"You listen to my songs. I listen only to Manna Dey's songs" was what the legendary singer Mohammed Rafi once said to his fans. According to musicians Sachin Dev Burman and Anil Biswas, Manna Dey could sing any song of Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh and Talat Mehmood.
The fact remains that nobody could ever create a remix of Manna Dey's songs, because no singer could replicate Dey. There were singers who could copy K L Saigal, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar, but none could copy Manna Dey's voice.
No musician except Shankar-Jaikishen had the courage to use Manna Dey's playback voice for any hero.
Manna Dey sang songs for titans like Balraj Sahni, Pran and Mehmood, who were never matinee idol heroes, but in Talaash for Rajendra Kumar and Anand for Rajesh Khanna, he sang for these heroes and surprised everybody.
Manna Day was the first singer to sing for Vividh Bharati whn it was launched in 1947. It was not a film song, it was "Naach Re Mayuraa, Naach Re Mayuraa".
A list of his popular songs:
Kasme Vaade Pyaar Wafaa sab (Upkaar)
Laaga Chunri me Daag (Dil Hi Toh Hai)
Zindagi kaisi hai paheli haaye (Anand)
Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua (Shri 420)
Mud-Mude ke na dekh (Shri 420)
Yeh raat Bheei Bheegi (Shri 420)
Aye Mere Zohra zabeen (Waqt)
Ay Mere Pyaare Watan (Kabuliwala)
Ay Maalik Tere Bande Hum 9Do Ankhen Barah Haath)
Ay Bhai zara dkh ke chalo (Mera Naam Joker)
Poocho Na Kaise Maine Rain Bitayi (Meri Soorat Teri Aankhen)
