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Lata Mangeshkar

The combination of Salil Chowdhury and Lata Mangeshkar changed the course of modern Bengali song for ever. The song 'na jeo na' became one of the most important and most beautiful Bengali songs in history. Bengalees were thrilled to get Lata singing Bengali songs with practically flawless accent. She became one of them and the wonderful songs Salil composed for Lata during the next three decades still remain possibly the most melodic and lyrical Bengali modern songs.

ID	Song Title	Year	Cross-Ref / Variations
LM1	Jaa re ja re ude jare paakhi	1959	Hnd: MA5
LM2	Naa jeo na	1959	Hnd: PR3
LM3	O baansi haay	1960	Hnd: PR5
LM4	Ogo aar kichu to naai	1960	Hnd: MA3
LM5	Saat bhaai champa jagorey	1961	Hnd: MB2 Oth: SB1
LM6	Ki je kori, durey jetey hoi taai	1961	Hnd: CH5
LM7	Kano kichhu katha balo na	1963	Hnd: JJ1 Mal: RL4
LM8	O tui nayano paakhi	1963	Hnd: PJ2 Mal: NP2
LM9	Ke jaabi aay	1967	Bng: AS4
LM10	Nishidin nishidin Baje	1967	Hnd: AN2 Mal: SW4
LM11	Jodi baaron karo tabey jaabo na	1968	Hnd: MT2 Mal: RG5
LM12	O jhar jhar jharna	1968	-
LM13	Naa mono laage naa	1969	Hnd: ND4 Tam: AK3
LM14	Ore O mon moyna	1969	-
LM15	O projaapoti, projaapoti	1971	Mal: OB30/31
LM16	Pa ma ga re sa	1971	Mal: OB29 Kan: OE4
LM17	Antabiheen kaate na aar jeno	1972	Hnd: SB1 Mal: SP4
LM18	Kichhu to chahini aami	1972	-
LM19	Jhilik jhilik jhinuk khunje pelaam	1975	Mal: VK7
LM20	O more moynaa go	1975	Hnd: JJ3
LM21	Aaj noy gun gun gunjan premer	1977	Mal: VK3 Oth: KK2
LM22	Aaj tabey eituku thaak	1977	Hnd: AP4 Mal: PT3
LM23	Kano je kandao barey barey	1980	Mal: AV3/4
LM24	Ebaar aami amaar thekey	1980	Bng: OS8
LM25	Jhim chiki chaak	1980	-
LM26	Bada bishaado bhora e rajoni	1980	-
LM27	Surjo dekhaa	1980	-
LM28	Sabaar AaDaaley	1988	Hnd: AN6 Bng: SC33/SM9/MW12
LM29	O aamaar pransojoni	1988	Hnd: AN5 Bng: OS41
LM30	Aami cholte cholte themey gechhi	1988	Hnd: RJ1 Bng: OS66/OS36/CM1
LM31	Bhulonaa prothom se din	1988	Hnd: SG2 Mal: TV3 Bng: SM14
LM32	Saat sakaale moner dorey	1988	-
LM33	Dharanir pathey pathey	1988	Bng: SS1
LM34	Ei jibon kakhon magon	1988	Hnd: DD6 Mal: MS3 Tam: PV6
LM35	Runner	1988	Bng: HM4

In 1988 a much awaited Lata LP was released with eight songs. Everybody waited for some new Lata/Salil songs. Unfortunately, it turned out that six out of eight songs on this LP have all been previously recorded by other singers, sometimes with different lyrics. For example,"Ei jibono" is a Bengali version of that Jesudas classic(DD6) from the Hindi Film 'Dil ka saathi dil' and the only new composition on this LP is the song "Saat sakaaley moner dorey". What is even more disappointing is that the song "Sabaar aaDaaley" was previously sung by Sandhya Mukherjee (Guru guru guru megh garaje - for AIR) and recorded by Sabita Chowdhury (Tumi ki kakhano sei gaan shono) and the song "Bhulonaa prothom sei din" was previously recorded by Sandhya Mulherjee (Kichhu aar kohibo naa). Besides this Salil got Lata to record that Hemanta classic 'Runner' which most of the Bengalees could not accept. Besides this Lata had to sing Subir Sen's all-time classic "Dhoronir pathey pathey" and it destroyed the song. Lata's voice was gone. In short, this LP was a disaster. The only satisfaction for Salil lovers were the new arrangements of the songs and one new song. The old Lata and Salil magic was gone for ever.