Her ghazal album Saadgi was released in 2007 and I request that you listen to her renditon of Andhen Khwabon Ko , Main Kahan Ab Jism Hoon and Phir Kahin Door Se and note the high notes that she pulls so effectively. Mujhe Khabar Thi was the popular one released as a music video but the ones that show Lataji's excellence and what sets her apart from other singers is that she could pull those high notes just two years ago. So it is not like her voice is gone or not as good as before. She needs music directors to compose songs that are worthy of her. However she has said that many music directors still request her to sing for films but she is not interested as much. However she would not say no to Yash Chopra or if Rehman requested her to sing something. Or if a film had a spiritual songs such as a bhajan which she has rendered for Bhandarkar's Jail.
lataji never married. But her voice in many motherly songs bring out those feelings so effectively. Listen to her Too Mere Saath Rahega in Trishul , or the Yashoda Ka Nandlala and Zu Zu Zu in Sanjog starring Jaya Prada and the songs Main Ek Baalak Beshara in Madan Mohan's Tere Bagair.
Some music directors would make her sing high pitched songs meant for male singers. May I suggest you listen to a song from Dhanwan - Kuch Log Muhabbat Ko Vyopar Samahjte Hain and you will notice the high vocal range required to sing that number. Her brother gave music for the film. And Yaara Seeli Seeli remains evergreen even after all these years. That song is one of the most favourites of listeners of songs.
Re: Greater than Lata Mangeshkar!
by Love India on Sep 15, 2009 10:26 AM
I wouldn't agree on that. Lata hs always been an overrated singer. She wasn't even versatile like her own sister Asha Bosle who she herself tried to stop from being emerged. But it was Asha's versatility and flamboyance type singing abilities that she rose to the heights of music. Lata could never do justice to a cabret number like 'Aa Jaane Ja' or 'Mere Naseeb Mein'..and she was literally pathetic in those. Whereas, Asha Bhosle sang so many classical and semi-classical songs.
Re: Re: Greater than Lata Mangeshkar!
by babamusic on Sep 15, 2009 11:06 AM
If you think Aa Jane Ja or Mere Naseeb mein were sung pathetic by Lata, you must go for a deep ear wax cleaning...Lata did a fantastic rendition...how do I know, I am a sound recordist who has worked with both Asha and Lata and many of the other singers before I retired from cinesounds. Lata's western numbers are many, her "run" (this is a technical term for beats counts) in kaliyon ka chaman is very difficult even for trained western singer. Listen to her Bappi Lahiri score in Paapi and the range, it will blow you away...unfortunately her many brilliant western numbers got buried in unsuccessful movies. Listen to dozens of "Waltz" numbers composed by Shanker Jiakishen for her, listen to complex western songs composed by Salil Chowdhury (who was mater of adopting western symphonies into indian melodies) The biggest problem was that music directors were in such awe of Lata that they would never approach her for "Vamp" numbers...Yes these numbers have become big deal now with remixes and our own westernization of society....but look back to 60s and 70s and 80s these numbers were considered taboo and looked down upon...even "Dam maro Dum" was banned by All India Radio for many years, and one could only hear it on Radio Ceylon....in those days it was considered "Cheap and vulgur" and every artist avoided them if they could. Asha did not happily volunteer to sing these numbers...it was all that was leftover from Lata who was very consious of her image.
Re: Re: Greater than Lata Mangeshkar!
by babamusic on Sep 15, 2009 10:45 AM
Yes Asha is versatile that means she is jack of all trades but never attained mastery over any one style...but Lata is a Master, if you ask Asha (and she has said that many time in her interviews) that Lata is supreme and unreachable.
Why in your opinion does an Indian singer have to be good at singing Cabaret or Western style? We are still stuck in the Gora worship in the Colonial times. If someone gets a small collaboration or recognition from abroad its a big deal for insecure and inferiority complex Indians. Lata was and is unmatched in the Indian semiclassical, bhajan, light music, ghazal (madan mohan, Naushad, Roshan and so many others) If Asha was better than Lata, why did Asha's own husband RD give Lata his best creations, remember Aandhi, Amar Prem, Libaas...and thousand more? and why did all the great music directors over the past 60 years give prominance to Lata. Why did musically learned directors like Raj Kapoor wait some times 6 months to a year for Lata to record songs for him rather than choosing Asha.....Comeon has it become fashionable to talk nonsense.....If you believe that Lata controlled the entire film industry, all the music directors and controlled the careers of all competing singers over the span of 60 years...then you should also believe that she possesses a nuclear weapon or she must be a Gangster bhai in mumbai
Re: Re: Re: Greater than Lata Mangeshkar!
by Abhijeet Salokhe on Sep 28, 2009 01:15 PM
Babamusic, well written. Many Indians now days are blinded western culture & they think that even a shit from West is gold. Even I wonder why our greats are so hungry after Oscar & our media are so obsessed of Oscar.
Lataji is the greatest singer ever. I dont know about the world, but in India and whatever I have heard Lataji is the best singer. With due respect to Kishorda and Md. Rafisaab, Lataji has surpassed both.
Best singer ever India had both in male and female categories. Till 2002 she was still singing that is at the age of 73 in K3G!!!
Re: Greatest Singer ever !!!
by Nazir Patel on Sep 13, 2009 10:23 PM
Lata sang only the title song.You forget that she sang most of the songs of Veer Zaara in 2004
