Those 75 cult songs

Many of us will not agree to this list prepared by Rajiv Vijaykar... just like the 20 best songs by Outlook Indiaor the 100 greatest soundtrack by Planet Bollywood...

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https://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=15273

Those 75 Cult Songs

Rajiv Vijayakar
Posted online: Friday, March 23, 2007 at 0000 hours IST

As the film industry celebrates the Platinum Jubilee of the talkies, Screen attempts to look at 75 cult songs the creme-de-la-creme of mega-hits that have crossed economic, cultural and geographical barriers and thus defined and redefined tastes and trends in Hindi film music.

Aan Milo Sajana - 'Accha to hum chalte hain'
Eons have been about how this song was 'accidentally' conceived by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Anand Bakshi. And even when being filmed in Kashmir, the 'conversational' song was already a chart-blaster. Aar Paar - 'Babuji dheere chalna'
O.P.Nayyar wove a web of seduction through Geeta Dutt's vocals and hooked music lovers, never letting go till the late '60s. Aashiqui - 'Nazar ke saamne'
With just one musical, and this song leading the hit-fest, Nadeem-Shravan moved from being non-entities to A-list melody makers. Achhut Kanya - 'Main ban ki chidiya'
A rage in the '30s, this Ashok Kumar-Devika Rani duet catapulted this pair to the top. Aksar - 'Jhalak dikhla jaa'
You could love or hate the self-rendered Himesh Reshammiya creation, but it started an entire movement - or two, if you included recharging a slumberous sales scenario. Albela - 'Shola jo bhadke'
Considered one of a trio of Hindi cinema's greatest-ever hits along with Tezaab and Khal-Nayak, this C.Ramachandra creation is considered the ultimate in vintage folk-Western fusion. Amar Akbar Anthony - 'Parda hai parda'
Today, 'My name is Anthony Gonsalves' may be better-known, but way back in 1977, this was the chartbuster from this all-hit score. Amar Prem - 'Chingari koi bhadke'
Arguably this is the finest combination ever of Anand Bakshi (the L-P favourite) with R.D.Burman (the Majrooh man). Kishore's rendition completed the monumental edifice. Anarkali - 'Yeh zindagi ussiki hai'
Few litanies of romance can match the sense of longing and the yearning for belonging in this Lata masterpiece. Andaz - 'Zindagi ek safar hai suhana'
Not just a chart-slammer but a philosophy by itself, thanks to Hasrat Jaipuri and S-J. Aradhana - 'Roop tera mastana'
It's actually a hard choice between all the toppers in this film, but most would opine that this is the hands-down winner. Awara - 'Awara hoon'
The prelude is as unmistakable as the refrain - this is a complete song, so to speak, that also was the first Indian filmi gaana to become overseas 'cult' as well. Barsaat - 'Hawa mein udta jaaye'
Again a hit-fest, and the film that awakened people to film music as a separate industry. And this Lata evergreen did have an edge over the rest. Barsaat Ki Raat - 'Zindagi bhar nahin'
The scintillating genius of Roshan as his best - this Rafi soliloquoy still remains a benchmark in passion. Bees Saal Baad - 'Kahin deep jale kahin dil'
Among Lata evergreens, this Hemant Kumar gem continues to 'haunt' generations. Bobby - 'Hum tum ek kamre mein band ho'
This was erotica that became, paradoxically, the epitome of innocent romance in this all-time musical treasure. Border - 'Sandesen aate hai'
Anu Malik's tour-de-force rested on the bulwark of Javed Akhtar's poignant look at soldiers awaiting letters from their loved ones. Bunty Aur Babli - 'Kajra re'
Epitomizing the millennium brand, the song did wonders for everyone connected with it - Gulzar, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Alisha Chinai - and the Bachchans of course. C.I.D. - 'Leke pehla pehla pyar'
The O.P.Nayyar leitmotif became like brand equity after this super-hit. Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi - 'Haal kaisa hai janaab ka'
Many would call this the ultimate Kishore-Asha duet - and one of the trendsetters in the sawaal-jawaab genre. Chaudhvin Ka Chand - 'Chaudhvin ka chand ho'
Few parallels existed even till then for this ultimate eulogy of beauty by a besotted lover. Fewer have come since. Dhoom - 'Dhoom macha le'
The millennium's biggest chart-topper, whether in the Hindi Sunidhi Chauhan version or the English Tata Young avatar. From the small towns of India to the clubs from USA and the Far East, this created dhoom everywhere. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge - 'Tujhe dekha to'
Jatin-Lalit scored their career-biggest whammy in this rooted score, and 'Tujhe dekha to' romped in as the leader of the brigade. Do Raaste - 'Bindiya chamkegi'
Was it a song or an omnipresent romantic anthem? Seduction never was so innocent - and so popular across all ages! Don - 'Khaike paan'
If there is a single song that represents Amitabh Bachchan's persona, this is it. To think that Kishore Kumar was actually unhappy about recording this Kalyanji-Anandji-Anjaan creation! Dosti - 'Chahoonga main tujhe'
The song was almost scrapped, but Mohammed Rafi cajoled L-P, Majrooh and the film's makers into retaining it. The rest is musical history - and hysteria. Ek Duuje Ke Liye - 'Tere mere beech mein'
This song created a craze for Raag Shivranjani that lasted for almost 15 years. Still the biggest hit among songs dotted with non-Hindi Indian words. Guide - 'Gaata rahe mera dil'
The score was timeless. Other arguably better songs from the film rule today, but in 1965 they all took a backseat to this Kishore-Lata duet. Hare Rama Hare Krishna - 'Dum maro dum'
The one song that epitomized the Asha-RD combo more than any other, it also was huge enough for Zeenat Aman to be identified as the 'Dum maro dum' girl - till today! Hero - 'Lambi judaai'
No song from the entire '80s probably equals this in sheer overall calibre. And Pakistan's Reshma go to sing this masterpiece. Hum Aapke Hain Koun!... - 'Didi tera devar deewana'
The Big, Fat, Indian Wedding Song. Need we say anything more? Hum Kisise Kum Naheen - 'Kya hua tera vaada'
Ironically, Kishore 'addict' R.D.Burman gave one of his finest-ever creations from the '70s to Mohammed Rafi, and ended up gifting the National Award, so to speak, to the singer for his peerless rendition on jilted love. Jewel Thief - 'Honthon mein aisi baat'
The Lata-Bhupinder humdinger best represented how young-at-heart and ahead-of-times Dada Burman and Majrooh always were. Julie - 'Dil kya kare'
This Rajesh Roshan song established a musical grammar that was followed over the next two decades by Nadeem-Shravan and Anu Malik! Junglee - 'Chahe koi mujhe'
The Shammi-Rafi-SJ anthem made Indians aware of a word called 'Yahoo' three decades before Internet stepped in. Even today, it is Shammi Kapoor's signature tune. Kabhi Kabhie - 'Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein'
Sublime poetry and placid composition blended to make an out-of-the-box chartbuster. Karz - 'Om shanti om'
On-screen, Rishi Kapoor serenaded on a giant gramophone record. Off-screen, it helped the album break records in record sales! Kashmir Ki Kali - 'Taarif karoon kya usski'
Nayyar's most popular gift for Shammi Kapoor - and what a gift! Khal-Nayak - 'Choli ke peeche kya hai'
Amidst all the flak, the people lapped up the double-entendre. 14 years later, unlike all other such songs, it is considered a classic. Madhumati - 'Aaja re pardesi'
Lata's ethereal rendition gave an added dimension to the Salil-Shailendra musical coup. Mahal - 'Aayega aanewala'
Probably the most popular song from the '40s, this Khemchand Prakash song heralded the breakthrough of 'aanewali' Lata Mangeshkar. Mera Naam Joker - 'Jeena yahaan'
The song was about a clown in a circus, but till today, it is taken seriously as one of Mukesh-S-J-Raj Kapoor's finest creations. Milan - 'Sawan ka mahina'
L-P's final and most decisive leap into the big league, this was the perfect amalgam of popular appeal and musical substance. Mohra - 'Tu cheez badi hai mast mast'
This Udit-Kavita chartbuster had its inspirational origins in a Ghulam Haider song from Majboor, but Viju Shah's contemporary treatment made all the difference. Mughal-E-Azam - 'Pyar kiya to darna kya'
Caringly composed and burnished literally from sunset to sunrise, this Naushad-Shakeel-Lata milestone that dazzles 47 years later can only be described as 'musical perfection'. Murder - 'Bheege honth tere'
Three years later, they still make poor Kunal Ganjawala sing clones of this one. And that alone highlights its sheer magic. Naam - 'Chitthi aayi hai'
This is not just a film song anymore - it is a complete musical experience. Nagin - 'Man dole mera tan dole'
If Hemant Kumar had composed just this one song in his lifetime, it would have still made him immortal. Namak Halaal - 'Pag ghunghroo'
If it was a rage then, it is loved even now. For Bappi Lahiri, it remains one of his few meeting points between his mass work and his creatively standout compositions. 1942 - A Love Story - 'Ek ladki ko dekha'
The R.D.Burman swan song that showed that popularity could also be about class, not crass. The same could be said about Javed Akhtar's scathing rejoinder to the then-prevalent sleaze-fest. Padosan - 'Mere saamnewali khidki mein'
Kishore Kumar's antics gave rise to a classic. This RD-Rajendra Krishan combo once again illustrated that comic songs need not lack substance. Pakeezah - 'Inhi logon ne'
Ghulam Mohammed's incomparable score had five other terrific towers. But this easy-on-the-ears himdinger dwarfed the competition. President - 'Ek bangla bane nyaara'
A clear leader from Kundan Lal Saigal's limited but potent repertoire, this song from the '30s is a treasured nugget even today. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak - 'Papa kehte hain'
The theme was close-to-life - about parental expectations, and adolescent ambition and self-doubts, and Majrooh's fabulous lyrics helped Anand-Milind and Udit Narayan zoom right to the forefront. Qurbani - 'Laila o Laila'
'Aap jaisa koi' scored by being different, but after its hysteria subsided fast, this close rival triumphed - and endured too. Ram Teri Ganga Maili - 'Sun sahiba sun'
The magical quality of this song could not be pinpointed. It was just there - to be experienced in this rare Lata-Ravindra Jain collaboration. Rangeela - 'Yai re'
You could not deny its endemic popularity in 1995, even if set the dubious trend of songs that were not connected to the script and looked like Indipop music videos. Rattan - 'Ankhiyaan milaake'
Can songs make a film? In the case of this Naushad hit it did seem that way. Roti Kapada Aur Makaan - 'Main na boolunga'
Four outright winners - but this one led. Despite its 18-minute length, its sheer overall beauty left us craving for more! Saccha Jhutha - 'Mere pyari beheniya'
Still a must at wedding processions and raksha-bandhan functions, this Kalyanji-Anandji-Indeevar creation was all about emotional bonds. Sangam - 'Bol Radha bol'
How does one choose when we have a spread as lavish as this S-J extravaganza? We pick this one on its sheer basic mass appeal. Saraswatichandra - 'Chandan sa badan'
Mukesh sang more songs for K-A than for anyone else. And this would probably be among the crme-de-la-crme. Sargam - 'Dafli wale'
Coins thrown on the screen. Rave reviews. The topmost slot on the annual countdown show of the time. And omnipresence on lips and radio from cities to villages. If that's not monumental popularity, what is? Satyam Shivam Sundaram - 'Satyam shivam sundaram'
Zeenat Aman enacted the song like a woman driven to break the 'Dum maro dum' image. It's a moot point whether she succeeded. But if ever a traditional devotional song 'rocked', it was this one. Shehnai - 'Aana meri jaan meri jaan Sunday'
C.Ramachandra was a pioneer in using Western genres in Hindi films on a regular basis. Eons before millennium trends, he gave us this chartbusting blend of Hindi and English. Shor - 'Ek pyar ka naghma hai'
The fact that this violin-driven stunner was composed in minutes on a toy harmonium only underscores the fact that all-time masterpieces need not take hours or days in creation. Shree 420 - 'Mera joota hai Japani'
A 'Chartbuster' is a tepid term for the response this song got from the masses and the classes. Street Singer - 'Babul mora'
This was Saigal again in timeless mode with his unique blend of charisma and sheer magnetism. Suraj - 'Baharon phool barsao'
S-J's simple but beautiful composition spoke volumes about their creative genius and their unmatched synergy with Rafi. Teesri Manzil - 'O mere sona re'
RD outdid himself for S-J-crazy Shammi Kapoor and forged one of his most creative alliances ever - with filmmaker Nasir Husain. Tezaab - 'Ek do teen char'
This song set new parameters of popularity by raising the bar for popular craze. And Alka Yagnik stormed into center-stage. Upkar - 'Mere desh ki dharti'
Still the first song one thinks of at the mention of Manoj Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor, lyricist Gulshan Bawra and deshbhakti - such was K-A's monumental accomplishment. Woh Kaun Thi? - 'Lag jaa gale'
Madan Mohan's bond with Lata was as personal as professional. On the latter front, no song matched this one's sheer popularity. Yaadon Ki Baaraat - 'Chura liya hai'
Can instant hits endure? Can remix fodder be quality material? Can rhythm and melody co-exist in a wholesome amalgam? Here was the answer. Zanjeer - 'Yaari hai imaan mera'
Still the supreme representative among 'dosti' songs, that incidentally flooded Hindi film music only after this trendsetter.

I agree with few, but not with all.. Have a doubt - Is it that the songs have been chosen randomly.. If yes then fine, or else do not agree with certain songs.. There are much better songs than the songs mentioned here.. But again its about their own choices - which we cannot say is wrong or right..

Very interesting... The problem here is that the list is arranged in alphabetic order rather than chronologically. As a result, one needs to think a lot (kinda difficult after a hard day at work) to think of any significant exclusions.

Of the top of my head, here's my $0.02...

- 'O mere sona re' from Teesri Manzil cant really be defined as "cult". If anything, "aaja aaja" would have been a better fit.

- 'lara lappa laayi rakh da' is one significant omission from this list.

- Either 'door hato ai duniya walo' or 'dheere dheere... mera bulbul so raha hai' from Kismat should have been included.

- 'lakdi ki kathi' from Masoom, 'bharat ka rehne waala hoon' from Purab Aur Paschim, 'man kyun behka' from Utsav, 'zara samne tou aao chaliye' from Janam Janam ke Phere and maybe, 'jo wada kiya wo nibhana padega' from Taj Mahal are some others that COULD have made the list.