There may never be a time when someone, somewhere isn’t listening to a song. For the past six decades or thereabouts, this has been the case.

In September of this year, that golden voice turned 92. She is the only singer who has managed to captivate the imagination of a whole nation.

When it comes to male singers, music lovers may be split – some may swear by Mohammed Rafi, some by Kishore Kumar, and still others by K.J. Yesudas – but the majority of them may choose Lata as their favorite female voice. It’s not for no reason.

Her voice has a wonderful quality to it. Her range is extensive. Her facial expressions are usually spot on. She’s also incapable of singing off-key.

It’s no surprise that the prominent ladies of the day required in their contracts that Lata perform the songs that were filmed on them. Even if she wasn’t the composer’s initial pick, she was almost always the top choice.

Here are some of the most memorable songs from India’s favorite singer:

  1. (Woh Kaun Thi?) Lag jaa gale…
  2. Mohe panghat pe… (Mughal-E-Azam)
  3. Chalte chalte… (Pakeezah)
  4. Ae dil e naadaan… (Razia Sultan)
  5. O sajna barkha bahaar… (Parakh)

Madan Mohan, the genius whose muse Lata was, created this hunting music for the 1964 film. It’s so lovely that you won’t be able to stop listening to it. Many vocalists have tried versions of this classic, but none have succeeded in capturing the song’s spirit as well as Lata.