Best songs 1956: Wrap Up 2

The SOY Award for 1956 for the Best Solo of Lata Mangeshkar goes to?

SOY regulars are aware of the reasons why I am doing year-wise reviews of the best songs of a Vintage Era year going backwards, and a Golden Era year going forwards simultaneously. Vintage Years backwards, because of the joy of discovering the unknown, going back to when it all started in 1931. That was suggested by some SOY regulars who are no longer active now. And the Golden Era, because the new regulars suggested it and that, too, I found quite rewarding.

If you contrast with the last post on the Best Female Solos of 1939, there was no Lata Mangeshkar then; I often make my favourite quip, there was no Lata Mangeshkar before Lata Mangeshkar. In 1956 she was at the top of her vocal prowess. She defined how the leading lady is supposed to sing songs of joy and dancing, of sadness, of festivals. To be sure, the other female singers sang many more songs than her, and some of them did sing everlasting songs in the year. For statistical analysis, I depend upon our resident statistician/scholar N Venkataraman. Borrowing from him with thanks, Asha Bhosle sang 215 solos which is 1.40 times the number of songs by Lata Mangeshkar.  There were a total of 19 female voices (other than Lata Mangeshkar) who sang 371 solos in 1956. Top performers were Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt and Shamshad Begum, accounting for 86% of songs (of the other singers). The other ‘other singers’ accounting for a total of 14% included Mubarak Begum, Sabita Banerjee, Sudha Malhotra, Madhubala Jhaveri, Suraiya, Juthika Roy, Binota Chatterjeee etc. Thus, the other female singers sang many more songs than Lata Mangeshkar.

So for equity, I think I should have two posts in the year for female solos. This is about Lata Mangeshkar’s best songs in 1956. The MEMORABLE SONGS in the Overview Post has more than enough songs of Lata Mangeshkar to select the Best Ten. These are eternal songs remembered by everyone till today. Even after selecting the Best Ten, many almost equally good would remain, some I have to accommodate in the Special Songs. But first, let us look at the Readers’ Choices.

Readers’ comments

Anup chose two Lata Mangeshkar’s solo as his choice; Us paar saajan; Ja ja re ja baalamwa. Later, he added two more songs: Guzra hua zamana and Mere sapne mein aana re sajana. One understands, you cannot have enough of Lata Mangeshkar in 1956.  Mahesh Joshi has given other choices, but baulks at Lata Mangeshkar, the juggernaut had started and it was unstoppable.

Rahul Bhagwanrao Muli chose Guzra hua zamana as the Best Lata solo. Arunkumar Deshmukh chose Us paar saajan as the best Lata Mangeshkar solo. Raunak Joy has given a comprehensive list. He made me listen to Payal mori baaje from Paisa Hi Paisa (1956), composed by Anil Biswas. I agree with him, it is an excellent song. It just shows Anil Biswas maintained his magic touch in music, but the projects he did were not from big banner and must have bombed. I am including it at the top of Special Songs. Some more songs, added by him, are worth repeat earing. In the year of plenty of Lata Mangeshkar I cannot accommodate all. The most interesting is he has given a combined list, because he does not believe in separate lists; his combined list is more equitable – Lata Mangeshkar 6, and ‘others’ 4.

Ashok Kumar Tyagi has given a long analysis of Lata Mangeshkar songs. After going over the most famous ten (not in order), he chooses his best as Jaago mohan pyare (Jagte Raho). But he also adds that some lesser heard songs are very good, and mentions three songs which are very good, but which suffer at the altar of her most popular songs. These three songs overlap with Raunak Joy.

Our Master Statistician comes up with some more detailed statistics of Lata Mangeshkar including her NFS, and songs from other languages. Endorsing Raunak Joy, Venkataraman ji also mentions some songs that are not mentioned in my long list.

Special Songs

1. Payal mori baaje by Lata Mangeshkar from Paisa Hi Paisa (1956), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Anil Biswas

This beautiful song was added by Raunak Joy, I heard it for the first time, and had not included it in my long list of MEMORABLE SONGS of the year. It just shows you do not cease to discover new songs even in the Golden Era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdqwFBS-XCU&list=RDCdqwFBS-XCU&start_radio=1

2. Aankh royi magar muskurana pada by Lata Mangeshkar from 26 January (1956), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music C Ramchandra

This was another very good song brought to our notice by Raunak Joy. C Ramchndra-Lata Mangeshkar-Rajendra Krishna belted out super melodious song, one after another – some got eternal fame, some remained unknown. But if the lyrics are good you can be sure Lata Mangeshkar would add her magic touch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKxJE8AcQkA&list=RDkKxJE8AcQkA&start_radio=1

3. Ye chaand ye sitare ye saath tera mera by Lata Mangsehkar from Halaku (1956), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Shankar-Jaikishan

The high point of this film and Lata Mangeshkar’s songs are Meena Kumari’s joyous dance songs. It will always remain a puzzle for me why she chose a sacrificing, weepy sati-savitri image for herself later in her career. A good song added by Raunak Joy again. Thank you Raunak or giving us such pleasure. And don’t rub your eye,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX9qO-lCWgU&list=RDAX9qO-lCWgU&start_radio=1

4. Aaja aaja aaja nadiya kinare, taaron ki chhainya tumhein kabse pukare by Lata Mangeshkar & chorus from Rajhath (1956), lyrics Shailendra, music Shakar-Jaikishan

Among several absolutely outstanding Lata Mangeshkar songs in the year, I may not be able to fit all in the main list of Best Ten. But I greatly admire this joyous dace song in which only Lata Mangeshkar’s voice is conspicuous. I am happy to include it in Special Songs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSrwIlwTnss&list=RDcSrwIlwTnss&start_radio=1

5. Girdhari, man chaakar rakhoji by Lata Mangeshkar from Tofan Aur Diya (1956), lyrics Meerabai, music Vasant Desai

Many persons have chosen Piya te kahan from this film as Lata Mangeshkar’s best song in the year. But Raunak Joy says the tune of Girdhari is far ore complex. Since Piya te kahan would go in the Main List, and Raunak Joy’s preference is a familiar Meera Bhajan; I am including it as a Special Song. I checked up the Overview Post, I had not included it in the list of MEMORABLE SONGS, because of the surfeit of Lata Mangeshkar songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDscTzQo9Xw&list=RDLDscTzQo9Xw&start_radio=1

6. Brij ke Nandlala Radha ke Sanwariya by Lata Mangeshkar from Taksal (1956), lyrics Prem Dhavan, music Roshan

Roshan’s many unknown films have beautiful melodies in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar. I was aware of this phenomena but I have been lazy in looking up songs in Taksal. I am thankful to Venkataraman ji for mentioning this song. Raunak Joy had mentioned another song from this film: Dil bhi era, hum bhi tere. That song is also very good, but I can take only one from this film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnxHKz6O9uE&list=RDWnxHKz6O9uE&start_radio=1

7. Ankhiyon ko snan kara kar main darshan ko ayi by Lata Mangeshkar from Rangeen Raatein (1956), lyrics Kidar Sharma, music Roshan

Here is another unmentioned gem from another film Rangeen Raatein (1956), lyrics Kidar Sharma, music Roshan. Mentioned by several readers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B00KFd5paqI&list=PLpZLHt6c4Ik8I9dJ1Voy24p5i7Nu6nezA&index=8

After the Special Songs I am ready with the

Best Ten Solos of Lata Mangeshkar for the year 1956.

1. Rasik balma dil kyun lagaya tose by Lata Mangeshkar from Chori Chori (1956), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Shankar-Jaikishan

1956 was the year of Shankar-Jaikishan. Whether it was soft, sad, classical raag-based song, or a fast-dance number on the beats of Arabic music – they displayed their competence in all genres.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_3YWkxLI7s&list=RDd_3YWkxLI7s&start_radio=1

2. Ja ja re ja baalamwa sautan ke sang raat bitayi by Lata Mangeshkar from Basant Bahar (1956), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar-Jaikishan

For female voice Shankar-Jaikishan were heavily dependent upon Lata Mangeshkar – much more than C Ramchandra and Naushad. This time the lyricist is Shailendra. A khandita nayika’s song. All markers in differentiating between Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri fail. I have also written about the phenomenon earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwBNRmvwAxA&list=RDTwBNRmvwAxA&start_radio=1

3. Main piya teri tu mane ya na mane by Lata Mangeshkar from Basant Bahar (1956), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Shankar-Jaikishan

Basant Bahar was SJ’s answer to Naushad’s Shabab (1954). I think it was more than adequate answer. Every song in the film was a gem. No wonder its songs are going to figure in all categories. Missing its great male solos by Manna Dey was a bad miss on my part. I think flute in this song was played by Panna Lal Ghosh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFgE9Z63wa8&list=RDdFgE9Z63wa8&start_radio=1

4. Kadar jaane na ho kadar jaane na beardi ji mora baalam by Lata Mangeshkar from Bhai Bhai (1956), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Madan Mohan

If you thinking of Lata Mangeshkar songs in 1956, you cannot forget Kadar jaane na. There is a trivia about this song. Madan Mohan and Begum Akhtar’s mutual respect and admiration for each other was quite well-known. It is said that when she was sick, she picked up the phone and requested Madan Mohan to sing (he was also a good singer) this song for her on phone itself, she found it so soothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHhzbXAtwYg&list=RDaHhzbXAtwYg&start_radio=1

5. Kahan le chale ho bata do musafir by Lata Mangeshkar from Durgeshnandini (1956), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Hemant Kumar

Hemant Kumar was another music director who had a great run in 1956. He could produce sweetest melodies in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar. This one was among her best in the year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYk2b0jdtmQ&list=RDyYk2b0jdtmQ&start_radio=1

6. Guzra hua zamana aata nahin dobara by Lata Mangeshkar from Shirin Farhad (1956), lyrics Tanvir Naqvi, music S Mohinder

S Mohinder was not a mainstream music director. Once in a while a song comes about which one can say, such songs are not composed, but they happen. Guzra hua zamana is one such song one comes across in a lifetime. No wonder many readers have kept it at #1. This was the year of peaking of Lata Mangeshkar, how many top songs one can fit at #1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2RefAyeVRA&list=RDI2RefAyeVRA&start_radio=1

7. Piya te kahan aa gayo, Nehra lagay by Lata Mangeshkar & chorus from Toofan Aur Diya (1956), lyrics Meerabi, music Vasant Desai

An allegorical film, Toofan Aur Diya had three Meera Bhajans. There is a chorus too in the song, but there is only one distinct voice – of Lata Mangeshkar. So I am counting it as a solo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5cSmNDboOI&list=RDB5cSmNDboOI&start_radio=1

8. Muraliya baaje ri Jamuna ke teer by Lata Mangeshkar from Tofan Aur Diya (1956), lyrics Meerabai, music Vasant Desai

Another great melody from this film, written by Meerabai. The beat is like any romance number.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK4LCeAjuwY&list=RDCK4LCeAjuwY&start_radio=1

9. Na jaane tum kaun mei aankhon mein sama gaye by Lata Mangeshkar from Patrani (1956), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar-Jaikishan

This Pradeep Kumar-Vyjayanthimala-starer film, directed by Vijay Bhatt, gave ample opportunity to Vyjayanthimala to show her dancing skillas. This song is more of the same, But the flute prelude and interlude creates a magical impact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYYUrT5d38E&list=RDbYYUrT5d38E&start_radio=1

10. Mere sapne mein aana re sajna by Lata Mangeshkar from Rajhath (1956), lyrics Shailendra, Music Shankar-Jaikishan

Now I was coning to an end of the list of Best Ten, yet there were at least five equally good songs from Patrani and Nai Dilli and some others were left out. That was the kind of domination SJ had in the year, and Lata Mangeshkar generally during the era. I didn’t want to miss out my long-term favourite Mere sapne mein aana re. So, here it is completing the Best Ten.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGuXHtEzrDE&list=RDMGuXHtEzrDE&start_radio=1

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
The song links have been given from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of music lovers. This blog has no commercial interest and it does not claim or suggest any copyright over these songs which vests with the respective owners.