Dinner at Eight - Maestro's Evening Classics

I still remember seeing this movie on an evening show (even at that tender age). One of the first movies I still remember everything about the movie and everyone around me. I even remember watching this movie in a 'balcony', the first time ever. I even felt the smell of cinema hall when I entered the theatre (I hope everyone would have experienced that unique smell of cinema hall), may be that "air-conditioned" smell. I remember the first time I sat in a separate seat and the seat went inside when I was above to sit. Somehow managed to sit during the entire movie. Sometime even stood. Evening show movies are quite special as the crowd will be more. Another unique aspect is when we enter the theatre, there still will be little sunlight, but once we are out of the theatre, it becomes dark, just like a magic. It will look like all the crowd in the town suddenly disappeared. It seems we passed the entire day inside the theatre. Have you experienced this?

I didn't want and mean to hijack App's thread of P Susheela's songs, but incidentally this song too is her song. I am listing this song only with respect to evening classics. There are numerous other perspectives for this song which App might cover. This song is strongly associated with that evening time, not just because I watched this as an evening show, the way it was taken, yes see the visuals. Many times, this song was shown in doordharshan which also happens during that time. During my later years, this composition grew up on me and sat inside me and unwilling to come out and I will also not allow to let it out. Glorious singing by PS touching the deepest emotions (what a singing!), memorable tune, bass and lead guitar freaking out, the trumpets in the interlude, signature Kamal dance and expressions, ever generous Sripriya, haunting humming by SPB, terrific and glamorous lyrics by Kaviyarasar Kannadasan all make it an enchanting evening classic which I can never forget!. Hope you too!.

orE idam nirantharam - sattam en kayyil


Lyrics here:
http://www.dhool.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3309

Another great song of 70s which invokes the evening feel in me is KiNNaththil ThEn Vadiththu. Based in Vakulabharanam raagam with middle-eastern arrangements. I heard this raagam is more suited to sad songs because of the flat notes in it, but as usual Maestro breaks that and gives a romancing duet. We can also hear a tinge of sadness in the song, as Jayachitra is only dreaming about him. We know the end anyway. Since Maestro knows ahead while composing, he must have given that hint. These are all given and how much he has injected and elevated our skills. Even then many don't know the value of this composer. One of the most mesmerizing songs by Maestro. While KJY's gliding sangathis gives the dizziness, S Janaki moody rendering brings the desire. That humming before 'naanum Or dhraakshai rasam naayagan unthan vasam' says it all.

This one was one of the most discussed film by my family and relatives during my kid days, especially when the song was playing in doordharshan. Kamal and Rajini together. There were great fights on who was better in that film. We were not permitted to see this film as it was 'A' certified I think.



ஆணிப்பொன் கட்டில் உண்டு கட்டில் மேல் மெத்தை உண்டு 
மெத்தை மேல் வித்தை உண்டு வித்தைக்கோர் தத்தை உண்டு 
தத்தைக்கோர் முத்தம் உண்டு முத்தங்கள் நித்தம் உண்டு 

Lyrics by Vaali sir, easy words but what a flow and rhyming in the words and sits perfectly to the sandham. Most of all, he brings the mood of the song perfectly.

We used to have lot of fun listening/watching this song, especially during our dinner time. One of Rajini's best performance in this film. Sad that Padapat Jayalakshmi is no more, but that pair was so perfect in the film. Since the song talks about the lot of food items (as she is always fond of eating) starting with 'meen kozhambu', Maestro has chosen a sharp voice of Vani Jayaram to suit the sharpness in tastes, I suppose. Maestro has carried the song in a very unconventional way. The song does not have any conventional structure as whenever we think of food items, our list and the adjectives keeps on increasing not in any particular order. Same way the tune just flows out of her heart, as she thinks about a food item. Beautiful!. A great appetizer of a song as we hear the various food items. Two main instruments complement the tune; morsing and ghatam, that's it. Very relaxing song to share with our dinner time. The song that never dies.