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 *e*xpressed 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 hai****sapnon 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 badra****chhaye **- *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.