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raagas, thanks for the detailed post.
Yes, this is a good time to highlight good Telugu lyricists - especially since they dont have enough limelight as the Vairamuthus and Javed Akthars.
I propose you take IR telugu songs - as they are of interest to us in this forum - and highlight good lyrics as a series. off my head, I can pop out atleast 10 songs that can be dissected right away:
1. Laali Laali - Swathi Muthyam
2. Siva Poojakku - Swarna Kamalam
3. Om Namasivaya/ - Saagara Sangamam - specifically, this kind of "devotional" is a rare specimen elsewhere. Atleast after the days of Kannadasan in Tamil, we dont have this type of lyrics.
4. Vedam Anuvanuvuna/Nadha Vinodamu - Saagara Sangamam. Really, dubbing constraints conceded, still the dubbed version in tamil was a hack-job
6. Thakita Thathimi - not heavy on meaning but my favourite concept - lyrics bouncing smoothly of the tune. Heavenly!
7. Manasu Palike - what a beety! It deserves a discussion
8. Andhele Ravamidhi & Akasamlo Aashala Harivillu - Swarna Kamalam - again, top favourites of mine.
I notice I have quoted all K.Viswanath movies. The man perhaps had an input given the consistency across decades in lyrics in his music
The 10th one would be 'ninna choosinA" from Chinnabbayi, again KV, but a minor KV movie.
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We could do it as a colloboration between you, me and Suresh -if you think you dont have enough bandwidth to do it. Why I suggest this instead of taking it up myself is that I cannot do full justice myself although I fancy I can chip-in quite significantly if you start it off...
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Plum,
K.Vishwanath is one film-maker who gave equal importance to lyrics.
Infact, even K.Balachander gave high importance to lyrics, in films like Rudra Veena (Sirivennela's flights to Veturi's ilk). His "Tarali raada thane vasantham" wraps up the whole damn philosophy of "service to mankind is service to god" effectively in each and every line. Every line in that song is a gem i must say. I mean, what can we say if he writes:
Tarali raada tane vasantam (does not the spring come...)
Tana dariki raani vanaala kosam (for the gardens that cannot travel to it..)
Gaganaala daaka ala saagakunte (if the waves do not stretch to the sky..
Meghala ragam ila cheruthunda (will the songs of clouds reach here..?)
The lines express the situation in the film in such a simple way... bloody genius!
I love the lines:
Prati madi ni lepe prabhaata ragam (the morning raaga that awakens every mind..)
Pade pade chupe pradhaana margam (the path that always points to destinations...)
Edi sontam kosam kaadanu sandesham (the message that says that there is nothing that can be owned by oneself..)
Panche guname pote prapanchame shoonyam (the world will be a naught or zero, if we lose the virtue of sharing...)
Idi teliyani manugada kadha dishanerugani gamanamu kada (the living which is not aware of this... is equal to a journey without a sense of direction).
I think he just nailed the whole philosophy of living...
He further writes:
Bratukuna leni shruti kaladaa .. (is the sruthi of art non existent in life?)
yeda sadi lo ne laya leda (is there not a laya in the throbbing of the heart?)
Ye kala(dream) kaina ye kala(art) kaina (For whatever dream, for whatever art-form) - killer liner.. usage of Kala, dream & kala, art (pronunciation is different)
jeevita rangam vedika kaada (is not life a big stage...?)
Prajaa dhanam kani kalaavilasam (The flourishing of any art that doesnt amass the wealth of ignited minds)
Ye prayojanam leni vrudha vikasam (is equal to a useless and futile exercise)
Koose koila pothe kaalam aaginda (did the seasons stop changing, when a koel left them?)
Paare yere paade maro padam raada (dont the new words flow when the old ones flow away...)
Muraliki gala swaramula kala pedavini vidi palakadu kada (even the art of swaras beheld by a flute, will not flow out without human lips)
One needs to be an intellectual to write like that. And must say, Ilaiyaraaja also justified the lyrics with equal aplomb. He composed a very simple tune, with less complexities woven in it. This is one of those songs where the musical ideas do not dominate the lyrical worth of the song and both play out well in equal measure.. or should i say, infact, that lyrics come out highlighted more than musical ideas. And it is good that Ilaiyaraaja allowed that!
Sivapoojaku chigurinchina from Swarna kamalam is also wonderfully written song. A brief analysis of its lyrics at http://musicmavericks.blogspot.com/2...rivennela.html
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Raagas, brilliant start. If you allow me, I'll probably re-work your post and start the series. Oh yes, I was supposed to mention Tarali Raada - it is one of the best, and I have always wondered at the brilliance of its lyrics viz-a-viz the movie's (not just situation but) theme and philosophy. In other threads, I have spoken about Rudra Veena vs Unnal Mudiyum Thambi and why I prefer the former and quoted a few other reasons. The lyrics in Telugu are yet another reason for the preference.
The underlying theme is humanitarianism vs Art is Supreme.
As you observed, to bring out that philosophy in lyrics must have been achievement enough.
But what we have here is a perfect bigamy of the tune with the lyrical meaning as well as the lyrical flourish(which is the term I am coining now for the cocnept I have been boring everyone with - lyrics bouncing smoothly off the tune. From now on, this will be the term I use).
:salute:
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Although I was one of the regular Tamil folks making fun of "Golty" before I stepped "north of Poovirundhavalli"(as app put it), years of exposure to Telugu have made me turn 180 degrees, and assume the Bharathiyar position - sundara telunginil pattisaithu.
Really, chaps who limit their thinking about Telugu to "-lu" jokes - you guys are missing a lot. It is one of the most beautiful, lyrical, musical langauges that ever existed. I am blessed enough to get out of my prejudice and taste the nectar that it is...
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Let me take tarali raada.
Tarali raada tane vasantam
Tana dariki raani vanaala kosam
Gaganaala daaka ala saagakunte
Meghala ragam ila cheruthunda
vennele deepam kondaridA?
-----------------------------
ellaru lEni sallani gaali
andhari kOsam
andhun kaadaa?
Prati madi ni lepe prabhaata ragam
Pade pade chupe pradhaana margam
Edi sontam kosam kaadanu sandesham
Panche guname pote prapanchame shoonyam
Idi teliyani manugada kadha dishanerugani gamanamu kada
Bratukuna leni shruti kaladaa ..
yeda sadi lo ne laya leda (is th
Ye kala(dream) kaina ye kala(art) kaina
jeevita rangam vedika kaada (is not life a big stage...?)
Prajaa dhanam kani kalaavilasam
Ye prayojanam leni vrudha vikasam
Koose koila pothe kaalam aaginda
Paare yere paade maro padam raada
Muraliki gala swaramula kala
pedavini vidi palakadu kada
raagas/sures - can you fill in the blanks/mistakes so I can opick this up tomorrow
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Plum and raagas,
Wonderful, awesome, superb posts :notworthy: I hate myself not knowing telugu to appreciate it's lyrical beauty by Vetturi sundararama murthy, Sirivennela sitarama sastry and many others. Your translation helped me a lot. Thanks for that.
I would prefer these treasure posts and your analysis be carried out in separate thread. Please continue your service, very very interesting!
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superb stuff Plumgaaru and raagas..
Someone please educate me on sumam prathi sumam's subtleties too..
Cant get enough of this song in the past 2 days..
the entire song has been made only for SPB
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Plum and raagas,
Lovely start. Given my current tight situation I am not sure how much I can contribute but will surely put in my best whenever I can. Till then do keep the flag flying :)
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Great start Plum and Raagas :clap: Thoroughly enjoyed your insights on Urakalai Godavari. Very much looking forward to your posts on more Telugu gems.
