Manadhil oru paattu - Song of the moment - Vol 2

Having driven on high-ways and streets, didn't get much opportunity to drive or walk on a mud lane/road like this. It's been a while since I walked on such roads. Last week I walked/drove and stood on this road, gazed around (the below picture) for several minutes, guess for what, yes for photography, not just for that, recollecting how I left my memorable days behind. I got reminded of our town/villages where I used to see the fields on both sides with longest never ending roads, with a single small house. I would always guess what people do there with hardly anyone there. Very calm atmosphere with hardly any vehicle. I again love to see bicycles or bullock carts on these roads (just like we use to see in India), but again could only imagine much as I was tired driving every time on highways with no immediate access to any of the villages. Even if I had, I didn't know much about these places, so hardly stop (for any deviation) before reaching the destination.


As always I tried to sync the visuals with appropriate songs. Maestro can only come to the rescue, who else is there? Imagining this to be a busy road with lots of our people there and even a festival happening. What's more I want. I pumped up the volume of my van stereo to wake these silent fields who don't deserve to be left out like this. When they hear Malaysia Vasudevan singing, suddenly the sky turned and the clouds turned bright so as the land. My lonely photography day became a festival day of a kind. This song is running in my mind since then. Need to revisit rural places like this to get the real feast of Maestro's music. I am on, do you?

maththaLam kottappOREn - en uyir kaNNamma

@VS - good shot .. that must be a SLR with a polarizer (?).. in my case, with that scenery and a camera in my hand, I want to be lonely :

Amazing rendition of sigappu rojakkal theme...

Watched 'kizhakku vAsal' movie last night (for the first time).

I was shocked seeing my all-time-fav song in the movie's context

Not the song's or movie's problem but it was mine

I've seen the song many times on youtube before and simbly assumed that Revathy character is pregnant in that song
(May be the way she looks / dressed, may be the 'ejamAn' effect which was also by RVU).

It was in a way funny to realize that she is not "carrying"

BTW, what a song!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DyIilcCQCc

Kamaan fring. We'll have it here: https://ilayaraja.forumms.net/t42p195-hindi-film-music-old-is-gold#17972

Best place to start with IMO: Eriyile Elandha Maram Thangachi Vecha Maram, film: Karaiyellaam Shenbagapoo. Also Kaadellaam Pichipoovu, title song of the same film. Best part is, though this is proper folk, this done from the lens of an elite city guy and you get western influences in the most pristine manner without disturbing the folk element. Would also suggest Kalyan Raman Hey Cook Raman from the same film (SPB and SJ rock the floor though the Anglicized portions are a bit meh today). And you have Raasaave Unna Nambi, Mudhal Mariyaadhai; Unakkena Thaane Inneramaa; Ponnu Oorukku Pudhusu. The ones that come immediately to my mind

Links for the songs:

Thanks DM. Made a 20 song playlist that includes 3 from the above suggestions. It covers all periods and contains a mix of various sub-genres of IR folk, except the more raw folk tunes like "aatukutti muttai ittu" or "kAttu vazhi pOren".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL-7q3g0k3k&index=1&list=PLOf9anOut3_r0htKY5ZmqzfhUShKjzq92

Edit: Noticed there is no song from the last decade in the playlist. Suggestions?

fring151 wrote:Thanks DM. Made a 20 song playlist that includes 3 from the above suggestions. It covers all periods and contains a mix of various sub-genres of IR folk, except the more raw folk tunes like "aatukutti muttai ittu" or "kAttu vazhi pOren".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL-7q3g0k3k&index=1&list=PLOf9anOut3_r0htKY5ZmqzfhUShKjzq92

Edit: Noticed there is no song from the last decade in the playlist. Suggestions?

Nice Collection, thanks. IMO, it must include Amman kOvil kizhakkAlE (great quality from SoundCloud)  from Sakalakala Vallavan.

Gokul

fring151 wrote:Thanks DM. Made a 20 song playlist that includes 3 from the above suggestions. It covers all periods and contains a mix of various sub-genres of IR folk, except the more raw folk tunes like "aatukutti muttai ittu" or "kAttu vazhi pOren".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL-7q3g0k3k&index=1&list=PLOf9anOut3_r0htKY5ZmqzfhUShKjzq92

Edit: Noticed there is no song from the last decade in the playlist. Suggestions?

Ponnaar Shankar had a few fabulous songs which I dig quite often of which a few folk songs qualify IMO.

Bhavani Varugura:



There's another Anna Maaru Kadhaya Kelu which is not on YT. Will ufload now.

Here you go. And mind you, this was an album that was written off by the mainstream media. But IMO, 4 out of 6 songs are very good. This song from 3:11 to 4:25 is something else. Very absorbing; MMKR 2.0 folk version imo.



Another suggestion in similar veins. Karbagraham from Virumandi (I know you already have Unnavida). Elephant stomping on chest energy these 2 songs give. And awesome folk numbers nevertheless. Video for film perspective:



Audio only:



The last 2 songs have an almost tribal feel which is also folk music in its most primal state.

2 more suggestions for your considerations.

1. Kaattu Vazhi Kaal Nadayaa:



Travelling bard's song, musing about life, like a flowing river. andha feel, andha folk nature pramaadhama translate aagum with WCM elements of course. And the best part is, it was also apt as the theme music for the Hindi film Paa

2. Muthunal Thaamam; Thiruvasagam in Symphony.

This is the definition of thaaru maar, in local slangs  

Backdrop is Manickavasagar noting women beating the grains to get rice and pounding turmeric and many other fragrant powders in the Senthamizh era. He sees them singing songs to ease the burden and physical stress that comes with pounding. The songs have mostly silly/nonsensical lines (looks like there have been VMs across Tamil history ) and urges them to sing to the Lord and composes verses that pound powders for Lord Shiva. It is hence called ThiruporchuNNam (chuNNam meaning powder). If we notice the song, we would hear the rhythms mimicking the pounding of ural on ammi and of rice and powder being thrown on challadai (as women pick the unwanted stuff like stones, etc.) syncopating with the tune which is very folk in soul at the same time warped in a symphonic mould, arching towards a higher purpose (just like how Manickavasagar would have intended for the rural women to reach God). Amazing.

Ah.. Ponnaar Sankar .. it is a must-include:) - 

How about Suththa chamba pacharisi from AnnakiLi?

Gokul

Any collection of rAsA folk will be incomplete (IMHO) without katta vaNdi
(how much ever offensive the lyrics and the picturization can be  )

Look at Kamal's action when he sings "ஒன்னப்போல பத்துப்பேரக் கண்டவண்டி"  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAhnSG2e12g

Also, any IR collection for folk / tribal should not miss the following three numbers
(unfortunately, the audio is not good on youtube and one should hunt for better audio files):

adi peNNE of MM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC45sGQWuEE


thOttam koNda rAsAve of POI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwjBz06kAlg


Asaiya kAththula thoodhu vittu of J
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlFjrtVuff8

Although Adi peNNE might not be raw folk it exhibits IR's ability at the peak of his creative prowess in his early years. Free flowing tune, a terrific one at that. The constant changes in rhythm patterns as well as percussion instruments(jalatharangam imaginatively used as well) which were missing in his later efforts(a song for this situation in the late 80s would have a tabla in 2/3 typically) and a great postlude which highlights the exuberance and free spirited nature of the young girl.
If one were to make a 'goosepimples" IR collection CD this song would feature all the time. Jency, Uma Ramanan and SP Shailaja were all great beneficiaries. They didnt add much to the songs they sang and the greatness of those songs were despite their singing. But they ended up having a career because of such songs.

Not sure if you have this in the list already, if not you can strongly consider including my all time favourite Raasave unna nambi from Mudhal mariyaadhai.
This is more folkish than adi penne because of the lyrics and because of how the singer has been instructed to sing and how she  has delivered those lines(only the SJ). You dont even need the ludes for this one, just the tune and singing are enough.

and one more jayachandran-SJ duet from gramaathu adhyaayam, Oodha kaathu veesayila - terrific tune and singing and good ludes as well.My favourite.

The early 90s(1990-94) also had IR in top form when it came to folk songs even if the winds of change were blowing. I feel some of those compositions were underrated or didnt quite catch the fancy of the public due to either the films being abysmal or sometimes unfortunately due to the choice of singers not being good.
But not the following ones:

Potri paadadi ponne
othayilla ninnadhenna
naan yerikarai melirundhu
naan yaaru enakke theriyalaiye-Chinna jamin in IR's own voice
adukku malli eduthu vandhu
sandhirarum sooriyarum
inji iddupazhagi
yelamara kaatukkulle from nadodi thendral - the short WCM prelude leading to a (well deserved) applause, the percussion sounds pounding in straightaway and MV's pained rendition  and the tempo change towards the end of the song.
Thendral vandhu theendum bothu
kalaivaaniyo raaniyo- villupaattu styled

thandhen thandhen - MV-from same villupaatukaaran I think- this song had the mini-challenge that the singers' lips shouldnt touch anywhere. The song starts with MV playfully trying different words that dont work and then finally settling in. The lyricist's job would have been more challenging to come up with words that avoid "ma" or "pa" for instance. But the tune and singing itself are good.

and quite a few more...

counterpoint wrote:Not sure if you have this in the list already, if not you can strongly consider including my all time favourite Raasave unna nambi from Mudhal mariyaadhai.
This is more folkish than adi penne because of the lyrics and because of how the singer has been instructed to sing and how she  has delivered those lines(only the SJ). You dont even need the ludes for this one, just the tune and singing are enough.

and one more jayachandran-SJ duet from gramaathu adhyaayam, Oodha kaathu veesayila - terrific tune and singing and good ludes as well.My favourite.

One of my all time folk favourites too. It is the 1st song in my playlist. Adi peNNE is also lovely, yes.

My folk playlist would certainly mock at my taste if it does not have this

“sweet 16” impish beauty “manja kuLichu aLLi mudinju”. Not only Janaki's playful vocals,

but Raja's “kuRumbum kudhoogalam pongum isaiyum “ , that tease and taunt the lecherous men out there in the grAmam. How beautifully this “thuLLal” song transforns into a melodic when ChappANi visualizes Mayilu loving him in “azhagappA ….” !!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kl0SHs9hPM

rediscovered varudhu varudhu iLamkAtRu from Brahmma a couple of weeks back and have been playing quite regularly in my "mind". Last night I just wanted to watch "some goddamn film with Raaja's BGM" and picked Brahmma. 

This sequence of Kushboo falling in one-side-love, a dream song (conveniently two-side-love and haun), an emotional scene and the Big Reveal and look how Raaja ends the scene with that score. Just a teasing, fleeting hint of the song. I am always prepared for surprises when it comes to Raaja (and BGM), still - தெறிச்சிட்டேன். 

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/3772955

(chopping right from the middle of the song) (if you are at office, do no open)

வாய்யா மனோகரா  Nice writeup and super observation.

காலம் மாறலாம் நம் காதல் மாறுமா (வாழ்க்கை) on repeat while driving

The magic of the song is actually in saraNam(s) IMHO! 

Besides the thrilling melody and the lovely connective back to pallavi, what a lovely rAjA signature rhythm arrangement! 

Actually, it's a "bass-guitar-guided-missile"

In addition, need to mention that I've failed to appreciate the fantastic second interlude in my prior writings about this song (in the SPB thread & VM thread)

In the post on SPB thread , which was quite brief, I only talked about the movie's background. Murali Srinivas sir added more details in that thread.

Later, when I posted the VM lyrics in our forum in this post , it was more of lyrical reading than any of rAsA's speciality. (VM got away with mocking NT as "வெறும் புல்லு"  )

வேறென்ன செய்ய, that period was flooded with hit songs / albums that one lost count. 

Even great songs such as this one can be only mentioned in passing - with even connoisseurs paying limited attention

A couple of days back I was flipping thru the 2014 Guinness book (pushed by my 8 yr old to buy for her) and saw the "almost page height" Sachin picture in the cricket section, listing some of his records. (max test runs, max test hundreds, max 1st class hundreds etc).

While there is so much talk in the country about Sachin's records - rightly & deservedly so - there's not enough focus in the country for an equally prolific record setter in film music, IR.  (BTW, nothing irritates me more - than any other MD getting compared to Sachin on media - idiots who don't know anything about either class / quality or being prolific / smashing quantities).

Like Sachin's hundreds were the MEGA HIT albums by IR - possibly one each fortnight! And hit singles each week - week after week - for years!

So much poured in incessantly - that even a beauty like this song cannot be given due attention / appreciation.

While the song travels in a delectable but some-what-predictable pattern until the arrival of the first saraNam, when the arrangements start to scintillate, it takes a rapid soaring with the second interlude!

What a terrific flute passage and a lovely dialog with the keyboard! 

And just when a naive listener thinks that the saraNam is going to start, rAsA surprises - by EXTENDING the interlude with a few strings-seconds! (Thus mocking me, like "நீ நினைக்கிற மாதிரி முடிக்க நான் என்ன சாதா இசையமைப்பாளரா")!

Of course, one gets goose bumps when the seconds saraNam starts! 

This is what one calls "bliss"!



p.s. 
1. I have no complaints about EVEN teecharammA in this song
2. Here is the youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVJpgv0W_CA
(Watch video at your own risk - ambi chEchi dancing  )

Mazhai varuvadhu mayiluku theiryum.. Very Good Audio Quality.........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHRbP63DoLY#t=254

Putham pudhu kalai  - New Version.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRWj5knSvC0

Picturisation kum IR kum kodupinai ilai.....  indha paatu... interludes... lyrics...... ellam ... oru kulirana kalai pozhudhai romba azhagaga
feel panna vaikum........ indha paatai.. ipadi...   oru light velichathil.......... yaro oru orchestra singer  paduvadhu pola...... adhai kuda marakalam.
anal...    kobam varugiradhu.........

maatri yosika vendiyadhu dhan.. adharkaga ipadiya........... manadhu samadhanam agavillai dhan.............

paatu kaekum.. namaku ellam romba azhagana.. yadharthamana karpanai ellam varugiradhae.......

kulirana ootyil.. oru kaalai pozhudhil... pani niraiya..........  pachai niramana marangalum.. chedigalum.. irukum.... oru amaidhiyana idathil..
asaiyaga nadandhu pogum oru heroine ai ninaika thondrugiradhae...... adhu thappa........

 indha director ku matum yen
thondravillai.........

Malaiyalam songs collections from Suresh. Thank u Suresh.......

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQZeCACxgivulyu-3iR7wea

indha paataiyum solli irukalam......

Chella thathae  from Manasinakkare.......  Beautiful Chorus..... cream of Harmony......

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

For the last 10 days or so, this song is on repeat on the van and I'm not able to get out of it during drives

This recent pleasure run also included a couple of "parking lot" listens. 


(For those who haven't read about this before, I have this crazy "occasional" habit :
(a) Switch off the engine after reaching the parking lot of workplace in the morning
(b) Increase the volume to blasting levels
(c) Close the eyes 
(d) Enjoy the current fav. song and get a GREAT KICK out of it)


Now, what is the song? 

Not something new - I've written about this in the SPB thread long back, as my top pick from the much maligned kAdhal parisu movie / album :
காதல் மகராணி /  காதல் யுவராஜா


Sometime back, V_Sji wrote a post appreciating the pAdal varigaL of Muthulingam in the 500/1000 lyrics thread .

That way, this is not a new find or something like that. 

However, it wasn't enjoyed this much during any of my previous encounters. 

I believe the version on my van is the "Coimbatore Dolby" or something like that - very clean recording, all sounds crystal clear. Plus the excellent sound equipment / speakers on the minivan enhance the listening pleasure.

As could be seen on the post from the SPB-IR thread, this was one album which I didn't pay much attention to during the time of arrival   It was mostly involuntary listens only. Now, after listening to this song on loop for a few days, I should increase the rating of this album at par with some of the top scores of IR, in my listing! (I should also listen to the other songs from this album a little closer now - we often tend to dump this album as one of the lesser works of IR during the 80's  )

Well, I haven't watched the youtube recently - which will in all probability be a disastrous experience (per my memory of watching that atrocious film on DVD a few years back). Let me get the link here now, though not planning to watch right now :  
KH-Radha-horse

The song is a orch. freak-out by IR! Be it drums or bass score or wind instruments or strings - he had pumped a lot of energy - to make one's spirit soar! 

Some of my most fav. stuff that must be highlighted in this post are :

a) The thundering brass section that blasts in the prelude, following some energetic drumming!

b) The terrific bass background for the pallavi

c) Of course, the exuberance of both SPB and SJ

d) The fantastic first interlude that is a roller-coaster ride, culminating in a phenomenal guitar ending that leads to saraNam!

e) The unbelievably innovative saraNam, that only IR can imagine! Keeping it both RACY and SOFT - a magic that only IR can perform!

f) My most fav part of the song, when he switches the background in the middle of the saraNam that starts with the line "கண்ணே உந்தன் கூந்தல் ஓரம்..." WOW! (The percussion / bass arrangement is somewhat similar to the pallavi of 'thenmadhurai vaigai nadhi', another all-time-fav of mine, something "only-IR-possible" stuff). This also brings in my mind a horse ride and involuntarily my body starts to do  "horse-ride-gestures" - I wonder what the nearby motorists will  think about me if they notice me doing such wild stuff on the driver seat!


g) The terrific return back to pallavi - unexpected surprise style - another inimitable IR stuff

h) The brilliant second interlude, that betters the first, as IR often does!

So much of goodies - sweets, surprises, treats - packed into this wonder that excites both brain cells and emotion! I'm a little ashamed that it took this many years before I could appreciate it well  Well, better late than never

இன்னும் இப்படி எத்தனை அற்புதங்கள் கண்டுபிடிக்கக் காத்திருக்கின்றனவோ!