The Golden Era of Dr.IR and Dr.SPB

[app_engine]

Rajavinde magan

BTW, eppadi life-la ivvaLavu risk-lAm edukkaReenga? (i.e. watching GA's son's movies)

[app_engine]

#210 பாட்டுத்தலைவன் பாடினால் பாட்டுத்தான்
கூட்டம் ரசிக்கும் தாளமே போட்டுத்தான்
(இதயக்கோயில், 1985 , ஜானகியுடன்)

Let's welcome ace director MR to this series as this is the first SPB-IR song from a MR movie that gets posted Unfortunately, I never had a chance to watch this movie. Only a few song clips on youtube. Strangely, I don't know anything about the story line, BO status and such details about this movie as well - despite this being a product of Motherland pictures, that too with one of my favourite directors. Well, one thing I definitely know - Mohan had his mike And, SPB had most songs (rAsA had one "track" number and the oorOramA Aththuppakkam thennanthOppu duet with KSC).

This duet used to be my top favourite those days (even now the most favourite portion in the whole album is the way SJ sings in the start of the second saraNam - such a beauty!) Also, the use of drums for the saraNam part is sweettO sweettu. I can't say the same about the tablA work for the pallavi - ordinary by rAsA standards IMO. Except the 'pAdinAl pAttuththAn' phrase, somewhat weak pallavi. Especially, 'sOrndha pOdhu sErndha suruthi' is quite dull in an otherwise brilliant song. Well, the total package is enjoyable and never boring to me

Like I mentioned before, don't recall any Trichy-college connection with this album. Only Coimbatore - Palakkad connection. Possibly "the most heard album" during my night bus trips during the bachelor days. That too, I clearly remember many times hearing this in the buses while simbly sitting and waiting for the bus to start, after getting the ticket It wasn't unusual to wait for 30 minutes in buses (after the second show @ Kovai) before they took off. I had no complaints as long as there was rAsA mazhai.

I've recently read in the tidbits thread that VM had asked in a mag what things IR had given back to TN people.

Well, what did I personally give to rAsA for making my life so much -so so much - enjoyable during such moments?

How many more 1000's (possibly 100's of 1000's) had a similar enjoyment like mine in their lives, for which rAsA was never personally compensated?

I wish I get a chance to talk to VM

[baroque]

For the past 2 days, I have been immersing myself with intoxicating females of Indian Cinema- Sushila, Lata, Janu, Asha...Ladies, How can I thank!
Good to be back to Bala with Idhayak koyil, 80s Ilayaraja's fantastic album .

I watched Idhayak koyil in USA. We used to rent movies from Madras Cafe, Atlanta.

பீமால் ராய், ஸ்ரீதர், குரு தத், பாலசந்தர், ஹ்ரிஷிகேஷ் முக்ஹெர்ஜி, ர.வ.உதயகுமார், மணி ரத்னம், கமல் ஹாசன் to சேரன், அமிர்கான், விஷால் பரத்வாஜ் , மிஷ்கின், வசந்த பாலன் & more, more
I was/am catching up later & now


pattu thalaivan paadinaal paattuththaan......drunkard Bala turns into joyous mood with Janu and Raja's sax and electric guitar, these compositions are perennial favorites of IR's fans.

Golden album, app_eng.


Vinatha.

[radiochandra]

IDHAYAKKOVIL

A very atypical Maniratnam movie --- too bright for his standards, formulaic and also devoid of the usual oligo syllabalic dialogues. An extended comedy track by Gounder - Barber turned "Punnagavarali" expert singer. Mohan's dad Rail Srinivasan .... another portrayal totally un mani yistic.

"Koottathile kovil pura" and "Paattu thalaivan" earned Mohan the title " Aayiram thadavai Thalai aattiya aboorva Mike Mani".

The title song "Idhayam oru Kovil" ...... flooded the Vividh Bharathi airings in those times .... but a bit iriitating number IMO , probably because of the monotony resulting from IR - SPB combination having given 100s of similar numbers sharing the same mood and rhythm.

One sign of Maniratnam I noted in the movie ..... Radha is shown as some management studies student and her lecture hall blackboard shows the "Programme Evaluation and Review Techniques " by the CPM - critical path method in the background.

[app_engine]

Golden album, app_eng.

True, baroque

However, my "connect" with this album is inferior compared to rAsA's output for earlier movies of Motherland pictures (possibly because I was in "transit")...

[baroque]

Try NAAN PAADUM MOUNARAAGAM.......minimalistic Ilayaraja's pathos, App_eng. You will connect plenty.
Trust me, App_eng, Your heart will wrench in sogam. Mother of all melancholy with flute and heart bleeding violin.
கவிஞர் வைரமுத்துவின் வரிகள் நான் பாடும் மௌன ராகம் கேட்கவில்லையா?
You host couple of more Bala delights from this album in coming days.
vinatha.

[Bala (Karthik)]

Fantastic album - no weak link

Yes, "Naan Paadum Mouna Ragam" is one of the saddest songs i've ever listened to

[Plum]

And Vaanuyarnda Solaiyilae is decorated sadness. It's the sadness of a forthcoming artist who is willing to ostentatiously exhibhit it. Naan Paadum on the other hand is reflective. Enna characterisationO ezhavu - didn't Mani take this project over from someone(R Sundar?) after the latter had done a bit of shoot? In the sense, it was more of a "for-hire" job?

[KV]

The first portable mp3 player that I had, had a fall one day conking its earphone jack. There was, however, one good thing that this accident resulted in. While testing it (after the fall) I happened to play Ada machamulla to discover that it filtered out some tracks/layers and only the bass notes were audible! (I'm guessing this was recorded to have the bass along with a few other sounds in one track/side and the rest in the other(s). Some punniyavaan here used to do this bass line extracting a while back. God knows where he is these days.) Whoa! what a treat! This one's another killer bass score - typical IR jump notes mixed with syncopation. Add to this some crazy trumpet work and lively drums and mrudangam. Like I've said many times, nothing can match the intensity of acoustic drums/instruments and this song's another proof to it.
SPB's singing after the first charanam somehow reminds me of MV, his singing is very much like the latter here. The 2nd charanam is agmark Balu though.

[V_S]

+1. Yes killer bass track and trumpets and some uneven rhythm punches steal the show. KV, everything you said.
Sorry App, little bit held up during these holidays, please give me few more days.

Idhaya koyil songs nalla system'la kekanum, heavenly. I felt some great recording done for this soundtrack. Every song is a masterpiece.