Some of Nazrul's best-known ghazals are Ase basanta fulabane (Spring comes to the flower garden vimpalashri raga), Bagichay bulbuli tui (the bulbul in the flower garden bhairavi raga), Duranta bayu purabaiya (Wild wind of the east kafi-sindhu), Eto jal o kajal chokhe (So many tears in those dark eyes manda raga), Bhuli kemane ajo ye mane (How do I forget, you are still in my mind pilu raga), Kar nikuvje rat kataye (In whose bower did you spend the night gara-bhairavi raga), Keno kande e paran (Why does this heart of mine still weep mishra behag-khamvaj raga), Cheyo na sunayana (Don't look at me, O possessor of beautiful eyes bageshri pilu), Basiya nadikule (Sitting on the river bank kalangda raga). The tunes in most cases are based on ragas. The wording is always important, though the Bangla ghazal lacks the wordplay of the Urdu ghazal. The themes of Nazrul's ghazals are predominantly love. Nazrul began writing ghazals towards the close of 1926 at Krishnanagar and by 1930 he had composed many superb ghazals. These songs were essentially based on folk tunes, to which the poet added a verse and panache. Inspired by anti-British non-cooperation, khilafat and revolutionary movements, he started writing songs regularly from 1924.Ä«etween 19, Nazrul wrote a number of inspirational songs such as Ghor-re ghor amar sadher charka ghor (whirl, my dear spinning wheel, whirl), Shikal para chhal moder ai shikal para chhal (to wear chains is our sport), Karar ai lauha kapat bhebge phel kar-re lopat (break the iron gates of the prisons and throw them out), Othre chasi jagadvasi dhar kase labal (O the peasants of the world rise and hold your plough firmly), Dhvangsa pather yatridal dhar hatudi (O travellers on the road to destruction, hold the hammers high), Durgam giri kantar maru (the mountains are impassable, the deserts are endless), Amra shakti amra bal (we are the strength, we are the force), Jago anashan bandi othre yata (O prisoners of hunger, wake up). Nazrul formally entered the world of modern Bangla songs in Kolkata in the second decade of the 20th century. It was also here that he acquired the taste for Persian poems and learned the beauty of ghazals.
His life with the army acquainted him with western tunes through military bands. His experience with leto groups as well as his school days at Trishal-Darirampur in Mymensingha exposed him to the folk songs of East Bengal.
Nazrul Songs combine the style of traditional Bangla songs and north Indian classical songs to create a new genre.