Helen Jairag Richardson is an Indian film actress and dancer of Anglo-Burmese descent, working in Hindi films. She is often cited as the most popular dancer of the item number in her time. She was the inspiration for four films and a book.
Helen was born on November 21, 1939 in Burma to an Anglo-Indian father and Burmese mother. She has a brother Roger and a sister Jennifer. Her father died during the Second World War. The family migrated to Mumbai in 1943 in order to escape from the Japanese occupation of Burma. Helen had to quit her schooling to support her family because her mother's salary as a nurse was not enough to feed a family of four. In a documentary called 'Queen of the Nautch girls', Helen said she was 17 yrs old in 1957 when she got her first big break in Howrah Bridge.
Helen was introduced to Bollywood when a family friend, an actress known as Cukoo, helped her find jobs as a chorus dancer in the films Shabistan and Awaara (1951). She was soon working regularly and was featured as a solo dancer in films such as Alif Laila (1954), Hoor-e-Arab (1953), and number "Mr. John O Baba Khan" in the film Baarish.
It was easy to pick me up, easy to put me down
It was easy to give you all the love I had
And it was easy for you to make me think
I had made the grass turn green
'Cause the little love you gave me
Was more than I had seen
Helen, it hurts when I try to be strong
When most of the reasons for livin' are gone
Well you got me where you want me, a lonely cryin' clown
And you've almost got the best of me
And you've almost got me down
Well, it seems the givers always get taken just for fools
'Cause takers know that livers, lie by all the rules
While lovers do the livin' and the livin' do their best
And the takers take it all the time and the givers get the rest
Helen, it hurts when I try to be strong
When most of the reasons for livin' are gone
Well you got me where you want me, a lonely cryin' clown
And you've almost got the best of me
And you've almost got me down
And you've almost got the best of me
(A. Scott/Sloan)
Well we meet again
This time it's like a drive by in the rain
And right beside us our will is done
It simplifies us and keeps us as one
And tonight (is the night) all that might is coming true
There's no need to complain
'Cause there are so many others we could blame
There's something 'bout the way that I spend my time
I complicate things to keep you in mind
And tonight (is the night) all that might is coming true
Yeah tonight (is the night) all that might is coming true
Tonight what will you do
Tonight what will you do
With one more down the drain
Every added penny sends another shooting pain
I never dreamt that it would end like this
A twenty thousand dollar cease and desist
And tonight (is the night) all that might is coming true
Yeah tonight (is the night) all that might is coming true
Tonight (is the night) all that might is coming true
(Karl Davis)
Kentucky you are the dearest land outside of heaven to me
Kentucky your laurels your redbud trees
When I die I want to rest upon some peaceful mountains so high
For that is where God will look for me.
--- Instrumental ---
Kentucky I miss the old folks singing in the silvery moonlight
Kentucky I miss the hound dogs chasing coons
I know that my mother dad and sweetheart are awaiting for me
Helen, are you still there?
I can not let down.
Where are you Helen?
Helen, you say that it's you.
Please tell me the truth,
that you're not Helen, Helen.
Helen where are you?
Gone on Monday morning.
Helen come back soon.
Gone on Monday morning, you left me.
Gone on Monday morning you left your heart
Helen, staring so long.
Please tell me right now
That you're not Helen.
Helen, why did you go?
Ages ago we were in heaven, Helen.
Helen where are you?
Gone on Monday morning.
Helen come back soon.
Gone on Monday morning, you left me.
Gone on Monday morning you left your heart
Ooooh, lonely for you
Helen, who is this girl?
I'm still alone and you're not Helen.
Helen, twelve days ago.
Since you went home it feels like heaven,
Helen
Helen
Helen
Helen where are you?
Gone on Monday morning.
Helen come back soon.
Gone on Monday morning, you left me.
Gone on Monday morning you left your heart
Ooooh, lonely for you
Helen where are you?
Gone on Monday morning.
Helen come back soon.
Gone on Monday morning, you left me.
Hey Helen.
Your eyes shining, you're beautiful,
So I just has to come and sing to you.
And Helen,
Made me feel alive last night to meet you, so,
This is the best I can bring to you.
'Cos you sent me singing through the woods,
Last night,
You sent me singing through the,
Feeling alright,
You sent me singing through the woods,
Last night,
You sent me singing a, Happy singing boy.
Because of you,
Because of...
Because of you, yeah.
And Helen,
I don't know you, you don't know me but,
What can I say? I just like you.
And Helen,
I'm just trying to bring to you,
All the things I would love for you to bring to me too.
'Cos you sent me singing through the woods,
Last night,
You sent me singing through the,
Feeling alright,
You sent me singing through the woods,
Last night,
You sent me singing a, Happy singing boy.
Because of you, Because of you.
And Helen,
There's people around this country
That hate taking risks of being all we can be.
And Helen,
Step outside the door with me,
Really take the chance of being free.
I will too, yeah.
'Cos you sent me singing through the woods,
Last night,
You sent me singing through the,
Feeling alright,
You sent me singing through the woods,
Last night,
You sent me singing a, Happy singing boy.
Because of you...
Someone make you remember,
Those dreams you dreamed in Decemeber,
I feel the life coming through ya,
And it makes me wanna persue ya,
I feel alive.
I feel alive.
I feel alive.
I feel alive.
And it makes me wanna hold to ya...
You sent me singing through the woods,
Last night,
You sent me singing through the,
Feeling alright,
You sent me singing through the woods,
Last night,
You sent me singing a, Happy singing boy.
Because of you,
Because of...
Because of you, yeah.
Because of,
Strange because of you,
Change because of you,
The things you make me do, yeah.
Helen has eyes as dark as blackend pans
Shell read your tea-cups and the palms of your hands
she's got this humor that plays havoc with her mouth
You may think she's present but her mind, is travelling south
she's very sexy in an urban kind of way
She loves her coffee her cigarettes and her cafes
Helen vous ete plus tres femme
Helen vous ete plus tres femme
Now Helen claimed she was a witch when she was five
This self confession came as no surprise (as no surprise)
Her mother said that she was mysterious (oh yeah)
We never really took her serious (aahhh)
And then one day when we were walking down the street
Helen just vanished this was a habit she'd repeat
Helen vous ete plus tres femme (ohh mysterious)
Helen vous ete plus tres femme (simply more than the average woman)
Helen vous ete plus tres femme (ohhh)
Helen vous ete plus tres femme (yeah)
Now Helens girlfriends are few and far between
and on the rare occasions she lets them in
Im glad to be considered a kindred soul
But what she really thinks of me, hey I'll never know
Helen vous ete plus tres femme
Helen vous ete plus tres femme (you are mysterious yeah)
Helen vous ete plus tres femme (youre gorgeous
Helen vous ete plus tres femme (I love this song it's so stupid)
Helen vous ete plus tres femme (You are so mysterious)
I just heard the news
A new one is on your line.
I just heard the news
It's taking all my time.
What will you do when I'm fine?
Whaat will I write when I'm fine?
I just heard the news
A new one is on your line.
Legs they're wrapped around
A victim by surprise.
What will you do when I'm fine?
What will I write when I'm fine?
Helen, if you called my name you know i'd go
In my bedroom, in my bedroom, in my bedroom
I seek a foreign night. Aren't we the same, you and I,
all our love gathers the storm?
Or should we share a brain, in our minds, all our love
follows the road.
I won't beg you, I won't beg you, I won't beg you, not
with certain words.
Helen your eyes are frozen in my brain
Helen you are a gone world, where I remain.
In my bedroom, in my bedroom, in my bedroom
I seek a foreign light. Aren't we the same you and I,
all our love gathers the storm.
Or should we share a brain in our minds, all our love
follows the road.
I won't beg you, I won't beg you, I won't beg you, not
with certain words.
Helen your eyes are frozen in my brain
Helen you are lost world where I remain.
And all my dreams move away, I let them escape
I will welcome any stranger
For strangeness is a welcome guest
And i will make a bed for him to rest
We will arise there after
Fall around the place in drunken laughter
And never look back again
Years of merry dancing
Weighed heavy on our chest
No more could we afford a place to rest
Cold was the winter
We promised to stay dry together
Living in her bottle
Can't deny that she's inviting me
To come and watch her model
For the riots, the inciting has begun
It's on the wall I just can't see the writing
A thousand ships for her
Sometimes I think that it's unlawful that I love her
And the things I can't express
Send me trying to discover
How to make you understand
That I'm the one and there's no other
Well I know it's time we took the chance
And I know it's time to start this romance
Our love will be intense I know
So don't try to even tell me that I don't
'Cause I know
That it's time you start pretending and watch the show.
Oh girl now, you, you should go
Before your pretty world falls apart and you're alone
Now running from decisions
Never been my kind of game
I won't be, beaten by division
I have made my stand; I'll call your name
You are a vision
It's just not the same, no, a thousand ships for her
Love's the kind of thing you've got to take where you can find it
Girl, you've got all the excuses, but I'm not here to be blinded
No I won't give up, I think it's 'cause I'm just too single minded
Well I know that I can't stop this fight
But I know that I can make it all right
We're gonna start tonight I know so
Don't try to even tell me that we won't
Oh Baby 'cause I, yes I, know
Your walls are tumbling down I told you so (yes I did)
You, oh you, you should show (you should show)
That you realize you don't have to be alone, oh no, oh no,
And I know, I know, yes I know
Hey there pretty girl standing in the fire waiting for the rain
Can't you see the coming clouds carry no promise for the end of your pain
I will take you, where the fire never can go.
And we will make it baby I know, yes I know, oh I know'come on kick it
I-- I know
It's time you stop pretending to watch the show
You, oh you should go
Before your pretty world falls apart and you're all alone
I---- know (I, I, I know)
Your walls are tumbling down, well I, I told you so (I told you so)
Now you, oh you, you should show me(you should show)
That you realize you don't have to be alone, oh no, oh no,