Meri Awaaz Suno ~ Mohammed Rafi AT|*Centenary Countdown P.11 - Page 13

# 9 Rafi Centenary Countdown

Ankhiyan milake zara baat karo ji (duet with Lata Mangeshkar)

Film: Pardes (1950)

Music: Ghulam Mohammed

Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

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

I'd forgotten about the existence of this song! Until I heard it in a Rafi Top 250 compilation and went about digging for it! I used to own the Pardes album! How did I forget this? Such a great song! Rafi and Lata sound so sweet and natkhat and Madhubala and Rehman look picture perfect!

# 10 Rafi Centenary Countdown

Tumse kahoon ek baat

Film: Dastak (1970)

Music: Madan Mohan

Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnWO8IOJZwY

My god - this song and the way Rafi sings it gives me goosebumps every time! I had long ignored this gem in favor of the more famous Lata songs in this album (which are also phenomenal). The way he sings ' halke halke' - it truly feels like a feather floating high up somewhere. How in the heck is he able to summon up such a vivid imagery with just the inflections and modulation in his voice?

# 11 Rafi Centenary Countdown

Haseen dilruba

Film: Roop tera Mastana (1972)

Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal

Lyrics: Asad Bhopali

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

I have a confession: I only heard this song for the first time today when my Spotify threw it at me as a Smart shuffle suggestion (Yep, my playlist is full of Golden Oldies right now). And gosh, I loved it! Rafi's voice is so sensuous and the tune by LP is pretty complex. Tbh, did not expect it of them. Great song!

# 12 Rafi Centenary Countdown

Sunn mere Sajna (duet with Lata Mangeshkar)

Film: Aansoo (1950)

Music: Husnlal Bhagatram

Lyrics: Qamar Jalalabadi

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

I have adored this song ever since I heard it many years ago on a compilation album. Such a gorgeous, gorgeous tune by HB, and so beautifully sung by Rafi & Lata. It transports me to a romantic paradise!

This song is one of the examples I always given when I cite how attuned Rafi and Lata are - one takes up where the other leaves off and they seem to catch on to each other's cues perfectly. They are so much in tandem and share a great camaraderie, a perfect singing jodi if there ever was one imho.

Rafi saab - the one and only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4YDtwvdhkU

such soft melodies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H89315fEZTY

#13 Rafi Centenary Countdown

Main apne aap se ghabra gaya hoon

Film: Bindiya (1960)

Music: Iqbal Qureshi

Lyrics: Rajinder Krishan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKsp6AHO_rw

I just finished listening to a tribute on Iqbal Qureshi and his songs, so this seems apt to post. Also that it's an amazing song. Doesn't fail to bring tears! What a composition by Iqbal Qureshi! Probably his best apart from his songs for Cha Cha Cha. And the way Rafi sings it! Especially the second line in the antara. Uff! The high notes! Unparalleled. Also the lyrics by Rajinder Krishen are brilliant!

khuli jab aankh to tharra gaya hoon!

# 14 Rafi Centenary Countdown

Phir tumhari yaad aayi ae sanam (with Mannadey and Saddat Khan)

Film: Rustom Sohrab (1963)

Music: Sajjad Hussain

Lyrics: Qamar Jalalabadi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SVMfYZf7wo

Sajjad Hussain was known as a temperamental composer with very exacting standards. Even Lata Mangeshkar found it difficult to sing under his baton. This song is an example of how much of a perfectionist he was! Not a note out of tune, Rafi & Mannada hit it out of the park. They've sung some great duets together but I wanted this one to be the first one I posted.

#15 Rafi Centenary Countdown

Taqdeer ka fasana

Film: Sehra (1963)

Music: Ramlal

Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri

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

It's well recognized that Sehra was MD Ramlal's one crowning glory. But this song was first recorded by Mahendra Kapoor and V. Shantaram was apparently not happy with it. So Ramlal suggested using Rafi, who had, until then, never sung a song for a Shantaram film. This one and Tum toh pyaar ho became the first. The pathos in his voice!

Originally posted by: LizzieBennet

#5 Rafi centenary countdown

Ke jaan chali jaye

Film: Anjaana (1969)

Music: Laxmikant-Pyarelal

Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

Such a beautiful tune by LP - if anyone knows what raag this is based on, please let me know. Sounds like some offshoot of Bhairav (but what do I know)

I've listened to this so many times today, I have earworm (in a good way!). Rafi's voice is sublime as usual but Suman Kalyanpur complements him so well! Rimjhim ke geet sawan gaaye is the more famous song from this film, and I like that one too but this one is something else!

Wonderful song, this has also been on my playlist for a very long time, unfortunately I don't know what Raag this one is based on.