Mohammad Rafi

OP Nayyar’s quintessential Rafi

OP Nayyar and Rafi January 28, 2015

A tribute to OP Nayyar on his 8th death anniversary January 28 (January 16, 1926 – January 28, 2007) [Songs of Yore is now on Facebook.] I read a comment somewhere that OP Nayyar rescued Rafi from the staid classicism of Naushad. I ignore the sarcasm targeted at my favourite Naushad, but it underscores the […]

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Rafi’s duets by SD Burman

SD Burman and Rafi July 31, 2014

A tribute to Rafi on his death anniversary, July 31 If you revisit my earlier post on Rafi’s songs (solos) composed by SD Burman, along with the readers’ comments, you realise the high regard in which the music lovers hold their combination. In spite of his known fondness for Kishore Kumar, SD Burman had something […]

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Rafi’s best songs by SD Burman

SD Burman and Md Rafi July 31, 2013

A tribute on Rafi’s death anniversary July 31 There is one thing common between Mohammad Rafi and SD Burman. If Rafi was the most versatile singer, SD Burman was the most versatile composer. He is the only music director who can claim to have composed equally great music with Rafi as with Kishore Kumar, his […]

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Best songs of Rafi by Roshan

Thumbnail image for Best songs of Rafi by Roshan July 31, 2012

Double tribute to two geniuses Who composed the best songs for Mohammad Rafi cannot be conclusively answered. But there is no doubt that Roshan would figure in the top four or five for this honour. That is significant considering that Roshan did not have the advantage of a big banner nor big stars like Dev […]

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Naushad’s best songs for Mohammad Rafi

Thumbnail image for Naushad’s best songs for Mohammad Rafi December 24, 2011

  Double tribute on their birth anniversaries Mohammad Rafi’s birth anniversary falls on December 24 (b 1924) and Naushad’s on December 25 (b 1919). This close proximity also extended to their music. Rafi was to playback singing what Naushad was to music composing – both at the commanding heights of their profession for over two […]

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My favourite Rafi – Lata duets

Thumbnail image for My favourite Rafi – Lata duets July 31, 2011

Remembering Mohammad Rafi on his death anniversary July 31 Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar were two colossus whose comprehensive domination in the golden era of 1950’s and 60’s made them synonymous with playback singing. They were what is described in marketing jargon as the brand becoming the product. What better way than to write on […]

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Mohammad Rafi versus Kishore Kumar

Thumbnail image for Mohammad Rafi versus Kishore Kumar November 14, 2010

An era changes with Aradhana (1969) When Aradhana unfolded in 1969 with the heroine sitting by the window of the hill train, tentatively browsing a book, and the hero being driven in a jonga by his friend on the hilly road alongside the toy train, with an innocent smile, a wink in his eyes and […]

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