Best of Bollywood - The Best Songs of Mukesh

Mukesh Chand Mathur, more commonly known as Mukesh, is considered one of the greatest singers that Bollywood has ever heard. Along with other legends like Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Manna Dey, he was instrumental in creating the golden era of Bollywood Music, which remains unparalleled in its melody and reach. His songs are a great treasure that millions continue to benefit from, even four decades after his untimely demise.

The songs of Mukesh will rules the heart of millions for a long time to come - so strong and eternal is his legacy, and continue to inspire generations of new singers to follow in his footsteps. Here is a hub dedicated to this great artiste, consisting of ten of his best ever songs.

Lyricist: Hasrat Jaipuri

Music by: Shanker Jaikishan

Raj Kapoor, the greatest showman of Bollywood, used to call Mukesh as his voice. This song, from the movie Mera Naam Joker tells us why. The sad song filmed on a circus joker would have been very different had it not been for Mukesh, who sang it. His voice added that touch of sincerity and innocence which was the hallmark of all Raj Kapoor characters.

Backed by excellent lyrics, this song is an eternal number giving expression to the yearning of all those who have passed the peak of their life and suddenly come face to face with this difficult reality. The words literally mean, "Where have those days disappeared ......?"

Lyricist: Anand Bakhshi

Music by: R D Burman

An extremely sensitive rendition of a theme that is full of love and selflessness. If one could say that pure love is divine, then this song brings you at the doors of that divinity and let you have a glimpse of it in this song. The words literally mean, " I will not pass through a lane that does not have your house, nor will I ever follow a path that does not lead to your abode...", and come from a man in love with a widow at a time in India when widows were not expected to marry again.

The song is great for many reasons, but its hallmark is the voice of Mukesh and his characteristically simple rendition, full of sincerity and a touch of sadness. It remains an eternal number for Bollywood connoisseurs.

Lyricist: Majrooh Sutanpuri

Music by: S D Burman

A song which still brings tears to those who know the realities of the life of twentieth century India, with regard to the destiny of every girl, who, having been protected from the world for all her life, suddenly finds herself married and left on her own to make a place in a stranger's family and be a part of it for the rest of her existence. Nothing else in history, literature or music has ever come so close in depicting this common reality and expressing the feelings of this inevitable misery.

Mukesh's singing reached a kind of peak with this song which was seldom broken again. It was also some great music and extraordinary lyrics, which gave this song its ethereal character.

Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianwi

Music by: Khayyam

The words of this song represent that eternal hope that keeps humanity going in spite of every adversity, "That morning will eventually come some day... some day definitely ... that morning will also come .....". This is a song that hundreds of millions in India could relate to at that point of time, as the country, just after independence hoped for a brighter future and struggled with the adverse realities that bordered on hopelessness.

In spite of the great lyrics and subtle but extraordinary music, the song attains its greatness largely because of Mukesh's characteristic voice and his ability to express the mix of emotions in a way that would do justice to the theme of the lyrics.

An all time great number.

Lyricist: Shaliendra

Music by: Shanker Jaikishan

Another extraordinary number, great because of its capacity to depict the feelings of unexpressed love in a way seldom achieved in Bollywood. The lyrics refer to the sadness of a wife waiting to hear from her husband who has gone abroad and is not contacting her. In the movie TEESRI KASAM, it depicts another dimension of the plot, the developing of a strange relationship between a rural cart driver and a theater artiste, whom he is carrying in his cart to another village.

The story belongs to an era when female theater artistes, even when they were famous for their craft, were looked down upon and not accepted in normal society. The song depicts their enigmatic relationship without saying a word about it. An eternal number indeed.

Lyricist: Yogesh

Music by: Salil Chaudhary

One of the greatest ever songs in the history of Bollywood, this number is also the peak of Mukesh, the singer. This song is great because of many other factors, including its exceptional lyrics and melodious music, and yet it is difficult to conceptualize this song with any other singer, so great is the impact of Mukesh's voice and rendition.

This song expresses the feelings of the protagonist, Anand, who is suffering from incurable cancer and counting his days, and yet carries on with all the vigor and liveliness. It represents his feelings that otherwise never find an expression in the movie. An exceptional song considering how successfully it is able to depict this complex internal emotional conflicts of a man fighting with death and trying to live.

Lyricist: Indeewar

Music by: Kalyanji Anandji

A very melodious number, made memorable by its sweet melody. This song introduces you to a kind of purity that differentiates between love and lust. On one hand the song portrays the beauty of his lover, but it does with an expression that is almost sacred, exemplifying how love and physical attraction can also retain their purity without necessarily belonging to the platonic level.

An extremely melodious and hummable tune and beautiful lyrics take it to heights not often seen, but the song still belongs to Mukesh and his characteristic rendition. It is largely his voice that brings in the purity and innocence that makes this song immortal.

Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianwi

Music by: Khayyam

One of the most popular songs of Mukesh and one that made him the darling of the masses. This song established him as a great even among his detractors, by its sheer popularity. It is actually more of a poem rather than a typical Bollywood song, and therein lies the exceptional singing talent of Mukesh, who converted it into a perfect Bollywood song.

Trained in classical Hindustani singing, Mukesh brought a kind of simple melody to almost everything he sang, but this number is great because its lyrics were brought to a musical format in a way rarely seen in Bollywood, prior or afterwards. When this movie was released, one could hear this song all around the Hindi speaking parts of India, at every nook and corner.

Lyrics: Shailendra

Music by: S D Burman

A great song from a great movie composed by a great music composer and rendered by one of the greatest singers of Bollywood.

This song combines a strangely haunting quality with some very melodious music, in a manner not easily replicated in Bollywood. The lyrics literally mean, " O' departing person, you must return to your roots some day...if possible". In the movie, it expresses the feelings of a girl, in a very conservative rural society, who is leaving her village along with everything that formed her world. The song does not refer to her, but makes you feel something in a way only music can. In fact, only great music can...something like this eternal number.

Lyricist: Abhilash

Music by: Sonik-Omi

This is a somewhat unconventional number from Mukesh, but stamped with his characteristic style. The song has beautiful lyrics, literally meaning, "World is like a river...joy and sorrow are its two sides.." It is the voice of Mukesh which brings feelings and reality to this philosophical statement.

This extraordinary number combines a multitude of expressions, and bring to fore how our lives are a mix of several emotional sagas.The song also successfully depicts the desperation and the hopes that almost go hand in hand in spite of their extremely opposite character.

This song is also among his last great ones, before he undertook his journey away from us.