You know what’s weird about 2009? A surprisingly large number of those songs that are slow and deeply emotional but aren’t exactly love songs. Weird!

Okay, I’m ranking them! But this is based on emotions, so it’s personal, this is my ranking but I would be interested in yours.

“Yeh Zindagi Bhi” from Luck By Chance. All these people coming together to make movies, just makes me cry.

“Kaminey” title song. The refrain, “My dreams are kaminey”, who has not felt like that? Suddenly seen that everything you wanted and hoped for in life is petty and small, your whole being suddenly feels worthless.

“Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh” from 3 Idiots. I considered “Jeene Dhoonge”, but then I decided that is just a straight up sad song. This is more complex, about memory and lost youth and also suddenly feeling alive and present in the moment you are in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBr798ZSOx4

“Paayaliya” from Dev.D. The song itself isn’t as good, but the idea it conveys of this young woman picking herself up and brushing herself off and surviving is touching.

“Khudaya Khair” from Billu. The official version of this song is just Shahrukh and PC being starry together. But the version I like has Lara Dutta’s average village woman feeling that touch of magic in her life thanks to Shahrukh-the-movie-star.

“Aaj Kal Zindagi” from Wake Up Sid. Despite my dislike for Ranbir, this movie is still very powerful. And this song is a great one for conveying “today is the first day of the rest of my life” kind of feeling.

“Hai Junoon” from New York. This is such a catchy song! The pure sound of it is already great, and then we get this lovely fun kind of visuals to it, all conveying that feeling of being young and happy and free.

“Paankhon Ko” from Rocket Singh. Okay, I don’t like Ranbir Kapoor, but I know I have to include this song. How many songs are there, from anywhere, about the devastation of being fired from a job?

What’s our ranking? Which of these songs really speaks to you? Or is there something I am missing?