Anyone who grew up in the radio era would remember the old Hindi Bollywood songs from their childhood, waking up to the unforgettable melodies on one of the two channels that were available on air at the time. With the advent of YouTube and online streaming, those songs have only grown in popularity, some of them having attained the status of icons on their own, regardless of the movies they featured in.

As our way of commemorating those irreplaceable icons of our pop-culture heritage, here are the best old Bollywood songs we can still listen to, at any hour.

Lag Ja Gale

Movie: Wo Kaun Thi?

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar

This iconic number sung by Lata Mangeshkar hails from the time when B&W Bollywood tried to dabble in psychological thrillers.

It remains one of the most successful movies from the B&W Bollywood era, and the entire score by Madan Mohan helped it achieve an iconic status not enjoyed by most other efforts from that time, including the famous old love song.

Hazaaron Khwahisien Aisi

Movie: Mirza Ghalib

Singer: Jagjit Singh

If you haven’t yet seen the TV-exclusive movie on the life of (and named after) arguably the greatest Urdu poet ever, Mirza Ghalib, it’s safe to say that you’re missing out. The movie delves into the final days of the great poet, beautifully capturing the turmoil that gave way to his moving poetry.

The song, is taken from one of his poems of the same name, and Jagjit Singh more than does justice to it.

Aapki Nazaron Ne Samjha

Movie: Anpadh

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar

There are a few songs that are able to showcase the full range of what Lata Mangeshkar is capable of doing, and this one is definitely one of them. Featured in the movie Anpadh, the story is that of a woman who grew up illiterate. When she gets married to a poetry and literature-loving husband, she finds it difficult to fit in as she doesn’t exactly get all the references (hence the name of the movie), and is soon chucked out of her in-laws to fend for her own.

Chingari Koi Bhadke

Movie: Amar Prem

Singer: Kishore Kumar

With the score by R.D. Burman and singers like Kishore Kumar, S.D. Burman and Lata Mangeshkar, this movie's chock full of the who’s who of the Indian Bollywood music industry of the time. Despite all that, Chingari Koi Bhadke, sung by Kishore Kumar, has managed to reach a cult status of its own, and it only takes playing it one time to know why.

Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua

Movie: Shree 420

Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey

It’s the perfect encapsulation of the tragedy of uncertain love - even though it all works out fine by the end of the song, weirdly enough - portrayed in Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua Hai that always gets us over all others. The song’s rainy backdrop in mid-20th century Mumbai is still recognisable even more than six decades after the movie was released.

The film also features Mera Joota Hai Japani and Ramaiyan Vastavaiyan,

Pyar Kia To Darna Kya

Movie: Mughal-e-Azam

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar

When Mughal-e-Azam was first released, it wasn’t anything like anything we had seen before. It was also the first time that the timeless love story of Salim and Anarkali - was reproduced on the big screen.

Sung by Lata Mangeshkar and featuring Madhubala, Pyar Kia To Darna Kya perfectly encapsulates the underlying conflict of the heart prevalent throughout the movie (though there’s quite a bit of war in there, too).

Jaane Vo Kaise Log The

Movie: Pyaasa

Singer: Hemant Kumar

This song is a guaranteed tearjerker. Sung by Hemant Kumar and featured in one of the most successful Bollywood movies of all time (it even made it into TIME magazine’s list of the 100 best films of all times), Jaane Vo Kaise Log The remains an iconic number from the B&W era.

Chalte Chalte Yunhi Koi

Movie: Pakeezah

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar

Another musical drama that has achieved cult status, Pakeezah is full of songs you get hooked on for life. Made by Kamal Amrohi as a tribute to his wife Meena Kumari (this would also end up being the last film she ever acted in), the movie portrays the life of a mujra dancer in Lucknow, and is as larger than life as it gets.

Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar

Movie: C.I.D.

Singers: Mohd Rafi, Shamshad Begum

We’re sorry to report that there already existed a better C.I.D. before the 90s crime/thriller (read: Comedy) show, in the form of the 1956 movie of the same name. Starring Dev Anand as a detective trying to solve a particularly mind-boggling case, it’s one of the best B&W crime thrillers to come out of Bollywood, and the song Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar is still one of our favourite numbers to play.

Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen

Movie: Waqt

Singer: Manna Dey

Arguably one of the most iconic classic Bollywood songs, Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen first featured in the 1965 drama Waqt, which is a rather heartbreaking story of a family going through the difficult phases of time.

You may have seen the modern-ish rendition of this one in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.

Kya Hua Tera Vada

Movie: Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahi

Singer: Mohd. Rafi

Another sad song that you don’t actually need to be sad to get the feels out of. The song remains one of the staples in all of our old Hindi classic playlists. Sung by the genius of Mohd Rafi and composed by R.D. Burman, it’s tragic, melodious and still evokes the same feelings as it did when it first came out.

Unfortunately, even though the music was stellar, the movie doesn’t quite live up to the same standards.

Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko

Movie: Yaadon Ki Baaraat

Singer: Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi

First featured in the movie Yaadon ki Baaraat, this song has achieved cult status. The primary reason being the image of Zeenat Aman playing it on the guitar. The movie is a tragic story of three brothers whose parents were murdered by a gangster; they are later united by a common family song.