Kishore Kumar has been the uncrowned emperor of Indian film music. He was arguably the best playback singer Hindi film industry has ever produced. It has still not been easy to fill up the gap after his demise. It is near to impossible to sort out 10 of his best songs out of around three thousand five hundred. But it is still worth an effort to give it a try, at least for the sake of record.
10. Chhoo Kar Mere Man Ko (film: Yaraana)
This song was composed by Rajesh Roshan, partly inspired by a tune originally composed by Rabindranath Tagore. Anyway, this song is noted for its soft melodious rendition which Kishore Kumar was famous for.
09. Yeh Kya Hua (film: Amar Prem)
An R D Burman classic composition. Kishore Kumar made it immortal with his depth of voice. The story tells about a sad lover who moves from one place to another in search of mental bliss but he hardly gets it.
08. Main Shayar Badnaam (film: Namak Haraam)
Another result of R D Burman – Kishore Kumar combination. In this song, a poet expresses his journey of poetry as he bids adieu to this mortal world. All he has now with him is a notebook of his poems and a broken glass of wine.
07. O Mere Dil Ke Chain (film: Mere Jeevan Saathi)
A die-hard romantic song that will take to a journey of hope and courage when you are in love. Here the lover says in one of the lines that he can change the world if she agrees to be with him. It is another gift from R D Burman and Kishore Kumar.
06. Yeh dil Na hota Bechara (film: Jewel Thief)
This is one of the super hit songs that kishore kumar had with S D Burman, the legend father of legendary composer R D Burman. This song is about a wanderer soul who blames his reckless lifestyle on the absence of a beautiful life-partner. This song also has the famous ‘yudling’ of Kishore Kumar.
05. Jeevan Se Bhari Teri Aankhen (film: Safar)
This is a song of hope and life. The eyes of the muse are so full of life that it compels a dying man to live. The music is by Kalyanji-Aanandji. This is again a soulful bliss, a genre that Kishore Kumar mastered in.
04. Raatkali (film: Buddha Mil Gaya)
This is one of the greatest love songs ever composed in Hindi films. Again it is from the R D Burman house of excellence. In this song, the lover compares his lady love with the monsoon morning.
03. Kehna Hai (film: Padosan)
The song of first love, the confession of first love for the first time. The romantic craving of the lover is wonderfully captured by Kishore Kumar in his inimitable style. What makes it a classic is its innocence of approach.
02. Manzilen Apni Jagah (film: Sharaabi)
One of the very best compositions of Bappi Lahiri. Kishore Kumar got the Filmfare Award (The most popular award for the excellence in Hindi films) for this song. The approach is a result of poetic brilliance.
01. Woh Shaam (film: Khamoshi)
The very first song written by Gulzar turned out to be Kishore Kumar’s very best. The sentimental and almost surreal music by Hemant Kumar takes the song to a totally different level from this material world. This is a song that spellbinds.
