Lata Mangeshkar, at the pinnacle of playback singing passed away in Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai in February 2022, leaving many mourning her leaving the mortal coil. We needn't be sad. She was 92, had a fulfilling life and left the world after ensuring that her songs are available for future generations to listen to and enjoy!
I doubt if there is any genre of film songs that she hasn't sung. Maybe not qawwali, since I haven't heard any....but maybe she may not have left that genre. Here is a selection of songs that have given untold pleasure to me while listening to them. I am giving the links with the youtube videos embedded here.
The first has to be the bhajan that was a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi too! I am embedding the Live recording of Lata's rendering of the bhajan here.
(Please note: Some embedded videos may not be displayed because of copyright issues. I have given the YouTube link below the embedded videos in case the embedded videos don't play)
The next song is from a classic Dil Ek Mandir "Ruk jaa raat thehar jaa re chanda". The pathos of the situation is brought so wonderfully by Lata Mangeshkar that you want the night to not end.
Now for another prayer song. This is from the Dev Anand classic Hum Dono. The song Allah tero naam. The song is so strong on devotion that one is bound to have some tears well up in their eyes listening to the voice and modulation of Lata didi.
The next song is about 'rains'. Among Hindi film songs, the songs on rain (barkha, saawan, etc) have been classics - especially the ones from the 1950's to the 1970's. There are so many, so please excuse me if this not not among your favourites! This one is from Parakh. The song, O sajnaa barkha bahaar aayi has some wonderful musical accompaniment.
The next one is from the movie Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi. The film had Meena Kumari and Raj Kumar in central roles. The former as a nurse in the latter's hospital. Secretly pining for Raj Kumar, but unable to express her love, she finds that Raj Kumar is betrothed to another lady. The song in a party on a boat has some excellent musical accompaniment. Enjoy.
The next song is a dance number picturised on the beautiful and excellent dancer, Vyjayanthimala from the movie, Amrapali. The song expresses the love that the leading lady has for her lover when she is waiting for him. The song, Neel gagan ki chaaon mein has excellent music and dance choreography. The movie had music by Shankar Jaikishen with all songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
Among Lata's songs that are picturised on the leading lady or supporting actress with a child, the one in Aradhana is always a classic. The song Chanda hai tu, mera suraj hai tu is different from the other songs in the movie, and that is why I have included it here!
With a view to be different, here is a cabaret number sung by Lata. Probably the only cabaret number that she sang as if to tell her more accomplished sister, Asha Bhosle (in that genre) that what you can do, I can do too and with some panache to boot. The song is fromt the film, Inteqaam. The song is Aa jaane jaan.
The next and the last one in this blog is from the movie Mughal-E-Azam. The song, Pyaar kiya to darna kya was filmed on the ravishing Madhubala and was a super duper hit. One aspect that caught the attention of listeners was the echo effect in the song when technology was not there to record such an effect. A rumour started doing the rounds that Naushad had asked Lata to record the song in a bathroom to get the effect in the recording. However, in an interview (https://bit.ly/3SrJsQC), Lata had this to say, "The only way to do it (getting the echo effect) was singing the same line of the song at three different places and then overlapping the recordings." So, Lata Mangeshkar started from a room and then came to a hall and finally to a room where the recording device was put. Later, that effect made the song memorable.
But none of the places was a bathroom. She categorically denied the rumour but said that she is immensely proud of that song.
