Raja of the mid 90s

Let's see if I can kickstart it next week. thiraipaadal being down was a big dampener initially followed by hectic activity in the office.

Suresh,
   
  paatu padam.. detail ku thiraipadal.com la parthukonga.. google search la paatai kelunga... ezhudhunga.........


nangalum thedi kaetukarom paatai...........

detail from thiraipaadal.com   - kangalum kavipaudhae

song kaetadhu  -   http://www.paadalgal.com/2013/06/kangalum-kavipaduthey-2008-tamil-mp3-songs-download-tamil-songs-kangalum-kavipaduthey.html


 
kadhal kavidhai   -    http://gaana.com/music-album/kadhal-kavithai-9355

Raaga_Suresh wrote:Let's see if I can kickstart it next week. thiraipaadal being down was a big dampener initially followed by hectic activity in the office.

Waiting 

Song No: 41
Song: Kattikidalam
Film: Poovarsan 
Singers:SPB, Chitra
Lyricist: Vaali
Link: http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=265821&mode=100&rand=0.1568711285945028

1995 turned out to be a spectacular year for Raja musically. Given that he did a lot of movies in 1995, I would have expected 1996 to take that trend forward but it was not to be so. Anyway, that is a different story which we will deal when we wrap up 1996.

Today’s song choice is what is nowadays termed as a ‘matter’ song. The song of passion. Here, the passion is not as high as in something like ‘ponmeni urugudhe’. It is a bit subdued compared to that song.

Whenever Raja deals with passion, he ensures the beats are unsteady. I mean, you will not get a free flowing rhythm in the background. You will always get some innovative rhythm, which is a bit unsteady. Mostly that goes to reflect the inner workings of a passionate heart. In this song too, In this song too you find the same treatment. The rhythm is played with pauses in between with some beats falling on the softer half of the tabla and some on the more metallic sounding part. 

The prelude and first interlude are interestingly constructed using synth. You can picturise how the picturisation would be,  going by the way the charanam moves. There is a certain smoothness in the charanam tune which is in contrast to the beat accompanying it and this creates a very nice tension. SPB is at his best, trying to seduce softly and observe the way he goes ‘muthu idaz oththadam’. 

The second interlude is even more interesting. Here Raja brings in the guitar and creates an impressionistic soundscape. The initially strumming and then the string accompaniment, then the increase in volume and then guitar stopping and the string starting. So many unexpected twists and turns. Perfectly in keeping with the mood of the song.

I was in Chennai during the time of release of this movie. I remember only see the title song being telecast once in a while. I don’t remember either seeing or hearing this song. This is definitely a top class ‘matter’ song. Raja, anyway, is the undoubted master of this genre.

The title song as well as 'Rasathi' from this album are lovely songs as well with 'Rasathi' having some lovely harmonization going on

Yay! This ought to be quick and interesting. He didn't have more than 4 in Tamil that year iirc. Requesting Kaalaiyila Kan Muzhichu from Karuvellaam Pookkal now

Great start Sureshj to 1996! I love Poovarasan songs as he opted mainly for SPB for the whole soundtrack after Muthu KaaLai in 1995, which slowly became a rarity. For no reason, he skipped SPB slowly at the cost of some mediocre singers (even now). Anyway, we have some excellent soundtracks this year. Eagerly waiting to hear from you. I guess you would also cover Siraichaalai, even it was a dubbed one.

Drunkenmunk wrote:Yay! This ought to be quick and interesting. He didn't have more than 4 in Tamil that year iirc. Requesting Kaalaiyila Kan Muzhichu from Karuvellaam Pookkal now

Yes, I'm surprised to see that he had only FOUR direct TF in 1996! (like 1976, his debut year)


Sureshji,
My most fav of poovarasan is 'indhappoovukkoru arasan' - very sweet number

I believe there are 6 straight films that year. Yes, considerably less compared to previous years.
Naattupura Paattu
Irattai Roja
Katta Panjaayathu
Poovarasan
Poomani
Karuvelam PookkaL
Siraichaalai

V_S,

thiraipaadal doesn't show 'Karuvelam Pookal' in 1996. Wiki shows it as 1996. I guess you are right. It is an excellent album. I need to surely write about it.

"Siraichalai' though belongs to Malayalam

Reading through this wonderful thread, I am surprised that according to Suresh, Paatu Paadavaa songs (which I was listening to today) did not get a good response.  Was Chennai even more apathetic to IR music than Mumbai at that time?  Because I came to know about Iniya Gaanam, Vazhi Vidu, Nil Nil Nil and Chinna Kanmani through TV only (heard Poongatrile for the first time today!) and I heard them several times on TV at that time.  I have never seen the film nor had the tape so if I could listen enough times at the age of 10/11 to internalize them, they must have been hits by my understanding.   Strange how divergent reception of IR's music in different places in the 90s is.   Again, my Tamil classmate used to sing Ennai Thalatha Varuvaalo repeatedly when the film came out and I later heard it again in a cab in Kodaikanal ! but probably not in Chennai.     Of course, since I have never seen the days of "no.1 Raja, no.2 Raja, no. 3 Raja" (in the words of Bhagyaraj), I may not have expected any mania or craze around those songs.  The fact that they were repeatedly played on TV itself suggested to me that they were popular.  I don't think the film was a hit (?) and maybe if it had been, the songs would probably still get played on TV.  Even Velli Nilave has kind of disappeared because the Isai Thendral program on Isai Aruvi focuses more on 80s and since the film was a flop, the song seems to have been forgotten somewhat.  But I heard it so many times on TV at that time and bear in mind that I wasn't yet that passionate about his music as I would become as I got into my teens.

If I had been asked a few years back to choose between 90s IR and 90s ARR, I would have had to think over it.  My logic being:  IR was on an unbeatable streak from 90 to 93/94, rolling out Kizhakku Vaasal, Keladi Kanmani, Pannakaaran, Puthu Puthu Arthangal, Dhalapathi, Anjali, Chinna Thambi..that's enough.   And then ARR took over.  

But since then, having caught up with more and more of IR's work and also reassessed my opinion, I am not able to see how IR has not made work with at least as much if not greater merit even in the 'take over' period.  ARR may have taken over commercially from 93 onwards, but IR kept coming up with great songs.  How does it matter if the songs didn't click at the time? OK, it mattered to the record companies and music stores commercially speaking but from a listener's point of view, it is irrelevant.  I haven't heard a single ARR song from Roja till date with such brilliant raga treatment as Nil Nil Nil Pathil Nil and that is just one song.   So while I certainly appreciate the positive aspects of ARR's influence on TFM and love lots of his 90s work, I would now hand the 90s to IR.  And in case of noughties, there isn't even a debate.  ARR has struggled to transition to a more mature approach (which seems to be what he is gunning for on Kadal or Maryan) while IR has continued to shine even with more limited opportunities than 90s.  For all the criticism about his orchestration in the noughties, one song will suffice:  Vaanaville.  If people could just ignore the sounds (not that the sound part of it is that bad) and listen to what has been put together musically, those interludes are brilliant, the 2nd one especially as complex as his best work from any era.

crimson king wrote:I I would now hand the 90s to IR.  And in case of noughties, there isn't even a debate.  

I have handed my entire life time to IR. There is no point, really!

Just listen to https://soundcloud.com/raja4ever/hires-maihasin from 80's and NEPV and Megha, & OAK from now.

Gokul.

I got the acquaintance of a full scale 90s songs only rasigai recently. And boy, she can go on and on of the song of the 90s. And no, she was not talking about the most heard / popular / ARR songs. She gave me a whole list of songs that are not the mainstream type, putting me in to shame. 

She has inspired me so much that I have started do my own discovery to find the IR gems of the 90's. 

The man has relentlessly, given us so many gems over the decade. Every time, someone says IR = 80s, I get irked. He was /has always been doing what he does best. Unconditional music.. 

I would like to post this song here, as I am bit of a fan of ..emm how should I say , sensuous songs'.  

Lovely song from Ulle Veliye - Sakkarakatti Usual rain,aishwarya,parthiban masala picturization , the shenoy ,flute , violin portions are very pleasant to the ears...creating such a ambience... SPB & SJ , what more to ask from them...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVoUquDsD9I

Raaja of 90s easily trumps 80s for me. He was wasting his talent on insipid movies in 80s. 90s he became selective and showered on movies like Guru (mal), Avadhaaram, Devadhai and likes. RVU's weakest Nandhavanathaeru can beat the musical shit out of any other top grossing album of 90s by other MDs.

Yes, very true indeed... And I have a long way to go...

There was a random playlist on the van yesterday and it happened to have a number of songs from Kamal movies one after the other (some coincidence)....

vaLaiyOsai kalakalakalavena
ninaivO oru paRavai
innum ennai enna seyyappOgiRAy

And among them, this 1995 number from sathi leelAvathy : (மஹ) ராஜ்ஜனோடு ராணி வந்து 

A song that I would have heard from end to end only 4 or 5 times all these years (unlike the others that have been typically on repeat for days)...

My initial instinct was to press the skip button (conveniently located in the bottom of the steering wheel on LHS)...for a change, I let it play completely.

Going by the melody alone, the song should have become a frequent repeat for me. However, MANY OTHER THINGS got messed up in this song, so typical of what was happening in general during the mid-90's IMHO that kept turning off people

The top one is obviously the male singer.  (I could not identify who and google tells me that it is Unnikrishnan; why did IR even try this fellow? paridhAbam)

Equally intolerable is the drum / percussion sounds

These two were possibly the main differentiating factors (compared to the other songs listed above) that possibly turned me off in the first place and prevented me from revisiting this song.

Yesterday's complete listen made me just identify these two major flaws (there could have been some more that spoil the listening experience of a pAmara TFM listener like me).

It may be months before I listen to this song (in whole) once again....will come back and post at that time if there're other misdeeds

Interestingly, the melody is enough to carry the song every time for me. A favorite of mine

Drunkenmunk wrote:Interestingly, the melody is enough to carry the song every time for me. A favorite of mine

enna seyya, nAnellAm "corrupt 80's fan" who got spoilt with nizhalgaL and the likes for years by this man

In the mid-90s IR was in self-destruction mode when it came to choosing singers. Arumbum thaLire from Chandralekha, another song where the tune itself was strong enough to carry it had Arunmozhi singing it. When there was another version of the same song I heard about, I thought it would be SPB. But alas, it turned out to be Unnikrishnan and Arunmozhi together.

I absolutely love Maharajanodu, one of my favourites of Raja, across eras.  The drums are louder compared to his usual approach, but very apt for this song imo.  I do find Unni a bit tame but it's compensated by Chithra sounding quite majestic at a slightly lower key than usual.  Maharajanodu adapts to the then contemporary trends but remains as badass as usual.  

Equally intolerable is the drum / percussion sounds

These two were possibly the main differentiating factors (compared to the other songs listed above) that possibly turned me off in the first place and prevented me from revisiting this song.

Imagine ungaLukkE ipdina, for a prabhudeva-loving youth or a "still iyam yeng" wannabe youth of 90s, how difficult it must have been to like IR

I am not a big fan or even just a fan of Raja's work between 1996-2000 in TFM. But Malayalam film music is where he showed what he was capable of both when using live instruments(like in Guru) or even when using synth(Yathramozhi, Friends etc.) Maybe he was just disillusioned with the way TFM and its megatrends were shaping up to be at that time. Kaadhalukku mariyaadhai might have been  a hit, but it would occupy a shelf far lower than his early 80s classics in my cupboard

I think mid 90s in the context of this thread actually refers to 1994-96.  1993 being excluded because IR was still no.1 at that time and the change in tastes got reflected more from 1994 onwards.  I think IR had some good, even great soundtracks, in the mid 90s but (a) he was plain unlucky at times (b) his selection of singers began to get questionable at this point as he moved away from his 'traditional' SPB/SJ/Chithra/KJ choices and (c) the public reacted unfavourably to his reliance on synths.  At times, the synths were not very tasteful but mostly it was simply a case of not sounding like 80s IR which is what people wanted more of.  Anyhow, Sathy Leelavathy, Nandavana Theru, Poovarasan, Paatu Paadavaa, Avatharam, Veera, Muthu Kaalai all had songs that could be considered good or great by any measure.

Veera was a terrific soundtrack.Leaving Dalapathi out(essentially a Mani film), amongst the quintessential Rajni soundtracks of the 90s, Veera stood out for its variety, it had something for the masses, the frontbencher Rajni fan and something for the connoisseurs as well. Unfortunate that it turned out to be the last Rajni-IR collaboration.

How about thirumagaL un mugam kaaNa vendum(even if sung by Arunmozhi), Paattu poo Poo(edited out of the film), vaadi veththala paakku, konji konji and maadathile in the same soundtrack? And that too for a typical Rajni film

I have never heard of a very classical ragam like Sarasangi sounding so much cool, hip and suave as in "Maharajanodu". I must admit I did not take to this song for a long time, rather this song never created any impact when it passed me by several times for more than a decade. Definitely Raja's experimental Sarasangi with a jazzy feel. Lovely innovative interludes with those sax bits. A late realization for me.