The Queen who became Empress Lata Mangeshkar (Vol 18) Down Memory Lane!

Lata Melody Down Memory Lane (1950-1995): A musical tribute!

 Music Directors Shankar Jaikishan said about this first Bollywood Dream Song. 

“How long does it takes to compose the song for Awaara (1951)? Nobody had thought of dream sequence for this film. The situation required two songs Tere bina aag ye chadni and Ghar aaya mera pardesi each of which was composed independently. When sitting on Raj Kapoor’s office we began making “ghost sounds” for sheer fun. Why not make it part of the music Raj Kapoor exclaimed! We decided to have the dream sequence and link the two songs by a third one. What eventually turned out to be the longest musical sequence in Indian films. The recording began at 9am and day turned into night, singers, musicians were there .Midnight struck-we were still at it”.

Lata was there  all day and night for this song recording. These songs were created with passion and team work and lot of sweat and rehearsals to achieve perfection and that is why it is called the golden era for music. The original songs are still cherished by that generation as well as remix form 

for this generation and may be next! 

 Music Director C Ramachandra had used Lata for many of his songs. This song probably the greatest lori of all time and a timeless masterpiece. Movie Albela (1951 )starring Geeta Bali. The song Dheere Se Aaja Re Ankhiyon. Best chaaya geet song to listen before going to sleep .

Music Director Salil Choudhry said

 “Ma Saraswathi lives through Lata’s voice.” 

Once Lata bought some LP records of Beethoven’s ninth symphony from abroad and gifted it to Salil and said this “Dada whom can I give these these things to but you”. Such was their bonding. 

Madhumati (1958) classic Aaja Re Paardesi . Every time you listen to the song it will give goose bump. Salil said this tune was used in the background music in Raj Kapoor’s Jagte Raho. Shailendra told him to use this tune for Madhumati and he wrote the first line Aaja Re Pardesi 

 Chitragupta another great music director of that era created magic with this dance number for Mana Ne Manmohan for the movie   Madame XYZ (1959) .Lata singing this classical dance number for heroine Shakila.

 

Naushad Ali the Nawab of Music for Mughal E Azam(1960) created the iconic song in the voice of Lata Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya(“when in love why fear”) which proved to be the biggest hit and this song only was pictured in the movie in color and Lata sang for Madhubala dancing in the hall of mirrors. The song had iconic phrase towards the end “Ishq mein Jeena ,ishq mein marna,aur humein ab karna kya” 

 Lata’s idea was somehow to land Allah Tero Naam as a priceless lyrics Sahir–music director Jaidev gem adorning Navketan’s Hum Dono (1961). The moment Jaidev talked about turning to this landmark bhajan, our nightingale Lata Mangeshkar sang with devotion .This song is perfect example of harmony and unity between various religions Hindu,Muslim and Christians. Such unity is needed today to bring all people together.

 Bees Saal Baad (1962) Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil under music director Hemant Kumar the most haunting song ever and a mesmerizing melody. The pain and beauty in this song is just out of the world. The song that fits the theme of the movie and also shows the full range of Lata crystal clear in this stage performance. 

 Madan Mohan the most respected music director said it all when he emphatically stated: 

 “We music directors, as a Metro–Murphy team, went all over India, end-1956, only to discover there is no one even remotely as good as Lata. It is our great good fortune that Lata happened in our time.” 

Baiyaan na dharon o balmaa (in Raag Charukeshi) unveiled, by January 1971, as Lata–Madan Mohan’s ‘all-timer’ on an image-switchingly turned-out Rehana Sultan in Dastak. 

                                    

 The soft composition created by music director Kalyanji Anandji for Jab Jab Phool Kile(1965) Ye Samaa Sama Hai Ye Pyaar Ka.The beautiful western orchestration add a soft touch to the tune.The humming of Lata and the beautiful flow into the tune is another highlight for heroine Nanda. The song is an absolute masterpiece.

 Dada SD Burman often said “Give me Lata and Harmonium, I will make music”. 

Lata was his ultimate choice and they created magic together in so many classics. Goldie said this about iconic Guide (1965) song : 

‘Dada [Burman] had the Kaanton se kheench ke yeh aanchal tune going exactly as I had pictured it before Shailendra came to put in the words for Lata Mangeshkar to render the number with all the delicate vocal shadings I wanted.” 

 Lata sang maximum number of songs for Laxmikant Pyarelal. Here is one “Suno Sajna” for Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966) one of the sweetest songs based on Pahadi raag featuring Asha Parekh. 

Vasant Desai music director tuning with Lata (Ram Rajya, 1967), it could be Dar laage garje badariyaa a pure classical. Just opening strain is enough for Lata to expound the entire Sur Mahar Raag.

 When Director Sakti Samantha briefed RD Burman for  Amar Prem (1971), Dada too was there as Shakti outlined the song situation. To RD it appeared a stock situation for which he produced a stock tune. But Dada saw it totally differently and observed: 

 “Your tune’s absolutely straight, Pancham, where’s the feeling in it? You are a composer, Pancham” saying which, on RD’s urging, SD took the harmonium and proceeded to modify the tune. Of course the tune ultimately emerging (as RD duly admitted) Rainaa Beet Jaaye was more of Dada than of Pancham, who had provided but the base tune. It was left to Dada Burman to give it a super-sensitive turn by which it unfolded in the heart-tugging manner ultimately did (in Lata’s voice) on Sharmila Tagore.

 ‘The music maker, as underlined by Dada, must get involved in the film’s script, study the character for whom he is composing and acquire the perception to project his composing personality into the character by venturing to experience her experiences. It was this one tune, as reshaped by Dada, that determined the tone to the rest of the Amar Prem music. 

 From Madhubala in 50s to Madhuri Dixit in 1990s Lata has sung for all heroines .In 1994 when Lata was 65 years old when she sang almost the entire album of music director Raam Laxman Hum Aapke Hai Kaun (1994) This song is Mayi Ne Mayi from the movie .She sings as youthful as she sang 50 years back. When such a dedicated singer was available music director did not look beyond . The audience associated the voice of all heroines with the golden voice of Lata. 

 Another Music director who created the magic of the golden era was Roshan. Lata sang many songs for Roshan but her favourite is this song “Rahe Na Rahe Hum” from the movie Mamta(1966). She always used to start her program with this song .Suchitra Sen is the heroine.

 It looks like she sang this song many years ago for herself only. This is the essence of Lata’s life. She will live in our hearts till eternity. May her divine soul rest in peace and praying goddess Saraswathi to keep her with herself always in heaven! 

 References: A Journey Down Melody Lane by Raju Bharatan