Raja's Gems - the latest one you heard...Part 3

I am VINATHA.

என் பெயர் வினதா :grin:

YAHOO ILAYARAJA GROUP FELLOWS ARE ELITE GUYS.
OF COURSE, THEY WILL BE ALASI EDUTHTHU ILAYARAJA SANGEETHAM :-D

come on....
in tfmpage, dhool forums too,
most of these guys are very well informed and passionate.

Kiru, Jai etc... posts are amazing.

B'lore, I have lived at Malleswaram too.

gorgeous sampige road....nostalgia

see the photos of nostalgic street.

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Attachment 392

Please tell us what you did at commercial street?

Hope it is juicy!:grin:


Back to Ilayaraja sangeetham...


PACHAMALAI POOVU NEE ......KIZHAKKU VAASAL

இளையராஜா's folk composition
ஸ்ரீ.பாலா adores the heroine (புல்லாங்குழல் , கிடார் counterpoint )

பச்சைமலை பூவு.... charming , adorable கார்த்திக் :swinghead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvJvY15CJ1Q

vinatha

Well, I'd still want to know about PS and VJ version of Kanden Engum - SJ should be enough as Baroque says, especially since Teacheramma isn't exactly a right-fit for the song, and the PS version is only a rumour I have heard so far but I am greedy if IR had different arrangements for the other version(s).

T

Last song to catch my fancy:
vurukulayi godavari from Abhilasha.
Abhilasha, I have always neglected as a poor cousin of Challenge, what with Yendamuri, Chiranjeevi and the director(whose name I forget) combining yet again.

It doesn't help that the primary memory I took away on first watch were, well, Radhika in tights, Silk-Smitha-ish thigh-cut skirts pop-dancing away with the unruly mop-ped Chirugaaru, with his trademark (weird for non-fans, genius for fans) dancing moves.

Radhika - for all her general acting talent - isn't really my idea of a glamorous pop-star, a role she simulated again for Kannan vandhu paadugindran, thereby spoiling the song for me.

Therefore, I suppose I can be excused for mentally mapping Abhilasha as that album with Chiru-with-his-gymnastic-tricks "banti chamanti" and Radhika-prancing-for "vela paala ledhu"(in tamil SPS crooned this tune as "aadai kondu aadum" for some other movie - not, I think, a remake of this one).

When you assume like that, it is only natural that you end up as what they say happens to you and me when we assume.

So, then, this song shoots like a meteor into my life recently. I have heard it before - just not paid enough attention.
It is a grand number, with wind instruments ruling the roost raising images of wind-surfing on a placid river. One true test of Raja songs for eternal life is what we in this parts have put together as "escalating melody". I am not sure who coined it(I fancy it might have been myself) but it describes the song perfectly.
The grand wind-instrument opening leads to SPB, joyfully, as he only can, crooning the opening lines with mirth and excitement. As Janaki joins with a fitting riposte, SPB moves into heart-warming territory with "...shruti telupe murali", Janaki returns that with interest in "chigurakku...siri muvva ravali".
So far so good. Like a Fed-Nadal point, robust exchanges. Then SPB delivers the knock-out punch with an intoxicating, dreamy "rasa mayam jagathi".

But the real matter lies in the saranams. As I mentioned, it is here that the escalating melody shows up. It is one of those SPB-only-possible moments, as the tune, like a Anil Kumble floater, takes very minor twists and turns, and each turn holding a very subtle emotion. It is far tougher, as countless batsmen from the 90s will agree, to face up to such minor variations than with the big-turning, clearly demarcated emotional roller-coasters.

Thus goes SPB
naa pEdha hridayam // Robust declaration, but a typical lover-ish self-pitying reference to "my poor heart"
nee prema nilayam // "is your playground for Love". Moon-struck offer. The tune is same as previous line but you have to show a shift in the emotion
nAdhaina brathukE E nAdO nIdhainadhi // The subtle breaks SPB uses to punctuate this sentence are breathtaking - nA...dhainA brathukE..pause..E nAdO... is sheer genius at work. ("My life became yours ere long")
neevanna manushE I nAdu nAdhainadhi // Wonder, and joy at the culmination of the love and togetherness.

And here again, SPB has a knock-out punch to finish the stanza:
oka gundE AbhilAshA
padhi mandhikki brathukainadhi.

I just cannot get enough of the last two lines as SPB packs so much into them - I am infact, so broken down in emotion and sheer amazement at the art, that I would need the help of those reading this to listen to the song and help me list down what all SPB covered in those two lines. (suresh, raagas - pls help with links)

Intriguing lines, too. Until now, it is a personal ballad speaking of their love. These lines really raise my curiosity?
oka gundE AbhilAshA
padhi mandhikki brathukainadhi.
- "One heart's desire gave life to 10 people"

Why would it, I mean? Is he referring to the living made by sundal-wallahs, bribe-taking policemen, cinema halls selling tickets etc as among the 10 people who make a living from a heart's desire, as they do benefit from lovers' desire to be together?

Nah! More likely a reference to the film's theme, I guess. Raagas/suresh can throw more light.
Abhilasha is about a young lawyer, trying to highlight a loophole in the law, in a bid to legislate it out of the law-book. He arranges a fake murder, planning, reasonably enough, that he'll go through the legal rigmarole, and eventually, reveal all in the film's climax, thereby exposing the loopholes in the law. Only, the fake murder turns out to be anything but fake and he is forced to be on the run.

Would those lines, then, refer to the hero's desire to abolish this loop-hole in the law, which presumably, would benefit atleast 10 people?
Not really sure, and not really sure why such a sentiment makes its way to a love-duet.

Such, then, are the pleasures of Raja-triggered nostalgia, thought-coordination, and musings.

I'll leave you without a link(which will surely materialise soon if I know my suresh/raagas well enough as I presume I do) but with SPB, bringing his full hand of magic tricks, lapping my ears with wave after wave of the addictive, escalating melody

Appapa Tittikkum (Japanil Kalyanaraman, yes it's terrible film, but I like it Plum. Accept it!).

Superb jazz number, twanging bass line, blaring trumpets, SPB's Raja-styled scatting. Song that I'd use if I were to make an action movie, and during a chase/shooting scenes.

Well, you like weird stuff, grouch. So, I am not suprised.

But the song of the movie is the contemplative, intoxicating "kaadhal un leelaiya", which I guess wasnt picturised

Chinna Poo Chinna Poo?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Plum

http://thiraipaadal.com/album.php?AL...R00383&lang=en

Grouch, is this the song in Mudhal Vasantham(Ponni Nadhi) you were referring to? Doesnt sound like Raja at all. Most certainly not the 80s Raja. Intriguing as you said

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grouch, while you are here, can you answer this also?

Is that Ponni Nathi? AthAne ketten. It's an odd one out. You say doesn't sound like Raja at all? I say sounds like late 70s Raja. Alongside, Anbukku Nan Adimai time Bala's voice. My theory is, tossed out recording that Raja dug back for Mudhal Vasantham.

poongARRu puthidhAnadhu & poovE poochchooda vA on the drive this morning

Plum,

Interesting write up on Urakalai Godavari: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYYChWqULbY

You were bang on about the film's story and trust me, it is one of the brilliant films made at that time. It is also one of those films where Chiranjeevi acted with sincerity towards the character and not as a slave to the mass audience (as later films were). So in the film, Hero meets the Heroine through her Uncle, who is a very big lawyer and Chiranjeevi(advocate) is like an Ekalavya sishya to heroine's uncle. The heroine is naturally impressed with the hero's sincere charms and his conviction to achieve his goal. So in a way, the hero found his partner in his journey towards his goal.

Abhilasha (~ Desire) was/is a mixed bag for me. No matter how many people rave about Banti Chamanti, I never got to like that song, because of shrieky pitches. The songs that i love are Urakalai Godavari and Vela Paala Ledhu. Vela Paala Ledu deserves a huge post - lets leave it for now.

Urakalai Godavari is a fine melody. Brilliant instrumentation too! Listen to the cascading 2nd interlude and it is all magic. The song also has wonderful lyrics. Genius of Veturi at work there! and if there is one line that has a mixed impact of geniuses of both IR and Veturi, it is "Rasamayam Jagathi". Lyrically - it nails the emotion. Musically, it is an odd(by metre,comparing with preceeding lines) and yet convincingly composed line.

Coming to "Oka Gunde Abhilaasha.. padhi mandhiki brathukainadhi" line - it is a philosophical masterstroke by Veturi. I think Vetrui indeed used it to reflect the hero's character. See the lines "Naa Peda hridhayam" (my poor heart) - has both connotations. One - my poor heart and in a way, by the choice of words, it also reflects the social status of the hero. And while the subsequent lines talk about they exchanging their lives/personalities(neevu anna manishey ee naadu naadhi ayinadhi = That which are you...has now become mine) , in love... Veturi also reminds that a part of his personality is consumed by this desire (abhilasha) and since he found the heroine also... through his journey towards that desire - it has now become a part of her... and what can it now lead to - "Oka Gunde Abhilasha.. padhi mandhiki brathukainadhi" (The desire of a heart is now to bestow life upon few people).
Well written.. and brilliantly composed song.

The number of brilliantly written songs, in Ilaiyaraaja compositions in Telugu - are actually few. I mean, out of 100 good songs, I would say about 20-25 would have had good lyrics and the credit goes to Veturi and Sirivennela (i dont know if Rajasri wrote original songs but he wrote for dubbed versions and he was good too). This song is one among them!