Raja's Gems - the latest one you heard...Part 3

[app_engine]

AhA, Plum, you reminded me of the original 'mARugO mARugO' of veRRi vizhA

That 'jingu-chakkA' is perhaps the most jubilant / freaky / funny sound ever made by the Miss.Serious
(Possibly the SPB effectu )

[baroque]

My energy is flying high this evening while driving with

POPISH ILAYARAJA WITH JAZZY PIANO AND SCAT SINGING.....NETRU INDHA NERAM....TIK TIK TIK



KING OF POP,ILAYARAJA, THE GREATEST!
டிக் டிக் டிக் - என்ன ஆல்பம் இது!

ராசா, you are rocking non-stop from 80s!

vinatha

[KV]

App, I’m with you on this one. For all the sweetness and precision in her singing, I’ve found Chitra wanting in emotions when it comes to fun songs. Somehow, that ‘let go of oneself’ required for some songs doesn’t happen with her. Periamma (hehehe, enna oru christening, App!) is the undisputed queen in this regard. While in some songs like Maarugo and Pakkam vandhu ninnAl enna one can see Chitra trying to make an extra effort to tread the unfamiliar territory, the numbers are way too few when compared to Janaki. One example that instantly pops up in my mind is Machchi mannAru. Raaja’s singing is bang on the buck, sAvadi singing. And almost sounding lost, Chitra renders it quite meekly (I don’t know, maybe the song demanded her to sing that way). Her voice and singing has an unmistakable ‘chammathu ponnu’ quality to it, the flipside of being technically top-notch, maybe.
Janu’s voice, on the other hand, can oscillate between the timid-girl to ultra-hottie with baffling ease, albeit a shaky/screechy tone; the effortless versatility easily weighing down the not-so-good aspects.
Shreyakutti’s vocal ability is yet to be explored wholly, me thinks, but the output so far has been extremely satisfying. There’s only one way she’s heading and that’s towards greatness; quoting a cliché, legend in the making.

[Querida]

KV, great detailed analysis

One example that instantly pops up in my mind is Machchi mannAru. Raaja’s singing is bang on the buck, sAvadi singing. And almost sounding lost, Chitra renders it quite meekly

never heard of machan manaru song before...
Janaki would have been just as expressive and candid as Raja in this song...

you can hear Chitra trying to fit the character of the song in these lines:

"ada sammu sammunu vaasam
sallu sallunu thookkum
sammu sammunu vaasam
sallu sallunu thookkum"

"nOvu oru nOvu puriyaama aeRum "

Her voice and singing has an unmistakable ‘chammathu ponnu’ quality to it, the flipside of being technically top-notch, maybe.
Janu’s voice, on the other hand, can oscillate between the timid-girl to ultra-hottie with baffling ease, albeit a shaky/screechy tone; the effortless versatility easily weighing down the not-so-good aspects.

even when Chitra sang "Madura Marikozunthu Vaasam" with Mano on Junior Super Singer she was very bashful...but the punch is what makes this song...

especially when singing lines like:

"idhu ippOdhu vaattudhennae
paattu oNNai avuththu vidu "

well atleast she is not completely emotionless...she certainly is soulful when it comes to melodies and sad/yearning songs.

[Querida]

recently stuck on Thakida Thadimi...thought I would listen to whole album again
what a surprise when i came upon:"Kaaviri Mangai Vanthaalammaa Ennudan Kaiveesi"
I don't even remember ever hearing this song in the movie....I even checked if TP just listed the song wrongly...
I instantly recognized that it was the Tamil version of "Kinnerasaani" from Sitara...still cannot fathom how I forgot it though...

[raagas]

Querida,

Kinnersani was recorded for Saagara Sangmam. I still have no clue what made them (the team: K.Vishwanath, Ilaiyaraaja, Veturi, SPB, Kamal Haasan) record it for that film, particularly in the song "naada vinodamu"... because it clearly doesnt gel well with the melody of naada vinodamu or even with the situation. Though Kinnera saani is a good piece, it sounds very abrupt (and forced) when it is flowing from naada vinodamu. Sounds as if there is absolutely no connection!
I am glad that sense prevailed and they removed it from the film, having retained it in tapes. The assistant director - Vamsy, then took this left-over piece and used it in Sitara.

[Querida]

You are so very right...I cannot imagine how that would have gone down if they had stuck with Kinnersani...
Naada Vinodamu is one much more serious and more of a philos./aesthetic theme in the lyrics
oh well as you said, atleast good sense prevailed!!
Thank you for clarifying that I do not have amnesia when it comes to one of my fave films!

[kiru]

That the indian ethnic stock is not homegeneous is quite obvious. Per recent research (or probably old wisdom) the indian continent was populated by successive waves of migration. There is almost general consensus that human race originated in Africa. As such, the early inhabitants of the continent migrated from African in to India and through the then existent land bridge into Australia. Later groups developed in other areas and moved in to India (middle east ?, central asia ?) and settled (kuDi) . Either due to natural propensity or probably the new inhabitants having developed farming pushed the early inhabitants to the hills and mountains. Certain physical characteristics (flat nose, curly hair, black skin) that might lend credence to this are observable with the hill tribes in Tamil Nadu/Kerala/Karnataka. Obviously, the region must have witnessed quite a bit of conflicts but also a rich culture through intermingling. Tamil scholars use the term kudi which I would translate into settlement. The word aadivaasi probably of recent origin to me captures the history much better than the english tribe. We are all tribes.. probably belonging to different kudis. The language/culture united these all. The language classified the geography into kurinji (hill), mullai (forest) (two describing the deccan plateau), marudham (seaside), neidhal (farm land/plains) and paalai (desert/dry land). Each geography has its own micro-culture and hence distint music (instruments and probably even the tunes/raagams). Having travelled the breadth and width of the tamil country including kerala borders IR brings the flavors of these lands to his music. The beatsy/rhythmic hill/african influence to the themmangu of the farm lands. One such song where the hill/tribal singing is used to a dramatic effect is raaman aandalum/raavan aandalum. The almost intact tribal singing is used as prelude and interludes with the filmy charanams. With didactic introduction aside, enjoy the song at http://www.thiraipaadal.com/album.ph...R00376&lang=en.

[Sureshs65]

Nice writeup Kiru. I think the folk thing comes from Karnataka. I remember hearing it in a Kalinga Rao tape.

Yesterday was hearing two Malayalam beauties. 'Sharadendhu Paadi' and 'Shivamallipoove'. Extraordinary compositions.

[V_S]

Wow! wonderful write-up kiru!

I am still unable to come out of Sri Rama Rajyam. I don't know how many times I would have listened to it from the date of release (almost two months now). I have not missed it a single day and every time I listen, it feels very fresh and new, as if I am listening to it for the first time. That's the uniqueness in Maestro's compositions. Even if there are no new more new releases this year, it's absolutely fine with me. This soundtrack can run with me for years. Every composition is 'Navarathnam'. Ideally there should be no contest for any awards for this amazing soundtrack. Easily the best of Maestro not just in recent times.

Please bring in "Maestro's roaring 2010s" in the polls. My vote would be there, just for SRR