One of the most 'heard' voices of the last 100 years, Mohammed Rafi delighted us because his singing was on the cusp of technical proficiency as well as expressive felicity.

This consummate playback artiste passed away July 31, 1980. On Rafi's 22nd death anniversary, Dinesh Raheja pays tribute by spotlighting 12 of his favourite Rafi solos:

Suhani raat dhal chuki na jaane tum kab aaogi
Dulari (1949)

Mood music that is a surefire sigh-starter. Waves of inexplicable nostalgia wash over me possibly because of some subliminal message passed on whenever I listen to this intezar number sung by Rafi's incredibly smooth, yet soaked-with-intensity voice.

Rafi had many hits in the 1940s like Mela (Yeh zindagi ke mele) and Pyar Ki Jeet's (Ek dil ke tukde hazaar huey); but I have have always cherished this iridescent Naushad-Rafi gem from a nondescript film (Dulari). Any selection from such an impressive oeuvre as Rafi's is bound to reflect a subjective choice.

Man tadpat Hari darshan ko aaj
Baiju Bawra (1952)

Rafi's pitch-perfect rendition of this bhajan is justifiably famous. You could clearly see the classical music training in Rafi's voice in this song; yet he never let pyrotechnical perfection overshadow his emotive abilities. This quasi historical film's hero (Bharat Bhushan) played a musical genius who could compete with the great Tansen; and Rafi's vocals made it all seem eminently believable.

1952 was a watershed year for Rafi with Naushad choosing him as the male voice for both his blockbusters -- Baiju Bawra and Aan.

Dekhi zamane ki yaari, bichhde sabhi bari baari
Kagaz Ke Phool (1959)

A superbly-controlled Rafi takes on lyricist Kaifi Azmi's highly-charged treatise on disenchantment but never once goes over the top. Throughout the song, his voice soars (Ud ja, ud ja pyaase panchhi) and sinks (Bichhde sabhi) but never stumbles into melodrama.

With composer S D Burman by his side, Rafi ripely conveys the full emotional impact of the protagonist's anguish in this Guru Dutt classic.

It's singing that singes the soul.

Hum aur tum aur yeh samaa
Dil Deke Dekho (1959)

Rafi has sung almost all of Shammi Kapoor's exuberant superhit songs; but this soft-focus breezy gem deserves its share of the spotlight. Rafi infuses this Usha Khanna composition with both warmth and a muted yet unmistakeable passion as he serenades the heroine breathily with: Boliye na boliye, sab suna suna sa hai.

A perfect valentine of a song.

Maine shayad tumhe pehle bhi kahin dekha hai
Barsaat Ki Raat (1960)

Each time Rafi sings Maine shayad tumhe, there is a palpably different inflection to the way he sings this one line, no shayads about that.

Rafi was a vocal chameleon who could adapt his voice to the hero's persona. His singing for Bharat Bhushan, who is wooing the unforgettable Madhubala here, is soft and silky.

And when Sahir Ludhianvi's lines like Wahem se bhi ho jo nazuk woh yakeen lagti ho were rendered in Rafi's impeccable vocals, they took on an enhanced poetic aura.

Nain lad jai hai toh
Ganga Jamuna (1961)

Rafi's agile voice goes skipping skittishly over this lilting Naushad tune. Rafi's range didn't just span multiple octaves but genres of songs too -- he could jump genres without missing a beat.

For Dilip Kumar alone, he has sung with equal command tear-soaked songs like O door ke musafir as well as this joyously jaunty smile-getter from Ganga Jamuna.

In this deceptively-simple song, Rafi's voice cleverly cottons on to the rustic UP dialect; and more importantly, communicates the sheer unfettered robustness of a village lad's declaration of romance for his dhoban dream girl.

Mere mehboob tujhe
Mere Mehboob (1963)

The song was the confluence of a creative high for many talents. Shakeel Badayuni wrote imagery-rich lyrics, Naushad wielded the baton to produce a mellow melody with the orchestration toned down to give full play to the powerful voice, and G Singh's camera captured Sadhana at her beauteous best.

But the spell wouldn't have been as mesmerising if it hadn't been embellished by Rajendra Kumar's realistically love struck lip (sticked) sync to Rafi's crystal-clear voice. Rafi's dripping-with-fervour vocals percolated straight into the corners of our hearts.

Yeh mera prem patra padhkar
Sangam (1964)

This Raj Kapoor blockbuster contains what is probably the most famous Rafi song for an RK film. Shanker-Jaikishan's music has a certain epic sweep and Rafi's deeply felt rendition of this rapturously romantic song oozes sincerity.

Much feted and awarded by this stage, Rafi was at his commercial peak in the mid-sixties.

Chhu lene do nazuk hothon ko
Kaajal (1965)

Despite being a teetotaller, Rafi brought an amazingly realistic touch to his drunken songs. The lilting Chhalkaye jaam, a song from Mere Humdum Mere Dost, blends angst and l'amour as smoothly as soda and whiskey, is a Rafi beauty too, but it somehow there's more panache in his Chhu lene do nazuk hoto ko.

Chhu lene do is like having whiskey neat -- it burns your inside with its acerbic irony spilling over in lines like Achhon ko bura saabit karna, duniya ki purani aadat hai.

Aapke haseen rukh pe aaj naya noor hai
Baharein Phir Aayengi (1966)

Bahrein phir bhi aayengi, undoubtedly, but will one get to hear a voice like Rafi's again? Rafi's voice has the gentle quality of the breeze playing with Tanuja's tresses and feather touch feel of Dharmendra's fingers skimming over the piano keys in this hum-along O P Nayyar beauty.

Rafi's subtle play with the word shokhiyan reeks of the shokhiyan that were reserved exclusively for the mike by the shy, unassuming singer.

Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai
Loafer (1973)

Even if you were deprived of the visuals of a perky Mumtaz being serenaded by the charming Dharmendra amidst verdant hills and dales, Rafi's liquescent voice is certain to conjure up images of sun-dappled mountains, morning mists and recreate the perfect ambience for romance.

Dard-e-dil dard-e-jigar
Karz (1980)

Rafi proved equal to singing the power pop of the seventies. Even when in his fifties, Rafi's supple voice suited a 20-something Rishi Kapoor too. After hits in Amar Akbar Anthony, Laila Majnu, Hum Kisise Kam Nahin and Sargam, Rafi sang the incredibly smooth Dard-e-dil dard-e-jigar for the Rishi starrer Karz. It was hugely popular around the time Rafi passed away.

As one of his last few songs, this song unfailingly results in a poignant tug at one's heartstrings. It's a fitting valedictory to a glorious era.