The Golden Era of Dr.IR and Dr.SPB

[app_engine]

#261 ஐ வான்ட் டு டெல் யு சம்திங்
மற்றும்
ஹே யு யு கம் டு மீ
(ஆனந்த, 1987 )

Recently, skr sir had been trying to collect rAsA's English songs and this Anand movie is notorious for contributing 2 among his list, though not entirely English songs Both are part of this post and I've heard them on buses, both as songs themselves and as fillers (cassette ends). Nicely paced, dance worthy and some interesting arrangements (guitar / wind konjam thookkal & drums as per prevailing standards of the time). In any case, I don't remember having any emotional connections with these songs but I'm fairly sure they were heard around TN and can be classified as "bus-hits".

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, let me use these songs to talk about a huge shift in my music listening sensitivities around this time period. I am very sure most IRF's who are today in 40's-50's had undergone similar shifts during their lifetime (some prompted by IR getting into other lang fields, others prompted by his interviews / statements etc). Most hubbers here can relate to predominantly listening to alternate forms of music at one point of lifetime or others. Well, to me that started during late-87 and went on to full-blown state in the next few years It wasn't like the leanings towards MJ or MFM but on a much more strong bonding level. Ofcourse not HFM (already informed in a reply to Plum).

While frequenting the cassette / recording shops in Palakkad (actually there weren't too many, 3 or 4 cassette shops & only one recording place I'd been to), on one evening I spotted this casstte with a beautifully illustrated inlay card. It had the name "Paul Mauriat"! What! I couldn't believe my eyes and kaNNaikkasakki vittu, maRupadi pArththu made sure. The album had the name 'nagekidori'. (From the time I read about him in Kumudam sangeethakkanavukaL, his appreciation for EdhO mOgam etc, the name was strongly wired in my mind and I didn't have even think a second to recognize the name). Within a minute, the cassette was mine and I was feverishly walking to the room to stuff it into the walkman.

'nagekidori' was PM's own composition and had mesmerizing flute work that did something to the nAdi-narambu. Then there was the instrumental version of Whitney Houston's "Didn't we almost have it all" that I immediately recognized and was spellbound by the tremendous arrangements. The best piece, however, was "back to the pyramids" (I'll try to get youtube links once I reach home). It pushed the spirit to some levels that I've never experienced prior! (Ofcourse, I may not feel the same way today - but at that age, circumstances and position, it was...unlike anything I've experienced before...do I sound like some sAmiyArs / preachers? Music has power I say!)

Thus started my hunt of any cassette with his name on it! 'Love is blue' 'Classics in the air 2/3' are among the best but there were just too many and every visit to Bangalore had me hunting around the music shops for some collection of him or other and I was also feverishly sharing them with many associates, relatives (sometimes gifting - last year I met a cousin after years and she had Love is Blue on the smart phone (not by PM, some other version) and recalled how I introduced to her that track years before). I was overjoyed when identifying the Mozart symphony that was used by National Panasonic as demo to be PM's version!

It wasn't a fad but lasted for years, changing my music listening taste forever! Even now, I can't stop with just one listen of 'love is blue'!