Being my first review, I thought I’d write about someone whose voice I listen to everyday and gives me a sense of warmth, a blissful feeling really.
It is quite difficult to pick up just 20 songs from the Lataji’s vast repertoire. Anyway, here are my personal favourites, which I love to listen over and over again.I tried to order them, but such is Lataji’s voice that I personally feel guilty preferring one over the other.(except the last three, which are my all-time favorites, in order).They are mentioned below:-
1)Na tum bewafa ho - Ek Kali Muskai
A great tune by Madan Mohan; Lataji does full justice to the song. The pathos in the song is conveyed marvellously.
2)Pyar kiya to darna kya - Mughal-e-Azam
Who can forget Madhubala’s dance in the hall? Great lyrics and wonderful chorus make this song unforgettable. Naushadji’s idea of using an "echo" effect for Lataji’s voice is amazing.
3)Milti hai zindagi mein - Aankhen
Great romantic song, well picturized on Mala Sinha. The use of dholak greatly adds to the beauty of song, making Lataji’s voice sound even sweeter. The prelude is simply stunning.
4)Ja re ja re ud ja re - Maya
Another stupendous one picturized on Mala Sinha.Wonderful tune by Salil Choudhury!
5)Mujhe tum mil gaye - *Love in Tokyo
Lataji’s voice sounds extremely sweet in this gem of a song by Shankar Jaikishan, who have penned magical preludes and interludes for this song.
6)Rahen na rahen hum - *Mamta
Fell in love with this song the first time I heard it(more than 2 decades back). The peal of bells at the start never fails to amaze me.
7)Rasik balma - *Chori Chori
The anguish *expressed in the legend’s voice is simply unbelievable. So impressed was Pt.Nehru that he requested Lataji to sing it over to him over the phone.
8)Aaj phir jeene ki - Guide
An all-time favourite of mine. Love the way the song starts, with the *antara. *The perfect *joie-de-vivre *song.
9)Tu jahan jahan chalega - *Mera Saaya
I can close my eyes and meditate on this exquisite MM number, rendered by Lataji in her inimitable style.
10)Jo humne dastaan apni - *Woh Kaun Thi
Lataji and MM at their best.
11)Naina barse - *Woh Kaun Thi
What a start to the song! The perfect’haunting’ song.
12)Lag ja gale - *Woh Kaun Thi
No words can do justice to the emotion put in by Lataji. The lover’s yearning for her beloved has never been conveyed so earnestly(and mellifluously). What a composer MM was!Three stunners in a single movie. All rendered in the heavenly voice of lataji.
13)Aap ki nazron ne samjha - Anpadh
Another great MM ghazal. Very well rendered by Lataji.Just love the way she sings’Pad gayi dil par mere, *aap *ki parchaiya.’
14)Phaili huyi haisapnon ki baahein - *House No. 44
Sweet, sweet melody by Dada Burman. Picturised on Kalpana Kartik, Dev Anand’s wife.Lata’s voice is just the icing the cake.Listening to the *antara *takes me to another world.
15)Tera mera pyar - *Asli Naqli
Lataji’s mellifluous voice caresses the soul and makes this song worth listening to over and over again. Nice picturization too.
16)Zara si aahat - *Haqeeqat
Heavenly tune by Madan Mohan!Lataji’s voice is simply matchless. I can never have enough of the line’Shakal phirti hai .aaaaa.’ .
17)Yeh zindagi usiki hai - *Anarkali
Great composition of C.Ramchandra. Rendered very soulfully by Lataji, as always. A small *sitar *prelude in the song is to be heard to be believed.
18)Naino mein badrachhaye - *Mera Saaya
Great song based on a classical tune. Great picturization too. I’ve been listening to this song at least twice a day for a couple of months. Even then, Lataji’s voice and MM’s music never fail to impress me.
19)Thandi hawayen - Naujawan
I’ve been listening to this song ever since I was a kid. And I find the introductory’aa ha ha ha .la la la la.’’ too good to believe. When I listen to this, I feel I’m in heaven.
20)Aayega aanewala - *Mahal
If I had to choose one song of Lataji, this would definitely be it. The first song I remember having heard as a child. I used to cry listening to this. Listening to this song, it seems an angel is singing.
Even now, it gives me goosebumps.
I know I’ve left out many good ones in this list. I tried to select songs of a number of MDs. Even then, I had to select eight of Madan Mohan’s creations. So good are his songs that I had no other choice. Please post your comments on this.