Best song in Kaadhal Kavithai

As promised, here goes. Now this album is so different from the first two. First two are iconic, supposedly came out during his 'peak' period. And those songs, all of them are popular even today. And most of us will have those songs in our playlist. Now this one is a completely different ball game because:

-This came in a period in which he did not do so many films
-He totally totally lost his #1 position.
-Most of us will probably have 1 or may be 2 songs from this in our playlist.
-Songs are not very popular today but still not forgotten. Played infrequently in FMs/TV AFAIHaveSeen
-The album has Hariharan going bonkers and Raaja fans personally don't have a very good opinion about his singing esp in Raaja songs
-And synth.

So I am interested in hearing your views. Wonder what criterion app_e would pick to judge these songs   

I personally haven't listened to say, Diana Diana in years. Looking forward to listening to the songs again.

Nerd wrote: Wonder what criterion app_e would pick to judge these songs   

This album was a hot topic in tfmpage.forum when it arrived.

I wasn't much into IR's new albums of that time period but that discussion made me search and buy the album at that time

I'll try to get on with the same metrics but don't know how these songs will fare....however, I know which song I'll vote for

Conflicted between Hey Konji Pesu, Thathom and Diana Diana and finally settled with Diana. The wind instruments (especially sax which settles in with a soft jazzy feel for the evening/night setting in the picturization of London and creates a simply lovely ambience), orch, chorus with the tune is dope. சும்மா சொல்லக் கூடாது, இன்ப தேன் வந்து பாயுது காதினிலே. Album overall is among his lesser albums in my books and I am not especially fond of Hurry ji's rendition in the other 2 songs. But these 3 songs I totally dig and Diana is the shiz in the album for me.

DM,
Did you listen to aaLaana naaL mudhala? This is what I love about this soundtrack. All breezy western-based songs and one hard-core naattuppura paadal. Can anyone even think in these lines?

V_S wrote:DM,
Did you listen to aaLaana naaL mudhala? This is what I love about this soundtrack. All breezy western-based songs and one hard-core naattuppura paadal. Can anyone even think in these lines?

Ya heard. Not as often as Diana. It is a very fine song and semma kuthu but somehow feel it as being unremarkable compared to the class of kuthu from say a Veerathaalaattu

Links to listen to this album (preferably audio-only) in good quality, please.

kv wrote:Links to listen to this album (preferably audio-only) in good quality, please.

You will have mail shortly.

Drunkenmunk wrote:

V_S wrote:DM,
Did you listen to aaLaana naaL mudhala? This is what I love about this soundtrack. All breezy western-based songs and one hard-core naattuppura paadal. Can anyone even think in these lines?

Ya heard. Not as often as Diana. It is a very fine song and semma kuthu but somehow feel it as being unremarkable compared to the class of kuthu from say a Veerathaalaattu

Also, Thathom is a very unconventional song. Ila Arun's Tamil spoils it a little but the swing and kuthu is remarkable there imo. Just prefer it personally to Aalaana Naal Mudhala

My vote for Kadhal meedhu

enna oru orchestration.. enna oru instrumentation....... Haunting tune........ love a lot.............

aduthu.... Hey konji pesu kobam enna kannama........... 

indha 2 paatum..... Non stop aga kaetu kondae irupen...................... en paiyanukum pidikum.......

naan kaeka arambitha mudhal.. indha 2 paataiyum............

The only song I have in my current playlist is காதல் மீதிலொரு which I am thinking is my most favorite. There has to be a reason why I chose this one ahead of the others. Going to listen to the rest now. But I think except may be manasa thotta, all others are strong contenders. In a way this poll is more difficult than the others  

OK, kadamai uNarchchi vasappadal

youtube linksu:

kAdhal meedhiloru kAdhal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbaBoqKl0ps



Diana Diana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=774tOXhZX4g


ALAna nAl mudhalA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZksXopWWuE


thaththOm thakadheemi thOm thOm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npSvcBpKELU


manasaththotta kAdhal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq5BKzso2Ek


hEy konjippEsu (title song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsHEHNZozSY


alai meedhu (@ 8th min of this):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyBsGfG9BXs

Like a few songs fairly well on this album but not overwhelmed by any one particular track.  Hence, opening Alai Meethu's account.

Was this album a "hit" in TN? (Me was not living in TN at that time ; also, started indulging in tfmpage already, always clouded by HCIRF's - so no way of ascertaining the "true popularity" status)...

In any case, absolutely zero personal emotional connect with any of the songs
(If anything, the picturization can only push in the negative direction...)

Someone please tell me how the TN public viewed these at the time of arrival...

Certainly a hit app. I already mentioned that the songs were played everywhere at the time of release. IR just gave his come back (  ) hit in Kaadhalukku Mariyaadhai late Dec'97. And after that I think Dharma and  desiya geetham came out which were  semi-hits. And there were expectations around this movie and music. Agathian had 3 critical successes prior to this film. Album was generally well received (I did not know about TFM page then).

Btw check out this link. The last line esp  http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Music/Reviews/98/Kaadhal_Kavidhai_19231.html

Agathian was flying high around that time with KB anointing him as his Kalai-Varisu..Agathian fell into that hype
and went onto hindi with remakes of his classics only to phail spectacularly.

Kadhal Kavithai is the best out of Agathian works though nothing really sticks other than titles and climax.
Konji pesu is my pick.

what was the point in choosing a soundtrack like this for an opinion poll on best song, in the first place? Iam curious. The soundtrack as a whole is nothing great and I dont see anything unique/controversial or otherwise discussionowrthy(even for non-musical reasons). If the intention was to pick something from the late 90s when IR was not at his peak but yet the songs were good, then Poonthottam might have been a better soundtrack to discuss in my opinion. 

Tune + orchestration- alai meedhu was good, but spoiled by the rendition.

Other Hari-songs, both the tunes, and orches was'nt that great. At that time Karthik Raja was widely accused of bringing in the synth into songs too much in his dad's songs, not sure how true this was. So if  a song's ludes did not make an impact immediately Karthik was blamed. And Hariharan's songs for Deva such as "oru mani adithaal kanne un gnyabagam" etc. were compared with Diana Diana and the former was a bigger hit I think. Dark times for IR fans.

If I were to really pick one from this soundtrack it is the title song-hey konji pesu. Too bad it was'nt even picturized, but maybe that was good since picturization could have ended up putting us off further. Good tune, singing and I just love the way the male chorus is deployed to end the song "kannamma..Oh kannamma..".

^Poonthottam better than Kadhal Kavithai is just an opinion. And you calling this soundtrack isnt great is another. I only have 2-3 songs from both the films in my playlist and I could not pick one over the other. The reason I picked this one was (apart from the ones you mentioned) this was a superhit at the time of its release. Poonthottam was not. Also if you feel there is nothing to discuss on the songs, fair enough, point taken.

I only listen to Kaadhal Meethu often. Replace the synth chords with real piano, the violin stokes with real violins and the brass parts played live. It would have been one hell of a song.

There is absolutely nothing stopping anyone from opening a thread for an album of their choice. All are welcome. 

I love Poonthottam too probably a shade over kaathal kavithai. Would be happy to see someone opening a thread for it and discussing the songs.

As for the insinuation - asserted firmly patronsingly and faux-factually - that IR was not really at his peak in late 90s and if we really stretch it we could appreciate a few songs well I'll let that pass. 

Are we suggesting that we have to NECESSARILY all agree that late 90s IR is just okay-shokay and that "Poonthottam IS AND WAS better than Kaathal Kavithai; period. Any other opinion is sullied by fanboyness"? I hope not. (I think not too but it is not obvious from the tone of the post)

If anyone is forcing their opinion on others it is not Nerd or anyone talking about Kaathal Kavithai here

I am not at all  questioning Nerd's or anybody's right to open a thread on Kaadhal kavidhai. Was just wondering about the choice of this particular soundtrack. The reason was not obvious to me reading the earlier posts. If somebody opens such a thread for a soundtrack like Agni natchathiram or payanangal mudivathillai, the reasons are obvious, it doesnt need any explaining. If I remember right, this was not a blockbuster or anything, just a mild hit at best. IR's biggest hit in the late 90s was probably kaadhalukku mariyaadhai. And for critical merit too, it doesnt rank all that high. So it seemed like just another decent soundtrack to me, nothing more.

This should be a really "objective" exercise for me, thanks to no emotional connection or favouritism (though the mild aversion to HH could affect the prospect of some songs)...

The problem in getting the metrics is I'll have to invest time to listen to ALL the songs, at least a couple of times...and I'll have to "push" myself to do that

Which is not nice feeling for a rAsA album

Sorry to have put you all through this ordeal. I don't think this album is great as well, but still, I thought there will be some takers for this. And they could explain the greatness or whatever.

Next time I choose an album, I will make sure that either the album was a superhit or the songs are great (at least in my opinion) or both.

Please don't conclude anything just because there were not much takers. Please give me sometime, I will certainly explain what this soundtrack is all about. This one is such a beautiful soundtrack. I see some posts/views/comments that a song/soundtrack has to be a hit for it to become a good/best song/soundtrack, otherwise it becomes a decent/average song/soundtrack. Since this soundtrack was not a big hit, does it automatically become a decent soundtrack? I don't think so, especially on IR soundtracks. I will explain.

Nerd and all, please don't fall prey to hits and decide IR songs as the best/average. My humble request. This poll is a great idea, but let us not restrict it for only popular soundtracks (just because we will have good participation), we can also introduce some non-popular ones too giving everyone an opportunity to listen and decide.

V_S wrote:

Nerd and all, please don't fall prey to hits and decide IR songs as the best/average. My humble request. This poll is a great idea, but let us not restrict it for only popular soundtracks (just because we will have good participation), we can also introduce some non-popular ones too giving everyone an opportunity to listen and decide.

+1 V_S.....

V_S wrote:Nerd and all, please don't fall prey to hits and decide IR songs as the best/average. My humble request. This poll is a great idea, but let us not restrict it for only popular soundtracks (just because we will have good participation), we can also introduce some non-popular ones too giving everyone an opportunity to listen and decide.

Agree. Though I cannot say I found every song up to my liking, I rediscovered Thathom and discovered Konji Pesu. Finding them lovely.

Nerd and all, please don't fall prey to hits and decide IR songs as the best/average.

I did not mean that at all.

I wanted this to be a fun exercise for one and all. And I really wanted to bring in popular soundtracks first and then slowly get into the rare territory as I mentioned earlier.