Manadhil oru paattu - Song of the moment - Vol 2

Nice idea...  duet version of Enaku piditha padal.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyMvd5BSBvs

How many times can you loop a song? No, seriously. This particular song, I had it recorded when it came out. Liked it then but totally forgot about it until the last couple of years. Song was mentioned in twitter by many people and the person who wrote the Kundah music series had a post dedicated to this song. Always wanted to include this in my playlist but owing to laziness kept postponing it. And they don't play this song on TV and in fact I don't even think this was picturized. Most annoying hero and a hopeless script to boot. Talk about inspiration. 

Anway last week had some free time, so re-did my playlist and picked this song up promptly. I usually play all songs in shuffle mode and this song did not get played until Friday morning. Started as soon as I got into the car. 

The soundscape this creates is so beautiful. Those chords in pallavi / charanam. The sweeping violins [synth] playing call-response, the calming flute, the shehnai and the beautiful melody [the charanam-pallavi connect is just wow] everything works together so well. And he couldn't have chosen better singers. Both the voices [one usually gruff and the other very bold] blend so well and takes the song to greater heights. The groove doesn't start until the first line of the charanam actually. That moment is totally goosebumpy, sweeps you off your feet. 

Anyway Friday morning commute, work, after work and in fact the entire weekend was spent only listening to this one song. Spent an hour last night with this and thought I got enough of it. Determined to uncheck the repeat button and hit skip this morning, started driving. But before I could react those violins and the 'peace' aspect it brings in within a matter of seconds completely took over. Now typing this listening to the same song. Please help me

And yeah, this was 1995 - way past his prime etc ;-)

அன்றாடம் சேர்வது மன்னா மன்னா உன் காலடி!

Lovely write-up Nerd. This should go into "Raja of Mid 90s" thread. If these are the kind of songs which got Maestro separated from பொது ஜனம், so be it, ungifted people.

wow I had never heard Nillatha Vennila before, totally addicted to this song from the first listen.. was playing continuously for the past 2 hours before forcing myself to close the tab... and completely agree that the first charanam with the intro of rhythm instruments + mottai's voice is the 'high'..  

this song somehow connects Vana Kuyile in my mind, and there is something to be said about these 90s songs  that I am not able to discern/articulate well given my lack of knowledge  -  I think this is the period Raaja entered a "spiritual-musical high" , where he was able to compose such delicate/calm songs,  and continued that trend into the 2000s and present (Aritharatha Poosikkolla Aasai, Oru Naal Oru Kanavu, Nee Paartha, Unna Vida, Mella Oornthu Oornthu etc.) 

there is a 'sophistication'/subltely in these compositions compared to the raw and energetic 80s songs, maybe with synth he was able to avoid some of the rough edges that live strings/brass sections can introduce if not played with the utmost care, a point he keeps alluding to.., maybe it was just better recording equipment, or maybe it was the fact that he was no longer considered numero uno (highly debatable, yes) freed him up from some of the 'commerical' compulsions.. ?  or as we grow older, we tend to get wiser (for most people  ) and more philosiphical, and in his case, this inner maatram was getting reflected in his songs(leaving the damaal dumeel to podi pasanga)?

Apart from the effect of synth, it could be that he changed as a person.  A quote from an interview he gave to TOI in the run up to Shamitabh:

"You are known to be very short tempered. Is that true? 
Yes. But it has already come down. In the beginning, if the orchestra made mistakes, I would shout at them, send them out. But after 80s, I have become normal and never shout and have started keeping silence. It's a miracle how I changed."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/Ilaiyaraaja-Amitabh-Bachchan-is-unbelievable/articleshow/45931443.cms

Possibly some of the anger/temper was channeled into the music.  In the 80s, he was more rockstar-like, even if he didn't have the superficial trappings of one, like long hair, drugs, etc.  In the 80s, he was quite prepared to stretch the boundaries of TFM to outrageous proportions and didn't give a s***.  Later on, he seems to have calmed down and perhaps consequently tried to fit his experimentation within softer and more melodic music.  Even a wildly experimental Appidi Parkirathellam is very controlled, there's none of the madness of Endrendrum Anandhame.  It's all good, if he hadn't changed at all, it would have been boring.

பரவச நிலை அடைய சுளுவான வழி 
-------------------------------------------

சாமியார்கள், யோகம், அது, இதுவென்று பல முறைகளை முயன்று பரவசம் அடைய நினைக்கும் மக்களுக்கு எளிய வழியில், குறைந்த செலவில் அதே நிலையை அடைய இங்கே சில படிகள் :

1. ஏதாவது ஒரு ஊர்தியில் உள்ளே அமருங்கள். (தனியாக இருந்தால் சிறப்பு, பார்க்கிங் இடமென்றால் மிகச்சிறப்பு, க்ரைஸ்லர் "பட்டணம் & பட்டிக்காடு" வண்டி என்றால் மிகமிகச்சிறப்பு)

2. எஞ்சின் ஆன் செய்யாத நிலையில் பாட்டுக்கருவி மட்டும் ஆன் செய்து காதுகளில் வலியில்லாமல் கேட்கத்தக்க உச்ச அளவு ஒலியும், தனிப்பட்ட விதத்தில் மிகவும் பிடித்த ஈக்வலைசர் தெரிவுகளும் செய்யுங்கள்!

3. சீட்டை சாய்த்து வைத்துக்கண்களை மூடிக்கொள்வது நல்லது / சிறப்பு.

4. கதவிலும் ஸ்பீக்கர் இருப்பதால், கைகளை அங்கே உள்ள "ஹேண்ட் ரெஸ்ட்" மீது வைப்பது அதிர்வலைகள் தரும், உடம்பை விட மனதுக்கு மிகச்சிறப்பு!

5. இது மிகவும் கவனமான ஒன்று : நான் சொல்லப்போகும் பாடலின் துவக்கத்தில், அதாவது இரண்டு வரிகளுக்கு, மிகவும் பொறுமை தேவை. ஒரு வேளை "சே, இந்தக்குரலா" என்றெல்லாம் தோன்றலாம், தயவு செய்து நிறுத்தவோ / ஸ்கிப் பண்ணவோ கூடாது.

6. 'அடி பூங்குயிலே பூங்குயிலே கேளு' பாட்டை இடவும். (அரமனக்கிலி)

7. பரவச நிலையை முழுதும் அனுபவிக்க, தலையை ஆட்டுவதோ, உடம்பைக்குலுக்குவதோ, மம்மூட்டி "காட்டுக்குயிலே" பாட்டுக்கு ஆடுவது போலக் கைகளை உட்கார்ந்து கொண்டே மேல் நோக்கி உதறுவதோ அவரவர் விருப்பம், உடல் நிலை மற்றும் ஆரோக்கியம் சார்ந்தது!

7.அ. என்றாலும், இவையெல்லாம் செய்தால் இன்பம் அதிகரிப்பது உறுதி!

8. மிச்சத்தேவைகள் எல்லாம் ராசாவின் பின்னணி இசையும் இடை இசைகளும் கவனித்துக் கொள்ளும். 

9. பாடல் வரிகள், பாடுவோர் குரல்கள் கவனிக்காவிடில் இரண்டு மடங்கு இன்பம் நிச்சயம். 

10. அவை உறுத்தினாலும், இடை இசை நேரத்தில் - அதிலும் இரண்டாவதில் - கண்களில் நீர் கசிவது உறுதி!

எனது இன்றைய ரிப்பீட் பாடல் மற்றும் பரவச அனுபவம்!

app,
Nice write up for adi Poonguyile song.

saami ada vaikara oru paatu iruku.........
amman kovil kumbam ingae... paatai kelunga... saami adiduvom nu bayam varum enaku...... (Amman
enaku pidicha kadavul.....)

Pengalukana IR songs. Always soulful.Something special............
2 version irukum paatil.. Lady version........... Great one..........

Poove sempoove .......... Blissful..........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_Wd5rVi6EA

என் மே-ஏ-ஏல் ஒரு போர் தொடுக்க
======================
(Warning - it will be a long post (or set of posts) but there's enough masAlA, so please read - even if in multiple sittings - and don't miss)

As one can see, the heading is from the second saraNam of the famous song 'guruvAyoorappA' of PPA and thus the post is all about that terrific song.

I've earlier talked about this song at least on two occasions. One in the SPB-IR thread . Another in the Mt.Everest Interludes thread .

So, this post will be another addition

Please listen to the song in Hi-Res version (as in the case of one DTS version of this song in circulation) at decent volume and listen to all the nuances and then let us discuss.

To start with, that sensuous portion in the second saraNam  
ஏகாந்த நினைவும் எரிகின்ற நிலவும் என் மே-ஏ-ஏல் ஒரு போர் தொடுக்க

It's TFM grammar that girl gets a lot of "feelings" when she is alone and it is evening (burning moon means a brown / fiery moon on a full moon day possibly and it is twilight time when the heroini is supposed to get  longing). The simple lines written by Vaali reflect that stereotyping. Obviously, the director & rAsA didn't have any objection to that.

However, rAsA, somehow wanted to "underline" the physical part / the lust part of it

Most people in TN are perhaps familiar with "மேலுக்குக் குளிக்கிறது" (i.e. v/s தலைக்குக் குளிக்கிறது / முழுகுறது) and thereby can typically understand the "body" business implied. Here, even though on the surface it says "என் மேல்" which means the whole person / emotions, there's a minor twist when the melody is extended for that word and the girl sings with a longing  There's also the "bodily desire" getting underlined by the slEdai of that word. Thus the effect is much more than - if for example, she sings "என் மேல் மேல்" (or என் மேனி மேல்) - or otherwise does mukkal munagal.

I'm not sure if the original penned lines were like this or not - regardless, rAsA had his melodic kuRumbu there, IMHO

...to be continued

Commentary on the PPA song continued, part 2  

பரிமாறலாம், பசியாறலாம், பூமாலை நீ சூடும் நாள்
================================

If anyone had questions about whether the girl really had some wildness in the "என் மேல் ஒரு போர் தொடுக்க" as attributed by me in the previous post, please go ahead and listen to the rest of the saraNam

Or, even better, follow the song from the beginning and check where and when the mild kuRumbu / mischief turns into "bodily" wildness

Well, me help

The song starts with a mockingly bhakti style but clearly asking for help in making the "love" of the couple a success. At least on the surface of it, the boy is quite serious and the tone is platonic with nothing physical  Even the way SPB sings all the way until the end of 1st saraNam is "serious" style with no kuRumbu / izhaiyal / mukkal etc in his voice. The very first time he starts something of that start seems to be in the brief pallavi line that follows the end of 1st saraNam...(someone correct me please if he indulges in something earlier). Well, there has to be a separate post on what all SPB does in this song  It is for another day

Now, coming back, with the praying kind of tone in the initial pallavi, the boy follows it up with his artistic capability that qualifies him to be a professional as well as a lover. (தேனாற்றங்கரையில் தெய்வீகக்குரலில் நான் தான் ஒரு பாட்டிசைத்தேன் - this he does with some kind of earnestness / sober tone and there is no sexual innuendo). The lady too replies that she was the ONLY ONE to listen to his song. The boy laments there's no stage yet, for him to prove his talent. (Not sure if this has double meaning but the tone seems to indicate only his singing part and some seriousness).

So, all seems to be normal "80's TN-lovers-talk" until this point of the song! More of love becoming success, singing career getting off to arangEtRam etc.

Then there's a sudden twist, introduced by the girl : 
"வா வா என் தேவா செம்பூவாய் என் தேகம் சேராதோ உன் தோள்களிலே"

That's where this தேகம் business suddenly kicks into the song  Now, the boy's tone too changes where he sings the pallavi line (yappA).

BTW, I was quite amused that sometime back a Malayalam website talked about IR getting upset over sempoovE poovE lyrics (for referring to female anatomy). We have the same செம்பூ here years before (and not just this but tons of similar stuff in TFM lyrics) to which IR didn't have any problem  Well, if we start on that, it will be material for a thread for 100 pages...let me get back to the PPA song

IR promptly follows the brief pallavi line with a terrrrrrific, wild second interlude - marking the shift from platonic to bawdy stuff, IMHO.

Then the girl once again reminds the body topic (as explained in my previous post)

Now, it does not end there. With that, the boy too gets turned on and responds (with SPB extras) : எனை வந்து தழுவு, ஏன் இந்தப்பிரிவு, மானே வா உன்னை யார் தடுக்க!

That's when the girl takes an 180 degree turn   After usuppifying the boy about her bodily desire only moments ago, now she says you can "eat" me only after marriage! (பரிமாறலாம், பசியாறலாம், பூமாலை நீ சூடும் நாள்). 

The boy is obviously irritated and shouts back, no more controlling me, I'll jump at you! (மாது உன் மீது இப்போது என் மோகம் பாயாதோ சொல் பூங்குயிலே!)

That is some violent writing here - VM-like by Vaali - in eating, jumping, attacking etc when lovers sing together

That way, starting from the last line of the first saraNam, this song takes multiple turns in "feel" and makes it very interesting and amusing as well!

(BTW, it is interesting co-incidence that the song comes next after rAththiryil pooththirukum of TM in my collection. That song too has this same sentiment, even though it came many years before - after describing the girl as some kind of "food", with references to mangoes banana leaf etc, it ends like ""நாதஸ்வரம் ஊதும் வரை நெஞ்சே இன்னும் கொஞ்சம் பொறுமை அவசியம்"  - i.e. wait till marriage to eat me. Those lines were by Pulamaippiththan in 1983. Looks like TN females didn't change much between 1983 and 1990! However, the attitude seems to have undergone major shift now, if one goes by this interview youtube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxMc5mJD4AQ  )

Now, more of my readings are due to the "shift in the way SPB sings from the end of 1st saraNam" and I need to focus on the singers in my next post

...To be continued

Some people would complain about this voice, some would say the tune is not fresh, some would say the orchestration is very pedestrian but for me this song really makes that emotional connection, the voice, the lyrics and simple orchestration, really drives home the sad livelihood of most of the unfortunate fishermen - முள்ளு மேல வாழை, சூரைக்காத்துல தெண்ணம் பாலை are uvamais that I liked - now tell me you are moved or not by this song -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDQ547fvOhU

kiru wrote:Some people would complain about this voice, some would say the tune is not fresh, some would say the orchestration is very pedestrian but for me this song really makes that emotional connection, the voice, the lyrics and simple orchestration, really drives home the sad livelihood of most of the unfortunate fishermen - முள்ளு மேல வாழை, சூரைக்காத்துல தெண்ணம் பாலை are uvamais that I liked - now tell me you are moved or not by this song -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDQ547fvOhU

Kiru, I feel Raja got influenced by MSV's "tharai mEl piRakka vittAn" from "padagOtti" for this one.

mythila wrote:

kiru wrote:Some people would complain about this voice, some would say the tune is not fresh, some would say the orchestration is very pedestrian but for me this song really makes that emotional connection, the voice, the lyrics and simple orchestration, really drives home the sad livelihood of most of the unfortunate fishermen - முள்ளு மேல வாழை, சூரைக்காத்துல தெண்ணம் பாலை are uvamais that I liked - now tell me you are moved or not by this song -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDQ547fvOhU

Kiru, I feel Raja got influenced by MSV's "tharai mEl piRakka vittAn" from "padagOtti" for this one.

hmm.. I have to agree with you .. including even the lyrics .. I still think IR's version is still an original composition. The orchestration is kept strictly rustic, where as the karai mEL tries to impress with some westernization. I used to think 'un kuthama' from one thangar bachan movie is inspired by unnai cholli kuRRamillai'. One of the salient features of IR's songs is- they seem very personalized, biographical ..not sure I am conveying it right.. They dont feel like a commercial song. In both cases - the MSV & KVM versions are classics.. but still IR creates an impact.

Commentary on PPA song, part 3...

For some reason I've praised KSC more than SPB when I did this song on the SPB thread

Well, that was mostly a "nostalgia" based series and my judgement often got clouded and this particular post  included a Pattambi marriage and Bharathappuzha (it even had a picture of the river), which possibly resulted in SPB not getting proper due in comparison to KSC  In addition, the thiraippadal kind of audio cannot do justice to this song - like the hi-res version.

OK, It's time now to set that right

KSC is no match to the kuRumbu / funny / awesome SPB singing in this song! 

Without much blA-blA, let me simply list the SPB specials in this song here :

1. In the first pallavi, he starts serious but then switches the mood when he sings the second time "ராதை உனக்குச்சொன்ன வேதமென்ன, நான் போகும் பாதை எந்நாளும் உன் பாதை"  The kuRumbu smile when he sings that போகும் (at around 0:53) is inimitable SPB! 

2. As mentioned in the previous post, he keeps the serious tone thru out the 1st saraNam but the girl usuppifies in the last line with body thingy and he suddenly changes the tone in the pallavi following that, with two wild things  (a) guruvayoorappaeaeaaa with the konjal and kuzhaivu when he starts this pallavi, WOW! (at about 2:21) (b) He then ends the second guruvAyoorappA with a stress, as appppA  The ease with which he does, only SPB possible!

3. Obviously the second saraNam is wilder! After the female singer's என் மேல் ஒரு போர் தொடுக்க, the way in which SPB does the next line is something to be heard and not read  He does konjal, siNungal, kuzhaiyal, oodal, kobam everything together when singing எனை வந்து தழுவு ஏனிந்தப்பிரிவு! Top class stuff!

4. This is immediately followed by a "kick" finish when he completes the line "உனை யார் தடுக்க" with a mild roar, bed-room-sound  Much like those famous songs as nEththu Raththiri yammA where one can hear the special SPB uRumal!

5. Add to these special effects the laughter he throws in the final part of the pallavi as a "response" to the female singing. (While it was possibly done just-like-that by SPB, it would haven been a herculean task if any other singer was challenged to do that!)

We have 2 more parts to go - one as to the "sichchuveshan / the girl / rAsA response to mileau" & after that a brief note on video

PPA song, part 4...

rAsA playing with flute when Kannan gets invoked ("guruvAyoorappA / rAdhai unakkuchchonna vEdham enna") is nothing new. We can identify tons of such songs. 

Or for that matter, bringing in some romantic kuRumbu in such context (not just by rAsA, by most artists in literary world or movies) is nothing new either.

What makes things interesting in this song (to me) is the "connection" it has with vAn pOlE vaNNam koNdu song of the famous salangai oli / sAgara sangamam  - i.e. something more than Kannan / flute.

In fact, I want to open a separate thread related to "female-on-screen-having-effect-on-rAsA-compositions"  
(Please recall IR speech on a movie album release function, about moonji of K Bagyaraj)

Yes, there must be some connection to that Geetha lady and this composition overall. It is possible KB (or one of his assistants) told rAsA that this song will have Geetha and should be a fast number. The discussion that followed could have had references to the Kamal song - i.e. something like - "what about one more song with Krishna connection, fun, dance and stuff like that"  

BTW, when I originally posted about this song in the SPB thread, I didn't know who the girl was on-screen and wondered if it were that Sithara girl... later got corrected by Plum  (Comment there by groucho : Geetha - possessive wife, Sithara - relief in life  )

rAsA definitely got into his sAgara sangamam mood IMHO (Geetha / Kannan) & this one is a somewhat similar number with a terrific flute piece in the prelude, just prior to the starting by the singer! 

The team then possibly decided to have some vambu lines + kuRumbu singing / SPB / fast tempo etc. to make it possible to insert some comedy on-screen. Well, if not the whole team, at the minimum rAsA and Vaali had that in their mind IMO.

While vAn pOlE had its unique, first-time kind of rhythm arrangement that guruvAyoorappA cannot boast of, the PPA number too had exotic percussion arrangements. 

Definitely fast paced - including the racy second interlude - that could have been used for some stylish choreography! The song could have easily earned its place in an indelible way - like vAn pOlE and other songs of salangai oli that attained classic status and are enjoyed to this day by many - had it been in the hands of a supremely imaginative director.

Alas, that was not to be   as we will see (watch  ) in the next (and concluding) post...

PPA song part 5 (conclusion)

As told in the prior posts, this should be pretty brief (as I don't want to write too much archchanais to the director who typically gets undue praises in the TN media for whatever reasons)...

Here's the paridhAba youtube of such a terrific composition :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8yqt32Wqj4



Actually I don't have to comment on this picturization at all - because, K Viswanath had already made fun of such things years back...in 'vAn pOlE vaNNam koNdu' - he probably would not have imagined that TF fellows will make a song very similar to his pagadi number itself, years later 

(Concluded)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chtV7tKl0rA#

The moment shehnAi sounds in the prelude one gets goosebumps!

What a lovely prelude (& song)...

Phenomenal album...

#IR_Official_YT
#karagAttakkAran
#mAnguyilE_duet_version

ஆஹா, இனிமை என்பதற்கு மறுபெயர் இந்த ஆல்பம்:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW7Rtpo3-KQ

#IR_Official_YT
#enga_ooru_pAttukkAran
#sheNbagamE_sheNbagamE

தேவ சங்கீதம் நீயல்லே 
(குரு, மலையாளம்)

ராசாவின் ராசாங்கத்தில் மறைந்த ராதிகா திலக்குக்கும் ஒரு இடம்...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az-a0UmAyuA

அற்புதமான "அருண கிரண" பாட்டிலும் இவர் குரல் இருக்கிறது.

ஜெயச்சந்திரன், வேணுகோபால், சுஜாதா போன்ற பாடகர்கள் இவருக்கு உறவினர்கள் என்று படித்தேன். 
http://english.manoramaonline.com/entertainment/music/radhika-thilak-and-her-voice-become-a-memory.html

Her famous songs include Arunakirana deepam and Deva sangeetham (Guru), Maya manchalil (Ottayal Pattalam), Kaithapoo manam (Sneham), Thiruvathira thira nokkiya(Kanmadam), Ente ulludukkum kotti and Ninte kannil (Deepasthambham Mahascharyam).

ninaivellAm nithyA in #IR_Official_YT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuACnEb5AjM



Unquestionably IR's best album for Dir.Sridhar !

#IR_Official_YT is perhaps the best "official" thingy on the web for IR!



Not just the terrific set of albums (and the continuous additions) but even the sound quality is amazing!

vAzhga!

MMKR today :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_QEGC9PmI

Stumbled on this while playing RajsMed playlist songs randomly in the background while doing some assignment.  Lovely melody, very unusual and exquisite treatment.

crimson king wrote:Stumbled on this while playing RajsMed playlist songs randomly in the background while doing some assignment.  Lovely melody, very unusual and exquisite treatment.

It's a great song. The rhythm is monotonous and does not change one bit and is nowhere close to being dynamic. Probably a minus. But that is where Raaja's greatness lies IMO. It's a film song inside this film. And understandably, he is servicing the 'light' feel that a film song would demand inside a film. It is a meta version of 'Raaja lite' in the rhythm; quite deliberately so at the cost of compromising on the overall musicality of the song to be loyal to the director (Sridhar in this case)'s vision of servicing a film in a film.

But then, he lets the tune do most of the talking. Gorgeous tunesmithing. Outstanding that he brings his stamp in the tune and the instrumentation other than rhythm and lets the world know that though servicing the situation of the film and reducing importance to rhythm, it is ME on the tune and no one else can do what I just did with this tune

And he follows this approach for similar situation. That gorgeous, glorious Konji Konji Alaigal Oda in Veera has a rather underwhelming rhythm by Raaja standards. But again, the situation is the hero singing first time on stage. The tune and singing has to shine through and the back up orchestration are from a light music troupe. That *can* be underwhelming. The situation warrants that and Raaja goes low on rhythm and packs the song's tune, bassline, harmonium and tabla with some outstanding tunesmithing and arrangements. Maestro in following the vision of the script/director/film and yet letting his genius shine through, all in a matter of minutes as he conceives an entire song from scratch.

I don't mind the beat too much actually.  There's something to be said for a straight ahead unrelenting 4/4 rock beat which is what he uses here.  Combined with the melody, it creates a lot of passion and tension which is perfect for the situation (just guessing from the video, haven't watched the film).

Yeah, I can relate to the 'idea' behind using a very simple, basic beat for Konji Konji because it is a low level stage band accompanying an amateur artist for a song they have never heard. I just wish the volume of the drums had been toned down; as it stands, it's rather intrusive.  But a great melody, though not of a level comparable to Kangallukul Unnai Ezudhu.   I shared this song with my musician friend and he said he will get back to me after analysing THAT switch as we get into the charanam.  If he decides to analyse a song, it means he is really impressed because he is at a level where he would catch onto superficially obvious things after a casual listen.