Manna Dey is neither my favourite singer, nor I think he has been under rated. In my opinion he got what he deserved, and he without a doubt is a great singer. But it is very difficult to survive when you are singing in the era of Mukesh, Kishore and Rafi( Ok ok, Kishore/Rafi lovers can put their names before Mukesh). Also his career shows that he has been limited to songs requiring classical base normally. One can't imaging Manna singing romantic songs for hero running around the trees. In my opinion his voice was best for classical or for inspirational songs. I wondered how many songs Manna Dey Sung written by Kavi Pradeep, but in my opinion his voice was best option for words of Pradeep.
Honestly speaking I had to try very hard to select 20 songs of Manna as I didn't remembered even 20 songs of the Legend. Many of the songs that he sung for Raj Kapoor, I always thought have been sung by Mukesh . Songs where I could easily recognize that they have been sung by Manna were mostly classical songs as I knew NO OTHER singer could have sing them so well.
Following is my collection of his memorable songs(in decreasing ranking but increasing melody) and I have tried to select songs which expresses many feelings of humans
Take care of your dress
20.**Chunri sambhaal gori urhi chale jaaye re
maar na de dank tohe nazar koi haan .*
Let's meet in this full moon night
- *Aaja sanam madhur chandni mein hum tum
mile to wiraane main bhi aa jaegi bahaar.*
A beautiful romantic song sung with none other than Lata.
If we both love each other, what is to be scared of?
18.**Pyaar huaa ikraraar huaa hai pyaar se fir kyon darta hai dil
kehta hai dil rasta mushkil maaloom nahin hai kahan manzil.*
Who can forget this melodious romantic with Raj Kapoor and Nargis in barsaat?
Be careful while walking
- *A bhai zara dekh ke chalo, aage hi nahin peechhe bhi
daayen hi nahin baayen bhi, oopar hi nahin neeche bhi.*
Only song for which Manna Dey got film fare award, I always thought it was sung by Mukesh, until I heard Manna's interview on radio 2-3 months ago. And in my opinion Manna Dey didn't deserved award for this song, he deserved for many other songs though, Every song sung by Mukesh is better from the same movie,
Truth in straight words
16.**Dil ka haal sune dilwala, Seedhi si baat na mirch masaala
kehke rahega kehne wala.*
Here Manna has beautifully sung for a honest and true man, although in my opinion, Mukeshwould have done more justice to this one.
Who came at doorsteps of my heart?
- .Kaun aya mere man ke dware, poayal ki jhnkaar liye.
A classical melody by Dey
A different search
14.**Naa to kaarvan ki talaah hai
na to humsafar ki talaash hai
jo dil ke badle. .*
I have always loved Quavallis, as they are always sung keeping in mind the audiences, one can hardly get bored of any quavalli and in my opinion this is the BEST Quavalli I remember from Indian movies
Earth is encouraging me to sing
- *Dharti kahe pukaar Ke geet gaale pyaar ke
mausam beeta jaaye.*
A beautiful song expressing feelings of a farmer
You are ocean of love and we want one drop of yours
- *Tu pyaar ka saagar hai teri ik boond ke pyaase hum
Lotaa jo diya toone chale jaayenge jahaan se hum.*
A beautiful song where the singer is praying to God in such a beautiful way that it makes an atheist like me to sing along with him.
Don't ask me how I spent my night
11.**Poocho na kaise maine raein bitaai
Ik pal jaise ik jug jeeta. .**.
Another classical beauty from the legend.
Mystery of life
- *Zindagi Kaisi hai paheli Hai,
Kabhi to Hasaye, kabhi ye rulaye
Jinhone sajaye yahaan mele,
sukh dukh sang sang jhele
wahi chunkar khamoshi,
yun chali jaye kaele kahan! .*
Song from my favourite movie Anand, here Manna tries to explain the feelings of a man who in near his death and is wondering that what is the mystery of life and the depth of his voice beautifully conveys the message of song writer
Keep walking
- .**Nadiya chale chale re dhaara
Chanda chale chale re dhaara
Tujhko chalna hoga, tujhko chalna hoga
Jeevan kabhi bhi theharta nahin hai
andhi ya tufaan se darta nahin hai
Tu na chalega to chal dengi raahen
Jeeven ko tarsengi teri nigaheen. .*
An inspitational song which encourages one to keep moving ahead regardless of all the sadness and obstacles of life
Love strengthens with age
8.**A meri zohr Zabi Tujhe maloom nahin
tu abhi tak hai haseen or main jawaan
tujhpe kurbaan meri jaan meri jaan.*
Here Manna sings for an elder Balraaj Sahni who sings this song to convey the love towards his wife and Manna has bought the required charge in his voice
Oh Dear Country, you are my life!
7.**A mere pyaare watan, a mere bichrhe chaman, tujhpe dilqurbaan,
Tu hi meri arzoo tu hu mere juftzoo tu hi meri jaan.*
Here Manna sings for an Afghan Pathaan who expresses the love for his beloved nation while he is in India, this song is among the best patriotic songs i've heard.
Comical singing by legend of Classical singing
6 .**Ek Chatur naar Barhi Hoshiyaar
mere man ke dwaar ye ghusat jaat
Hum marat jaat are he he he he he.*
Funniest song in history of Indian cinema. This song is sung as a competition between Manna and Kishore, which ironically, Manna looses in the song, from a singer who never had any training of Music! Kishore’s words like'Dham, nigorhe, khiche pakarh. and many other meaning less words which no other singer can sing were completely amazing in this song. And Manna played his part very beautifully trying to be classical and funny at same time as was the demand of the story
Love, promises, are mere talks without any significance
5.**Kasme vaade pyaar wafa sab
baaten hain baaton ka kya
Koi kisi ka nahin ye jhoothe
naate hain naaton ka kya.*
It's one of my all time favourite song and Manna has beautifully expressed the sadness of the words and the truth of this world and I feel no one could sing this song better than him
Expectations of a father from his Son
- *Tujhe sooraj kahoon ya chanda, tujhe deepak kahun ya taara
Mera naam karega roshan, Jag main mera raaj dulara.*
Every time this song comes and I am with my dad, this song makes me remember my duties towards my parents.
Sorry but due to words limits I will continue in comments
