Singer 'Swarnalatha' passes away!

[raagadevan]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...icle627430.ece

[aruvi]

First news I read this afternoon. Are there any words to express the shock and sadness of music lovers? Over the years, music has come to mean more than a handful of favorite personalities. I am deeply saddened that such a wonderful singer has been lost. Cannot but feel despair in times like these. What a voice and what a talent. At times, I have wondered why I was not hearing more of this unique voice. Who can forget the beginning hymn of "Ennai thottu" or the mesmerizing "Malayil Aaro". To think that we can't expect any new songs from that voice ...

En aathangathai unartha vaarthaikal illai. Intha azhakiya ulagathai kodutha iraivan, kadum thunbangalai en serthu koduthaaro. Intha iLa vayathil nOii/maranam enbathu perum vethanai.

Rest in peace, Swarnalatha.

[Plum]

That voice. I call it self-echoing, for lack of knowledge of technical terms. Shall we say it reverberates within itself?

The song that probably brings out this best is a sleeper hit, and predictably enough, didnt get much mileage even among fans mourning her untimely death yesterday, too. Ennai thottu aLLi koNda from unna nenachEn pAttu padichEn.

For want of technical knowledge, I'll put it in layman terms
There is a certain quality about that voice - as though it fills only 3/4th of your ear and the rest being filled by a captivating echo. This song starts with a humming, which I suspect is there only because she is singing it. It captures the self-echo of her voice in its most captivating form, and is practically irreplicable in any form. Ask me, I have tried and seen it being tried in different forums and forms. The twists and turns of the song seem to be composed exclusively for that voice - with such sweet, crisp (what I call) hairpin bends - if you didnt understand that, listen again at the following points.
"thAlaattum tharuNam." Abrupt turn. "sorgam sorgam"..."seerAtta varaNum".Abrupt turn.

That's tough to pull off without compromising on the sweetness. SPB does the same thing but ofcourse he makes the turns smooth rather than abrupt. I somehow prefer the abruptness in Swarna's turns than the smoothness of the experienced driver SPB.

She was unique. Probably the last TFM singer to have a definitively individual voice of her own.

One aspect of Swarna's singing - if you have watched the rare captures of her recordings on television - is that she strains very hard. Even as the song is as pleasing as mAlaiyil yArO, her face registers an unusual pain quotient while delivering it. Perhaps, the lung problem had something to do with it. Perhaps, that had something to do with her lung problems.

Even without Mano's comments on her troubled life, one could sense it in the permanent pain in her face, and the unmarried existence with her fraternity depending on her(as it seems to me). Perhaps, death was deliverance for her rather than cruelty.

37. Same as mine. What is there to say? Even as I type this, it reminds me of my mortality, it dawns on me that this is an arrogant way of looking at it -as though events happen in this world for the sole purpose of my entertainment and enlightenment.

[Plum]

"Who can forget the beginning hymn of "Ennai thottu" or the mesmerizing "Malayil Aaro".

Yes, Aruvi. To me, that hum defines K.C.Swarnalatha. It just cant be replicated.

[Sureshs65]

For the past three days, during our drive out of town, we were hearing Swarnalatha's songs. Especially 'malayil yaaro' and 'ennule ennule'. Later yesterday I was hearing 'povoma oorgolam' and its sad counterpart. Shocked to hear this news. May her sould rest in peace. Condolences to her family members.

[Sureshs65]

Plum,

Agree with you. She was the last of the unique voices we got to hear. My daughter, who is always listen to some pop drivel was taken in by 'ennulle ennulle' so much that she asked for a rewind!!! Something which I thought would never happen!! 'malayil' gains so much for her voice and delivery, making it a very unique song. The gait of that song, the orchestration and her singing, everthing has the stamp of a classic written on it.

'ennai thotu' was a recent disovery for me. Loving this song. Very apt writeup by you.

[kugan98]

May her soul rest in peace.

[genesis]

Very young to die.

There is one special song from Naangal... what a beautiful rendering!!

http://as01.coolgoose.com/music/song...d7967e43af50f4

Few years back she sung in Bheema for Harris Jeyaraj. I have not heard any new song from her after that. Is that her last?



May her soul rest in peace.

[K]

http://radiospathy.blogspot.com/2010...g-post_12.html

A Tribute

[interz]

My favourite Swarnalatha songs in tamil are:

MD - Vidyasagar
Thirumana malargal (Poovellam Un Vaasam)
Hey Saloma (Subash)
Hawala Hawala (Subash)
Unnai Parthathum (MR Madras)
Vayasu pathikichu (Villadhi Villain)
Themthalakkadi (Villadhi Villain
Hey Shabba (Karna)
Sixteena Seventeena (Thayin Manikodi)
Mr Hollywood (Thayin Manikodi)
Chithiraiyil (Sivapathigaram)
Vinnum Mannum (Senkottai)
Hey Menalotchani (Vedham)
Poovanathil (Thambi)

MD - A R Rahman
Ey Muthu Paappa (Vandicholai Sinnaraasu)
Usalampetti Penkutti (Gentleman)
Raakozhi Rendu (Uzhavan)
Poongatrile (Uyire)
Maya Machinda (Indian)
Akkadunnu Naanga (Indian)
Mel Isaiye (MR Romeo)
Mottu Vittatha (Pavitra)
Muqala Muqabla (Kadhalan)
Kuchi Kuchi Rakkamma (Bombay)
Lucky Lucky (Ratchagan)
Jeeva (Jodi)

Ilayaraja:
Oor Adangum Samathile (Puthupatti Ponnuthayi)
Aattama Therottama (Captain Prabakaran)
Kaattu Kuyil (Chinna Maapplai)
Maalaiyil Yaaro (Chatriyan)
Raakkamma Kaiyai (Thalapathi)

You can listen to many of her songs here:
http://thiraipaadal.com/singer.php?S...alatha&lang=en