A tribute to Rafi on his 38th death anniversary (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980)
Six years ago to this day, I wrote on the best songs of Rafi by Roshan. Roshan for me was among the big four, with Naushad, SD Burman and OP Nayyar, who gave the best songs for Rafi. Later, I added a fifth seat for Shankar-Jaikshan at the high table. I also mentioned that next in line would be, what we may call, the middle group consisting of Chitragupta, Ravi and Madan Mohan and, thereafter, several others, including some unknown, forgotten composers who gave some unforgettable songs for Rafi. We have already discussed some in the series on Forgotten Composers, such as C Arjun’s Paas baitho tabiyat bahal jayegi, or Lachchiram’s Tu shokh kali main mast pawan and Sab jawan sab haseen. Thanks to DP Rangan doing the tandem post on Roshan-Madan Mohan, it is a coincidence that I am writing on Madan Mohan-Rafi combination after I have covered the Big Five.
But as I go down the list of Rafi songs I realise there is no clear dividing line between the Top, Middle and Others. Madan Mohan not only composed far more songs than Roshan for Rafi – 168 to 92 – there are several which have acquired everlasting fame, such as Basti basti parvat parvat gata jaye banjara. There are some, which have acquired a cult status, such as Kar chlae hum fida jaan-o-tan saathiyo, as a patriotic song. Ghazal being Madan Mohan’s forte, he gave some of Rafi’s best ghazals.
Madan Mohan’s association with Rafi started from his debut film Aankhen (1950) itself and continued till the last film of Madan Mohan in the 1970s. From the 70s, which was dominated by Kishore Kumar and RD Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kalyanji-Anandji, we have some noteworthy songs of Madan Mohan-Rafi, such as Tum jo mil gaye ho and Ye mana meri jaan mohabbat saza hai (Hanste Zakhm, 1973), Main tere dar pe aya hun and Hoke mayus tere dar se sawali na gaya (Laila Majnu, 1976).
Roshan passed away in 1967, Madan Mohan eight years later. They started their career one year apart. Thus Madan Mohan had clear seven years longer association with Rafi. During the association of about 25 years, they created songs of many genres and emotions. Though Madan Mohan composed some of the best songs for Talat Mahmood, Rafi remained his principal male playback singer. Let me present a selection of their best solos in the continuing series on Roshan-MM, and as a tribute to Rafi on his 38th death anniversary.
1. Hum ishq mein barbaad hain barbaad rahenge from Aankhein (1950), lyrics Raja Mehdi Ali Khan
Their very first song leaves an impact for its seriousness.
2. Duniya ke saare ghamon se begana, Ho main hun mastana from Mastana (1954), lyrics Rajendra Krishna
Next couple of years were very big for Madan Mohan’s songs for Talat Mahmood which I have covered in yearwise reviews. There have been odd Rafi songs in some films, some also quite known, such as Duniya paglon ka bazaar in Chacha Chaudhay (1953). But in a complete contrast from the first song, this is a fabulous song picturised on a carefree Motilal singing and dancing on the street.
3. Mat bhool are insaan from Mastana (1954), lyrics Rajendra Krishna
In a throwback to the scene in Awara, a woman seems to have been thrown out of her house when the beggar-singer (Chamanpuri?) at the footsteps of the temple sings this philosophical and serious song. What a contrast from Duniya ke saare ghamon se begana Madan Mohan creates in the same movie! This happened to be quite popular in the radio era, and figured in the top 14 list of Cibaca Geetmala of 1955.
4. Basti basti parbat parbat gata jaye banjara from Railway Platform (1955), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi
In this debut movie of Sunil Dutt, Madan Mohan creates an immortal song for Rafi in three versions. This is a song of eternal journey. In this combined video of all the versions, the song starts with a train journey and ends with a train fading away in the horizon.
5. O maati ke putle itna na kar tu guman from Sheroo (1957), lyrics Kaif Irfani
MM-Rafi combo come with another philosophical song stating the self-evident truth – life and wealth are all ephemeral.
6. Tujhe kya sunaaun main dilruba tere saamne mera haal hai from Aakhri Daao (1958), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri
Now I come to Tujhe kya sunaaun main dilruba which I regard as among Rafi’s greatest and a truly iconic song, despite its blemished reputation of being plagiarised from the tune of Talat Mahmood’s Ye hawa ye raat ye chaandni (Sangdil, 1952), composed by Sajjad Hussain. Even after the knowledge of this trivia and the story associated with it, my fascination for this song has not come down one bit. The setting seems to be a picnic in scenic surroundings where the leading lady Nutan is with her gaggle of lady-friends. The hero Shekhar seems to have been invited to join the party. When requested to sing a song, he pours his heart out in this ultra-romantic song. The film had an excellent Rafi-Asha Bhosle duet Humsafar saath apna chhod chale, and a superb Manna Dey-Lata Mangeshakr duet Wo chaand muskaya, ye taare sharmaye. If at all Madan Mohan was guilty of imitation, in a poetic justice, his Wo chaand muskaya was copied many years later by Ravi in Ye parda hata do, zara mukhada dikha do (Ek Phool Do Maali, 1969).
7. Bada hi CID hai wo neeli chhatriwala from Chandan (1958), lyrics Rajendra Krishna
We know CID is an organisation or a department. Someone can be a CID officer, but it was quite common to say colloquially Bada hai CID wo for someone pretending to have great detective abilities. Madan Mohan now gets to compose a song for Johnny Walker with an appropriate peppy tune for lyrics which are equally wacky.
8. Main nigaahein tere chehare se hataaun kaise from Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964), lyrics Raja Mehdi Ali Khan
After Tujhe kya sunaaun main dilruba, Main nigaahein tere chehare se hataaun kaise is another great romantic song. The film had two more Rafi’s solos, one of which, Yahi hai tamanna tere dar ke saamne meri jaan jaye, is popular to this day.
A poor-quality video is here, but it does show that the He-man could melt the hearts of the ladies with his eyes when he sang such songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSDkZyO-4tY
9. Rang aur noor ki baarat kise pesh karun from Ghazal (1964), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi
Madan Mohan starts to come in his elements from 1964 onwards as far as Rafi songs are concerned. In this Muslim social, the setting is familiar: the lady (Meena Kumar) is getting married to another guy, Rahman. The lover Sunil Dutt is called upon to sing a song at the occasion. Every Hindi film hero has to go through this rite of passage. And Madan Mohan creates an immortal ghazal in the film titled, Ghazal. No one penned poetry of unrequited love better than Sahir Ludhiyanavi.
10. Kar chale hum fida jaan tan saathiyo, Ab tumhare hawale watan saathiyo from Haqeeqat (1964), lyrics Kaifi Azmi
Now there is no stopping Madan Mohan. Haqeeqat was made in the backdrop of Chinese aggression in 1962. The result was disastrous for us. There is death and destruction all around. There is sadness, yet the soldiers and people have to be inspired. Madan Mohan comes up with a superb composition which conveys the poignancy of the situation, yet it has a martial quality. This song is a counterpoise to C Ramchandra-Lata Mangeshkar’s maudlin Ae mere watan ke logo which, too, was in the background of 1962 war, but conveyed primarily sadness and reminder of the soldiers’ sacrifices. Rightly, कर चले हम फ़िदा जान-ओ-तन साथियो has acquired a cult status which can never be missed on National Days. The song is also impressive as a piece of musical composition, and Kaifi Azmi’s stirring lines.
कर चले हम फ़िदा जान-ओ-तन साथियो, अब तुम्हारे हवाले वतन साथियो
साँस थमती गई, नब्ज़ जमती गई, फिर भी बढ़ते क़दम को न रुकने दिया
कट गए सर हमारे तो कुछ ग़म नहीं, सर हिमालय का हमने ना झुकने दिया
मरते मरते रहा बांकपन साथियो, अब तुम्हारे हवाले वतन साथियो
ज़िन्दा रहने के मौसम बहुत हैं मगर, जान देने की रुत रोज़ आती नहीं
हुस्न और इश्क़ दोनों को रुसवा करें, वो जवानी जो खूं में नहाती नहीं
आज धरती बनी है दुल्हन साथियो, अब तुम्हारे हवाले वतन साथियो
राह कु़र्बानियों की न वीरान हो, तुम सज़ा के ही रहना नए क़ाफ़िले
फ़तह का जश्न इस जश्न के बाद है, ज़िन्दगी मौत से मिल रही है गले
बाँध लो अपने सर से कफ़न साथियो, अब तुम्हारे हवाले वतन साथियो
खींच दो अपने खूं से ज़मीं पर लकीर, इस तरफ़ आने पाए ना रावण कोई
तोड़ दो हाथ अगर हाथ उठने लगे, छूने पाए ना सीता का दामन कोई
राम भी तुम तुम्हीं लक्ष्मण साथियो, अब तुम्हारे हवाले वतन साथियो
11. Main ye sochkar uske dar se utha tha by Rafi from Haqeeqat (1964), lyrics Kaifi Azmi
The soldiers are also human, who remember their homes, their loved ones, their heart-breaks. Here is a poignant song from the same film sung in slow tempo. The prominent sound of violin creates an appropriate sad mood at the lonely and inhospitable borders. Picturised on the minor actor Sudhir (remember Jaichand in Deewaar), the trio of Kaifi Azmi-Madan Mohan-Rafi create an immortal song. The film had a third superhit Rafi solo, Masti mein cheed ke tarana koi dil ka, picturised on Vijay Anand, a soldier in an upbeat mood. Read the contrasting poetry of Kaifi Azmi. Among Urdu poets who wrote film songs, Sahir Ludhiyanvi became a cult figure, but Kaifi Azmi, too, wrote high literature.
मैं ये सोचकर उसके दर से उठा था
कि वो रोक लेगी मना लेगी मुझको
हवाओं में लहराता आता था दामन
कि दामन पकड़कर बिठा लेगी मुझको
क़दम एेसे अन्दाज़ से उठ रहे थे
कि आवाज़ देकर बुला लेगी मुझको
मगर उसने रोका न उसने मनाया
न दामन ही पकड़ा न मुझको बिठाया
न आवाज़ ही दी न वापस बुलाया
मैं आहिस्ता आहिस्ता बढ़ता ही आया
यहाँ तक कि उससे जुदा हो गया मैं …
12. Kabhi na kabhi, kahin na kahin, koi na koi to ayega from Sharabi (1964), lyrics Rajendra Krishna
Sharabi had a number of drunkard songs by Rafi picturised on an alcoholic Dev Anand. Saawan ke maheene mein has three parts which occur at diferent stages in the film. A slow recitation-style song, Mujhe le chalo aaj phir us gali mein, I have mentioned earlier in my post ‘It’s prose, It’s recitation, It’s a song’. Here is another song of a drunkard who goes into a philosophical mood hoping that some day, somewhere, someone would surely come.
13. Shamma mein taaqat kahan jo ek parwaane mein hai from Naya Kanoon (1965), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri
This superb ghazal is my great favourite. Again the lyrics, the voice and the music based on Raga Desh combine to create an outstanding song. This film also had a recitation style Unhein kissa-e-gham likhane jo baithe in Rafi’s voice, and the same ‘song’ in the voice of Asha Bhosle.
14. Aakhri geet mohabbat ka suna lun to chalun from Neela Aakash (1965), lyrics Raja Mehdi Ali Khan
The picturisation shows a lonely and sad Dharmnedra, whereas the words convey as if the lovers were together, and he wanted to prolong the meeting by presenting one last song of love.
15. Ek haseen shaam ko dil mera kho gaya from Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1966), lyrics Raja Mehdi Ali Khan
It seems Madan Mohan gave by far the best songs for a ‘romantic’ Dharmendra. The lovers walking lesiurely in the woods – the scene is tailor-made for a romantic song. MM-Rafi combination comes with another winner. This film would be forever known for the Lata Mangeshkar-beauty Maine rang li aaj chunariya sajna tore rang mein. The film also had another Rafi solo, though somewhat unknown, Kisi ka kuchh kho gaya hai, picturised on Johnny Walker.
16. Aapke pehlu mein aakar ro diye from Mera Saya (1966), lyrics Raja Mehdi Ali Khan
Raj Khosla had earlier directed, in 1964, a spooky film Wo Kaun Thi, which was probably the highest point of Madan Mohan’s career. But that film didn’t have a Rafi song,though it had some iconic Lata Mangeshkar songs. Raj Khosla’s next suspense film, Mera Saya, again starring Sadhana, had some great Lata Mangeshkar songs as usual. But it had this nice Rafi solo, too, pictrised on the hero mourning the death of his ‘wife’.
17. Yun rootho na haseena meri jaan pe ban jayegi from Neend hamari Khwab Tumhare (1966), lyrics Rajendra Krishna
Madan Mohan-Rafi had many more years of productive collaboration, but I end with this fantastic peppy song which has ever been my great favourite. Shashi Kapoor does what he does best – dancing and singing in the park and around the trees to manaao his favourite heroine Nanda. As expected, the eye candy Nanda relents by the end of the song, smiles, and the lovers walk away hand in hand. I hope someone does not say that the tune seems to be influenced by OP Nayyar.
Disclaimer: The song links have been taken for YouTube only for the listening pleasure of music lovers. The copyright over these songs rests with respective owners.
{ 81 comments… read them below or add one }
A nice collection of songs. In fact except a couple of songs, all would have appeared on my list, if I happen to do one.
All great songs. In 1950s we can see that Madanmohan’s first choice was Mukesh and talat. At least I feel so. But in 60s Rafi became his first choice. It started in late 50s itself.
Of course Rafi being Rafi, there wasn’t any problem with the combination.
Off hand, I can’t think of any song to add, all major songs you have presented already.
May be after digging into my collection, I may be able to add.
But I enjoyed the post a lot!
Anup,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. I don’t think Mukesh ever ocupied a distinct place in Madan Mohan’s music over a long term, though he gave him outstanding songs in his debut film Aankhein. In the early 50s, Madan Mohan composed great songs for several playback singers.
AK JI
As always, another excellent post covering nearly all sweet melodies of the combo under reference. Some songs of my choice :
Heer Ranjha–Ye Duniya Ye Mehfil
Sheroo—Agar Teri Duniya Mein (One song from this movie though covered)
Jahan Aara—Kisi ki Yaad Mein
Naunehal—Meri Awaaz Suno
Regards
Thanks a lot for wonderful post and brilliant analysis. The fact that barring 2-3 songs (yun rootho na haseena, bada hi CID hai wo neeli), all the rest are of melancholy and pathos genre which was Rafi’s forte. Whereas Rafi infused life into his rendition of songs of happiness, gaiety (especially for Shammi Kapoor) & gay abandon by his nuanced singing, all this pales into insignificance when compared to Rafi’s expression of sadness in melancholy songs. Madan Mohan and the big 5 (Naushad, Roshan, SD Burman, OP Nayyar & Shankar-Jaikishan) used this aspect of Rafi’s singing with superlative effect. Indeed Rafi’s songs of the genre – Melancholia – easily surpass his renditions of all other genres. Though Talat and Mukesh have some sung beautiful sad songs, Rafi reigns supreme. Thanks again for a lovely post.
AK Ji,
Nice of You to remember Mohammad Rafi today, and his association with Madanmohan has given some of the best romantic songs, both solos and duets.
Most of the songs You’ve posted are favourites, both of the masses and classes, suggestive of the popularity of the great duo.
Let me also add a few, the first one lesser known, and the rest popular ones, following Your trend
First one, penned by Kaif Irani from Sheroo
Agar teri duniya me ye gham na hote
https://youtu.be/1ssGyVkyDNA
Second is from Naya Qanoon penned by Hasrat Jaipuri
Kuchh aisi pyari shakl mere dilruba ki hai
https://youtu.be/jufcQmMUgzQ
Third one is a great favourite from Suhagan penned by Hasrat Jaipuri
Tu mere saamne hai
https://youtu.be/MQ4YKgeZDPA
Fourth is a Rafi special, in a lovely husky voice from Dastak penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri
Tumse kahoon ik baat
https://youtu.be/vnWO8IOJZwY
Thanks again for the lovely post
AKji,
Your observation about Mukesh and Madanmohan is correct. Of course I had listed their songs together a few weeks back as a part of my anniversary post.
I confused it with Roshan. Sorry for that!
There won’t be many songs that I want to add,
But I would like to mention
Tu mere samne hai from Suhagan
And
Tumhari zulf ke saye Mein from naunihal.
🙂
Anup
The first one from Sheroo is also mentioned by my Dear Friend Rakesh Ji
Apologies for repeated mention, but the link has been posted by me
Hello Friends,
Here’s a request to all connoisseurs of old songs and avid “Songs Of Yore” forum participants. I have been trying to find out who was the real lyricist of the lovely songs of 1961 film “KINARE-KINARE” ! Here’s some background for my quest:
1) Kinare Kinare was produced by Nyaya Sharma;
2) Nyaya Sharma was my distant relative and was from my village. Both Nyaya Sharma and I have our ancestral homes in small village “BASI KALAN”, Near Chabbewal, Dist Hoshiarpur in Punjab;
3) My father was a noted Urdu poet of Punjab who composed Urdu poetry under nom-de-plume (TAKHALLUS) – Rishi Patialvi;
4) Sometimes in 1960, Nyaya Sharma visited our home in Chandigarh and solicited my father’s help in writing lyrics for his under-production film i.e. Kinare-Kinare;
5) My father summarily rejected the offer to pen lyrics for Kinare-Kinare as he belonged to “DAAGH” (Daagh Dehalvi) school of classical Urdu poetry which imposes strict conditions of ‘MAKTA – MATLA – KAFIYA – RADEEF & BEHAR (prosody). While composing film lyrics, it is generally improbable, if not impossible, to conform to the aforesaid strict conditions and hence my father refused a lucrative offer which could have paved way for his entry into Bollywood as a lyricist;
6) Now everyone knew that Nyaya Sharma was no poet/lyricist else he would not have approached my father with an offer to write songs of Kinare-Kinare in the first place;
7) Above was narrated by my parents many years ago my memory is sketchy but I do remember being told that my father referred Nyaya Sharma to another Urdu poet of Punjab – Naresh Kumar “SHAAD” who was my father’s friend. My father asked Nyaya Sharma to go to Jallandhar, Punjab with an introductory note for Naresh Kumar SHAAD to help Nyaya Sharma;
8) The credits of film show Nyaya Sharma as the lyricist but knowing the fact that he was not a poet, someone else must have written the songs. The question is WHO ? Was it Naresh Kumar “SHAAD”, an Urdu poet from Jallandhar, Punjab or someone else.
I’ll appreciate if knowledgeable folks on this forum can throw some light on this.
Thanks & Regards,
Ashwani Sharma
Sir, I would request a small correction in the title of the post in the date for Rafi Saab’s remembrance day as 31st JULY’1980.
Thanks and regards,
Rakeshji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. In the songs mentioned by you, I took special notice of Kisi ki yaad mein from Jahan Ara. A nice recitation-style song, but remained unnoticed before the songs of Talat Mahmood from the film.
Ashwani Sharmaji @4,
Thanks a lot for your generous praise. I think it is universally true, करुण रस leaves a more lasting impression. You think of Geeta Dutt, and you think of Mera sundar sapna beet gaya; Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam; you think of Asha Bhosle, and you think of Ab ke baras bhej bhaiya ko babul, and so on.
@8,
The only person who can answer this is Arunkumar Deshmukh. Arunji almost always responds. But you seem to have a more direct knowledge. The only little detail you have to take into account is that he wrote lyrics for at least two more films: Anjali (1957) and Hamare Gham Se Mat Khelo (1967). The production houses of these films are different. Therefore, for carrying on with this ruse over a number of years, he would have to take on board a number of people, and the real writer(s) of these songs would have to keep quiet for some good ‘silence money’. Someone can argue, what seems improbable need not be impossible. But we need more evidence to hold that what seemed improbable was the real truth.
Arvinder Sharmaji,
You are back with a bang. The links of ‘Agar teri duniya mein’ and ‘Kuchh aisi pyari shakl mere dilruba ki’ seem to have been switched. From your list I am especially fond of Tu mere saamne hai from Suhagan. This has been mentioned by Anup too.
Avinashji,
Thanks for mentioning the typo. Since corrected.
Although there were periods of a small but significant Talat association with Madan Mohan, for MM, from his first film until his demise, it was all the way Rafi and Rafi was an essential inseparable great component of the scheme of things for Madan Mohan.
While too much publicity has been accorded over time to the Lata Madan combo, I sincerely feel if one carefully analyses the Rafi Madan combo, it is in no way less. Also, if oe were to consider from quality perspective 5 top MDs for Rafi, in my earnest view, Madan Mohan would easily figure.
Chellamani,
My selection of MM-Rafi songs shows this combination is as good as any. Inclusion in Top 5 is always subjective as we have at least four-five at the margins.
Mukesh did a few numbers intermittently with MM. However it was Talat and Kishore who did more songs with him (Kishore was one of his favorites). Later on it was Mahendra Kapoor who took over apart from Rafi who remained all along.
AK ji #10 and Ashwani Sharma ji #8,
As far as I know, Nyay Sharma was a lyricist in his own right.
He wrote songs in films Anjali-57, Kinare kinare-63 ( not 61), Sunehre kadam-66 and Hamare Gham se mat khelo–67. In addition he wrote songs in an uncompleted film Peele parbat kaale chor in or around 1968.
Considering all this, it is very much likely that for Kinare kinare also he wrote the songs.
There is no information contrary to this, atleast with me.
-AD
AK,
First thing first, thanks for such a beautiful tribute to Rafi on this day. You have made my day.
MM Rafi association was not only professional, they had a sort of personal bonding too. I can feel that touch whenever I hear his son talk about Rafi. I believe he was one of the few (if not only) MDs that had equally good bonding with both Lata and Rafi and it projected in their work.
Anup and Sharmaji beat me to Naunihal and Dastak songs.
70s had one more classic from MM it had two Rafo solos Heer Ranjha Rakesh has mentioned one here is the other one
Tere kuche me tera diwana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=125&v=7Puy-CQG4mI
Anup @ 1
It was not only for MM, Rafi wasn’t the preferred singer for the heroes or for romantic songs until Guru Dutt’s Aar Paar and C I D. Pyaasa opened the flood gates for him.
AK @10
Kisi ki yaad mein may have remained unnoticed by you but that may not be the same for some of us.
Mumbaikar8,
Thanks a lot for your generous praise. You would agree with me, the male playback singer we remember from Jahan Ara is Talat Mahmood.
@mumbaikar 8,
Yes, not only for Madanmohan, but for many composers, Rafi wasn’t the first choice. I think talat was the first choice for many.
I also have noticed one thing, in some of the films of 50s, talat used to sing solos and Rafi duets for the same character.
I had and still have an opinion that in that era, solo was considered a main song and duet as a secondary or inferior. To get as n opportunity to sing a solo was considered superior to a duet.
I don’t know if my thinking is ok or foolish, but I do have that opinion.
I think hero, heroines also used to see how many solos they got to perform.
What do you think?
@mumbaikar 8,
And also, for me too kisiki yaad mein from Jahan ara is a good and noticeable song. So is his duet with Suman Kalyanpur.
But I do like Talat’s solos and duet, may a little less than Rafi’s songs.
In my opinion, talat’s charm and magic was reduced in 60s. Though I love his songs from 50s.
Anup,
I think ‘solos’ always had a superior status to duets. Among solos too, ones on the lead actors were considered more important than those on minor actors. Another feature I may mention – female solos outnumbered male solos by a factor of three. This has several interpretations, but it is not appropriate to discuss it here.
Anup, @ 17
AK has reiterated that solo was considered main and duet secondary.
SDB did not consider Rafi for duets too.
Talat was not the only male singer, Mukesh, Kishore (sang for himself and Dev Anand) Hemant Kumar and even Chitalkar were all singing for heroes.
Perhaps Guru Dutt with his sensibility and sensitivity felt that Rafi was sidelined and insisted for Rafi in Pyaasa. SDB did record one song with Hemant Kumar.
Pyaasa showcased Rafi’s talent I think even SDB was not aware of Rafi’s capabilities, seems he was taken by surprise, the way he depended on Rafi after that until Aradhana.
@18
I am on the same page as you Talat Mahmood Jahan ara songs. For his 50s song I am a bit selective.
I remember of having a discussion with AK about preferring the Rafi Suman duet over the other Talat Lata duet from Jahan Ara in an earlier post.
AK ji;
Many thanks for continuing the passion….and good Roshan too becoming referal point . MM belong to the era when soft melodies and Gazals were the forte and he emerged and retained his top position up to his last composition . Rafi was an integral part that carried soft and sad songs to the forefront . The softest one……kahni hai ek baat……to…. sad……Barbade mohabbat ki duaa saath liye ja……i just love these songs and do listen to them again and again .
Arvinder Sharma ji;
When you are around the song less heard comes to forefront . Kuchh aisi pyari shakl mere dilruba ki hai ……is my fav. too. Here is a faster one ….again less heard…
Ek matwala aa chala apni manzil ko …..Aap ki Parchhaiyan [1964]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dO6DtJCTTI
……in continuation …..two songs from Sharabi , one less heard and other fav. of all ….
Do do haath …..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s4HtWCpKlc
Sawan ke mahine mein….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-4stK4F7Ow
KS Bhatiaji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. You have added two new songs for me.
AK, you would recall our discussion, which you quoted in one of your posts, about Rafi’s niche – the songs only he could sing. On going through your list I feel that MM recognized Rafi’s niche perfectly and gave him songs ideally suited to his voice and singing style. I would make particular mention of ‘Tujhe kya sunaoon…’, ‘Main nigahein tere chehre…’, and ‘Main yeh soch kar…’ from your list.
A couple of songs were new for me. Most others revived beautiful memories. Thanks a lot for this lovely post.
Subodh,
Absolutely, ‘Tujhe kya sunaun’ and two other songs you mentioned are quintessential Rafi.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
AK Ji and Bhatia Ji
Thanks for Your words of appreciation.
I think Madanmohan made one of the best use Rafi’s softness of voice in singing, songs like ‘Meri duniya me tum aayi’ from Heer Ranjha and ‘Tumse kahoon ik baat’ from Dastak are proofs of this versatility of Rafi, and even SJ used this in some of their songs of sixties.
About solos vs duets, agreed that singing solos is definitely a superiority status, but for myself, I am a bit partial towards duets, as far as listening is concerned
Some excellent songs of MM Rafi were left to be posted yesterday, and here they are
Two excellent clips of a very favourite melancholic song from Do Bhai, showing the awkward moments between two actor brothers, Ashok Kumar and Kishore Kumar, penned by Rajinder Krishan
Apna hai phir bhi apna
Badh kar gale laga le
https://youtu.be/ShbOyfc_Ad8
https://youtu.be/FODErDbj0FA
Another tragic song from Ek Shola, penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri
Bata mujhe o jahan ke Malik
Ye kya nazare dikha raha hai
https://youtu.be/8jPDDOpnppw
Sahir’s immortal ghazal from film Ghazal,
Meri Mehboob kahin aur mila kar mujhse
(Thanks for missing this )
https://youtu.be/Hts4cb2zzso
And a lovely melody from Ek Kali Muskayi, penned by Rajinder Krishan
Zulf bikhrati chali aayi ho
I have always felt that this song has a resemblance with Chitragupta’s style of music
https://youtu.be/RoS6P5cKAOo
Some more, maybe…
Song no. 9 – Rang aur noor – brought back a childhood memory. Sometimes a song one hears live from a gifted amateur leaves a deeper impression than hearing it on record. Mayfair cinema of Lucknow – unfortunately pushed out of business by multiplexes – usually ran English movies. At Christmas they had a tradition of running Tom and Jerry cartoons – something I and my siblings used to wait for. In the intermission they would have a singing competition of children. One of them sang Rang aur Noor and it made a lasting impression on me. He was young, his voice hadn’t broken yet, but he sang it beautifully. Since then it has been one of my favourite ghazals from films. It deserves to be better known. Thanks for including it in your list.
Arvinder Sharmaji,
Thanks a lot for adding these new songs.
Subodh,
I think your story is universal. Many of my greatest favourites I heard for the first time from friends.
AKji:
Wonderful post with very representative songs of the MM-Rafi team. Several years ago Harveypam ji had a post entitled ‘Mohan ki Asha’ in which he had established that Asha had been no less important to MM than to many other leading MDs in HFM. This post similarly refutes the ‘myth’ that Rafi perhaps played a second fiddle to Talat in MM’s oeuvre. Rafi sang nearly ten times as many songs as Talat and that shows in his numbers for MM too. Here is ‘Kaise kategi zindagi’ which provides a glimpse of what we lost due to MM’s untimely departure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3IXppdAu7o
Canasya,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Madam Mohan was among those who used a diverse mix of singers. Asha Bhosle was one of them. He gave outstanding songs for all male singers.
Kaise kategi zindagi is an excellent song.
Beautiful write up,as usual. Timely,too.
I like all the three Rafi solos from CHIRAG,1969, Majrooh Sultanpuri. The exceptional Chirag dil ka jalaao,bahut andhera hai…. and Teri aankhon ke siva duniya mein, and the little lesser heard Jab dekh liya,toh chupenge kahan,unhe doond hi lenge kahin na kahin.
Dr Shetty,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
The song below does not belong to this blog. MD is Shambhu Sen but just remembering Rafiji.
Film: Mrig Trishna (1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN5-DjAu85U
Enjoyed various songs above. Thanks
Arunji @14,
Thanks a lot for confirming my impression.
Enjoyed going through the article and great to see the combination of Madan Mohan and Mohd. Rafi remembered and appreciated. Just wanted to add a few more familiar songs…ones which I like, and are not part of the list above and not mentioned by the friends who have commented. ..Apart from these there more than 25 songs which I am not listing….romantic duets, philosophical songs and comedy songs which could be heard and remembered…..
Duets
1.Jis din se maine tumko dekha hai – Parwana
2. Chadi re chadi kaisi gale mein padi – Mausam
3. Is reshmi paazeb ki jhankar ke sadqe – Laila Majnu
4. Kabhi tera daman na chodenge hum
5. Husn jab jab ishq se – Neend hamari Khwab Tumhare
6. Tere paas aake mera waqt
7. Aapko pyar chupane ki buri aadat hai – Neela Akash
8. Zameen se hame aasman par – Adalat
9. Aye humsafar badade – Mohar
Solos Pathos
1. Yeh duniya nahi jageer kisi ki – Chowkidar
2.Tere dar pe aaya hoon – Laila Majnu
3. Maa hai mohobat ka naam – Maa ka Anchal
4.Mere Pyar mein mujhe kya mila – suhagan
Solos – romantic
1.Ik ladki bholi bhali si – Chowkidar
2. Lo ek kali muskayi – two versions
3.Mere Jungli kabootar – Ek Kali Muskai for Mehmood
4.Dil khush hai aaj unse mulaqat ho gayi – Gazal
5.Meri mehboob kahin aur mila kar mujhko – Gazal
6.Tu mere samne hai – Suhagan
Read with interest the wonderful article on remembering the Legendary Rafi Saab on his death anniversary, especially with reference to his combination with Madan Mohan, which is normally not considered wide enough to be spoken about. So glad this has been proved otherwise.
The more commonly heard songs have been spoken about in the article and a few more shared by our friends in their comments. Wanted to share a few more songs, maybe considered lesser heard but very nice ones, and apart from these there are so, so many more in the comedy, duet, philosophical genre, which I have not shared here.
Duets
1.Jis din se maine tumko dekha hai – Parwana
2. Chadi re chadi kaisi gale mein padi – Mausam
3. Is reshmi paazeb ki jhankar ke sadqe – Laila Majnu
4. Kabhi tera daman na chodenge hum
5. Husn jab jab ishq se – Neend hamari Khwab Tumhare
6. Tere paas aake mera waqt
7. Aapko pyar chupane ki buri aadat hai – Neela Akash
8. Zameen se hame aasman par – Adalat
9. Aye humsafar badade – Mohar
Solos Pathos
1. Yeh duniya nahi jageer kisi ki – Chowkidar
2.Tere dar pe aaya hoon – Laila Majnu
3. Maa hai mohobat ka naam – Maa ka Anchal
4.Mere Pyar mein mujhe kya mila – suhagan
Solos – romantic
1.Ik ladki bholi bhali si – Chowkidar
2. Lo ek kali muskayi – two versions
3.Mere Jungli kabootar – Ek Kali Muskai for Mehmood
4.Dil khush hai aaj unse mulaqat ho gayi – Gazal
5.Meri mehboob kahin aur mila kar mujhko – Gazal
6.Tu mere samne hai – Suhagan
Rafi Saab was a wonderful combination with any and every composer and was superlative in every song he sang….Rememberences to him…..can never be forgotten
Rafi Saab was Rafi Saab….whomsoever he combined with…and of course his combination with Madan Mohan is not much talked about as most are not aware of this awesome combination. Thank you for bringing out the beautiful songs in the article as well as some of the friends have brought out some not listed therein.
I would love to share some more which I like but maybe be lesser heard and apart from these there are numerous more in the comedy, duet and philosophical category which is not listed….
Duets
1.Jis din se maine tumko dekha hai – Parwana
2. Chadi re chadi kaisi gale mein padi – Mausam
3. Is reshmi paazeb ki jhankar ke sadqe – Laila Majnu
4. Kabhi tera daman na chodenge hum
5. Husn jab jab ishq se – Neend hamari Khwab Tumhare
6. Tere paas aake mera waqt
7. Aapko pyar chupane ki buri aadat hai – Neela Akash
8. Zameen se hame aasman par – Adalat
9. Aye humsafar badade – Mohar
Solos Pathos
1. Yeh duniya nahi jageer kisi ki – Chowkidar
2.Tere dar pe aaya hoon – Laila Majnu
3. Maa hai mohobat ka naam – Maa ka Anchal
4.Mere Pyar mein mujhe kya mila – suhagan
Solos – romantic
1.Ik ladki bholi bhali si – Chowkidar
2. Lo ek kali muskayi – two versions
3.Mere Jungli kabootar – Ek Kali Muskai for Mehmood
4.Dil khush hai aaj unse mulaqat ho gayi – Gazal
5.Meri mehboob kahin aur mila kar mujhko – Gazal
6.Tu mere samne hai – Suhagan
Mazaa aa gaya…..those 2 outstanding songs of Mastana !! heard first time with great impact !!
“duniya ke sare ghamon se beghana….hum khaayenge aur kamaaye zamaana….main hun mastana” and “mat bhool are insaan” both are gems.
Also that Naya Kanoon ghazal …. wonderful !!!
Glad to see MM also worked with Hasratsahab !
A nice compilation of MM-Rafi songs Akji. yes, as you mentioned, it doesnt lessen the attraction and love for Tujhe kya sunaaun despite being a clear copy of Yeh hawa yeh raat….bcz MM has made the copy too powerful to the original !
Heard thousands of songs created by several MDs in last 20 years. Amazed, Mesmerized, Elated by them I developed high regard to several MDs in last 2 decades…but…the attachment with my first love MM remained unscathed !! bcz his music quality that stayed immutable, persistently strong year to year, time to time !
Want to mention some of my fvrts, maybe i m repeating after all these comments,, Tu mere saamne hai teri zulfen hai khuli, Meri aawaz suno pyar ka raaz suno, Main nigaahen tere chehre se, Tumhari zulf ke saaye me, Tere dar pe aaya hun, Barbaad e muhabbat ki duaa saath liye ja, Mujhe le chalo phir aaj us gali men jahaan pehle pahal main ladkhadaya, Yun roothon na haseena, Mere pyar men tujhe kya mila…….and several more from this article.
Sangeeta,
Welcome to the SoY family and thanks a lot for your appreciation. Rafi’s duets are also outstanding, and may require to be covered in another post.
Jignesh,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. You are a real MM-Rafi fan. I am happy that I was able to present some outstanding new songs. That has always been the aim of SoY.
Excellent write up and fabulous comments on each and every song of Rafisaab-Madanmohan association. Personally, I would include “Tu mere samne hai teri zulfe khuli” song from Suhagan. Wow. What a song picturisation, particularly Mala Sinha’s expressions, superb.
Ashok Parekh,
Welcome to SoY and thanks a lot for your appreciation. Tu mere saamne hai teri zulfein khuli is indeed an outstanding song. Some other readers too have mentioned it.
Just back from the Mountains of Wales! We still have a Heat Wave from Africa. During the winter we had the visitation of the Beast Frost from the East that is Russian Siberia.
The heat wave is similar of the furnace in Rajasthan.
The temperature in Spain is 60 degrees and in England it is 50 degree.
There are five deaths in Spain.
So there is no rain in Spain on the plain or anywhere else.
I see the posts are piling up in SoY Blog.
I make out that Madan Mohan had done some work with Rafi that developed from his Luckhanvi experience and it is very good that he found Rafi to shape his art.
It comes out pointedly in the present post.
Who says the art of the “Appreciation” is dated? It is very alive in this blog.
Shalan,
Welcome back. Your numbers (60 in Spain, 50 in England) need a recheck. It can’t be more than 40-45 in centigrades. In Fahrenheit it can’t be less than 95 to be called a heat wave. But that is beside the point. Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
AK
As the article is about songs of Madan-Rafi, the best thing would be to comment on them. Your song selection in such articles is always impeccable (not so in SOY awards). Here also you have gone through the journey expertly and have shown the variety MM produced with Rafi. I normally go through the article and see the songs one by one without scanning the list. As I was going through I was wondering whether ‘ek haseen shamko’ or ‘yun rootho na haseena’ would be there and they were there. These both are my favourites. The first is so soft yet was so popular in its times. In the second song as well as the duets in that film Rafi came with a very different voice which perhaps MM wanted. I am a MM fan and also come from that region so his songs mean a lot to me and I have extensively listened to his songs, so there were no surprises for me.
I know you are a fan of MM and you also know he was not only ghazal man, because you had earlier written article on the other side of MM. His music in Haqueekat made a deep impact on me and it also brought him immense fame. I watched this film in its re-run and not a single soul even tried to rise from their seats when ‘kar chale’ started. The film ends with this song and normally people started going out towards exit gates in the last 5 minutes or so. But, here people were rooted to their seats till the end. The three solos and ‘hoke majboor’ and Lata’s ‘jara si aahat’ are all well known. But Lata’s ‘aayi abke saal diwali moonh par apne khoon male’ did have a huge impact on the film, though is now almost forgotten.
People remember this combo by the representative songs. But, there is more to this combo than this. I present a few songs which are different and were also very popular in those times. You have mentioned ‘ye hai paglon ka bazar’. This is a unique song uniquely composed by MM. People talk about Rafi’s rendering of ‘tareef karoon kya uski’ in different ways. That was in 1964 when Rafi was at the height of his powers. But Rafi had always this in him. If you listen to ‘ye duniya paglon ka bazar’ you will find that except for 34 seconds, out of more than three minues, when he sings three lines of the only antara, he through the whole song repeats the different parts of the mukhda which is just ‘ye duniya paglon ka bazar’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPRJoXWXLn8
The next song is from the same year. ‘Nazar mila le o dilruba’ from Dhun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssgmBpBceEk
Next comes ‘ye bhool hui bhoole se kabhi hum teri tamanna kar baithe’ from Fifty Fifty (1956).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vrDGNM0vJQ
You posted ‘bada hi CID hai’. Here is another enacted in his special way by Jony Walker. The song is ‘haseeno sambhalo apni ye duniya hum to chale veeranon men’ from 1958 film Khota Paisa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKEeJXGk3b4
The last one is ‘le gaya jalim ghadi samajh ke’ from Bombay Race Course (1965). This song has very unique lyrics by Rajendra Krishan who sticks to the same subject through the three antaras. Mukhda is
Le gaya jalim ghadi samajhke mera dhadakta dil
Na koi sauda na koi keemat na parchi na bill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktNd13iED6U
Hans,
You have more than made up for your long absence with a very insightful comment. There is always a clinical precision in your analysis. I am happy you found your favourite songs here. Among the songs added by you, only Haseeno sambhalo was known to me. And what a great song this is! It needed to be mentioned. Rafi-Johnny Walker could create the first impression that it might be OP Nayyar, but the instrumentation is different. This should count among the better songs picturised on Johnny Walker. Thanks a lot again, and thanks for the appreciation.
AK Ji
I wouldn’t have been back since I thought I’d posted my quota of songs for this article
But two of the commentators above have brought me back here
First one is Dear Friend Hans Ji, who is a great music friend, and my companion for the Soy meets, and from whom I’ve learnt a lot about old music, during our gup shups while traveling.
Welcome back Hans Ji, and it’s Your favourite Rafi I assume who’s brought You back.
Second reason is very special
My Facebook friend Sangeeta Gupta is here with a couple of comments, posting beautiful songs listed properly, a job which she’s doing on Facebook as well, and why not.
She’s the daughter of Madanmohan, The Great Composer, and she doesn’t flaunt her association with The Great Maestro, such a simple person she is.
Welcome to Songosfyore, Sangeeta Gupta Kohli Ji, as you’re better known on Facebook.
AK @ 45
I knew there was some mistake but it was on the Indian Radio that I did not listened for a long time as I was with some people who did not like to listen Radio during our “Shahar Se Door, Majemein Choor” when the nature was there to give aspects of beauty.
The DJ on the Radio was perhaps over heated by the heat wave.
Madan Mohan did very well from “Aankhe” onwards until he was dried out and started using his old tunes for the new films.
He is one of the memorable music makers of fifties of Hindi Films and a song of praise for him is not out of place on certain occasions.
After all we have not many universal things to celebrate. Film music of the fifties touched the heart of many people of the sub-continent.
Thanks for the post.
Shalan Lal
Arvinder Sharmaji,
You can never exhaust your quota. Thanks a lot for coming back, and telling us about the connection of Sangeeta Gupta. I would separately acknowledge and welcome her through mail.
AK ji,
Thanks for a great post. MM was a ‘har-dil-azeez’ music director. Also thanks for refreshing my memory about the songs almost forgotten by me. In mid-fifties while walking back from school and walking in front of long rows of govt flats(Sarojini Ngr, New Delhi) we used to hear these songs as sound of radio came out of the houses.
Through this post and the post on MM-Roshan by Rangan ji, I observed:
Roshan tended to keep prelude & interlude pieces short, playing the selected instruments straight and generally only one or two at a time.
MM adopted longer pieces of music and brought in several instruments together but never losing the sweetness of the song. He had superlative command over stringed instruments, maybe in this aspect he was as good as Naushad and Shankar Jaikishan.
Regards.
I would like to just mention here a very soulful song written by Nyay Sharma ji and sung by Mohd Rafi saheb … and am giving here a link of a nice article written by Atul’s Song A Day .. about this song .. which might be of interest to some viewers ..( I am a Karaoke singer and have recently covered it in my voice on my FB profile )
https://atulsongaday.me/2013/03/24/maine-socha-thha-agar-maut-se-pehle-pehle/
Tyagiji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. What is surprising about MM is not only his famed sweetness, especially his Lata Mangeshkar songs, but his immense variety, such as comic songs for Kishore Kumar, Johnny Walker-Rafi songs.
Any treatise on MM can ever be complete without the due provision of MM’s Mohammad Rafi songs.
The post and the very eloquently knowledgeable discussion does the full justice to the great contribution by the duo.
Even the unreleased songs, now available on YT, are as noteworthy as the very-known or not-so-known released ones.
As i keep relishing the discussion, I may like to add that the other two songs of Sharabi are gems in themselves, from all the angles of composition, diction or lyrics:
Mujhe Le Chalo Aaj Phir Us Gali Mein
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx3S6fNGFIY
Kabhi Na Kabhi Kahin Na Kahin Koi Na Koi To Aayega
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4iOgKMV7HE
Even with a very ample addition vy Sangeeta Guptaji, we all have still uncovered the proverbial tip of MM-Rafi iceberg.
Every anniversary can easily become the expedition for more and more wonderful journey.
Please forgive me If I have not noticed this song above.
Tum jo mil gaye ho
Haste jakhm
AK ji; Tyagi ji ;
Reporting myself back from Atlanta after spending beautiful vacations with my grand daughters and of course with our tour planners……my son in law and my daughter . Myself acting like video jockey with cam camera adding songs as background music .
I am happy to note that Hans ji , jignesh ji and Ms. Shalan Lal are back and their contribution will enhance the present worth of the blog .
Yes , Tyagi ji ……what you wrote @51 happened to me . The return walk from school to our house was a pleasure …….free from studies and getting free entertainment ……with radio playing at full volumes by the ladies of the houses and doing their house hold routines ……enjoying the songs . In all a really 5.1 stereo effects .
And about orchestra styles of MM and Roshan……I entirely agree with you . The fast numbers like ….Dekhta chala gaya mein zindagi ki rahoan mein…..and …..hayen unki woh nigahyein…..are examples of melodies thru beautiful instrumental interludes .
AK
Johny Walker’s association with OPN may be special, just because he got an opportunity to compose for a few films in which JW was in lead role or second lead role and he composed more than 30 songs for JW of which 7 were solos. But due to his special enactment of comic songs and Rafi’s adopting a special style for him almost all the major composers barring Naushad composed songs for him. So due to this peculiar style all Rafi-JW songs are clearly recognisable. MM has also composed 4 songs for JW. One you posted, two I posted and there was another solo in Aakhri Dao ‘idhar to hath la pyare’ which was picturised on JW.
Now I want to post a few more songs. MM was very creative and he experimented a lot. As Lata did not let him much experimenting, the proper candidate was Rafi and due to this there is a lot of variety in Rafi-MM songs. Ghazal film was another example of MM’s creativity. He composed three songs with the same tune and the mukhda ending with ‘kise pesh karoon’. First was by Lata ‘naghma o sher ki saugat kise pesh karoon’, then there was another ‘ishq ki garmi-e-jajbaat kise pesh karoon’ by Rafi and then the last but the most famous ‘rang aur noor ki’. Though the tune is same but he has treated all three with subtle variation. I am not posting them but there was another very good song from that film ‘dil khush hai aaj unse mulaqat ho gayi’ which has not been posted yet. Here it is and picturised on the best lip-syncher of our golden era heroes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkf1RhR8Lgo
There are some more
2. ‘Do ghoont chai pee’ from Sanjog picturised on Om Prakash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4LriUIfJII
3. ‘Aaj rota hai kyun’ from Ghar ka Chiraag picturised on Dev Kumar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCKs2notOxQ
4. ‘Jab ladka kahde haan’ from Anjam (1952)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBz25kyBMpc
5. ‘Garibon ka paseena beh raha hai’ from Naya Aadmi. A background song picturised on the famed NT Ramarao.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLV10MGXWo0
MM composed a number of philosophical and god invoking songs for Rafi and many of them have already been posted or listed. But, there are still more class songs of this category. Here they are
1. ‘Jagat ka rakhwala bhagwan’ from Naya Aadmi picturised on an unknown actor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzypjyFBHNY
2. ‘Kab tak tu bhagwan se apna aap chhupayega from Fifty Fifty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXyLw0BRGT8
3. ‘Sochne ko lakh baten soche insaan’ from Baap Bete picturised on another unknown actor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw18aHpH3Fg
4. ‘Oonche oonche mahlon wale’ from Jagir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVZ-LQUjwoY
5. ‘Sab din hot na ek samaan’ from Senapati
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcsrRz_rqcw
Ashokji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Both songs posted by you are all-time favourites. The first one is a slow recitation which I had included in my post ‘It’s prose, It’s recitation, It’s a song’.
Tyagiji,
You are welcome.
Rahul Muli,
Never mind. It’s one of the popular songs of the later part of MM-Rafi combination.
KS Bhatiaji,
Welcome back. You must be refreshed and rejuvenated.
Hans,
Your comments are always insightful and add to not only our knowledge, but also our understanding. We are all discovering so many ‘new’ MM-Rafi gems. I especially liked Kab tak tu Bhagwan se apna aap chhupayega.
Sharmaji
Thanks for putting me right on top of ‘chane ka jhaad’.
On a serious note, it is true we all benefit from these interactions. May be I am more visible due to me being free with frank opinions which are more noticeable due to they being different from some of the other friends here. But, I know you are in constant touch with stalwarts like Sudhir Kapoor and Bakhshish Singh and you are a true music connoisseur. Sudhir Kapoor is known to many but people like Bakhshish Singh are the storehouse of information on film music. It is a pity they dont visit here otherwise this blog would have been much richer. But you are always, with your Saturday meetings and interactions on facebook, at an advantage on persons like me.
I feel nostalgic about the SOY meets and these meets as well as this blog has been an immense source of information and inspiration. And the beauty is that our captain has also been quite transformed because he has started liking Asha and Geeta. And it is the endeavour of we two ladaku commenters – Mumbaikar8 and me – to make him consider Rafi in better terms and we are succeeding too, though slowly.
Hans,
I am enjoying the joke at my cost from the sidelines. 🙂
Hans @ 60, AK @ 61,
Me too :- )
There has been a lot of confusion about the statistics especially about Rafi-MM. Names of who said what is not important. It has been said Rafi did not occupy front seat with MM in the first part of 50s or that overall Talat got more solos. It has also been stated that solos are more important or the songs picturised on heroes and heroines were more important. There have been different voices too. Chellamani talked differently and said Rafi-MM was combo was there from the start which is true too. Canasya talked about busting of certain myths. Sangeeta Gupta – daughter of MM – has also said this combo has not been given its due importance. Though a number of songs had already been posted, I posted further songs to strengthen the utterings of Chellamani, Canasya and Sangeeta Gupta. Since I have always ready stats of my favourite MDs, which I brushed up recently for use in MM-Roshan article, I would provide these stats.
But, first about how these myths became prevalent. Canasya talked about myths, but these myths did not descend from the sky. They got strength from well planned narratives spread through various sources. I would give an example. Raju Bharatan in his book on Lata Mangeshkar says something to the effect that if Lata songs are removed from MM’s songs then he would be left with nothing. I have seen him say this in a newspaper or magazine that without Lata he has existential crisis. In the same book he says that MM’s son Rajiv Kohli was on a key post in HMV and Lata used this clout to her advantage.
I dont know how much correct is this. But one thing is sure that various narratives were launched from various sources to harm Rafi’s career but all failed. I will give the stats in the following comment.
Now for the stats. My basis for the stats is HFGK. I dont count the songs released songs just because they were not finished by MM. MM composed overall about 600 songs and details are known for 599. There were 444 solos of which female solos numbered 309 and male 135. For Rafi he composed 79 solos and 74 duets. For Lata he composed 161 and 41 and for Asha 116 and 68. Lata accounted for about one third of his songs. Lata and Asha combined got about 90 per cent of the female solos, Lata getting 52 per cent. Rafi got about 57 per cent of the male solos and Talat got 14, Manna Dey and KK got 13 each. Mukesh got just 3 solos and 6 duets. Mukesh’s case with MM is most intriguing. After his two hits ‘preet laga ke maine ye phal paya’ and ‘humse nain milana ba pass karke’ in Ankhen he did not use him until he gave him a duet in Samundar (1957). Then he gave him one solo and one duet in Duniya Na Mane (1959) with similar lyrics ‘hum chal rahe the wo chal rahe the’ and ‘tum chal rahe ho hum chal rahe hain’ and both were again hits. Then came Sanjog and again two hits ‘bhooli hui yado’ and ‘ik manjil rahi do’. And what Mukesh gets next. Only one duet in Akeli Mat Jaiyo and one triad in Chowkidar.
Now to the era in contention, the first half of 50s i.e. 1951 to 1955. Talat here got 6 solos and 1 duet and Rafi got 7 solos and 13 duets. As the major era of Talat was from 1952 to 1955 when he sang almost half of his total songs, when that period ended there was no comparison between Rafi and Talat. Now to the total number of solos and duets by both from 1951 to 1955. Rafi had 179 solos and 294 duets as against 152 and 94 by Talat. In the same era Mukesh, Manna Dey, Hemant, KK and Chitalkar combined had 162 solos. Total number of male solos in those five years was 669 (keep a margin of 2-3 songs). So it is clear Rafi had more solos and in duets Talat was no match. This position is despite the fact that of the Trimurti Dilip reluctantly used Rafi as his voice in the early fifties, RK was absolutely against him and Dev Anand was under the baton of SDB who was trying to fit KK as his voice and in the meantime used Hemant till Dev agreed on KK.
Now about the solo/duet question. From earliest times there was no such distinction. Arunji once said that in old times the songs were situation based and heroes started demanding songs post the trimurti era. Except in the case of big singing actors/actresses there was no compulsion for giving songs to lead actors. Till Lata came along no female singer ever asked to be given only heroine songs or even preferred such songs. Of the male singers there was none other than Talat who sought to sing only for hero. I have seen a video interview where he seeks to justify his singing for Agha because he was a friend. He felt ashamed in singing those songs. Even Lata did not go to that extent. Everyone knows that for males there was a limited number of solos, so it was important to sing duets. This Rafi well understood and Talat could not see through his aristocratic eyes. The number of total songs from 1951 to 55 will make one understand better. As against a meagre 669 male solos female solos numbered about 2250. In the duets they were evenly matched 917 for males and 989 for females. So a female could afford to sing only solos if she was allowed the luxury, but male had no option but to sing duets too. It is only a myth that solos are more important. The whole of the reputation of the Lataless OPN was based on duets. His trump card was Rafi and he composed only 55 solos as against 138 duets for Rafi. Rafi gave him around 90 hits in duets alone.
Rafi busts the myth of solos for lead roles etc because he gave countless hit solos which were either background songs or were on minor actors. He was the one who made actors rather than actors making. In the MDs too nobody except Naushad can lay a claim that he made Rafi. When Bengali MDs as well as CR, Roshan and SJ were ignoring him, he made the career Chitragupta through a semi hit Sindbad the Sailor and two big hits Tulsidas and Shiv Bhakt. Tulsidas forced Lata to sing for him whom she ignored for 9 years. It was the genious of Rafi which created hits on this subject, on which MDs like Biswas made flops like Mahatama Kabir. Even in the 60s when he was on top he sang for others. He sang for the villain Raj Kumar in Kaajal, two of the biggest hits of his career. In Neel Kamal too there was no song on the hero Manoj. There were two solos on Raj Kumar and one background.
Now to Talat. He was a great singer and gave many great songs to us. But did he create any actor or composer even in his best era. After Baiju Bawra CR declared that he would create another Baiju like film with the same Bharat bhushan and Talat would be another Rafi after this. The result, a resounding flop despite Talat singing 6 solos, none of which is remembered.
AK
Why dont you crack a joke so that we can enjoy.
There was a mistake in the songs posted at 58. The song ‘jagat ka rakhwal bhagwan’ was composed by Vishwanath-Ramamurthy. MM composed only 2 songs in that film one was ‘garibon ka pasina’ by Rafi and another by Lata.
I will replace it with two songs, one on Johny Walker and one on Mehmood. See the difference in composition style for the two comedians.
1. Idhar to hath la pyare from Aakhri Dao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRNL66C7ocY
2. Pyar wo shai hai from Neela Akash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQpzJLopnHM
Hans,
This is tremendous work. It seems you have done complete compilation of songs of different singers and music directors. The numbers would not match exactly with other sources, but minor differences are to be ignored. Forr example, Rafi Excel sheet compiled by Muveen (I have shared it with many readers) gives 162 songs of Madan Mohan-Rafi combination. Your number is 153.
I am sure you must have done it in tabular form. Can you please mail it to me?
You are confirming my general observations I had made at various places that on the average female solos outnumbered male solos by a factor of three or four. You observations on the importance of duets is quite perceptive.
On one line of your argument I have some difference of views which we have discussed earlier too. That is, your conclusion on superiority based on numbers. In public perception the songs of high quality linger more.
Hans ji ;
Hats off to you for your in depth study supported with analysis vis a vis statistics . You deserve applause from all of us . Keep writing and be connected .
Here are some more of Rafi’s songs for MM …..less heard , hidden and so beautiful too.
Chal mere dil ke udan khatole……Gateway of india…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN460tiEKEM
Arey hasne walo kabhi yeh bhi sochho……Parwana….this song was filmed as duet song with Kishore singing separately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77yy8QEWH_k
Yeh bhool hui bhul se teri nazar….fifty fifty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bi9EsWBU-E
Soja baba more re……Koshish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6kDpafE7J8
Was the song ” Mujhe Le Chalo ” from Sharabi. Excellent combinations of
MM / Rafi.
AK ji;
Whenever I listen to …..Duniya ke saare gamoan se begaana….my mind immediately get diverted to two or three similar songs, they all get linked up……and the most close that comes is…..Duniya haase haasti rahe , mein hun ganwar mujhe sab se hai pyar [ Ganwar , Naushad , Rajendra Krishan ].
Listening to Ganwar song I wonder how Naushad changed his mindset to simple wording when all those years he had composed songs of very lyrical qualities from the pens of Shakeel Badayuni and others. Here in this song the composition seems to be based on a drop box case left for MD to compose for. They say…..Where words fail , music speaks…..but here there was no momentum in words or composition . Whereas MM , Rajendra Krishan combination worked wonders in Mastana song . This song truly carried with dynamics required to fit in the simple lyrics .
KS Bhatiaji,
I would not blame Naushad. Every product has a life cycle. The last worthy scores of Naushad were in 1967/68: Ram Aur Shyam, Aadmi, and Sangharsh. But he had his innings when he was the undisputed monarch. The music itself changed post-70s. My tag line for this blog 1930s through 60s was a conscious decision. I knew there are thousands of music lovers who think very much like me about the Vintage/Golden period.
AK ji;
Very true . Music Directors of the golden period were very talented . They really had to work hard for their existence post 70s. This happened not only with Naushad but other MDs also . Fate is the culprit or the fast changing world ….one never knows . Old ways seldom find new doors . Our memories lived with old music pre 60s . Now our memories are failing in this digital world . Music is fading and not flowing as it used to be . Still……..tu ganga ki mauge mein nadiya ki dhara ….ho ke rahega yeh milan…….perhaps some time later.
Tumhari zulf ke saaye mein sham karloonga is a tribute to this two great artists. Just mentioning it. Otherwise your choice was perfect.
Anil
Pankaj Vyasji (69),
Yes, Mujhe le chalo was from the film Sharabi, which boasted of three beautiful Rafi Saab solos which were the composer’s very favourite songs.
1. Sawan Ke Mahine me
2. Kabhi na Kabhi
3. Mujhe le chalo
Hansji, (63)
what wonderful detailed account. Hats off and thanks a ton.
With regards to your comment on Myths….my humble two words here is….I have not read the book by Raju Bharatan on Lataji, but now, after reading your comments, would like to do so..will check it out online…What he says cannot be the gospel truth…what he has written seems to be the fiction of his imagination….Maybe it is his opinion about Madanji being nowhere without his Lataji compositions…Yes, they are landmark songs in his career, and do not forget, the songs are a product of combination of the composer, lyricist and singer. no one person can claim full credit…Secondly, Madanji’s son, Sanjiv (not Rajiv) Kohli had just started his career and was the Artiste and Repertoire Manager with HMV….He had at least two rungs above him, and he did not own the Large Worldwide company..And pray, what clout would a young IIM Calcutta MBA graduate be able to provide legends like Lata Mangeshkar or Mohd. Rafi or any other….Does it sound logical in any way? It does not to me….and I know for a fact that there is not an iota of fact anywhere in the picture.
This is just to set the record straight as I know it.
Mujhe le chalo aaj us gali film
Sharabi
Top 100 songs of Madan Mohan and Rafi combo!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXHPtnB1PXc&t=494s
Excellent songs. The song from heer ranjha – meri dunia mein tum aayi is different level of Rafi saabs singing so soft and polite
Suresh Menon,
Welcome to SoY. Thanks a lot.
Perfect summing up, Sangeetaji….