s as his music found its way into club DJ sets, particularly in London. His music was brought to a wider audience with the release of Blue Note Records' popular 1996 rare groove compilation album, Blue Juice Vol. 1., featuring the two standout tracks from Ananda Shankar and His Music, "Dancing Drums" and "Streets of Calcutta".
In the late 1990s Shankar worked and toured in the United Kingdom with London DJ State of Bengal and others, a collaboration that would result in the Walking On album, featuring Shankar's trademark sitar soundscapes mixed with breakbeat and hip hop. Walking On was released in 2000 after Shankar's sudden death from heart failure the year before.
In 2005, his song "Raghupati" was featured in the soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
Dancing Drums
Ananda Shankar Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Ananda Shankar:
Can't Help Falling In Love Am I out of my head? Am I out of my…
Light My Fire this s instrumental but the original song s lyrics goes…
Raghupati Let us sing in praise of Rahman. Who is the eternal…
Snow Flower Romaji Eoneusae gireojin geurimjareul ttaraseo Ttanggomi jin…
Walking On Giant steps are what you take Walking on the moon I hope…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Ale
A true masterpiece, 40 years ahead of it's time.
Neeti Basu
A classical fantastic fusion of Afro-Western-Indian Rhythmic Rocks,,Here East meets the West,Truly spellbound-when I Witnessed Live Show of Ananda Shankar with Dancing Troupes at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi
Carrier
my favorite song of LBP!!!
a bearded person
This song was stuck in my head for almost a decade. I was thinking of that god damn train survival level from LBP 1. I could not find it ANYWHERE, so I had no other choice but to shazam it. Oh my freaking god.
Fleeber Treatise
A great piece of music. I got introduced to it from Little Big Planet about 10 years ago. One of my favorites from that. Also, check out My Patch.
Keith Kent
Original Indian psychedelia. I love this stuff!
Stephen Patrick
So much going on in one song! All of it amazing. If they ever remake Get Carter in India, the theme tune has to be this.
Gautam V
Oh, thank you so much for posting this wonderful song! Brings back vivid childhood memories ...warm evenings spent in Delhi during the monsoons, listening to AS's wonderful music with my parents.
AName
I played little bigg planet and thats not the only reason I love this song.I love this song because it helps me relax and its cultural its nice and soothing it makes me wanna go to help indians and people like that
Ehsan Rahman
What a combination of East and western music.