Continuing the series of tributes to RD Burman with his best songs for Rafi on the latter’s 45th Remembrance Day
RD Burman composed over 125 songs for Rafi. He was friends with Kishore Kumar, and their personal and musical temperaments matched. Plus, post-Aradhana (1969) an era changed, and Kishore Kumar’s vocals seemed to be transformed to fit the new youthful Phenomenon, Rajesh Khanna. Kishore Kumar was the new Rafi with most big music directors adapting to suit his style. That reflects in the number of about 500 songs RD Burman composed for Kishore Kumar. Considering that Kishore Kumar in his entire career sang only 55% of the songs sung by Rafi, this is even more skewed.
But can numbers tell the real story? Not in music surely. RD Burman’s number of songs for Rafi outnumbers that by SD Burman, Husnlal-Bhagatram and Roshan, but there is no doubt the latter three are counted among the best composers of Rafi songs. As for RD Burman, Rafi was the only male singer in his debut film Chhote Nawab (1961), though the songs did not set the box office on fire. The first super-duper hit of RD Burman, Teesri Manzil (1966) was entirely based on Rafi’s vocals. RD Burman had to prove that he could produce music for a Shammi Kapoor film no less than Shankar-Jaikishan or OP Nayyar, then the top dogs for music, especially for Shammi Kapoor films. And what emphatic manner in which he proved himself! He had another outstanding score in the film Padosan (1968), but it was entirely a Kishore Kumar and Mehmood (Manna Dey) vehicle. The next three years RD Burman gave some very good songs for Rafi, including for Rajesh Khanna in the film The Train (1970), but in the meanwhile the Phenomenon had stormed Hindi films, and RD Burman had composed some great songs in the voice of Kishore Kumar for Kati Patang (1970) and Amar Prem (1971).
Despite the beginning of the big tilt towards his friend, Kishore Kumar, RD Burman continued composing superhit Rafi songs for many actors. The over 125 songs of this combo contain some real gems. Here is some of my favourite songs as a joint tribute to RD Burman and, also to Rafi on his 45th Remembrance Day.
1. Deewana mujhsa nahin is ambar ke neeche, aage hai qatil mera aur main peechhe by Rafi from Teesri Manzil (1966), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
I start with the song that made RD Burman, RD Burman. In this crime thriller of mistaken identity in Hitchcockian mould, the heroine has come for avenging the murder of her sister. Majrooh Sultanpuri wrote some beautiful lyrics, and RD Burman gave a superlative score.
2. Tumne muhe dekha hokar meharbaan, tham gai ye zameen, tham gaya aasman by Rafi from Teesri Manzil (1966), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
Another of superb Rafi solo from Teesri Manzil.
3. Zulfon ko aap yun na sanwara karo by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Chandan Ka Palna (1967), lyrics Anand Bakhshi, music RD Burman
Chandan Ka Palna – Neither the film nor the music created much waves. But tucked inside is a soft song in complete contrast of Teesri Manzil. With Dharmendra and Meena Kumari in the lead RD Burman composes a soft melody to go with their personality. Gone are the drum and loud percussion instruments, and he uses only melodic string instruments.
4. Wadiyan mera daaman, raaste meri baahein jaao mere siwa tum kahan jaaoge by Rafi from Abhilasha (1968), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
Sanjay Khan is the hero, and it seems he found Rafi’s voice a good fit. There is also a twin version in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar, and readers are aware of my theory of the male version generally becoming a front-runner and the female version a laggard.
5. Tum bin jaaun kahan by Rafi from Pyar Ka Mausam (1969), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
RD Burman must have had a wicked sense of humour to create this twin song – one in the voice of Rafi and the other in the voice of Kishore Kumar, to set Rafi and Kishore Kumar fans at each other’s throat. Gun will not settle which version is better. To give a perspective, Rafi’s version is picturised on Shashi Kapoor and Kishore Kumar’s on Bharat Bhushan. Here are both the versions: Rafi first, then Kishore Kumar’s version.
6. Gulabi aankhein jo teri dekhin by Rafi from The Train (1970), lyrics Anand Bakhshi, music RD Burman
This very popular song was picturised on Rajesh Khanna when he had already become the Phenomenon on the vocals of Kishore Kumar.
7. Kitna pyara wada hai by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Caravan (1971), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
An excellent song from the early 1970s. He had another duet with Lata Mangeshkar, Chadhti jawani meri chaal mastani; and another with Asha Bhosle, Goriya kahan tera des re. Jitendra was the hero again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-6rS_EjRMU
8. Rut hai milan ki saathi mere aa re by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Mela (1971), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
This song picturised on Sanjay Khan was quite popular those days.
9. Koi aur duniya mein tumsa haseen hai, nahin hain, nahin hai, nahin hain, nahin hai, nahin hai by Rafi from Pyar Ki Kahani (1971), lyrics Anand Bakhshi, music RD Burman
But to me, the best Rafi song of 1971 is Koi aur duniya mein tumsa haseen hai. I was surprised that this beautiful song from a nondescript film was picturised on Amitabh Bachchan. Then I realised that it was from the early phase of Amitabh Bachchan, his superstardom as an Angry Young Man was still a couple of years away.
10. Yaadon ki baaraat nikli by Kishore Kumar and Rafi from Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
This film, with the story of three lost brothers who meet after fifteen years in the climax scene, was a big blockbuster. This is the song that brings the brothers together who happened to be in the club, as they used to sing it in their childhood. In this climax song RD Burman gives primacy to Kishore Kumar but Rafi gets the same airtime. This is more equitable distribution than Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko, which is dominated by Asha Bhosle and Rafi joins in quite late.
11. Kya hua tera wada wo qasam wo irada by Rafi and Sushma Shreshth from Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin (1977), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
This turned out to be a big song in the later career of Rafi. It fetched him the Filmfare and National Awards. I agree with some readers that National Award for this song was a kind of joke on Rafi. He had sung much superior songs than this at the top of his career. The film world and the authorities have been miserly in the matter of recognition to Rafi.
12. Maine poocha chand se by Rafi from Abdullah (1980), lyrics Anand Bakhshi, music RD Burman
I have a great liking for this melodious song from the film Abdullah, picturised on Sanjay Khan, in the last year of Rafi’s life. Do we see a pattern here in RD Burman songs for Rafi?
Readers may please note some songs recorded earlier might have been released in post-1980 years. But I have confined my list of RDB-Rafi songs to my greatest favourites.
Acknowledgments and Disclaimer
The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of music lovers. This blog has no commercial interest, and it does not directly or indirectly make or suggest any copyright over these songs which vests with respective copyright holders.
