Pearl(s) in an oyster!

Kannadasan, according to me is the greatest lyricist in Tamizh Cinema.

There are a lot of similarities between Raaja sir Kannadasan.

Both are spontaneous and can compose in a jiffy.

Both are from rustic background.

Both do not have formal education (school drop outs!).

Both are very frank and do not hesitate to speak their minds (and earned enemies/detractors because of this).

And yes, spiritually inclined..

Kannadasan had a special liking for Raaja sir though his favourite was MSV sir who was like a younger brother.

In fact, Panchu Arunachalam who introduced Raaja sir in Films is Kannadasan’s nephew.

Raaja sir also had(and has) the highest regard for Kannadasan.

Before leaving for the US in the year 1981, Kannadasan wrote two songs for Raaja and it seems told his assistant ‘Raaja is very lucky because I probably wrote my last song in movies.After returning from the US, I wish to focus fully on spiritualism and don’t intend to write anymore for films.’

How prophetic it turned out to be!

Kannadasan died in the US and would never write again..

And the last songs were written for ‘Moondram Pirai’.

Though there are lot of gems in the Raja-Kannadasan combination (‘Engengo Sellum’, ‘Devathai oru Devathai’, ‘Kovil Mani Osai’-just to name a few!), I am taking up a very rare song which cannot be seen anywhere..

Cannot be seen anywhere?

Yes, because though it was composed for a movie, it was not present in the final cut.

It is ‘Aazhak Kadalil Thediya Muthu’ from ‘Sattam en Kaiyil’(1978).

The whole song follows the ‘wavy’ pattern and is as soft as any lullaby could be.

The song starts with a whistle like sound followed by the flute in lower octave, Santoor and the violins.

The interludes are simple but great. The sudden surge of the strings in the first interlude looks like a huge wave raising and kissing our feet.

The ‘Heyyy..’ in the second interlude takes us straight to the catamaran on the sea.

The third interlude makes us close our eyes and enjoy the sea breeze.

In the third Charanam the mother and father sing to the child.

The mother says,’Your father gave the pearl.’
Father says’Your mother is a golden oyster’.
Both of them say ‘We swam and had a dip to bring you out’.

‘Chippikkule Muthu vaichu unnai thantha appa kanne..
Chippiyilum Thanga Chippi Unnai Pethha Amma Kanne
Neendhinom muzhginom unnai edukka’

Very subtle (sounds more subtle in the original ..)

I wish Lyricists of today who tend to take a dip and dunk in vulgarity took a leaf or two from the Master Lyricist..

Aazha Kadalil Thediya MuthukkaL-ILaiyaraaja and Kannadasan!

http://music.cooltoad.com/music/song.php?id=207160