A few years ago, I had heard Lata-bai on FM radio (in Bombay) where, in the midst of a discussion about composers, she made a startling comment that went like this."Pancham to mere liye ya ekdum classical tune banaata thaa ya complete western tune banaata thaa".------ --------- --------- --------- --
Having heard or read Lata's comments in various interviews and articles as regards RD, I am compelled to conclude that while she admires him to a degree, there are others such as Madan Mohan, Shankar-Jaikishan, Salil Chowdhary, and her brother Hridaynath whom she admires even more. Interestingly she never, on her own, says anything complimentary about C Ramchandra, for whom, I think, she has sung some of her best songs. I guess, having sung thousands of songs over decades for countless MDs, it is understandable if Lata does not remember accurately some or more of the songs she has sung for MDs whose music was perhaps not closest to her heart. Some years ago, in an interview she told how someone made her listen to the song she had sung for RD in SUNNY [Jaane Kya Baat Hai]. Her further comment, was "I had completely forgotten about this song. It's a nice song". A nice song! I bet she has forgotten 'Paas Rahata Hai' (AMIR AADMI GAREEB AADMI), too, another "nice song"
from the 80s I'd add to your list. Many years ago, in the seventies, Lata gave a long interview to Illustrated Weekly, in which she spoke very highly of the old-timers, especially Shankar-Jaikishan and Madan Mohan, and was a bit economical in her praises of "today's" MDs. "Pancham" was "King of rhythms", while Laxmikant knew "a bit about classical music".(!)Now I feel that barring LP & C Ramchandra, nobody else has used Lata-bai in so many different moods like Pancham-da did.
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These are subjective views at the end of the day. For me it's Shankar-Jaikishan, closely followed by RD and C Ramchandra when it comes to versatility, range and quality of Lata's songs. S-J were phenomenal, and their oeuvre with Lata is awesome;
RD's oeuvre with Lata may not be as big as those of S-J and L-P, but what there is, is quality. Take loris': RD has composed some exquisite 'loris', and a quite a few of them were sung by Lata: 'Do Nainon Mein' (KHUSHBOO), 'Ek Din Hasana' (BENAAM), 'Chandani Re Zum' (NAUKAR), and one that came towards the end and is every bit as good as the ones mentioned: 'Mere Raja Tu So Ja' (JEENE DO). These lullabies are soft-as-petals, yet pathos-laced.
Talking of pathos, I don't think any listing of such songs will be complete without mentioning 'Ab Ke Na Sawan Barase' (KINARA), 'Tuzse Naraaz Nahin' (MASOOM) or 'Aaina Wahi Rahata Hai' (SHALIMAR), in addition to the ones you've mentioned. Then there're less-heard numbers such as 'Suno Kahani' (ZEHERELA INSAAN), 'Aaj To Meri Hansi Udai' (GOMATI KE KINARE) and the outstanding 'Na Ja Re Na Ja' (KHARIDAR) which came out towards the end, but was in fact compassed almost a decade earlier. I'll rate 'Jab Tak Hain Jaan' (SHOLAY) a tad lower than these songs, but there is no denying that it became massively popular when the film was released.
RD is sometimes criticized for composing 'flippant' numbers, a mere jamboree of 'weird rhythms'. (They happen to be my most favourite RD-songs for their uninhibited insouciance. ) Lata, compared to Asha did not sing many such numbers. 'Haathon Mein Haath Hai (CHALA MURARI HERO BANE), ' Main Na Miloongi' (PYAR KA MAUSAM), 'Zindagi Yeh Zindagi' (DAULAT), and 'Kisi Ek Jagah Ke' (IMAAN) are some that can be added to the ones you've mentioned.
RD has composed some beautiful haunting songs, most of which sung by Lata. 'Aa Meri Jaan' (GOONJ), 'Main Hoon Diya' (JAL MAHAL) and 'Bindiya Tarase' (PHIR WAHI RAAT) come to mind. 'Kya Janoo Sajan' (BAHARON KE SAPNE) is a great haunting melody (to my ears).
Lata has sung a few devotional songs for RD of which, IMO, the best is 'Sanware Sunao' (BASERA). There are a few others like 'Jeevan Ke Sukh' (GUNHEGAAR), 'Tera Aasara Hai' (DHUAN), 'Gyan Daan' (APNE APNE), and 'Pooja Karoon' (JURRAT), none of which rates very highly in my books.
The Mujra songs Lata has sung for RD convey different moods beautifully. The underrated 'Le Lo Shabab Layi' (DO PHOOL) and 'Lo Sahib Phir' (MAATI MANGAY KHOON) which went unnoticed because the film flopped, are just two cases in point. Films like MEHBOOBA ('Aap Ke Shahar Mein), RAJA RANI (There are three, I think) and AAN AUR SHAAN ('Diya Hum Ne Dil) have superb Mujra songs.
Some of RD's songs have both male and female versions, a concept created by S-J, originally. Invariably many of the female songs went to Lata Mangeshkar, who gave the female versions their own standings. 'Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon' (MEHBOOBA), 'Chandani Re Zum' (NAUKAR), 'Yaadon Ki Baraat Nikali Hai' (YADON KI BARAAT), and last but not the least 'Rimzim Gire Sawan' (MANZIL) where the male and female versions convey different moods and tempos. While the male versions became more popular I've a personal bias towards Lata's songs.
RD wasn't the first MD to use Lata's voice in a Western song, and most of his famous Western songs went to Asha. But Lata sang a few exquisite numbers for him: 'Yaari Ho Gayi' (DO CHOR), 'Meri Mohabbat Mein' (SHAREEF BADMAASH), and 'Main Tumse Mohabbat' (WARRANT) are a few examples.
RD created some dulcet tunes for Lata as your list shows. 'Bahon Me Chale Aao' (ANAMIKA), 'Aa Ja Piya' (BAHARON KE SAPNE), 'Main Hoon Teri Prem Diwani' (AZAAD--my personal favourite), 'Din Pyar Ke' (SAWEREWALI GAADI), Tu Ne O Rangeele' (KUDRAT), 'Tere Liye Palakon Ki' (HARJAEE) and 'Saathi Aisa Lagata Hai' (NAMUMKEEN) are a few more that come to my mind. I'm sure there are many more in this category.
What the above lists show (to me anyway) is that RD and Lata have, between them, to their credit many songs that define genres. There are many more songs of RD-Lata combo that are difficult to pigeonhole into a category: I don't know to which genres songs such as 'Tumse Milke Zindagi' (CHOR-POLICE) , 'Seeli Hawa Choo Gayi' (LIBAAS), and the final 'Kuch Na Kaho' (1942--ALL), but it does not matter, does it?, so long as they take you to a different plane of experience.
Another abstract………………
:-ghar aaja ghir aayi-matwaali aankhon waale-kajre badarwaa-naa jaa o mere humdum-kis liye maine pyar kiya-albela re-jo baat ishaaron ne kahi-jiya na laage morao ganga maiyya (a most wonderful adaptation of raag jogia-kalingda that was a favorite of Ustad Alauddin & Ali Akbar Khan)-lehra ke aaya hain (her sheer exuberance here takes my breath away)-dilbar dil se pyaare-sharaabi mera naam ho gaya-jhanak jhan ghungroo-aa mere saathi aa-din jaa raha hain-aisa sama naa hota-saajan kahaan jaaungi mainThey cover virtually the entire gamut of emotions & situations that a hindi film could have had.Wonder what made the great diva comment so!Awaiting the opinions of the knowledgables.
(Assorted opinion of several RDB fans)
Fan Fictions
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