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I started listening to paul marriat after reading raajas encounter with him... of course "yedho mogam" song he chose to play for him....
What to say... Raaja operates in altogether different plane compared to RDB & Paul mauriat... more complex in nature... more richer in vocabulary...more soulful than any other....
Sometimes i wonder the lightening speed at which he delivered the music with great quality is the reason people take his outputs in a lighter vein....
Jai :thumbsup:
Story of Raaja's life :) "Only folk, ""doesn't experiment", "no western influences", "same old tabla", "repetitive" etc... the cross he had to bear for daring to create his signature.Quote:
Originally Posted by ananth222
Its this factor IMO (his kind of fusion) that was the main reason he ruled the masses - his music was accessible to the masses and at the same time provided great fodder for the discerning.
At some point he had prepared the audience for something great. Just that the listeners wandered off into MTV territory and slowly finding their way back. when I listen to Vennila kabadi kuzhu's lesa parakkudhu manasu - the 'folk' flavor is there but is not. And when I listen to 80s raja the reason is very evident. There are some details our modern MDs wont get - even if they pour over all the raagas and thaalas. It is in the study of sub culture that Raaja did that the current MDs are unable to do.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bala (Karthik)
The MD of vennila kabaddi kuzhu down played the tabla and used the 'Ghatam' (his father being the maestro he is). Raja would have used strong tabela and used Gada singari (As he explains in the composing sessions to MG Sreekumar). Ghatam's sound is great, but far too urban (to many ghatam itself is 'dated' and traditonal). Such choices here and there are what Raaja makes - other wise as Raagas (hubber) signature points out clearly - only 7 notes.
Another hallmark of Raaja is minimalism - In thalabadhi - one bhogi drum and a shrill flute and one train sound is all it takes to recreate an entire sound scape surrounding a mother and her estranged son, though he had a room full of musicians at his disposal. One needs to keep all of that in mind before judging Raaja - but most of us have become 'encounter specialists' when it comes to our opinions online. So much so - most of the opinions I read on music 100 words or 2000 words - most of the times doesnt deserve to be taken at face value.
Continuing on our efforts to decode Raja (not fossible but ...)
There are not many movies wherein the MD uses the same raga or its close cousin to convey different emotions. I am not talking about the same song sung in happy and sad mood. Those were 'bahe haat ka khel' for our older MDs. (For those who don't know Hindi, it means they could do it with their left hand.) Raja, his predecessors and his successors have done those. I am thinking of two totally different songs from the same movie having the same raga (or a very closely allied raga) but giving rise to totally different emotional experience.
I will not list 'Sundari' and 'Yamunai Atrile' from Dhalapathi (both based on Kalyani / Yamuna Kalyani) here since both are love songs.
The one movie where I saw Raja use Mayamalavagowla and the closely allied raga, Vakulabaranam, was in the Malayalam movie, 'Ponmudipuzhayorathu'. Mayamalavagowla is used in the highly popular 'oru chiri kandal'. This is a typical love song.
Check this out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwG7li3mkQA
Raja, in the same movie, uses Vakulabaranam, which sounds very close to Mayamalavagowla and creates a totally different feel. The song is 'Ammayennu Vaaku'. Listen to it at:
http://www.raaga.com/channels/malaya...arch_fld=ALBUM
I thought that this was the first time he was doing this but saw that he also does this in Karagatakkakari.
http://www.thiraipaadal.com/albums/ALBIRR00276.html
Please check out the songs 'enna petha' in which Raja sings a philosophical song based on Mayamalavagowla and Tippu and Manjari sing 'EngaOoru' which seems to be based on Vakulabaranam. Here he inverts the emotions. In 'Ponmudipuzhayorathu', Mayamalavagowla is used for love and Vakulabaranam for giving a philosophical slant whereas in 'Karagatakkari' he does the opposite.
Has Raja tried something like this in 80s? Will be nice to know.
suresh,
ipo dhan unga writings parthen.
thread la thedi thedi - thedarahae peirya velaiya pochu..
apadi busy a iruku IR threads.... :D
Nice Description about Mayamalawa Gowla and Vagulabaranam.
am listening - Enna petha..
Thanks for karakatakari....
suresh - about Raja
80s Raaja - 90s Raaja - 2000 Raaja - 2010 Raja
ipadithan solla mudiyum.
So 90s Raaja - 80s la illaiyae.... 80s Raaja vera..
ana
Mayamalava Gowla yum Vagulabaranamum iruku suresh...
list dhan podanam....
enaku theirnja 80s Vagulabaranam
Un ennam engae engae - Thambi pondati
idhu 80s Vagulabaranam of Raja
suresh,
am listening - Enga ooru
Frankly spekaing. indha padam vandha apo
ivvalavu inspire pannalai suresh..
ipo dhan inspire panradhu.....
IR songs ellam - jilebi or pickle madhiri
soak soak aga than taste theriyum........
Or
Fruits mahdiri - kaaya irukara kani.......
kaniyaga aanal dhanae taste theiryum........ :D
There are quite a few albums from the early 1980s that had good recording quality - one of them being "TIK TIK TIK" original LP!! not the cassette version - the sound of the 'mirudhang' percussion from 'poo malarndhida' in the original LP, I recall was very crystal clear, even then (I was a little little boy then, more fascinated by the sounds of basslines without even realizing that it was the bass line that gave the effect/tempo to most IR's songs) - I remember that TIK TIK TIK, NIZHALGAL et al were as much a rage in chennai, as was BONEY M and ABBA at that time!!Quote:
Originally Posted by app_engine
Regarding 'enga ooru laila' - another song you can add to that list is 'Sivakaami nenappinile' from KiLippechu ketka vaa. Chirpy song based out of supposedly serious raaga.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sureshs65
As far as lyrics of 'ennai petha aatha' song, nice prophetic lyrics
'veedellaam TV'
'veedhiyile kuppai'.
something writer Jeyamohan has been writing off late with a lot of fervour.
appdiyellama varigal varuthu indha pattula? (ramarajan song?..)Quote:
Originally Posted by jaiganes
npe different song different film - karagaattakkaari 2005Quote:
Originally Posted by eagle
ennai petha aathannu esai eduththu paatha song.
True Jai. Nice lyrics. Infact Raja sings with so much fervour that I wanted to point this song to app_eng and tell him that Raja's thullal is still present :D
...and ensure we don't recommend 'enga ooru laila' to irir123 since it contains lot of 'jinku cha' :lol:
ஏன்?... எதுக்கு இப்படி?.... ஆரம்பத்துலேர்ந்து ஆரம்பிக்கீறிங்க? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Sureshs65
For Suresh,
Same tune (in raga melody) for different bhavas in a same movie.
I am immersed in the emotional melodies of R.V.Udhaya Kumar with Ilayaraja hits.
ejaman is one of the fine 90s movie from him other than kizhakku vaasal, chinna kounder etc..
Oru naalum unnai...(romantic), nilave mugam kaattu...(pathos) same tunes(sindhu bhairavi tunes).
will post more as I tumble down.
vinatha.
Among all RV Udhayakumar Raaja combination film songs, the one I hold very close to my heart is from one of their weakest movies - Nandhavanath Theru.Quote:
Originally Posted by baroque
The song is 'VeLLi nilave'. There is a comforting jeevan in that song that I have not been able to place from where it is coming from. Is it from the simple lyrics or the tune or the music or the rhythms or the singers (SPB & Uma Ramanan).
Nandhavana theru....karthik movie.
mmm...
Few weeks back in ROS thread we were talking about Raga pilu lullabies along with chinnaththaayaval..... IR , dheere se aaja.....chitalkar.
I saw Nandhavana theru music CDs in my local video/ cd shops..'must go bin' :) even last week.
விரலில் சுருதி மீட்டவா...சித்ரா's raga சிந்து பைரவி.
don't forget another Karthik movie from Udhayakumar & Ilayaraja combo..PONNUMANI. :musicsmile:
vinatha.
Vinatha,
Very true about 'Ejaman'. Whenever I think of that movie I think of the Sindhu Bhairavi ragam. Both the songs you mentioned as excellent ones.
My own feeling is that if we look deep we may get more such Sindhubhairavi or Keeravani in the same movie. Raja uses these scales quite often.
Great :)
vinatha.
This thread is very important one.... i request all of you to give inputs... even if its emotional level how Raaja changed your perception thorough out the time period... because so far we have concentrated only on nostalgic aspect...
:exactly:Quote:
Originally Posted by jaiganes
I was NOT a great fan of this song during my school days (when it was released).. after a loooooong time, I listened to this song... definetly SPB's singing boosted its success...Quote:
Originally Posted by Bala (Karthik)
if you see the picturization at the end of the song, ellarum varisaiya saapida ukkarauvaanga.. appo Herione oru "CHINNA" carrierla saapadu poduvaainga.. :D still remember that...
Velli NilavE was a super hit song those days.
I am right now immersed in 'Saami kitte solli vechu' from aavarampoo.
It is the mirror image of 'kodiyile malliyapooo' in terms of context, approach to fusion, arrangement - it is as if Raaja calls for the orchestra - every one is ready with anticipation of kodiyile malliyapoo kind of song for another sea shore romance - and then just like the cards being shuffled, Raja shuffles the deck completely and provides a totally different set of cards and that is the 1990s style of Raja fusion....
Absolutely stunning is one word. Every plucking of the guitar and the Cello is different and sounds noticeably different. I have to listen more and write more on this beauty.
நல்லா கேளுங்க... கேட்டுட்டு எழுதுங்க... பாலை நில காதல் பொதுவானது இரண்டிற்கும் அல்லவா? ... நாம் ராஜாவின் இசையை ஒரு சில பரிமாணங்களில் புரிந்து கொண்டு அபிப்ராயங்களை எழுதுகிறோம்... கொஞ்ச நாள் முன்பு ஒரு பாரத நாட்டியக்கலைஞர் ராஜாவின் இசையை பற்றி முற்றிலும் வேறு ஒரு கண்ணோட்டத்தோடு விளக்கியபோது புரிந்தது ஒன்றுதான்...மேதை என்ற அடைமொழி ஒருவருக்கு பொருந்தும் என்றால் அது ராஜாவுக்கு மட்டும்தான்....Quote:
Originally Posted by jaiganes
'sami kitte solli'. I too have been listening to this album because Aditya music released it and I bought it recently :) The album has some amazing numbers. Was Fazil the director of this?
Need to write more about Raja's arrangements in Telugu in late 90s and 2000s. As oosual time problem.
Dir is bharathan (who later directed Tevar Magan)Quote:
Originally Posted by Sureshs65
in "saami kitta solli" - lyrics almost syncs with tune and plays as another instrument...Quote:
Originally Posted by jaiganes
if it was written for tune :clap: - it synchs with the tune seamlessly...especially charanams
"Aavarampoo" was Bharathan's reprise of his 1980 Malayalam blockbuster "Thakara" (story & screenplay: Padmarajan) that had Prathap Pothen in the lead. Nedumudi Venu's masterly performance of Chellappanasari pushed even the unabashed sexuality in the background. Goundamani did a surprisingly decent job of the same role in the Tamil version that, though a moderate performer at the B.O., will be remembered for one of the best soundtracks of that decade.
Vivasaayi, there are much more Raaja songs with equal or more lyric-tune fidelity than "Sami Kitta". Sample - "Naan erikkarai melirindhu ettu dhisai paarthirundhen", the KJY/Swarnalatha duet from Chinnathayi (1992), a smooth as silk, breezy duet that's playing as I type.
Thanks Suresh for the info (Feels like I am thanking myself :lol: )
Was listening to "awarampoo' and 'chembaruthi' today morning and what an experience it has been. Lovely songs from both films. 'awarampoo' is magic.
Suresh(not 65) - do you have previous in the hub?
Plum,
I think he has. Otherwise I would have got that name :D
BTW, is it the same Suresh who wrote that touching post regarding 'ppove poo chooda vaa'?
Suresh(65) I the reason I asked was to ask the same question you askped - is this the poove poocoodavaa suresh :-)
Plum,
I knew that was reason you were asking and that is why I posted about the song. We are all getting very predictable and therefore very old :lol:
Ok, now getting back to the title of this thread. (I know eagle must be really frustrated seeing this thread go everywhere except where desired by him :D )
One thing about Raja's music which has not changed over the decades is the ability of the song to stand the test of time. Now don't get me wrong. I am not talking about the song lasting for 50 yrs or 100 yrs or so. I don't know if they would and anyway I will not be around to check that theory :) What I mean here is that however long a song be you never get bored!! I hear lot of the new songs. Maybe it is the constant rhythm in the background or the very simplistic charanams or whatever else, by the time the song is the second stanza a sense of tedium sets in. If you are driving your car and unconsciously listening to these songs, the general feeling I get is, "What? The song is still not done!!!" It never happens to me with a Raja song, be it two stanzas, be it three stanzas or more. When driving I suddenly join the song in some place involuntarily. Some classic examples of songs which are long and still sustain your interest are: 'sendazham poovil', 'ilamai enum poon katru', 'karumathur kaatukulle'.
If you see the program which SPB is hosting in Telugu, you can see why the songs don't sound boring even if the length is more. SPB tells a contestant the Raja never tunes two lines the same. There will be some minor change atleast. Added to it he deliberately keeps breaking the rhythm, moving the starting point of the song and gives great interludes that tedium never sets in. This knack is not something every MD knows and even in some of the very famous MDs, you find some songs being too long and you are tired by the end of it!!
CSR once remarked that Raja songs are of two varieties, one which you are hearing continuously and one which you are yet to hear continuously :D While I agree with it largely, many may not agree. What I have seen is this: You either skip a Raja song right in the beginning or if you are into the song, you listen to it completely. You never feel that, let me listen to the first stanza and skip!!! That has been my experience. What has been yours?
adhu sari - I consider myself a old in TF forum but indha forum-la - with chechis and chettans(you, app) around - i yam still a young-ngaQuote:
Originally Posted by Sureshs65
Most definitely true... lot of songs from him which we yet to hear completely mostly screwed up by lyrics.. still contains awesome interludes, musical arrangements... sometime i need to close my ears or lower volume during the vocals and just listen to the music alone...we can start a separate thread for these songs... :idea:Quote:
Originally Posted by Sureshs65
Plum,
Yup. Everything is relative. (Ask the first family of T Nadu :lol:)
But when even our King of Erotica (Bala) can be made to feel old by people like equanimus, you have no chance :D
... or to paraphrase you Plum, all of us are saved by Usha Akka :)
idhu nallA irukku KoE Bala. Bookmarked for future use.Quote:
King of Erotica (Bala)
Plum,
I didn't coin it. He coined it himself :D