Ek Ritu Aaye - Sau Saal Baad by Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey

Ek Ritu Aaye - Sau Saal Baad is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. Credit goes to Manna Dey, Laxmikant, Pyarelal for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

Every line Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey sings feels considered, as though the performance was thought through long before recording began. The story told by a talented ensemble cast in Sau Saal Baad finds its musical expression here — Ek Ritu Aaye - Sau Saal Baad is where the film's heart beats loudest.

1966 marked the release of Sau Saal Baad, and Ek Ritu Aaye - Sau Saal Baad was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. Whether it plays on a long drive, during a quiet evening at home, or through earphones on a crowded commute, the song meets the listener where they are.

Running to 3:28, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. For anyone yet to hear Ek Ritu Aaye - Sau Saal Baad, the experience ahead is a good one. For those returning, it will be as good as they remember.