Mohammed Rafi sang two songs in English and there is no historical record of him performing at the United Nations - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 26, 2023
A video featuring Mohammed Rafi singing in the background is being shared with the claim ‘The only English song sung by Mohammed Rafi at the United Nations Organization in the year 1970.’ Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: This is the only English song sung by Mohammed Rafi at the United Nations Organization in 1970
Fact: Mohammed Rafi sang two songs in English and there is no historical record of him performing at the United Nations. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
A relevant keyword search revealed articles and blog posts about Mohammed Rafi (here, here, and here). They highlight that Rafi sang not only in Hindi but also in English and other languages such as Dutch, Creole, and Persian. However, he sang two English songs when persuaded by Haridranath Chattopadhyay who wrote the lyrics for these songs. The two songs in English were “Although We Hail from Different Lands,” which shared the same musical composition as “Baharon Phool Barsao” from the Hindi film “Suraj” and “The She I Love,” which was based on the composition of “Hum Kaale Hain Toh Kya Hua” from the Hindi movie “Gumnaam.”
Mohammed Rafi gained his primary recognition as a playback singer in the Indian film industry, and he made significant contributions to Indian music. However, there is no historical record of him performing at the United Nations. The United Nations mainly hosts events related to global affairs, diplomacy, and international relations, rather than musical performances.
To sum up, Mohammed Rafi sang two songs in English and there is no historical record of him performing at the United Nations