This blog post is essentially a by-product of two quite erudite posts – Twin Songs on Songs Of Yore and It’s The First Anniversary Of My Blog on Conversations Over Chai.
When the first post had appeared, I was still a passive reader of the blogs on this genre – Old-time Hindi Films. Whereas when I placed a well-thought out comment on the second post, it somehow got ‘lost’ on way to the final appearance on the blog.
Hence, motivation for this post – wherein I have regrouped my responses to both posts and (re)documented here:
The songs by two different singers had been an interesting and intriguing subject for the program executives of Radio Ceylon, Vividh Bharati and AIR’s Urdu channel in the days when we had radio as THE source of listening to films songs that were not only popular , but had a distinctive common trait, at a common platform – 1960s and till mid-70s, when we were avid listeners of Hindi Film Music on Radio.
Of course, these programs would bring songs together at the common platform, but had not raised [to the best of my recollection] the issue of whether the male singer or the female singer renders the song better and why. In my own view, at all the times, one is likely to find as many different choices as the class of listeners – someone for the inherent preference of the particular singer or someone for the musical aspect or someone for the impact created by the mood and situation in the film. I would not dare venture offer any opinion of mine, since I neither have the requisite knowledge of music nor have the reason to choose. I belong to the category that would ‘listen’ to something that appeals ‘hearing’ compartment of the brain and be happy. .
I would begin, by first adding to the list of versions songs presented in these posts and the eminent add-on comments by highly informed participants of the discussions on these two forums:.
KHILTE HAIN GUL YAHAN – SHARMILEE 1971– S D Burman :- – classic twin version songs, both set in different moods and serving different purposes in the flow of the story of the film.
Lata
and Kishor
Humein Tumse Pyar Kitna – Kudrat [1981] – R D Burman :- The reasons seem to remain same, but bringing in the leading classical vocalist adds to the flavour of the genre [and possibly, providing some more fodder to the ‘who renders better’ debate].
Kishore Kumar and Parveen Sultana
LAHRON PE LAHER ULFAT HAI JAWAN-CHHABILI –1960 Snehal Bhatkar:- I have not seen the movie hence I am unable to place the purpose of the differing versions. However, singing by Nutan was a novelty to begin with, which gradually turned in strong liking for both the versions.
Hemant Kumar & Nutan
and Hemant Kumar [Solo]
Dil Chhed Koi Aisa Nagma – Inspector-1956 – Hemant Kumar:- No additional comments.
Hemant Kumar
Lata Mangeshkar –
Aye malik tere bande ham.. Do Aankhen Barah Haath – Vasant Desai :- This time one version is rendered by chorus.
Lata Mangeshkar
(Male) [Full Version]
We would continue with this subject in subsequent posts …………..
The world is too small? or Is it? 
A) Congratulations on the anniversary of the blog that I dint know about till now!
B) This is a very interesting post. Thanks for sharing. The ones that immediately come to my mind are:
a. Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujhpar (Junglee-Lata and Rafi)
b. Na Tum Humein Jaano (Baat Ek Raat Ki- Suman Kalyanpur and Hemant Kumar)
c. Mera Qaraar Le Ja (Ashiana- Talat Mehmood and Lata Mangeshkar)
d. Aji Rooth Kar Ab (Aarzoo- Rafi and Lata)
e. Tum Mujhe Yun Bhula Na Paaoge (Pagla Kahin Ka- Rafi and Lata)
Hope the songs I mentioned qualify for the list!
Cheers!
These songs are the classic version songs and are well-covered in the original posts on the subject.
I have attempted to list down what is not only covered, to supplement the research efforts and fond memories of the interested parties.
Oh…sorry then! I think I just went too quick with these eternal favorites of mine!
Oh, well, I did not want to preclude your spontaneous reflex actions!
Please do express what you feel.
I only wished to point out that the original posts have many similar great songs, which may already belong to your list of ‘likes’, but not so well remembered Or you may find some more that can get added to the list of your ‘likes’.
Yes it is interesting to note that the same/similar wordings sung in different moods and /or by different singers give new sensation. I remeber here two more such: (1) eK WOH BHI DIWALI THI, EK YEH BHI DIWALI HAI… (DIFFERENT MOODS, HAPPY AND SAD.0
(2) Yeh raaten yeh mausam yeh hasna hasan mujhe bhool jana inhen na bhulaana…… (Pankaj Mallick and Lata. Panlkaj is original and I cannot decide which one is better !!! Both are marvellous.
Indeed, both are very outstanding – as songs as well as examples of variations /classic models of version songs.
Thanks for adding to the already burgeoning list.
I was intrigued by the post in ‘Songs of Yore’ and started looking around and found this. I had only a quick look at the other two posts and most of the songs there seem to be romantic songs. I wonder whether one should study different categories like lullabies, bhajans, war songs and so on. I saw one post about Tamil songs in TFM page but there were no links to the songs. So far found very few from the west, there were some about what is good for advertisements. Seems to be an intriguing area to think about.
The series of posts on SoY has been born out of this tentative idea only.
The classifications that I could think of at the time of designing the ‘overview’ article there, these categories did not come up in my mind.
You have excellent suggestion here. Needs to be further expanded and presented in structured form