The Golden Era of Dr.IR and Dr.SPB

#51 மடை திறந்து தாவும் நதியலை நான்
மனம் திறந்து கூவும் சிறு குயில் நான்
(நிழல்கள், 1980 , கவிஞர் வாலி எழுதியது )

Kavingar Vali is known for his lavish praises on others. This often gets reflected in his movie songs as well. His eulogizing of MGR is legendary in TN. Here he got an opportunity to shower praises on Raja and IR's friend BR went one step ahead - showed the man himself on screen! Perhaps the only occasion where IR's screen appearance had the pinnaNi voice of another individual - ofcourse the thuLLal Balu! One of the songs where IR poured all his youthful energy and SPB excelled in bringing the exact emotions - at times showing exclamation and even sarcasm:-) (rasikarkaL rAjjhiyam had his inimitable iLakkAra sirippu).

The song situation (some aspiring youngster, struggling, gets a chance to compose a song for film producer) should have been a motivation for Raja to come up with such wonderful interludes, knowing that he is writing his personal biography! Every time I hear the strings in the second interlude, it's mei silirppu and the chorus humming after that is AkAyaththil paRappu! I pity BR & Chandrasekar - it was almost forewritten that they can't do justice on screen to such a grand composition! I'd have been shocked had they matched it on screen even 50%. I consider these interludes as certainly beyond picturization!

These are to be felt closing one's eyes!

The AIR time this song had was relatively less compared to the other two biggies from the same movie. However, whenever it was on radio, I felt like jumping and running around - what a feeling (that's what Chandrasekar does on screen BTW)! The guitar that goes along the 'pa-pa-pa-pAppA' of first interlude used to make all the veins getting pumped up!

This came around the time when Trichy AIR intro'd the 1-2 PM "new songs transmission" on Sundays (in addition to their morning film song time of about 40 minutes - i.e. after the AkAshvANi Hindi & English news - each for 10 min starting at 8 AM). I used to get tense if there was anything else coming up between 1 & 2 on Sundays - especially the powercuts in the village (still the valve radio at home). Ofcourse, AIR used to often irritate me by excluding my favourites but that didn't curb the enthu / feverish anticipation for that 1PM program! Obviously IOKS did a lot better with nizhalgaL songs :-)

By now, it was very common to discuss each second & sound of IR songs - every bass guitar note, each cymbal crash was a big point of discussion! This cassette was a regular at the local tea stall too - but I could never have enough of the songs - not even now as these often go on repeat mode!

nizhalgaL - undoubtedly among the top few from IR!

Ah! Nizhalgal! This surely is bound to throw open the flood gates... ini isai pEralai dhaan! Tsunami la summinga poda ellarum readya irunga pa!
LAUAE! (gotta rush now, more later)

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Originally Posted by app_engine

As mentioned earlier, a bigger hit with general public than uRavenum. There was this legend that the tap-tap-tap sound was generated by hand-tapping-on-the-thigh (and not a musical instrument), don't know whether true, but there was strong blah-blah and belief among classmates about this. I don't know whether some mag talked about it or not but I've never read anywhere myself.

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Oh, its all over the internet. Just do a search for 'paruvame thigh'. I have seen SPB saying it in some TV show (Klgr TV vaanampaadi?) and have read this many times in the internet.

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Originally Posted by app_engine

my most fav is that first line of saraNam ("பூந்தோட்டத்தில் ஹோய் காதல் கண்ணம்மா" / "தேனாடும் முல்லை நெஞ்சில் என்னமோ").

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+1.

Madai thiRanthu is not a TV/FM favorite as well. And thanks to yogi b, this song became extremely popular among non-IR fans, even a LOT of non-thamizhs. And every one of them (the ones I know) loved the original more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PucI_AZLaA0

There are some more interesting things (The rAsA on screen is pretty well-known):
1. Prior to the start of the track, there's a harmonium + singing on screen and the voice is IR's
2. The drummer, flautist & the guitarist - were they part of IR's team of the time by any chance? (I love the drums sounds in this song BTW)
3. Is that 'kuyil' IR's? Someone can clarify...

The Yogi B / Natchatra rap version that Nerd talked about (most of us would have checked this out at one point of time or other):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQSDr4609BU

Another youtube of the rap, but this was on stage

Interestingly the audience includes celebrities - SPB (not showing any feelings) & Prabhu / Kushboo- serious...only the actress Sangeetha (pithAmagan) seems to have a taste for the rap...

Unbelievable 4 year old drummer for some keyboard version, in a kalyANa maNdapam

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Originally Posted by app_engine

Unbelievable 4 year old drummer for some keyboard version, in a kalyANa maNdapam

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Very nice... may be we can create a seperate thread in TFM section and try to collect all these treasures.

KV, I have always amazed by your comments. That bonnet and dicki comment :lol:

BTW that was a horrible remix of madai thiranthu. Totally spoiled my mood :( Apart from the rap part what different they did in the song to be called a remix. If you ask me one single thing which you hate the most in the world, it is undoubtedly the 'RAP'. Reminds me of Vaanam second line of first song sung by Simbu. That is what I would do if I see Yogi B.

Some strange associations occur in one's mind between certain things and TFM. For example, like I posted earlier in one of the hub threads, whenever I had a disturbed (or inadequate) sleep, at the time of pal thEyppu the next morning invariably the song 'chellakkiLikaLAm paLLiyilE' gets played in the mind.

Same way, quite often when madai thiRandhu is played, my mind brings back images of Kapil dev thoroughly thrashing Richard Hadlee in the semis of WCC down under :-) Despite the Kapil knock occuring a few years later than this song - may be at the time of our celebration in the hostel this song got played or simply the adi-dhadi of first interlude brings to mind the cracking shots of Kapil - some strange but sweet-memories-relationship :-)

app_eng,

The orchestra looks to be Raja's orchestra. The drummer looks like Purushottaman (Puru) and the guitarist is Sadanandam (Sada sir). Not sure about the flautist. Is it Napolean? Knowledgeable folks can say.

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Originally Posted by app_engine

#51 மடை திறந்து தாவும் நதியலை நான்
மனம் திறந்து கூவும் சிறு குயில் நான்
(நிழல்கள், 1980 , கவிஞர் வாலி எழுதியது )

Kavingar Vali is known for his lavish praises on others. This often gets reflected in his movie songs as well. His eulogizing of MGR is legendary in TN. Here he got an opportunity to shower praises on Raja and IR's friend BR went one step ahead - showed the man himself on screen! Perhaps the only occasion where IR's screen appearance had the pinnaNi voice of another individual - ofcourse the thuLLal Balu! One of the songs where IR poured all his youthful energy and SPB excelled in bringing the exact emotions - at times showing exclamation and even sarcasm:-) (rasikarkaL rAjjhiyam had his inimitable iLakkAra sirippu).

The song situation (some aspiring youngster, struggling, gets a chance to compose a song for film producer) should have been a motivation for Raja to come up with such wonderful interludes, knowing that he is writing his personal biography! Every time I hear the strings in the second interlude, it's mei silirppu and the chorus humming after that is AkAyaththil paRappu! I pity BR & Chandrasekar - it was almost forewritten that they can't do justice on screen to such a grand composition! I'd have been shocked had they matched it on screen even 50%. I consider these interludes as certainly beyond picturization!

These are to be felt closing one's eyes!

The AIR time this song had was relatively less compared to the other two biggies from the same movie. However, whenever it was on radio, I felt like jumping and running around - what a feeling (that's what Chandrasekar does on screen BTW)! The guitar that goes along the 'pa-pa-pa-pAppA' of first interlude used to make all the veins getting pumped up!

This came around the time when Trichy AIR intro'd the 1-2 PM "new songs transmission" on Sundays (in addition to their morning film song time of about 40 minutes - i.e. after the AkAshvANi Hindi & English news - each for 10 min starting at 8 AM). I used to get tense if there was anything else coming up between 1 & 2 on Sundays - especially the powercuts in the village (still the valve radio at home). Ofcourse, AIR used to often irritate me by excluding my favourites but that didn't curb the enthu / feverish anticipation for that 1PM program! Obviously IOKS did a lot better with nizhalgaL songs :-)

By now, it was very common to discuss each second & sound of IR songs - every bass guitar note, each cymbal crash was a big point of discussion! This cassette was a regular at the local tea stall too - but I could never have enough of the songs - not even now as these often go on repeat mode!

nizhalgaL - undoubtedly among the top few from IR!

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Hi

WOW, one of my hot favourite songs !!! getting all excited just to write about it! i have never stop listening to it and still in love like the first time with it even aft hearing it for umpteenth times!!!

Absolutely in love with those 2 great sigaranggal! What a stylishly,cool, laid back singing from SPB!!! tamilla anayasamaana style of singing nnu sollalaam !

I think this is probably the only song that has IR miming, in his buddy SPB's voice!

இந்த பாடலில் எனக்கு பிடித்த வரிகள் :
1. புது ராகம் படைப்பதாலே நானும் இறைவனே !
2. இசைக்கென இசைகின்ற ரசிகர்கள் ராஜ்ஜ்ஜியம் எனக்கேதான் !

Such powerful lyrics ! Fitting perfectly for both the greats!

IRaivan thaan !!

SPB sir, innamum intha rasigar koottam ungge paattei isanthu kettukonde iruppom ! Isai vazhum varai !

Harmoniathla arambikkera, taaleelaaa...apperom mei silirkka veikkum guitar interludes,hummings!!!
Oru nimisham kude toivillamaal paadal muzhukka athi vegam! And finishing off with SPB's namattu sirippu, No one can ever do tht, oru chinna namattu sirippu thaan, but athukku evlo periya arthathei avar serthukkar! What a treat !

But antha paatte screen la pakkerapo azhugai azhugaiyaa varum! Enna kodume saar ! Yen ittene per teveiye illame beach oramaa jung junggunu kutichikittu irukangge! Pavam, chandrshekarkku on screen la atiga batshamaa pengaloda nadicha paadal katchi ithuvathaan irukkanum!

Im not a big fan , of remixes, most of the time, payapullainge remix-ndra perla original song-eh kadichi kotareraange!
Best songs are NOT remix materials! Strictly NO NO for me ! But in their case yogi B & natchathira, the album really boosted their career, thanks to SUNTV, these guys became really popular ! Innamum IR & SPB pala perukku intha roobathula kai koduthu konde thaan irukange.

Great write ups app-eng ! Thoroughly enjoying your personal experience and I can imagine your glory days... :-))
Must have been one heck of a era !

Thanks Sureshji for the confirmation on the orchestra!

Thank you Divine22 for the kind words! Yes, it was nothing short of IR-addiction during my +2 / college days!

While madai thiRanthu is the Kapil version, there's another GRV number in this movie that comes next - stylish to the core (the Thamizh commentator on Madras AIR - Ramamoorthy, IAS used to describe that even the defence of Gundappa was stylish). Ofcourse, this song had everything - run up of Hadlee, wrist work of Azhar, foot work of Sachin - a glorious kEdhAram...

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Originally Posted by Nerd

A friend of mine had recorded this song over and over again on one side of a 90 cassette. I borrowed it from him and never returned it.

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Unggala mathiri aala-than remba naala tedikkitirukken. Lost many cassettes/cds/vcds, last few years I've been very wise.:smile:

#52 இது ஒரு பொன் மாலைப்பொழுது
(நிழல்கள், 1980 , வைரமுத்துவின் முதல் பாடல்)

Brilliance, innovation and style - all in one!

I'll happily give this song the "most innovative IFM song" award! Ofcourse, I'm not musically qualified to comment on this but at the minimum, out of my 35+ years of active listening to TFM, I've never been as much overwhelmed, dumbfounded, totally overcome by awe etc by any other number as pon mAlaippozhudhu. What a great combo - SPB / IR / BR / VM to create this masterpiece, equivalent to any great classical piece ever created in the field of music!

I'll keep heaping such praises to no end to this and don't want to test the patience of hubbers, ok, full stop here :-)

I'll let others throw in their opinions on this brillant piece...will share my personal experiences with this number in the morning...

There is another charanam (according to VM lyrics book) that was not recorded for the song. But yeah, VM's first (any dispoot?) and the best. Simplicity at best.

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Originally Posted by app_engine

[url=http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer.asp?sngs='SNGIRR2407'&lang=en].

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Excellent Song, it was even loved by Non Music lovers and even the " Isaiyaal vasamaha ithaiyangal" ! My mum used to tell me how my Grand father, who never listens to music or watch movies in his entire life, became a SPB fan (atic) on hearing this song! He must have been around 75 years when this song came out!

I remember some concerts / Song competitions in London were even named after this song as "Ithu Oru pon malai pozhuthu". SPB sir, your voice is beyond description, simply divine!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hymujdC0mlw&feature=player_detailpage

There was this small river (kAttARu) that connected my dad's village & the village where he worked (i.e. where we lived and was the place of my first 16 years of life). Though it is not a border TN area but a nadoo-center of TN, this river had an interesting Sanskrit name "santhAna varththini". The first time I recognized it could be so powerful was when in 9th (1977) when a huge flood happened and this one was a contributor to the wiping out of a couple of villages :-( Otherwise, it was only doing 'azhagu' to the village with its sand & some water appearing for a couple of months each year.

Well, it had a check-dam, using which some water was diverted to a koLam ('ayyan koLam' and the dam was called 'ayyan koLaththu aNai' or simply 'ayyaNai'). Until my 9th grade, I've never been there - though boys often talk about it (a couple of miles away from home, no water anyways, fearing dad etc). During this famous flood year, ventured to it with some classmates and was thoroughly fascinated by the sound of water, the 'ayirai', 'keNdai', 'keLuththi', 'kuRavai' kind of fish and the whole surroundings! The river had nice bamboo trees on the bank and the whole place was like a new-found-paradise to me.

We had a few more years of decent rainy seasons (ADMK folks claimed it was due to 'nallavar Atchi') and my visits to ayyaNai became a lot more frequent, often alone. This is probably the time when I understood that one can also enjoy solitude:-) Naturally, all this appreciation for nature and its beauty followed. Enjoying those for hours became another addiction.

It was in this background that VM arrived in TFM, who over the years has proved to be the best in this domain. During my +1 / +2 years, many hours of riverside was accompanied by 'pon mAlaippozhudhu' playing in the mind :-)

App,
After reading your post, I feel calmness, just like the serene blue skies with gentle breeze brushing me. Very apt and wonderful description for one of the most adorable song in film music. Excellent App :notworthy:

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Originally Posted by app_engine

There was this small river (kAttARu) that connected my dad's village & the village where he worked (i.e. where we lived and was the place of my first 16 years of life).

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மறைமுகமாக உங்கள் வயதை கூறுகிறீர்கள் :lol2:

Excellent work Anna Keep it up !

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PARAMASHIVAN

மறைமுகமாக உங்கள் வயதை கூறுகிறீர்கள்

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இதில் மறைமுகம் ஒண்ணுமே இல்லையே :-) எல்லாமே நேரடி தான்!

இங்க மட்டும் இல்ல - பல முறை 'வயசாயிப்போச்சு'ன்னு ஹப்'ல பொலம்பியாச்சு :-)

'pon mAlaippozhudhu' was a phenomenal success on radio - especially the IOKS. (Ofcourse, I had my sweet Sunday 1 o'clock dates with Trichy AIR, thoroughly getting drenched with the second interlude of pon mAlaippozhudhu, but these were few and far between).

My memory on this part w.r.t. the timing is not perfect but there was a program during this time period at IOKS that had people voting and picking a song as #1 hit (or #2,#3 etc depending upon the number of votes). They'll also take the song at the bottom of the chart out of the program each week while introducing a new one. 'pon mAlaippozhudhu' had a good time in that program.

With so much of attachment to nizhalgaL songs (and to IR/BR combo in general at that point of time, even though I haven't seen a single movie of theirs yet), it was so much disappointing to see the movie's dismal performance at BO. That too when the arch-rival combo (KB-MSV) had a roaring hit, VNS, that released on the same day.

Well, as usual, the same routine - 'flop padaththulayE pAttellAm ivvaLavu hittu - IR magic - blAh blAh' - with classmates :-)

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Originally Posted by app_engine

That too when the arch-rival combo (KB-MSV) had a roaring hit, VNS, that released on the same day.

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What is VNS ??

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Originally Posted by PARAMASHIVAN

What is VNS ??

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Color of poverty is reddu :-)

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Originally Posted by app_engine

Color of poverty is reddu :-)

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Oh Varumayin Niram Sigappu was released in 1980 :shock:

I Love the song " சிற்பி இருக்குது முத்தும் இருக்குது " song to the core, it is like competition between SPB and SJ as to who is better than who, just love the bit when SPB says/sings " மயக்கம் தந்தது யார் மதுவோ அமுதோ கவியோ " :notworthy:

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Originally Posted by V_S

App,
After reading your post, I feel calmness, just like the serene blue skies with gentle breeze brushing me. Very apt and wonderful description for one of the most adorable song in film music. Excellent App :notworthy:

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நன்றி, V_S !

During the times when I'm doing a long drive in the night (alone or with others in the vehicle deep asleep), songs like this keep me bright and awake - mind replaying all the nostalgia while music providing the physical sensation!

SPB live performance of "Idhu Oru Pon Maalai Pozhudhu", VM talking about "omitted" saranam and then SPB sings the omitted saranam in the concert.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waAj9...eature=related

The Part 1 had VM talking about his first song and experience with IR and BR. That video is no longer to be found on youtube.

#53 பாவையர்கள் மான் போலே, காவிரியின் மீன் போலே
(ஒரே முத்தம், 1980 , ஜானகியுடன்)

Now this is a totally different kind of song from an obscure movie. (Movie known today only by a couple of songs that had regular radio time - this one and PJ's 'rAjAppoNNu, adi vAdiyammA, konjam Anandha nAttiyadam Adadi'). When they used to transmit this song on radio, I never bothered to find out the movie / composer. My automatic response upon listening to the stage-drama-like beginning was "it can't be a rAsA pAttu". The sudden genre changing into some cheesy sounds / lyric, finally some praise for Indiraji etc (nallathOr peNmaNi nAttaiyum ALalAm) made one look in the other direction (or try some other station etc) when this was heard those days.

All said, no one of my age group could have avoided hearing this song at one point of time or other.

Ofcourse I knew the PJ's song to be IR's and was fond of it but never connected the 'pAvaiyarkaL mAn pOlE' with that one as a buddy. In any case, in course of this current SPB-IR compilation process, came across this one as IR's & from the same movie - orE muththam. Since this was at least a radio-hit those days, I'm obliged to include in this thread.

Ofcourse, SPB's singing is impeccable as usual :-) Some may like this song overall, though not fondly remembered by me...

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Originally Posted by PARAMASHIVAN

Oh Varumayin Niram Sigappu was released in 1980 :shock:

I Love the song " சிற்பி இருக்குது முத்தும் இருக்குது " song to the core, it is like competition between SPB and SJ as to who is better than who, just love the bit when SPB says/sings " மயக்கம் தந்தது யார் மதுவோ அமுதோ கவியோ " :notworthy:

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One of the best ever in SPB-SJ combo. Kavingar & MSV competing with each other. Kamal & Sridevi on screen. Very memorable number!
(Also memorable for one rare pronunication blemish by SPB - 'தேவை பாவள் பார்வை' , I'm 100% sure the line written with the rhyme was 'தேவை பாவை பார்வை'. I wonder if SPB was singing from English transliteration and there was a typo - paavai and paaval could look similar and those supposed to correct could have been 'DUI' :wink:)

அப்புறம், பரம், ரிலீஸ் டேட்டுக்கு என் சாக் ஆகுறீங்க?

ரஜினியோட பொல்லாதவனும் இதே நாளில் வெளி வந்தது தான்:-) 1980 deepAvaLi releases...

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Originally Posted by app_engine

[URL="http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer.asp?sngs='SNGIRR2457'&lang=en"]#53

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Totally unaware of this song. And App, you bringing us back to your village, :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by app_engine

, I'm 100% sure the line written with the rhyme was 'தேவை பாவை பார்வை'. I wonder if SPB was singing from English transliteration and there was a typo - paavai and paaval could look similar and those supposed to correct could have been 'DUI' :wink:)

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App anna

AFAIK, he does pronounce that as பாவை :roll: Will re visit the song again and confirm it, if that is true, this will be SPB's first ever pronounciation error :oops:

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Originally Posted by groucho070

And App, you bringing us back to your village, :thumbsup:

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As I've not been there for almost a decade, these songs are actually bringing me back there :-)

dig

That 1977 flood is so much in my memory. Would like to recall one more "songs-to-sambavams" connection with that time period.

We were living in the high school campus (both parents worked there) and the house we were given was considered to be in moisture-risky condition with the possibility of walls caving in. So, each night we slept in another building, which shared a wall with the school hostel / mess. A couple of mess workers (cooks) were Ayyappa sAmees and will start their singing at 5 AM, waking us up.

So, whenever / wherever I hear the song 'ERukinRa malai thanilE Adi varum sAmi - ayyappa sAmee, aruL puri sAmi', I get instantaneous flood nightmare:-)

We moved to a different house in a few months (which was the same building as my 1-5 grade school :lol: )

end-dig

#54 ஜெர்மனியின் செந்தேன் மலரே
(உல்லாசப்பறவைகள், 1980 , ஜானகியுடன்)

With a sweet 45 second long prelude, a jubilant song in a lovely, lovely album! Another song that reinforced my conviction that SPB-SJ is the best duet pair ever for movie songs:wink: Both of them seem to thoroughly enjoy singing the song that continues all the way in the postlude. An evergreen melody combined with killer orchestration resulting in a winner song!

At this point of time, IR's mastery of using synthetic sounds in association with live instruments was impeccable. That's because, live sounds formed 90% of the score while the "new sounds" only showed up here and there for some curiosity, some thrill, to take care of the "situations that the director had thrown in" or simply as a product differentiator from competitors - i.e. more like special effects (and not exactly music), as we observe in the prelude of this song.
(Other examples -the bird sounds of pon mAlaippozhudhu or the comical sounding thingies in the beginning of the first interlude of madai thiRandhu to match Chandrsekar jumpings). The SJ solo 'azhagu Ayiram' of UP had more of such "special effects" and was lapped up by me when arrived. (The traditional sounding 'deiveega rAgam' and stunningly modern 'nAn unthan thAyaga vENdum' were big favourites too).

Germaniyin was the radio favourite, however, and had much more air time than all others combined, IMO. For a decade or so, I lost contact with this song before getting that red color inreco CD from Bangalore in the late 90's (or may be even later) which had this as the first track. ('germaniyin' had decent recording and so was 'ninaivO oru paRavai' but others were horrible - esp 'siru pon maNi asaiyum' and 'O nenjamE idhu un rAgamE').

I'm often reminded of the title music of this movie whenever I hear this song. It appeared on the ninaivellAm nithyA disk much later (along with a number of tik-tik-tik BGMs) and got copied on to one of my collegemate's cassette by a recording center - fantastic piece!

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Originally Posted by app_engine

#54 ஜெர்மனியின் செந்தேன் மலரே
(உல்லாசப்பறவைகள், 1980 , ஜானகியுடன்)

With a sweet 45 second long prelude, a jubilant song in a lovely, lovely album! Another song that reinforced my conviction that SPB-SJ is the best duet pair ever for movie songs:wink: Both of them seem to thoroughly enjoy singing the song that continues all the way in the postlude. An evergreen melody combined with killer orchestration resulting in a winner song!

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Indeed a very Joyfull and youth full song ! 31 years ago they were singing and dancing in hamburg! :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQx70vAtrm8&feature=player_detailpage

Rati Agnihorthri :lol2:

I refrained from Germaniyil for many years due to overdose. Abuse. By myself. In fact, it is not in my collection, and it's easy to access, but I refrained. I dare not click on your link, app, or I will get hooked again :smile:.

Having said that, I caught the clips couple of time on TV. Such youthfullness ably matched by Kamal and Rathi.

+1 Grouch.

But I have an additional problem - andha link-ai click paNNAmalEyE andha pAttu kaadhula repeat loop-la start to finish fullA oliparappAgi kittirukku.

:lol: Same same.