No ’’sex’’ in her voice!

This is the lament that most people have about the pristine voice of India’s nightingale. True, when it comes to evoking sentiments of devotion, distress, melancholy or even innocence while singing a verse, the prowess of Lata Mangeshkar is unparalleled. The voice is a pathway to divinity - it is crystal clear and pure.

And like many others who have already written reviews on this topic, my list would be overfull with such divine numbers from among the thousands of Lata gems over the decades. Infact just take the first three reviews at the bottom of the page and they would cover a fair bit of my sample songs of Lata’s top twenty.

Hence, instead of penning another ’’me-too’’ review giving more or less the same numbers all over again, let me blast the myth with which I opened this passage.

Here’s a list of top twenty lovely songs sung by Lata which which capture her in a different mood - either seductive or playful, naughty or zingy, mischievous or joie-de-vivre filled numbers and even conveying longing and sex-starved feeling - completely unorthodox!

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1. Bangle ke peeche.......Kaanta laga
Film: Samadhi
Year: 1970
Music: RD Burman

Yes, this is the same ’’Kaanta Laga’’ song, the remix of which was a rage with Shefali Zariwala strutting her stuff. But if you listen to the original, you don?t have to watch the visuals to feel sexy. Betcha this won’t happen if you just listen to the feeble voiced remix number. The same year had another similar song by sister Asha Bhosle ’’Meri beri ke ber mat todo - kaanta chub jayega’’ for ’’Anokhi Raat’’. Surprisingly, this number has not yet caught the attention of remix scavengers, for them, Lata songs seem to provide a lifetime of work.

2. Julie, I love you
Film: Julie
Year: 1975
Music: Rajesh Roshan

An out and out bedroom number. Sizzling hot. No, once again, you don’t have to watch Vikram and Laxmi sweating it out. Kishore and Lata steam up the mood just using their emotive voices. You’ll be left breathless.

3. O ghata sawari
Film: Abhinetri
Year: 1970
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal

A teenage Hema Malini in a bathtub with the rain pouring outside. The shivering vocals of Lata magically conveyed the first uncertain moves of innocence blossoming into love as she wonders what has changed this year which makes her react to the rain so differently.

4. Aeeee phasaa!
Film: Bobby
Year: 1973
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal

Aruna Irani in a backless maxie teases a young Rishi Kapoor in an party about how he is about to fall in the trap of love! The mischief and the taunting was well played out in the recording ? the actor had little left to do.

5. Hum tum ek kamre mein band ho
Film: Bobby
Year: 1973
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal

The mini skirted Dimple may have tantalized young men with these lines, but it was Lata’s voice which provided the gay abandon of a young innocent girl throwing caution to the winds as she elopes with her lover. The other song ’’Jhoot bole kauwa kaate’’ also had a mischievous bent to it.

6. Do ghoonth mujhe bhi pila de sharaabi
Film: Jheel ke us paar
Year: 1974
Music: RD Burman

As the pug nosed beauty Mumtaz attempts to ensnare the villain by luring him with this song, your attention is captured by the sheer suppleness of Lata’s voice as she negotiates this tough tune with characteristic efficiency.

7. Bahut door mujhe chale jaana hai
Film: Heera Panna
Year: 1973
Music: RD Burman

Another bedroom song ? but with a difference. As Dev Anand and Raakhee express their intimacy on screen with some trepidation, Lata along with Kishore sizzles up the discs.

8. Hai Hai yeh majboori
Film: Roti Kapda aur Makan
Year: 1974
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal

A rain drenched saree clad Zeenat complaining to her boring beau Manoj Kumar as Lata conveys the disappointment through her emotive vocal expressions. A similar number, though not as well known, is the beautiful song from Uljhan ’’Subah aur shaam, kaam hi kaam’’ where Sulakshana Pandit tries to wean away Sanjeev Kumar’s attention from his work.

9. Chadti Jawani meri chaal mastani
Film: Caravan
Year: 1971
Music: RD Burman

This movie had this delightful number (Gen X will recognise its remix version) which had fairly suggestive overtones and was sung by Lata along with Rafi. The other song from this film ’’Dilbar dil se pyaare’’ was even sexier and was a solo.

10. Abhi abhi thi dushmani
Film: Zakhmee
Year: 1975
Music: Bappi Lahiri

Reena Roy dances to this rocking number on Lata’s vocals with some delightful drumbeats working to Bappida’s tune.

11. Raat bhi hai kuch bheegi bheegi
Film: Mujhe Jeene do
Year: 1961
Music: Jaidev

This is not an ordinary mujra. While Waheeda and Sunil Dutt give suggestive looks on screen, Lata makes up the third angle as she mouths phrases like ’’Jalte hue jungle par jaise, barkha barsey, ruk ruk, tham tham’’ Whew!

12. Honthon be pas tera naam hai
Film: Yeh Dillagi
Year: 1994
Music: Dilip Sen Sameer Sen

A young Kajol and Saif Ali Khan may have looked quite thanda in this bedroom song, but the audio version by Lata and Kumar Sanu made up with the sizzle.

13. Mere khwabon mein jo aaye
Film: Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge
Year: 1995
Music: Jatin Lalit

A 60s something Lata singing for a young Kajol as her eyes shine with mischief and daring while her voice quivering with anticipation.

14. Tu kya jaane bewafa
Film: Haath ki safai
Year: 1974
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal

A captivating number as Hema Malini accuses Randhir Kapoor of betrayal, Lata rocks in this fast paced number with unconventional tunes.

15. Tumhe yaad karte karte
Film: Amrapali
Year: 1966
Music: Shankar Jaikishan

A sex starved courtesan longs for her lover. Just listen to the song, this longing is so sensitively expressed in the voice, you don’t even have to understand Hindi to realize it. Another song from the same film with similar sentiments is ’’Tadap yeh din raat ki, kasak yeh bin baat ki’’. Just listen to Lata as she craves with ’’sajan ab to bata de - ab to bata de...bata de!’’. Your senses will go crazy!

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