Re: Forgotten Singers of Ilaiyaraaja's Era

**V_S** Sun Oct 28, 2012 4:53 am

App, Good to know all these details. Seeing him participate in many music shows nowadays and hear him sing well, I thought he was available. May be he lost touch with the music directors after 80s and also didn't come forward saying that he is still available, not sure.

**V_S** Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:54 am

Even though there only few, I could not stop admire the songs of BSS. Here is another one, PoovE Idhu PoojaikkaalamE from Graamathu Athiyaayam (1980).
Luckily rajesh has uploaded the video of this rare song. Some unknown actors and naive acting, unheard film, awkward and random visuals by the director not even knowing what sin he is doing, forgotten singer, but for Raja it is another new day, new creation and another new born baby. Excellent start to the song. Santhoor followed by violins and flute takes us to our land. The ultimate beauty in the song is in the interludes where you can hear a brilliant violin-flute counterpoint when the actress is busy standing at one place smiling and waving her hands. What a thought! When BSS is pitching high in the charanams, she is not even opening her mouth. Absolute merry of a tune and singing, enhanced by the actress. Some fabulous violins in the second interlude again sent off by her waving. All long shots and director did not have any clue what is he was going to do with the song and the actress. I had a pleasant memory and wonderful imaginations about this song before seeing the video.

I heard recently from JM's article that Raja did not get enough recognition and praises for his work. After seeing all this visuals, all these directors need not even praise him, but they have to apologize sincerely to him having spoiled these gems to extremes. That would be the biggest praise of all. I will take a long time for me erase this visual out of my mind whenever I hear this wonderful gem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU_qgIJe7Mw

For those who don't want to take the risk. Dissolve in this Maestro's early magic and BSS's haunting singing.
http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer.asp?sngs='SNGIRR0954'&lang=en

app_engine Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:39 pm

V_Sji,

Lovely post on 'poovE idhu poojaikkAlamE'.
However, idhukku mattum objection your honor:

V_S wrote:
unheard film

grAmaththu athyAyam, apart from the fact that it had four phenomenal songs by IR, was a big "looking forward to" movie those days, by the serious cinema lovers.

Reason?

It was the second film of Rudraiah, the director who made the wonder 'avaL appadiththAn', the career best for Sripriya - in company with Kamal, Rajini & rAsA. Though I've read great things about that movie those days, got a chance to watch only a couple of years back (on the net) and was thoroughly impressed. (Jaiganesh has a detailed review of this movie on his blog IIRC). The movie also earned decent money, apart from a lot of fame.

Naturally, the next by that director was keenly anticipated. To add to the expectations, rAsA gave tremendous songs that got played ahead of the release in SLBC I think :

-Aththu mEttula oru pAttu kEkkudhu (MV / SJ)
-oodhakkAththu veesayila kuyilu koovaiyila (SJ/PJ)
-vAdAdha rOsAppoo nA onnu pAththEn (SPB)
-the BSS song that got posted about

(I think our village teakkadai fellow had the 48 RPM vinyl as well)

So, though the movie was a disaster, it cannot be called "unheard" Smile

**V_S** Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:57 pm

Thanks App. Embarassed

I didn't hear much about this film. Yes, songs were very popular as you said. Thanks for great details about the film.

app_engine Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:09 pm

The director actually picturized the songs wonderfully in the B&W 'avaL appadiththAn' ('uRavukaL thodarkadhai' picturization meets ulakaththaram - i.e. if someone can give me a definition for that ; otherwise, that song IS the ulakaththaram, on and off screen!).

As he had directed only 2 movies (AA & GA), he at least gets 50 marks w.r.t. picturization of rAsA songs Smile

So, IMHO, he cannot be clubbed with the large group of directors who mercilessly massacred great songs on screen Smile

**V_S** Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:13 pm

We all know these Duets, but when asked about the singers, we can clearly tell the male singers. Somehow we get confused when it comes to identify female singer, as she is shadowed by these legends. Yet she stamps her class. Her voice sometimes gives a feel like Swarnalatha's voice, but we can distinguish. So, mostly she has been shadowed by these male and female singers. She has sung some popular ones and also quite rare ones mainly as solos. Thiraipaadal has most of them, but few are left and some songs have been wrongly credited to her which is usual in thiraipaadal site.

Good that she is still singing. She has some great songs for other music directors. My favorites being her solos as she has full song to prover her capability.

Duets:
Kaadhal Mayakkam - Pudhumai PeN
VeLLa Manam - Chinna Veedu
Poongiyil Rendu - Veetla Visheshanga
Oru KOlakiLi - Pon Vilangu
Solli Solli - Senthamizh Paattu
SemmeenE SemmeenE - Sevvanthi
Siruvani - Enga Ooru Kaavakkaran

Solos:
Sollattuma - Sakkarai Panthal
Anbennum - Sakkarai Panthal
Poove Sempoove - Solla Thudikkuthu Manasu
Chinna Chinna - Sakthi Vel
Suthratha Bhoomi - NilavE Mugam Kaattu
ThuLi Mani ThuLiyE - Raasa Magan
Vidiyum NEram - Sethupathi IPS
Ayya - Dharma Seelan

http://www.thiraipaadal.com/singer.php?page=1&SGRID=Sunandha&lang=en&sort=song_asc

app_engine Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:44 pm

Two more excellent numbers by Sunandha :

mannavA mannavA (walter vetrivel)

sheNbagamE sheNbagamE (happy version, enga ooru pAttukkAran)

**V_S** Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:15 pm

Thanks App for adding the missing numbers. Smile

**V_S** Fri Nov 09, 2012 6:19 am

Whenever we think of Mike Mohan, we cannot forget this person. Whenever we think of this person, we cannot forget Mohan. Both benefitted mutually. He has a 'blocked nose' voice, but definitely that does not take away his capability as a singer. Apart from giving playback, he sang some beautiful songs right from late 70s till millennium for Maestro, not frequently though. I think his first song incidentally happened to be a duet surprisingly with his sister Shoba Chandrasekar from the film Aval Oru Pachchai Kuzhanthai.

The song starts with a breezy guitar and a gliding keyboard. I could not clearly distinguish if this song has anu-pallavi or just the pallavi. The flow is continuous except for the first word, maalai. 'Maalai iLam manathil aasai thanai thooviyathu adhi kaalai, andha ninaivil dhinam aayiram kavithaigaL paadiyathu maalai' Very sweet pallavi. Interlude comprises of lead guitar, bass guitar, acoustic drums and flute, a very short interlude. Second interlude mostly has keyboard and bass guitar. Surendar has just few line to sing in charanam and ending pallavi, more of a Shoba's song, nevertheless the song which introduced him to film world.

http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer.asp?sngs='SNGIRR0351'&lang=en

There is another rare one which skr introduced to me. Aivagai MalargaLai from Adhikaaram, a duet with S Janaki. An excellent number.

More later… Smile

**Admin** Fri Nov 09, 2012 6:43 am

V_S

Gopuranggal Saivathillai numbers are by Krishnachander illa?

**V_S** Fri Nov 09, 2012 7:08 am

grouch,
You are right, I don't know how did I make that mistake Embarassed

Somehow that song played in my mind when I was writing that post and messed it up. Just checked in my list, yes it is Krishna Chandar. Will clear that up. Thanks for correcting me.

**Admin** Fri Nov 09, 2012 7:37 am

Trouble is, when these songs are playing in our mind, we are too immersed with the music that we have no grasp of the singers, especially not too frequently used types like Krishnachander or Surendar. In fact, that Surendar song you posted, he sounded like, no thanks to poor quality of the sound, Deepan Chakravarthi. Only less than stellar singing confirms its Surendar.

**V_S** Fri Nov 09, 2012 7:49 am

Here is somewhat better quality compared to thiraipaadal.
http://www.mediafire.com/?hkzrvk9mn1rhd1w

Also found one interesting write-up about this song by 'Dhool' Saravanan.
http://www.dhool.com/sotd2/448.html

app_engine Fri Nov 09, 2012 5:58 pm

I'm ill-equipped to decipher the connection, but whenever I hear this 'mAlai iLamanadhil' song by Vijay's ammA, the terrific PS-TMS song 'mannikka vENdukiREn, undhan Asaiyaith thooNdukiREn' starts playing in my mind Embarassed

While reading V_Sji's post, I let the song play in the background and invariably the fantastic song from iru malargaL started playing in the mind Shocked

Not just that, it kept playing all night and in the morning, until I switched to the 'yE thendRalE' in the car (on repeat mode there).

I'm so in love with that 'mannikka vENdukiREn' song right from radio days.

Especially the end of the saraNam is OOW! PS rules!

http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer.asp?sngs='SNGOLD0607'&lang=en

Someone please decipher this 'mAlai-mannikka' connection for me Smile

BTW, S N Surendar - Mohan connection is still there in gOpurangaL sAyvadhillai (as dubbing voice to Mohan, though the 'pudichchAlum pudichchEn' song was Krishna chandar).

One song that SNS sang for Mohan is 'dEvan kOyil deepam onRu' but it was only on the disk - onscreen version is SJ solo in nAn pAdum pAdal Smile

**V_S** Fri Nov 09, 2012 6:26 pm

App,
Yes, 'maalai iLa manathil' definitely has MSV touch in the tune. Only from orchestration we can distinguish it is Raja. Your connection to Iru MalargaL songs seems interesting, the resemblance is there at the start.

Another interesting tit-bit about SN Surendar is he didn't sing much solos for IR and most of his duet are male duets (with two or more singers). No other singer has sung so many male duets (and chorus) compared to the total number of songs. As you pointed out, it is surprising he sang only one song for Mohan, but has given Mohan a whole new life with his voice.

Most popular IR numbers. I use to listen to these songs often, especially Paarijaathu PoovE and Mangai Nee as his voice is clearly heard in these songs. Very Happy

DEvan Koyil (Naan Paadum Paadal)
Paarijaatha PoovE (En Raasaavin ManasilE)
DEvathai pOloru (GOpura VaasalilE)
Santhanam Javvaathu (VaLLi)
Mangai Nee (Innisai Mazhai)

But he became popular during mid 80s with two of his best numbers, from Oomai VizhigaL; Maamarathu Poo eduthu and KaNmani nillu (music by Manoj-Gyan).

He also sang in KarimEdu Karuvaayan, SEthu, Amaidhi Padai, Periya Maruthu, Thaayamma to name a few, but most of the songs as a group. Will get these rare ones in the evening.

**V_S** Sun Nov 11, 2012 6:37 pm

ahA silukku dhaavani!

A nice song by Chitra and Krishachandar from KarimEdu Karvuvaayan. Starts with beautiful guitar, backing violins and finishing with scintillating flute. Hear the bass guitar, lovely! The rhythm pattern is uneven which adds beauty to this innocent composition. Very sweet tune. Not much strain for singers, as Maestro keeps the tune mostly in middle octaves. Violins and flute flows like the blood and branches out in every direction (through our veins) to provide composure.

http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer.asp?sngs='SNGIRR1573'&lang=en

This is captain's film, but this song was pictured on Pandian and Aruna.

**plum** Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:00 pm

I think thirapaadal links for this movie songs were breaking every few seconds. Good link irukA?

**V_S** Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:08 pm

Yes, youtube link here Smile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA9nc0kHG2U

I uploaded the song now on mediafire.
http://www.mediafire.com/?yrw47ss2feddp1y

**V_S** Mon Nov 19, 2012 4:31 am

I don't remember how many times I have watched this film, thanks to my friends who were crazy fans for this movie. This song was a rage during that time, but only in later years I came to know the singer. Whenever I think of this singer, first song which comes to my mind is this song. As per my list, he sang only seven songs for Raja, but all of them are really gems. This song in particular is surprising it went to him, because of his voice and the type of songs his father used to get. He has more of a folk and deep voice. If you listen to this song, the pallavi does not seem like a folk, more of a disco style, but when it comes to charanam, Maestro completely switches to folk. This singer has sung two superb songs prior to this one for Maestro, one is ChevvaanamE (Nallothoru Kudumbam) and NenjE Un Aasai enna (Naan pOtta Savaal), but this song stands tall in my memory mainly because I can associate the characters and the whole film behind it. This song happens when one of Bhagyaraj's friend (Rajendran) proposes his love to Radhika. What a hilarious character!

He is none other than T L Maharajan (son of Tiruchy LOganathan). Excellent singer forgotten in 80's whirlwind. MEri Pyaari Dil Ki Raani Pyaaru Karunga Deewaanaa from Indru pOi NaaLai Vaa.

**V_S** Sun Nov 25, 2012 12:51 am

Back to BSS. This song is about the depressed feeling of a women in the society. Excellent lyrics. I would say this one as BSS's best. Maestro as always surprises us by composing this tune in a racy manner for the sober mood. Looks like Maestro can still go faster to convey the contrasting mood. He competes with himself every time, not to external factors. This is called the real 'pushing the envelope', unlike many think that pushing the envelope is what he can do what others cannot do. Sasirekha has done exactly what Maestro wanted to do; Follow the strict grammar in singing, rest will be taken care automatically. We can hear that in the interludes with guitar, solo violin, haunting flute and group violins. The second interlude has a counterpoint with solo violin and guitar, the highlight!

Thendral Kaatrum Anbu Paattum Mangai Vaazhvil Ethu from Bagavathipuram Railway Gate.
http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer.asp?sngs='SNGIRR0409'&lang=en

**V_S** Mon Nov 26, 2012 8:26 pm

Innaikki full'a indha paattu thaan. Office varathE kashtama pOyidichu.

Radhika has sung this song. What a beautiful voice! Beautiful aalapanai before the pallavi and charanam and that chudachuda nanaigindrathE! Sorgam isaiyilE!

I think she also sang Deva Sangeetham and Aruna kirana deepam from Guru. Has she sung any other song for Maestro?

app_engine Mon Nov 26, 2012 9:07 pm

V_S wrote:chudachuda nanaigindrathE

One of my all-time-fav songs of rAsA!

V_Sji, the singer is known to plum's aunty (or some close relative)...avar kitta kEttuppAkkalAm Smile

I don't think this Radhika is same as the guru(mal) Radhika, plum to confirm...

**V_S** Mon Nov 26, 2012 9:23 pm

oh that's nice to know app. So Plum might have more details about this singer. Very Happy

**plum** Fri Nov 30, 2012 7:49 pm

She wasnt my aunty, app Smile

. She attended my aunt's wedding and it was 3-4 years after Aradhanai released so she was pestered to sing this song as part of nalungu. She also song some jency songs.

app_engine Fri Nov 30, 2012 8:12 pm

plum wrote:She wasnt my aunty, app .

nAn appadi sollalaiyE confused

Me posted :

the singer is known to plum's aunty

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