was yesterday...

Belated Birthday to the Melody Queen

SHe celebrated her 80th Birthday

Happy Birthday Lataji:

Movie : Andaz (1949)
Singer:Lata Mangeshkar
Music : Naushad
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

KOI MERE DIL MEIN:

(Koi Mere Dil Mein)2 Kushii Banake Aayaa
Some one has brought happiness to my heart
Andheraa Thaa Ghar Raushanii Banake Aayaa
My home was dark, he brought in the brightness of love
Koi Mere Dil Mein

(Koi Mere Dil Mein)2 Kushii Banake Aayaa
Some one has brought happiness to my heart
Andheraa Thaa Ghar Raushanii Banake Aayaa
My home was dark, he brought in the brightness of love
Koi Mere Dil Mein

(Dhadakataa Hai Dil Jaag Uthii Hain Umangen)2
My heart is full of awaken anticipation and the desires
Mohabbat Kii Vo Zindagii Ban Ke Aayaa
he gave my love a new life/ breath

(Koi Mere Dil Mein)2 Kushii Banake Aayaa
Some one has brought happiness to my heart
Andheraa Thaa Ghar Raushanii Banake Aayaa
My home was dark, he brought in the brightness of love
Koi Mere Dil Mein

(Samaayaa Thaa jo Dil Mein Ik Dard Banakar)2
The one who had brought pain to my heart
Vo Honthon Pe Meri Hansi Ban Ke Aayaa
Now has brought laughter to my lips

(Koi Mere Dil Mein)2 Kushii Banake Aayaa
Some one has brought happiness to my heart
Andheraa Thaa Ghar Raushanii Banake Aayaa
My home was dark, he brought in the brightness of love
Koi Mere Dil Mein

Trans:Ranjana

Very Great Names were involved in this one: Lata, Naushad, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar:

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Back in the 1940s, Ghulam Haider had heard of a new singer called Lata Mangeshkar. He was about to migrate to Pakistan. He had given me the first prize at a music competition, as a child, and I respected him a lot. He called me, recorded a song, and played it for [producer] S Mukherjee, who found my voice too thin.

To this, Masterji supposedly said, 'Reject her today. But one day, you will chase her to sing for you.' He took me under his wings.

The first song I sang for him was Angrezi mera chora. Then, [composers] Anil Biswas and Khemchand Prakash asked me to sing for them. Their Aayega aanewala (Mahal) and Anilda's Woh din kahan gaye bataa in Tarana are unforgettable.

In 1947, many of my successful songs were released. At the risk of sounding immodest, I'd like to say that these


composers felt I could sing at any range they composed. But I did not treat those tough songs as a challenge. I loved to sing. What's more, I could understand and memorise the tunes without delay.
Many in the industry nicknamed me 'Tape recorder'. Before I arrived, there were great playback singers like Zohrabai, Shamshadbai, Amirbai Karnataki, and Geeta Dutt. After I came, I even started providing playback for actresses who sang for themselves. I think singers like Mukesh bhaiyya, Mohammed Rafi saab, Asha [Bhosle] and I changed the style of playback singing.


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I remember Aji rooth kar ab kahan jayiyega in Arzoo. What a high pitch that was! My ears reddened when I sang it. But I stubbornly sang at that impossible scale, refusing to admit defeat to any range. I would get very angry, and sing at any range, without complaining. Composers would take full advantage of my silence, and keep raising the scale.
I used to have arguments with Jaikishan. I would ask him, 'Kya baat hai, aap meri pareeksha le rahe hain? Maine aap ka kya bigada hai jo aap mera kaan laal kar rahe hain? (What's the matter? Why are you testing me? What have i done that you should trouble me so?)'

Actually, Ehsaan tera hoga was only meant to be sung by Rafi. But the film's hero, Shammi Kapoor, suddenly decided that the heroine should sing it as well. It was picturised with Rafi's voice on Saira Banu and later dubbed by me.



So I had to sing it in the same sur as Rafi. The same was done with Jiya ho jiya kuch bol do (Jab Pyar Kissi Se Hota Hai).
I shared a great friendship with Shankar-Jaikishan. But I worked with equal sincerity for all composers. If I began to discriminate for personal reasons, work would suffer. I never compromised on quality. With [composer] Chitragupta, who was a family friend, I did lovely songs like Dil ka diya jala ke gaya in Akash Deep and Sona na sitaron ka hai kehna in Opera House.

I did more work with Vasant Desai, most of it for V Shantaram's films. I gave playback to Shantaramji's first wife Jayshree [also a singer] and his second wife Sandhya.

Vasant Desai was a Maharashtrian like me, and a very quiet man. My work with him in a Marathi film Amar Bhopali was outstanding, and the bhajan Ae maalik tere bande hum in Do Aankhen Barah Haath is a classic.

But you cannot overlook Pandit Ravi Shankar with whom I did just a handful of songs, including Haye re woh din in Anuradha.

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Khayyam also gave me some wonderful songs to sing. I love his Ae dil-e-nadaan in Razia Sultan, Aap yun faaslon se and Aapne aap raaton mein in Shankar Husain, Baharon mera jeevan bhi sanwaron in Aakhri Khat, Dikhaye diye yun in Bazaar and Hazar rahen mudke dekhi in Thodisi Bewafai.
There's also Ghulam Mohamad's work in Pakeezah -- Inhi logon ne, Thare rahiyo and Chalte chalte -- three mujras done in completely different moods.

Inhi logon ne had cheap lyrics, but the girl was put in a compromised situation -- that's how I interpreted it. Chalte chalte is so nostalgic that it doesn't feel like a mujra. Thare rahiyo was in the music director's native Bikaneri style.

Then there was Jaidev, who didn't get the recognition he deserved. I loved all my songs for him: Allah tero naam (Hum Dono); Tere bachpan ko jawani ki dua deti hoon (Mujhe Jeene Do); Tu chanda main chandni and Ek meethi si chubhan (Reshma Aur Shera).

With Hemant Kumar, I did very little work. But our songs together -- O beqaraar dil and Jhoom jhoom dhalti raat


(Kohra), Kahin deep jale kahin dil (Bees Saal Baad), Kuch dil ne kahaa and Dheere dheere machal (Anupama), Sapne suhane ladakpan ke (Bees Saal Baad) -- are immortal.
Salil Chowdhary is another favourite. I love Raaton ke saaye ghane (Annadata); O sajna barkha bahaar and Mila hai kissi ka jhumka (Parakh); Na jaane kyon (Chotisi Baat); Na jiya lage na (Anand); Aaj koi nahin apna (Agni Pariksha) and Aaja ri nindiya (Do Bigha Zameen).

I like his songs in Madhumati -- Zulmi sang aankh ladi, Aaja re pardesi and Bichua.

Vishal Bhardwaj and I worked on some lovely songs like Pani pani re, Tum gaye sab gaya and Ae hawaa (Maachis), and Geela geela pani (Satya).

Hema Malini in Razia Sultan

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With Kalyanji-Anandji, I like Chandan sa badan, but I'm not too fond of Chod de sari duniya from Saraswatichandra. I prefer the chulbula Kankariya maar ke jagaaya that they composed for me in Himalay Ki God Mein.
Madan Mohanbhaiyya was known for his ghazals sung by me, and also non-ghazals like Bairan neend na aaye (Chacha Zindabad) and Chanda ja re ja (Man Mauji).

Among his ghazals, I love Lag ja gale se and Aap kyon roye (Woh Kaun Thi).

Though not very popular, I cherish my duet Chod kar tere pyar ka daman with Mahendra Kapoor in Woh Kaun Thi, and others like Teri aankhon ke siva duniya mein rakha kya hai (Chirag); Woh chup rahen to mere daag jalte hain (Jahan Ara); Sapnon mein agar mere tum aao (Dulhan Ek Raat Ki) and Do dil toote (Heer Ranjha).



But my current favourites are Nainon mein badra chaye (Mera Saaya), Zara si aahat hoti hai and Khelo na mere dil se (Haqeeqat) and Aaj socha to aansoon bhar aaye (Hanste Zakhm), More naina bahaye neer (Bawarchi) and Hum hain mataye (Dastak).
Even his light love song like Chadi re chadi (Mausam) was so good. People love Aap ki nazron ne samjha but I don't count that as one of my best. His songs for Chetan Anand were extraordinary.

C Ramachandra and I also worked very well together. He came to know about me when I was a child actor. I sang a chorus song Kismet hamare saath hai jalne wale jalaa karen.

When I became older, he gave me some lovely songs like Kat-te hain dukh mein yeh din (Parchaai), Radha na bole (Azad), Mohabbat aisi dhadkan hai (Anarkali) and Dheere se aaja ri ankhiyan main (Albela).

Our greatest project was the patriotic evergreen Aye mere watan ke logon. I was reluctant to sing it since I wasn't well. But poet Kavi Pradeep laid down the condition that only Lata must sing it, and C Ramachandraji insisted.

I suggested that both Asha and I sing it together. Two days before the performance in Delhi, Asha said she no longer wanted to sing. I had to overnight rehearse her portions. C Ramachandra sent them to me on a tape and left for Delhi. I went to Delhi, sang the song, and returned the same evening to Mumbai to attend my sister Meena's wedding. The next morning, the papers were filled with the song and how it made Pandit Nehru cry! Mujhe to pataa hi nahin tha!

Manoj Kumar and Sadhna in Woh Kaun Thi

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I love Laxmikant-Pyarelal's Nigahen kyon bhatakti hain (Baharon Ki Manzil); Jeevan dor tumhi sang bandhi (Sati Savitri); Bahut din beete (Sant Gyaneshwar); Yeh dil tum bin kahin lagta nahin (Izzat), Allah yeh adaa kaisi and Chalo Sajna jahan tak ghataa chale (Mere Humdum Mere Dost).
S D Burman was also special. I like Tum na jaane kis kahan mein (Sazaa); Kora kagaz tha yeh man, Baghom mein bahaar (Aradhana); Hothon pe aisi baat, Rulake gaya sapna (Jewel Thief), O mere bairagi bhanwra (Ishq Par Zor Nahin) and Jogi jab se tu aaya mere dware (Bandini).

I love my duet for Sachinda, Soch ke yeh gagan jhoome with Manna Dey in Jyoti. In Guide, I prefer Gaata rahe mera dil and Piya tose naina lage over Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna.



From all my R D Burman songs, my favourites are Na jao mere humdum (Pyar Ka Mausam); Dilbar dil se pyare (Caravan); Kya janoon sajan (Baharon Ke Sapne); Tere liye palkon ki jhalar bunoon (Harjaee); Do nainon mein aansoon bhare hain (Khushboo); Bahon mein chale aao (Anamika); O mere pyar aaja (Bhoot Bangla) and Mere naina sawan bhado (Mehbooba).
Everyone loves Raina beeti jaye from Amar Prem, but I prefer Bada natkhat hai re krishna kanhaiya. Then, there's R D's first ever composition Ghar aaja ghir aaye badra (Chote Nawab); Beeti na beetayi raina (Parichay), Tujhse naraaz nahin zindagi (Masoom) and Naam ghum jayega (Kinara).

Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna in Aradhana

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My brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar's album of Meera bhajans Chala vahi des is an all-time favourite. It's not true that I refused to sing Meera bhajans for others.
I sang Jaidev's Main janoon nahin piya ko milan kaise howe ri in Chand Grahan and Jo tum todo piya in Silsila. I refused to give playback to Gulzar's film on Meerabai. Meera is very close to my heart; I couldn't bear the thought of any actress singing her songs while playing Meerabai.

I also love what my brother made me do in Maya Memsaab and Lekin. There was a ghazal in Lekin, Dil mein lekar, that didn't feature in the film. I love that.

Leaving out anyone isn't my intention. From early beginnings to Veer-Zaara, I have forgotten more than half the songs. It feels good to look back. I had to work hard, but it was worth it. I don't think I sang as well as I should, but yes, I did reasonably well.

When I heard my father singing, or when I hear classical singers like Bade Ghulam Ali Khansaab and Ustad Amir Khansaab, I feel I've achieved nothing. It was in my kundali to achieve success in whatever I did.



Have I been fully satisfied with my songs? No. God has blessed me with a good voice. No one has a voice like mine. But I always feel I can sing better. The closest I came to that feeling was with Chala vahi des for my brother. Or stray film songs like Allah tero naam and Lag jaa gale se. When Ali Akbar Khan played the sarod in Suno chotisi gudiya ki lambi kahani (Seema) or Pannalal Ghosh played the flute in Main piya teri (Basant Bahar), I felt blessed.
I feel every singer should be trained in classical singing. I've always sung as honestly as possible.

Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta in Veer-Zaara


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RAY? u okay? hmmmmmmmm

methinks somebody teef Ray's pw.

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if RQ was here, we woulda had 3 pgs going or Lataji

bhaiya asj, thank you for the posts