**Sadabahar Geet Thread#1** ||Invitees only|| - Page 31

Originally posted by: TheRoadNotTaken

Rafi n da both had unique way of singing... i love both of them but yes u r right... the kind of body language dev sahab had... that swing... Rafi sahabs voice felt like it was coming from Dev... it suited him so well..

Just like mukesh 's voice suited Raj kapoor

Khoya Khoya Chand! 💔

Can you imagine anyone other than Rafi singing this song?

And can you imagine anyone other than Dev lip-syncing to it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQo8m7E2EfA

Originally posted by: LizzieBennet

Khoya Khoya Chand! 💔

Can you imagine anyone other than Rafi singing this song?

And can you imagine anyone other than Dev lip-syncing to it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQo8m7E2EfA

Also idk y i love this songs... everytime i listen to it.. gives me goosebumps

https://youtu.be/zF9Oqemk4a0

Originally posted by: Grey-licious

https://youtu.be/rJiohcg-gKo

in Yesterday's jamming session we were singing this song when my bhai was taking a head massage

Here is my gift to all my friends here. --

Sung by Pankaj Mallick,--- romantic poetry.

Listen to this sweet song in Lata's voice, as her tribute to that great sing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRFSwVFBmyU

Here is a passionately sung ghazal ---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzTgTGdBSgc

Today (31 July) is the Punya Tithi of one of our most celebrated playback singers, Mohammed Rafi.

How do I begin writing about this accomplished yet humble and down-to-earth man?

I have always prided myself on being objective about music. Well, music is an art form so the appreciation of it cannot be wholly objective. An element of opinion and subjectivity is bound to creep in like with any other art form. Still, within the confines of subjectivity (in this case, my love for classic Hindi songs), I claimed to be objective. I like songs for the composition, the lyrics, the singing, the melody, the artistry involved in making them and not just because of who sang it or wrote it. I would claim to be unbiased in not having favorite artistes, only favorite pieces of work.

But deep down, I'd be lying. Because if you held me at gunpoint and asked me who my favorite singer from yesteryears was, I'd say Rafi without blinking an eyelid. Come to think of it, you wouldn't even have to hold me at gunpoint - I'd readily admit it.

And I've tried to reason out this bias time and time again telling myself it's because of my dad's obsession with Rafi and the fact that my earliest memory of classic Hindi songs was 'Baiju Bawra' and this man's exemplary singing and his ability to move me to tears. And then I told myself it was the fact that he had sung for some of my favorite heroes from those times - Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Guru Dutt. Perhaps it was even that most composers in those times have had Rafi singing for them, he was astoundingly prolific and was usually the voice of the hero, sometimes the comedian, sometimes even the villain or even a non-descript actor on screen. Or perhaps it was the fact that most of my favorite songs from those times were sung by him. Perhaps it was that listening to him evoked some kind of nostalgia; it felt like coming home to a dear, familiar friend.

Whatever the reason, the bottom-line was that I loved Rafi - the singer simply because I loved him. And there I had to let go of my futile claims of being objective. I love Rafi and that is that - no explanation needed.

Known to be always affable and cheery, Rafi Saab, as he was fondly known, has never been spoken of in a negative light by any of the people he’s worked with. And I have rarely come across a picture of Rafi saab where he's not wearing a wide smile.

The people he worked with have spoken paeans about how humble, god-fearing, generous and respectful a man he was. He is known to have worked with struggling producers for free, sometimes charging paltry sums for singing. His peers like Mukesh, Mannadey and Mahindra Kapoor have spoken of him in hallowed terms, openly admitting that they couldn't do what Rafi could. Even Lata Mangeshkar, with whom he had a tiff on the royalty issue resulting in the two refusing to work with each other for a few years, has called him 'sant aadmi' and 'devta' on many occasions. Asha Bhosle has spoken of his terrific and enviable range, that could scale octaves with consummate ease. O.P. Nayyar spoke of how good a man Rafi was, and regretted his disagreement with him on account of showing up late for a recording, due to which he didn't work with the singer for a while.

Naushad, L-P, S-J, S.D.B (until the late 60s) swore by him, Shammi Kapoor called him 'his voice', and Johnny Walker said, "Jab Rafi saab mere liye gaate the toh lagta tha main gaa raha hoon." This was what made him unique. He could mould his voice to suit the actor's persona on screen. When I would hear a Rafi song on the radio, I would instinctively know who it was picturized on without ever having watched the visual of the song.

Kishore Kumar, who took playback singing by storm in the late 60s when Rafi had taken a backseat, had nothing but the deepest respect for Rafi. There have been stories of how Kishoreda sat heartbroken and inconsolable at the side of Rafi's lifeless body. His death was a shock to the entire nation; he was only 55. It was July in Bombay, the middle of the monsoon, but fans came pouring out in droves bearing the torrential rains to pay their last respects to this man and his glorious musical legacy. It was almost as if the heavens themselves were weeping. In his first live show after Rafi's death, Kishoreda began with a tribute to his 'dear friend' Rafi with a rendition of 'Mann re tu kahe na dheer dhare."

Naushad, who gave Rafi his first big break in Pehle Aap famously said of him:

"Goonjti hai teri awaaz ameeron ke mehel mein

Jhopdon ki gareebon mein bhi hai tere saaz

Yoon toh apne mausiki par sabka fakr hota hai

Magar, ae mere saathi, mausiki ko bhi aaj tujh par naaz hai"

Naushad's son tells of an anecdote when his father was asked if he had to compose the greatest song of his life, what raag would he choose and Naushad replied never mind the raag, he would just invoke the Gods to send back Rafi miyan for an hour.

Dharmendra has claimed Rafi as his favorite playback singer, Jeetendra spoke of how he returned the money he owed him for a song because it was more than what was agreed upon, Amitabh Bachchan spoke of how he generously stepped in for a live show when another singer failed to show up. Manmohan Desai had once said, "If anyone has the voice of God, it's Mohammed Rafi"

Rafi himself felt he was going against his religion by pursuing his singing career when someone told him thus, and being a deeply God-fearing person, he stopped singing for a while, moving to London to be with his kids. It took Naushad and a few others to convince him that his singing was a gift from God.

How can anyone deny the sublime exquisiteness of his rich, mellifluous tones? I read it mentioned somewhere in a tribute to Rafi: 'If there are 101 ways to say 'I love you' in a song, Rafi knew them all!'
And look at the man's repertoire! Not just romantic songs, but every kind of song - Bhajans, ghazals, qawwalis, patriotic songs, rock and roll numbers, philosophical songs, comic songs, songs of intoxication (even though the man himself was a teetotaler) - he has sung every type of song there is!

Born in Kotla in Punjab, he moved to Lahore and trained under Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. He was first noticed during a live show that Saigal was supposed to do. The electricity went off and the microphones failed, and the legendary singer refused to sing. The crowd was getting restless and 13-year-old Rafi was called upon to entertain them. And he did. Composer Shyam Sunder was in the audience and was so impressed that he gave Rafi his first break for a Punjabi film, Gul Baloch. Rafi idolized Saigal, so it was only fitting that his first claim to fame indirectly came through his idol. Later, Naushad gave Rafi a chance to sing alongside Saigal in the film Shahjahan with the song: "Roohi roohi meri sapnon ki rani."

It seems such a travesty then that this extraordinary and exemplary singer has been denied the 'Bharat Ratna' even posthumously. But then, awards largely operate on political agenda and it only seems appropriate that a man like Rafi, who was completely apolitical, never stooping to nepotism and believing only in meritocracy, should steer clear of such awards. His formidable legacy lives on, people still listen to his songs 6 decades later, such is the youthful exuberance in his voice, such is the power of its endurance. And knowing this fact wherever he is, I think, would be the truest and the highest of awards for this genteel, unassuming gentleman.

For me, making a top ten or even a top 100 Rafi songs list is an impossible task, so I’m asking you to do it.

Please do post your favorite Rafi songs as a tribute to this inimitable singer and his spirit!

Originally posted by: LizzieBennet

Thanks, Goofy, I love both O door ke musafir and Koi Saagar. I think Rafi's early works had more of a Saigal influence, by the time 'Baiju Bawra' came about he had developed his own distinctive style.

But you're right about Naushad and Rafi - they were an unbeatable combination.

I listen to a radio show called 'Swaranjali' on Radiodil where the host, Sanjeev Ramabhadran, showcases a different raag each time and then plays examples of that raag in Hindi film songs. This week was raag Tilang and one of the songs he played was this one from Shabab. What a song and how brilliantly Rafi sings it! Soul-searing! 😭

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGGXo5lmVLA

And I love both the Parineeta songs you posted, Madhu! Geeta Dutt at her sublime best and beautiful music by Mannadey and Arun Mukherjee! ❤️

Hadn't heard this before. Thanks for introducing me to this one ❤️

I don't understand much about ragas, but I love listening to songs based on them!

@LizzieBennet

What a beautiful post to celebrate the legend named Rafi! Absolutely loved reading it

Have been keeping bit busy for last few days so couldn't come here, but today there was no chance I would have missed visiting this thread.

I love listening to all singers of the golden era of music, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar, Mukesh, Talat, Lata, Asha, Geeta Dutt, Kishore, but I have to admit, the way Rafi's voice touches your soul, no other voice has that magic for me. Just looking at the smiling face of him gives so much of sukoon! Sometimes I wish I was born in the same era as him.

I have read about thousands of fans pouring in to pay last tributes to him..

Like you wrote, it is so difficult to pick few from the thousands of melodies he has sung, but I will try to post the ones that are on my mind today.

Haye wo reshmi zulfon se barasta paani

Phool se gaalo pe rukne ko tarasta paani

Could there be a better description for the beauty of Madhubala?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tuPIVNiJVE

Coming to duets, Lata and him have sung so many different genres of memorable songs together, this is one of my favorites from the list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJti8tOpG0o

This is one of the earliest Rafi Asha songs that I had heard of, and the highlight of this song for me has always been the way Rafi sings the line Moti Moti ankhiyon me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lWGSMlmm6E

Priya, thanks for sharing all the information about this amazing singer.

He is considered one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and range of voice; his songs varied from fast peppy numbers to patriotic songs, sad numbers to highly romantic songs, qawwalis to ghazals and bhajans to classical songs. The single most important ability of Muhammad Rafi is his ability to flavor a song with his emotions. This ability is not surpassed by any other singer.

K.L.Saigal & Pandit Paulsikar had no words for Rafi’s praise. When Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, Rafi sang a song Suno Suno Ay Duniya Walon, Bapu ki Yeh Amar kahani written by Rajinder Krishan and music by Hunslal Bhagatram, which touched everyone and was a great hit.

Whenever there used be a fusion of Naushad’s music, Shakeel Badayuni’s lyrics and Rafi’s voice, that number would become super-duper hit. These three were quite a team then. Their songs were being heard in all corner of the streets. In fact, those songs are still equally melodious now.

The range of Rafi’s voice was very very high. This is noticeable from the number O Duniya Ke Rakhwale from the movie Baiju Bawara. Naushad was very impressed by Rafi’s performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCluwNrOtR4