Narayan Gopal - Partnership With Gopal Yonzon

Partnership With Gopal Yonzon

With the partnership of Gopal Yonzon during the later sixties, Narayan Gopal's music entered a new phase of development. In the words of Ishwar Bhallav, Narayan Gopal became the singer of the hearts of the Nepali people. It was in this phase that he started to sing his famous songs of love, loss, and tragedy; and he emerged as the most prominent singer of this era. At this time, the musicians of Nepal were starting to become more self conscious and were seeking to express themselves in original emotions and style. Originality was becoming increasingly important. It was also at this time that new sounds from the West, such as by the Beatles and Bob Dylan, were entering and influencing the music of Nepal. In order to confront the influence of Western pop music, a new consciousness and a new style of music was felt to be necessary. To meet these challenges, Narayan Gopal in partnership with Gopal Yonzon created songs that have since been ever popular in Nepal. Song like बिर्सेर फेरि मलाई नहेर, चिनारी हाम्रो धेरै पुरानो, तिम्रो जस्तो मुटु मेरो पनि, लौ सुन म भन्छु मेरो रामकहानी not only gave new lease of life to Gopal Yonzon's musical career, but it also carved a special niche for Narayan Gopal among the listeners of Nepali music.

Soon he found himself to be sought after by all the major composers of Nepal. He collaborated with established composers like Nati Kaji, Shiva Sankar, Amber Gurung, and Dharmaraj Thapa. He was starting to be known as the singer of intellect.

During the beginning of the seventies, he married his long-time fan Pemala at the age of thirty-one. After their marriage his residence shifted for sometime to Pokhara and later for sometime to Hetauda. In Pokhara he became acquainted with the poet Bhupi Sherchan, while in Hetauda he became acquainted with fellow songwriter and composer Bhim Birag. As a result of the interactions, he composed and sang Bhupi Sherchan's सानै हुरीमा बैँसको सपना and अल्झेछ क्यारे पछ्यौरी तिम्रो चियाको बुट्टामा; and he sang Bhim Birag's तिमीले पनि मजस्तै माया दिएर हेर.