The Raaja of Erotica

[KV]

KV
Thanks a lot for introducing us (me) to this song. Brilliant song and superb write-up

Jai,
Yes, can't remember another instance where God has used an inter-charanam-lude....

Nandri B(K). The inter-charanam-lude is quite unique indeed and look at its effectiveness, its exactness.
The charanam, from its start already proceeds with gears shifted up. Then he suddenly escalates it further, and its how he chooses to do it - a commanding, pounding bass line laced with a contrasting, shivery keyboard lead. Orgasmic accentuation!
The lyrics that immediately follows here - inbam ennum uchcham, adhil innum illai michcham - oh, could'nt have been more apt!
If this was tune first, lyrics next, lyricistku oru kumbudu. If it was paatukku mettu, dhievame, for that godly sleight of hand, saashtangam!

Chalakku chalakku got me searching for the 'Classical Ilayaraja' articles by (by Lakshminarayan Srirangam Ramakrishnan). Seeding days of my IR fanaticism! (is LSR still an active hubber?)

[Bala (Karthik)]

Aaha. At last Raja brings Bala(Karthik) out of hibernation Welcome.

//dig
Nandri nga. What's life without God? Always on....

Wanted your clarification on something that's been eating my head:
What is the time signature of the song "Devanin Koyilile" (Vellai Roja)? Looks like 3 beat going by the tune but the rhythm doesn't seem so. Conpees! (Idha Indha thread dhaan kedachidha nu kekkaadheenga)

[Sureshs65]

Bala,

I think you were referring to 'Devanin Kovil' of 'Aruvadai Naal'. Heard it now trying to figure out the time signature. My feeling is that the actual rhythm played is the 4 beat but when the rhythm plays in the charanams, the congos (or bongos) join with a different time signature, giving a sort of what Ravi Natarajan calls the polyrhythm effect. The rhythm keeps the 4 beat constant. The pallavi is 4 beat but in the charanam, Raja doesn't do a 4 beat strictly as far as the tune is concerned.

If you observe the charanam lines, "naan oru soga / sumaithangi' 'thunbam thaangum / idithangi'. In this, the first part, 'naan oru soga' occupies 5 beats and the second part, 'sumaithangi' occupies 3 beats. In short instead of going 4 + 4, Raja goes 5 +3 as far as tune is concerned throughout the charanam. All the while keeping the 4 beat constant in the background. This creates a sort of asymmetric effect, which is ofcourse delicious.

And to end with the mandatory, "Thanks for making me listen to the lovely song again".

[Bala (Karthik)]

Suresh,
No, i meant the Malaysia Vasudevan song "Devanin Koyilile yaavarum deepangale" from the NT starrer 'Vellai Roja'

[Sureshs65]

Aaa aah. So I have been 'pudungifying' all unwanted nails !!!

Hearing the 'Devanin Kovilile' of 'Vellai Roja' for the first time. The song is indeed a 3 beat one. The rhythm though is 4 beat. That is why when the pallavi ends you can hear the drum beat play a different roll so as to get in sync with the 3 beat. Thanks for pointing to this song. A very nice and energetic one indeed. Can be used as the proof of Raja's 'energy' with drumming that app_eng was talking about in another thread.

I think we will stop this one now. People may come here thinking some new erotic update has happened only to read some 'dandanaka' update!!!

[V_S]

KV,
'Dhegam Pon Dhegam' thirumbavum kettaen, could not stop this song. Continuous'a oru 20 thadava kettiruppen. I could not forget SJ's singing, bass tracks, mridangam and what not, captured me completely. Even though sung softly, a very very wild song and the wildest imagination from Maestro! Even I cannot convince myself such an outstanding composition is coming from a obscure movie, as it will never be heard (other than HCIRFs). But how come Raja got convinced to give such a song to a film like this. Just because he never treats any film inferior or superior, it is the destiny and as if this song has to be born in that 'hour of need'. Easily the song of that decade!. To create a composition like this, only Raja can do, nobody else. Engeyo piranthirukka vendiyavar, very very unlucky romba kashtama irukku.

Thanks again for introducing such an almighty!

[skr]

Just heard Dhegam Pon Dhegam..Simply blown away..Thanks for unravelling this hidden treasure..

[Bala (Karthik)]

Suresh,
Mikka nandri Thala. Yes, that's how it sounded to me...

"That is why when the pallavi ends you can hear the drum beat play a different roll so as to get in sync with the 3 beat" - idhe dhaan. Arumaya reconcile panniruppaaru...

Hearing the 'Devanin Kovilile' of 'Vellai Roja' for the first time. The song is indeed a 3 beat one. The rhythm though is 4 beat. That is why when the pallavi ends you can hear the drum beat play a different roll so as to get in sync with the 3 beat. Thanks for pointing to this song. A very nice and energetic one indeed. Can be used as the proof of Raja's 'energy' with drumming that app_eng was talking about in another thread.

I think we will stop this one now. People may come here thinking some new erotic update has happened only to read some 'dandanaka' update!!!

[Bala (Karthik)]

Like others here, completely blown away by Dhegam Pon Dhegam When it comes to bass lines, Raaja is the undisputed emperor, a monopoly.
And SJ is the best, bar none

There was an interview with Vijay Antony in Aanandha Vigadan recently. On being asked if he was a fan of any MD, he said something like this (not verbatim):
"Naan oru isaiyamaippaalarukku dhaan rasigan. Avar Ilaiyaraaja. Avar senjadha yaaralayum seyya mudiyaadhu. Andha yaanai thinnuttu potta michatha dhaan naanga yellarum senjutrukkom"

[Sureshs65]

KV,

Just realised that I had also posted about this same song in the early days of this thread. This is what I wrote:

"The next song I want to bring to notice is from the film 'Anbullale Malare'. The song is 'daeham pondaegam'. Sung by, who else, Janaki. If you observe the other erotic songs, Raja almost always uses a rhythm which is not free flowing. Technically he doesn't prefer using the chatusram or 4x4 gait. It generally is a gait like 5x4 or what we call the kanda nadai. The gap in the beats and a sort of asymmetry reflecting the unsteadiness of the mind during times of passion. Think of 'ponmeni urugude', 'sviarathiri', 'nethi raatiri' etc. This particular song breaks that mold and the rhythm is a free flowing one (though the song is not!!) The rhythm in this song accentuates the desire of the singer. The rhythm goes constantly and with an urgency. The tune doesn't move smoothly but instead moves in a sort of start and stop manner. And this creates the necessary tension in the song. The bass guitar with the drums starting the proceedings with the mridangam, synthesizer and the lead guitar joining in. This is an excellent example of an outstanding team performance. Everyone, the bass and lead guitars, synthesizer, drums, mridangist and Janaki are in top form. This is orchestration to die for. I am sure people like app_eng and shank, who love this sort of sounds, are ecstatic about this song. Will we ever get back such ensemble performances? (Unfortunately thiraipaadal does not have this song. If some kind soul can upload it or link it, I am sure there will be many who will shower their blessings on him / her.)"