Vani Jayaram singing for IR - cataloged 51 so far

First of all, we need to thank VJ (and also the patti manRam fellows interviewing her / Sun TV that organized the women's day show and any other person behind this), for NOT INCLUDING IR's name in these two videos :

VJ Interview to Sun TV, part 1 : 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHR79cYBNLQ

part 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ26QoIxHfg

That is a nice way of acknowledging that the phenomenal genius of IR cannot be bracketed with relatively ordinary talents such as SMS / MSV / KVM / S-G / ARR kind of TFM MD's.

After all, when talking about small little hills such as siRumalai / javvAdhu malai / Elagiri / yErcaud kind of places, why should anyone talk about Mt Everest?

Or, when talking about vehicles that run on surface (mAttu vaNdi / kudhirai vaNdi / padmini car / ambassador etc), why should anyone mention Boeing / AirBus / Lockheed Martin kinds?

So, indeed a very nice gesture from VJ / Sun TV and patti manRams


As a token of appreciation, let me open this thread and post some memorable IR songs with VJ as singer!
(Actually VJ sang a couple of them in the part 2 above, and I'll include them in the next couple of posts  - 'nAnE nAnA' and 'ennuLLil engO'! She sang these based on interviewer's request and it's possible the interviewers thought these were composed by MSV or S-G)

Today I was listening to one of Raja's early albums "azhagE unnai AraadhikkiREn".
In the bold, bohemian era of 70's, Director Sridhar used to deal with women protagonists who tread a tight rope walk along the narrow 'chastity belt'. It was VJ show all the way.
Whether it is a lady in introspection in "nAnE nAnA" or a lady in love as in "en kalyana vaibhigam" or a lady at the brink of failing morality as in "thanimaiyil yArivaL", vJ showcased her vocal prowess with great aplomb.

app_engine wrote:First of all, we need to thank VJ (and also the patti manRam fellows interviewing her / Sun TV that organized the women's day show and any other person behind this), for NOT INCLUDING IR's name in these two videos :

VJ Interview to Sun TV, part 1 : 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHR79cYBNLQ

part 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ26QoIxHfg

That is a nice way of acknowledging that the phenomenal genius of IR cannot be bracketed with relatively ordinary talents such as SMS / MSV / KVM / S-G / ARR kind of TFM MD's.

After all, when talking about small little hills such as siRumalai / javvAdhu malai / Elagiri / yErcaud kind of places, why should anyone talk about Mt Everest?

Or, when talking about vehicles that run on surface (mAttu vaNdi / kudhirai vaNdi / padmini car / ambassador etc), why should anyone mention Boeing / AirBus / Lockheed Martin kinds?

So, indeed a very nice gesture from VJ / Sun TV and patti manRams


As a token of appreciation, let me open this thread and post some memorable IR songs with VJ as singer!
(Actually VJ sang a couple of them in the part 2 above, and I'll include them in the next couple of posts  - 'nAnE nAnA' and 'ennuLLil engO'! She sang these based on interviewer's request and it's possible the interviewers thought these were composed by MSV or S-G)

Before IR's debut, VJ was the star upcoming singer after her hit in Guddi and her hits in Theerga Sumangali (Malligai En Mannan Mayangum) and Apoorva Ragangal songs.  However, with IR's debut, SJ took over.  And VJ never grew to that star status after that.  However, I am surprised that she has sung a lot of songs for IR - much more than what I had recognized at that time.  Even though, Azhage Unnai Aaradhikiren was the most famous with IR

Sorting and filtering thru Anbu sir's spreadsheet of IR's tracks (possibly the most comprehensive at the point of time this got made - now we need to add the newer releases and hopefully our Drunkenmunk has the latest and greatest), what VJ has sung for IR won't count to more than 150 songs

That's all - in all languages combined, including the dubbed ones!

So, even if I keep listing ALL the songs she sang under IR's baton, this thread is not going to be too long. No wonder she (and her admirers) are not very happy about IR.

(If we ask HCIRFs, they may say "இதுவே ரொம்ப அதிகம்" )

Anyways, I'll start with the most popular ones (in the order of my personal preference) and once those are accounted for, we can go for the rest in a chronological manner...

#1 orE nAL unai nAn from iLamai oonjalAdukiRadhu, with SPB

ஒரே நாள் உன்னை நான் நிலாவில் பார்த்தது
உலாவும் உன் இளமை தான் ஊஞ்சலாடுது
(pAdal varigaL by Vaali)

Excellent song and talked about multiple times in this and previous forums - SPB thread, lyrics thread, waltz thread etc.

Here is the "million-plus-hits-but-not-so-great-quality" youtube (featuring Kamal & Sripriya in the movie directed by Sridhar, 1978):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th3LJyFDZzY


For better audio, please use this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8irPe5bNXY

Yet to listen to her interview which you posted, but I am happy she has acknowledged and distinguished IR from his predecessors and successors.  As for the songs, I have mixed views -  I was never particularly fond of her singing on the songs she sang for IR but on the other hand they are some of the most interesting, most innovative of his and given how vast his work is, that's saying something.  It's not that IR did not give innovative songs to the regulars but he seemed to seek out VJ when he had particularly unusual songs like Naane Naana or Kavithai Kelungal.

crimson king wrote:Yet to listen to her interview which you posted, but I am happy she has acknowledged and distinguished IR from his predecessors and successors.

Please see my post
(She did NOT mention IR's name - talked about every other person)

App - Thanks for starting yet another worthwhile initiative  . I understood the sarcasm in your post .

I haven't watched the videos yet.  But, from what I have seen in the past, none of the older generation female singers (SJ, PS, VJ) have appreciated the genius of IR's compositions in the way that an SPB or Chitra have done. It's usually a namesake mention and that IR was really good like his predecessors. In general, I feel a certain indifference in their mentions of IR and his compositions and don't infer that they hold him in the highest regard. To them, he is not as special as his predecessors whom they all hold in the highest regard. Atleast, that's what I feel.

Coming to this thread, I like lots of songs that VJ sang for IR. My most favorite being Ennullil Engo from Rosapoo Ravikkaikaari.

app_engine wrote:

crimson king wrote:Yet to listen to her interview which you posted, but I am happy she has acknowledged and distinguished IR from his predecessors and successors.

Please see my post
(She did NOT mention IR's name - talked about every other person)

Oops, missed the sarcasm. lol, nice one.

CK


rajkumarc,
nanRi for the kind words!

Me too like many songs VJ sang for IR...let's see how many I can collect in this thread

#2 inRaikku Enindha AnandhamE (vaidhEhi kAthirundhAL)

இன்றைக்கு ஏனிந்த ஆனந்தமே
இன்பத்தில் ஆடுது என் மனமே
(pAdal varigaL by Gangai amaran and thus discussed in that thread in detail)

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


This tha-ki-ta / tha-ki-ta tisra nadai song has always been a top favorite for me! I can never get tired of this sweetie! VJ-JC, a very nice combo that sweetens the lovely composition!

As mentioned many times, songs of this album were NOT composed to a movie situation. IR got them composed and declared that "only someone who'll use ALL these songs and make a movie gets them" and Panju A / R Sundarrajan took up the challenge and succeeded

(A small hangover from the "waltz" thread - this mega hit album had rAsAththi / rAsAve onna kANadha nenju, mEgam karukkayilE, kAthirundhu kAthirundhu, inRaikku Enindha - so many waltz / tisra nadai numbers! Shows how much IR loves this- especially when there was no "situation-given-compose-a-song" kind of limitation, used it even more frequently!  azhagu malarAda was the exception, it had "tha-ka-tha-ki-da" 5 beat cycle, which was special as well)

#3 ennuLLil engO Engum geetham (rOsAppoo ravikkaikkAri)

என்னுள்ளில் எங்கோ எங்கும் கீதம் ஏன் கேட்கிறது?
(pAdal varigaL - GA and accordingly this song got covered in detail in the GA thread)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kJqre8tuyM


Sounds like a "northie" song (some nice play with tablA but basically a "waltz" song ) and the song is some kind of a precursor to dhooraththil nAn kaNda un mugam of nizhalgaL.

Melodious song and VJ sings it nicely!

Marudha manja kezhangae from Nenjil aadum poo ondru... with SPB...

VJ's humming is so sweet.......

Polladha asai vandhu from Kanni Rasi

Extraordinary composition of IR....... singers ku challenge ana oru composition..... especially humming.........including the modulation......

VJ... nalla padi irupanga.......  Compositiionai purindhu kondu..........

#4 nee kEttAl nAn mAttEn enRA solvEn kaNNA (iLamai oonjalAdugiRadhu)

நீ கேட்டால் நான் மாட்டேன் என்றா சொல்வேன் கண்ணா
என் கண்ணும் இள நெஞ்சும் என்றும் உந்தன் பின்னால்
(pAdal varigaL by Vaali, a personal favorite and I've posted about this in the 500/1000 thread in this forum - "நீ ஒரு காதல் நூல் நிலையம்" )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqp30ZROiHY


Though done in typical "teechcharammA" voice, the other elements of the song (orch / saraNam melody / lyrics) easily overcome it making the song a classic!
(BTW, Those who watched the FULL video can post about their suffering - I couldn't continue once the first line of the song started - yuck)

#5 kuRinji malaril vazhindha rasaththai (azhagE unnai ArAdhikkiREn)

குறிஞ்சி மலரில் வழிந்த ரசத்தை உறிஞ்சத்துடிக்கும் உதடு இருக்க
ஓடியதென்ன? பூவிதழ் மூடியதென்ன ? என் மனம் வாடியதென்ன?
(pAdal varigaL by Vaali, I've started writing about this song and got busy with many other things mid way - in the 500/1000 thread - hope to complete it some day )

Very sweet song (with atrocious video but i'll post the youtube anyways, for any who is interested) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNM-6p_Za00


As most of us know, this was IR's second movie with director Sridhar and full of hit songs. (I believe this was made as a trilingual also). Both SPB & VJ are in a "controlled aggression" mode

#6 nAnE nAnA yArO dhAnA (azhagE unnai ArAdhikkiREn)

நானே நானா யாரோ தானா 
மெல்ல மெல்ல மாறினேனா 
(pAdal varigaL by Vaali)

IR's terrific music made this song very popular - while VJ has sung generally well, I'm not sure if she had been expressing as per what the character / situation demanded for the song (drunk woman feel is totally absent, perhaps VJ never tasted -OH in life   Well, no one knows for sure if SJ had ever tasted also but the thought of if she had been asked to sing this song is mouth-watering  )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaemqYLpRY8

#7 poonthenRalE nalla nEram kAlam sErum (bhuvana oru kELvikkuRi, some extra music in the second interlude on video compared to the one on disk)

பூந்தென்றலே நல்ல நேரம் காலம் சேரும்
பழகிய பலன் உருவாகும் பாடி வா பாடி வா
(pAdal varigaL Panju Arunachalam, duet with PJ)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzlWml6nZE8


Same album has the SPB classic vizhiyilE malarndhadhu uyirilE kalandhadhu

This song was quite popular at the time of arrival and was on the regular playlist of IOKS. Brings me back 70's summer evenings (of course I like the song even otherwise, sweet thuLLal duet ; once again, VJ singing takes away all the sensuousness associated with the situation but the song should be enjoyed not taking into a/c the movie context )

app,

vani jayaram... nanae naana.. pattai sariya than padi irukanga...... andha character ku yetha madhirii....... 
with some limit.....

one more song.

Ilaiyaraja paatil..Vani Jayaram .. voice.. vidhyasamaga than irukum.. epodhu kaetalum........ ella paatum pidikum.......

Nitham nitham nellu soru... padafat.. avangaloda thimir.. konjam innocent.. ellam match agira madhirii oru rendition dhan seinju irupanga......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_EhAijFz8U

Kaetal kaetta varam from Durga Devi.. Rare song.. radio days ku piragu.. idhu varai innum kaetkavilai........ paatu kaeka link vendum.

Raaga .. indha padam enaku work agavilai.

#8 sugam sugamE (nAn pOtta savAl, featuring Rajinikanth on screen)

சுகம் சுகமே ஏய் தொடத்தொடத்தானே
(pAdal varigaL by the movie's director, Puratchi Dasan himself)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jEHiBaI36s


The song used to be a regular on IOKS evenings I love the interlude before the 3rd saraNam (that solo violin piece especially) and used to look forward to it whenever the song got played on radio!

MV sings nicely and VJ is good too. (In general, to me, VJ is more tolerable on duets than on solos )

#9 ABC nee vAsi (oru kaidhiyin diary, with KJY)

ஏ பி சி நீ வாசி எல்லாம் என் கைராசி ஸோ ஈஸி
(pAdal varigaL by Vairamuthu)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu12SVj7vhw


Like I posted long back, this is one song that perfectly suited the "teacharammA"

BTW, on screen, both the song and preceding scene are my favorites

app, neengaLum varikku vari "teacheramma" nnu kakAikkarEL. Naaz sir kOchikka pORAr.

In "sugam sugamE", when the charamams end with a wonderful "brigha". the balance and finish that Vani exhibits is definitely several notches above the near botched up attempt by MV.

mythila

I don't think Naaz and such old-timers even know about our site
(I may be wrong here but I don't think he was that much active even in the hub in later years)

BTW, if someone is from the "humility mania" group, they should watch both those VJ videos and get beaten up

(I could identify rAgAs when I was just 2 or 3 years, I'm called "computer" in music industry, 7 swarangal got completed in just a couple of hours, Not just singing I can paint and write poems - even released a book of poems, BMK compared me-SJ-PS to carnatic trinity...and may be some more self-pradhAbams, besides happily acknowledging the AhA-OhO of the patti manRams)

The same gumbal that cannot tolerate IR telling even as a matter of fact what musicians abroad appreciated about his compositions, calling him garvi...and also beating him up for "self propaganda" when he conducted a whole program with just MSV songs, will happily say "VJ ammA mAdhiri varumA" etc. 

At the minimum, I have not seen ANY comments from the humility maniacs on the web about the VJ interviews

BTW, I want to ask patti manRam Raja to SING at least 4 lines of the sangarAbharanam VJ song

That fellow happily claimed that those songs reached patti-thotti of TN.

Nonsense! 

Possibly some city / big town areas, there too mostly mEttukkudis. 

Nothing more. 

Definitely not the pAmarath thamizhan of 70s / 80s south of Chennai

The relentless propaganda by vikatan-kumudam kind of magazines made sure people from parts other than big cities of TN also KNEW / HEARD about sangarAbharanam songs.

Also, the high-brow AIR fellows did play the Telugu songs illegally (or as a rare exception) during Thamizh film song slots - which were themselves quite limited, much to the irritation of TFM-lovers like me those days. 

(I did definitely enjoy some of the songs years later...during my college days; but at the time of arrival, I wasn't happy of the fact that those STOLE precious radio time from my favorite TFM songs of that period).

May be patti manRam is referring to those illegal AIR broadcasts (the same fellows who banned harmless songs as Oram pO rukkumaNi vaNdi varudhu) & came to the conclusion that sangarAbharanam was TN patti-thotti famous  

May be Raja or the patti manRam lady (who claimed her mother-in-law was a TFM chorus singer in studios and reportedly told great things about VJ) can sing portions of rAgam-thAnam-pallavi or brOchevArevarurA , the two songs that had AIR time.

Even those songs, if we ask "average" TN-ers in 40s-50s to sing beyond the first line, they'll be seeing stars  - let alone the VJ number. I'm not asking to sing the actual Telugu words, just hum as lala-lala-lala

(This is petty manRam's age group - who could be potentially familiar if those were patti-thotti hits in TN. 
BTW, I'm one from that demographics and I strongly refute his claim)

#10 hEy I love you (unnai nAn sandhiththEn, duet with KJY)

ஹே ஐ லவ் யூ ஐ லவ் யூ ஐ லவ் யூ
அந்தி வெயில் மின்னி வரும்பொழுது மன்மதனின் மந்திரத்தை எழுது மெல்ல எழுது
(pAdal varigaL by Muthulingam)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv4JTmgJWk4


Kovaiththambi version of his idol's anbE vA song

Both KJY & VJ are not the typical choices for such "English first line" songs those days but then you never set any such rules with IR.