A gifted voice with effortless singing style….that is Yesudas . He gave us thousands of great songs down south. His melodious voice was heard also in Hindi in the 1970s. Here is my list of his ten best Hindi songs.


1.     Jab deep jale aana
              
                  Under Music Director Ravindra Jain Yesudas sang this beautiful melody with Hemlata for Chitchor (1976). The film was from the Hrikesh Mukherji camp. Listen to Yesudas singing the swaras “Ni Re Ga, Re Ga...” It is just enchanting.

                    Film : Chitchor ; MD : Ravindra Jain

     
2.     Kahan Se Aye Badara

        This is a semi classical song from film Chashme Baddoor composed by Raj Kamal. It is really a feel good tune and the modulations Yesudas imparted while singing the words “khulta jaye kajra” and “kaise vish mein badla” were excellent.
                  
                  Film : Chashme Baddoor.; MD : Raj Kamal

     
       
3.     Chand jaise mukhde pe

               Another song from Raj Kamal from the film Sawan Ko Aane Do.    This is a bit faster compared to the other songs. Infact a fast melody! Really a feel good one.

           Film : Sawan Ko Aane Do; MD : Raj Kamal.

4.     Gori tera gaon bada pyara

Again Ravindra Jain and Chitchor. I heard that this is the most famous song    of Yesudas in Hindi. Truly it is a beautiful song . The folk touch enhances the lyrics so well. It is evident in the line “mein to gaya mara” . But Yesudas’s mispronunciation of Hindi words can be heard here and there.

5.Dil ke tukde tukde karke muskurake chal diye

               This song was made for Yesudas. Only he can sing this smooth melodious romantic number. The MD exploited das’s flawless voice very well.
              
                   Film : Dada ; MD : Usha Khanna

6.Chalo mann gaye

             This is a kind of semi classical , spiritual number from film   Swami Vivekananda. Salil Chaudhury had somewhat reused the same tune for one of his last compositions. (Salil Chaudhury’s last film is in Malayalam titled Kadappuram . The song ‘kaatil ten mazhayay’ is similar to this song from Swami Vivekananda.)

                   Film : Swami Vivekananda ;MD : Salil Chaudhury


7.Surmaee akhiyon mein

                    The remake of his tamil song ‘kanne kalaimane’ . The sweet lullaby from film ‘Sadma’ is really pacific.

                   Film : Sadma ; MD : Ilaiyaraja

8.Koi gaata mein so jaata


          This is a superb song from Yesudas.
                      “Sanskriti ke vistrut saagar par
                                         Sapnon ki naiyya ke andar……”
        Das lifts us to the skies while singing these lines.

                               Film : Aalap ;MD : Jaidev


       The other songs I like are:

9.Ka karoon sajni , aaye na baalam
            
           Film : Swami ; MD : Rajesh Roshan

10.Madhuban khushboo deta hai

          Film : Sajan Bina Suhagan ; MD : Usha Khanna

Followed by Kali ghodi dwar khadi from ‘Chashme Baddoor’ and O Bhavre from ‘Daud’.


                    Yesudas is still a busy singer in Malayalam . Even at the late 60s he sings beautifully. I will soon come up with a review on his recent best -10.