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How important are lyrics in a song?

As a corollary to this question, I would even ask – How important is the subject or the main theme of a song?

By ‘theme’, I am not talking about the musical theme but the ‘main subject’ of the song. In my opinion, it is a tricky question and is not very easy to answer or explain. Most importantly, it is subjective.

Let us take Tyagaraja kritis for example. Would a ‘Chakkani Rajamaargamu’ or a ‘Kanugontini’ sound the same or give us the same kind of vibrations if the wordings were different?

I doubt.

Because here, words and music go hand in hand and one sees a royal path unfold in front of the eyes or one even sees the magnificent form of Rama in the mind. Most importantly, one sees and feels the emotions of a great soul.

This is of course the case of Carnatic Music. Let me turn my attention to film music. 

One of the most important reasons for the old songs (‘50s and ‘60s) for sounding great and so very pleasing even now is the way the lyrics were written.

Sample this:

‘Kanni Tamizh Thandadoru Thiruvaasagam/ Kallai Kani Aaakum Undhan Oru Vaasagam(The language of Tamizh gave us Thiruvaasagam/ One word uttered by you (vaasagam) will make a stone melt).

‘Kamban Thandha Seethai Undhan Thaayallava/ KaaLidasan Sakuntalai Un Seyaallavaaa’( Kamban’s Seeta is your mother and KaaLidasan’s Sakuntalai is your daughter).

Though this may sound odd(everybody knows that Seeta and Sakuntalai were not related), but by invoking literary characters and using poetic licence, Kaviyarasar not only makes us interested in literature (or know more about it), but takes romance itself to new levels(this was sung by a male character to his beloved). So here, we appreciate the tune in Mayamalavagowla along with beautiful Tamizh(for people who do not know this song, it is ‘Kallellaam MaaNikka Kal Auguma’ and what I have given is just a sample line and there are more beauties in the song).

And then we have, ‘Neerodum Vaigiyile NindRaadum Meene, Neyyurum Kaanagaththil Kai Kaattum Maane’( the fish which dances in Vaigai river, the Deer in a beautiful forest) to describe two sweet and cute kids.

Then there is my oft-quoted ‘Naan Kaadal Ennum Kavitai Thandhen Kattilin Mele, Andha KaruNaikku Naan Parisu Thandhen Thottilin Mele’- which in my opinion, are the best ever lines written on love making in terms of subtlety and poetic beauty.

That brings me to the lyrics in Raaja sir’s songs. Though there have been some great lines written in his music, somehow these are few and we don’t pay attention to the wordings in his music because the music is so great that other things sound secondary to us. I can quote many songs in which lyrics have been below par but I would refrain from doing this now due to many reasons, the primary one being- ‘always focus on the positives and not on the negatives’.

Some (rather many) of the situations given to him have also not been challenging and yet he has given some immortal compositions for such situations. In a way, this answers the question about poor picturisation of a majority of his songs.

The rare gem of the day falls under the category of ‘poor lyrics’. More than that, the situation itself is not the one which we as good citizens should not be proud of. To put it plainly, the song is an ‘Eve teasing’ song and considers women as glamorous creatures. But the way Raaja sir has handled this song would make even a feminist to not hate the song and even love the song.

To start with, he composed it in a classical raga. In fact, he has composed many ‘kuththu’ songs in classical ragas and Shanmukhapriya seems to be his most favourite in this genre.

 But somehow he decided to compose ‘Vaa Machchi Machchi’ from ‘ManjaL Nila’(1982) in Hamsadhwani. The beginning is a kind of viruththam in a morning raga BhoopaLam and the wordings are a poor imitation of a verse in Abhirami Andaadi. Here I must add that though one may not like the concept of eve teasing, the words do bring a smile or two (after all, what is life without humour?).

The resonant bass guitar is backed by the pulsating drums and we begin to tap our feet instantaneously. The tabla and dholak that follow play the beats in ‘usi’ enhancing the experience. The piped instruments play in pure Hamsadhwani and it is a musical celebration to say the least.

Deepan Chakravarthy(joined by the chorus) sings the Pallavi which is beautifully structured. The last line ‘Ooduvaththi’ lasts 2 aavartanaas and without a doubt sounds like a classical piece. Please also note how the percussion sounds the chatushram beats and the intermittent guitar sound. Humour at its best!

Celebration of musical humour continues in the first interlude with the western wind instruments in full flow backed by Indian percussion. The guitar enters the fray and tickles the wind instruments which start jumping. These tickle the guitar in return and it is fun all around. The pure Hamsadhwani appears again before the keys and the guitar take over leading us to the first CharaNam.

The pauses between the lines in the beginning of the first CharaNam and the keys add to the humour. Same is the case with the long pause towards the end and the intentional off- key singing.

The second interlude is humorous too but what is beautiful here is the classical Hamsadhwani. The mridangam and the jaalra have been aptly used and don’t these smirk and titter? Surprisingly enough, the keys(or is it the synth?) are used to give the Hamsadhwani flavour in the beginning. The Indian melodic instruments join in the second segment playing Hamsadhwani to the backing of mridangam and jaalra. The guitar and the’synth’ appear after two aavrtaanas and sound in ‘usi’!

It is a MeLa..Musical MeLa.. Humorous MeLa..

So, how important are lyrics in a song?

I would prefer not to answer this question now and would rather prefer to listen to this song again now..

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Obverse

A couple of nights ago, when I was surfing the channels on TV, I found a channel playing ‘Raaja songs’. I clicked ‘Ok’ on my remote just to check the kind of songs that were being played. I must admit though that I have not had a great experience with such programmes in the past because of varied reasons, four of these being-1. Same songs played repeatedly, 2.Only ‘popular’ songs played, 3.Non-Raaja songs played, 4.Pathetic picturisation.

While (1.) and (2.) are ok and acceptable to a certain extent, as his songs can be listened to repeatedly without feeling tired or bored-though my first preference is always for his ‘lesser known’ songs- (3.) is irritatingly amusing(once they even played a song from ‘Kizhakku Cheemiyile’!. Wonder how they missed out ‘Roja’ J). It is (4.) which gives me mix of all negative feelings because apart from the fact that no film maker can do full justice to his music, my mental vision of many of his songs are different and I wouldn’t let anything disturb that vision. That is why, I have still not watched the visuals of most of his ‘70s songs-songs which are very close to my heart(this includes ‘MalargaLile Aaradhanai’, ‘Devathai Oru Devathai’ and many other songs).

Going back to that night, a song was just ending and the next one was about to start. Since my ears and the heart are trained to listen to his music and can easily make out any of his songs in a split-second, the moment the prelude started, I could sense that it was one of my evergreen favourites. Though I have listened to the song innumerable times, little had I realised(that is until that moment) that it was a song composed for a film in which an actor known for his ‘flamboyant’ dress sense played the lead role. Nor had I realised that his pair(female lead) was an actor in whose lexicon ‘graceful dance’ never existed.

Added to this were the gaudy setting and inaesthetic lighting. My dismay and discomfiture cannot be put in words now.  But what can be put in words are my feelings about the composition.

‘Arumbagi Mottaagi Poovagi’ from ‘Enga Ooru Kaavalkaran’(1988) has never failed to excite me and calm my senses at the same time. If this sounds like an oxymoron, so be it. As I always keep saying, it is the element of contrast which makes a poem or a musical piece beautiful.

And there are many contrasting beauties in this composition.

Listen to the bass guitar and the special bells sound which back the piercing flute in the beginning. And the two sets of bells which follow one after the other in different octaves..And ah , yes, the two sets of strings in two different octaves playing together. How contrasting each one sounds!

The percussion-which is totally silent in the prelude, making an entry only after one and half cycles in the Pallavi- plays rather gently for 3 beats and resoundingly in the 4^th beat. Do I have to say that ‘C’ word again here?

In any case, I must mention about yet another ‘C’ word- Charukesi- the raga on which this composition is based. This raga is eternally pleasing. What is also eternally pleasing is the sound of the flute and in the hands of the Master it sounds even more pleasing. The prelude piece and the one in the beginning of the first interlude are classic examples.

What about the twin-flute which appears in the first and last segments of this interlude? It is no doubt pleasing but the ‘C’ element appears here too, with each flute playing in two different octaves, though the notes are the same. In fact, this happens in the second interlude too and the sound from the twin-flute in two different octaves surrounds us like a friendly bee (bees can be friendly too, anyway!).

The two sets of strings in the first interlude which follow the flute and romances with it though briefly, offer pleasing contrast too. So does the special sound which intercepts the higher-octave strings in the second interlude, moving from left to right!

The guitar is a loner(in the first interlude) but being alone when preceded and followed by a group of intense instruments itself is a contrast.

I see the contrast even in the way the Pallavi and the CharaNams are structured. The Pallavi is in ‘ateeta eduppu’, with the taaLa cycle starting after the vocals while the CharaNams are in ‘anaagata eduppu’ with the vocals starting after the beginning of the cycle. And see how the Pallavi is rendered only by the male singer and the CharaNams both by the male and female.

This might sound outlandish but somehow I feel Deepan Chakravarthy’s voice  sounding soft while Suseela’s voice being more aggressive.

Coming to think of it, isn’t there contrast between the audio and video , with the former pleasant, aesthetic and fulfilling and the latter ..........(fill up the blanks)!

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Nostalgia..

About 4 years back when I was on an official tour to a city where I spent my formative years, I took a stroll after my dinner. Since the hotel was not very far from the place I lived nearly 3 decades back, I decided to go and see the house, and the school where I studied for 4 years. As I was walking by the side of the road, my heart rate increased. Just before the ‘gully’, something caught my instant attention. That object seemed so familiar to me. It was a huge tamarind tree. It was old now but surely seemed to recognise me. I went near that and gave it a caressing touch. The feeling I had then, is very difficult to express.

Nostalgia is a very special feeling. Though Eckhart Tolle may not agree, the past also has its own power. We are what we are because of our past. It is the past that has guided us to the present which in turn will take us to the future as the present becomes the past in future.

Show me one person who does not indulge in nostalgic trips now and then and does not enjoy it.

School, favourite teacher, dearest friend(s), objects, cycle, neighbours, pranks, games, music, radio…
The last two are the most relevant here.

Let me go back to the first paragraph. The house that I referred to was the place where I got my first transistor radio. Of course, I had an old valve set radio too which would receive Radio Australia, BBC and ah yes.. Radio Ceylon. If the first two introduced me to the finer nuances of the game called cricket through the voices of some great legendary commentators, the last mentioned introduced me to the world of music. The ‘Binaca Geetmala’ on Wednesday nights between 8 and 9 pm was one programme which I would never miss. The Hindi film songs attracted me so much that I became addicted to it.

Since the city I was living that time was about 750 kms from Tamizh Nadu, my exposure to Tamizh songs at that time was through Vividh Bharati during a 15 minute slot between 4.30 and 5.30 pm, and the Sri Lankan Broadcasting Corporation Asian Service between 4pm and 6pm.

Post-1976, I would be glued to the radio during this time for reasons that are obvious and I am sure this needs no elaboration.

I vividly remember the first time I listened to each and every song of his not just during this period but also post-1978 when we moved to a place in Tamizh Nadu about 150kms away from Madras.

Even very recently he himself has said in an interview about how people recall various incidents in their life through his songs and also how they always remember the first time they listened to the songs.

The rare gem of the day also talks about nostalgia.

Rendered beautifully by Deepan Chakravarthy, ‘Paaduthamma Aatrin alaigaL’ from the film ‘NaNdu(1980) moves like a gentle breeze.

The prelude starts with his favourite instrument during early ‘80s(refer my previous post) followed by the soft humming of Deepan. The Pallavi in ShankarabharaNam is breathtakingly fresh.

The eloquent flute dominates the interlude. The one- stringed instrument that nods its head in the first part gives a folksy feel while the keys towards the end gives that western touch with the dilruba in the middle kindling our deepest emotions.

The CharaNam is mellow and tranquil with some meaningful melodic lines.

The first two lines are graceful and the next two lines move like a gentle stream.
The lines that follow are resplendent with the alien note at the end giving a diffused glow.

Glow of nostalgia..

Made For Each Other..

One of the most underrated talents in Tamizh Film Music is that of Deepan Chakravarthy.

As I have been mentioning time and again, I fail to understand as to how and why Raaja sir gave opportunities to some mediocre and below par voices while people like Soolamangalam Murali, Radhika, Krishna Chander, T.KS.KalaivaNan, Deepan Chakravarthy were not given their due despite being introduced by him.
(I can easily list out the mediocre voices now, but I would prefer to not do it now.. ).

But in a way, Deepan was fortunate that unlike Murali, Radhika , he was not ‘dumped’ after just one song.

To be born in an illustrious artistic family has its advantages and disadvantages.
The pluses are the environment, artistic discussions and getting an entry as a performer rather easily. But on the other side are the expectations from the public and the pressure to live up to the expectations. And even after one shines, the refrain would be ‘It is in his/her genes. So, what is great about it?’

Deepan Chakravarthy’s father was the legendary singer Trichy Loganathan, who has the rare distinction of being the first male playback singer in the history of Tamizh Cinema.Those days actors were singers and therefore, they would lip sync to their own voice in front of the camera. However, Trichy Loganathan lent his voice to some other actor thus creating history!

Known for his crystal clear voice and perfect diction, Loganathan gave many hits including the incomparable ‘Vaarai nee vaarai’.

One of his sons, T.L.Maharajan started singing in movies at a very early age. His ‘Thaazh thiravaai’ in ‘Thiruvarutchelvar’ was so majestic and classical that it became a huge hit. But after he grew up, the voice had changed and that feminine tinge in his voice had disappeared forever. Because of this or whatever reason, he did not get too many opportunities.

T.L.Tyagarajan, Loganathan’s second son focused more on devotional albums and live light music concerts though he did sing some songs in films too.

Deepan Chakravarthy is Trichy Loganathan’s son.

He recorded his first song with Janaki for the film ‘Enakkaga Kaathuru’on Apr14th 1980(Tamizh PuththaaNdu NaaL). Many people still think that ‘Poongathave..’ was his first song.

However, ‘Poongathave thaazh thiRavai..’ did open new doors for him and he started singing some songs for Raaja consistently at least for the next four years or so..No, I am not contradicting what I wrote in the first paragraph. What I meant there was that for the kind of talent Deepan has, he was surely not given enough opportunities.Except for a few songs during late ‘80s, I do not remember his having sung too many songs in late ‘80s .

Deepan’s voice is marked by sweetness, clarity, shruti unison and of course perfect diction.All these qualities he would have imbibed from his father but one can clearly make out that he has a unique style which is different from that of his father.

Sometime during 1983, he was roped in as a hero in a film called ‘Rani Theni’ a film that also saw the Shree alias Mahalakshmi (daughter of AVM Rajan-Pushpalataha ) make her debut. I do not want to discuss the quality of the film because the less said the better.

Today, let us take up a gem from the same movie, a movie in which singer Deepan sang for the actor Deepan.

The song is ‘Ramanukke Seetai..’

The song starts with a mesmerizing aalap of Janaki that has contours of Kalyani as well as the Hindustani raag Hamir.The elegant electric guitar and the beautiful bass guitar follow making it a very short, sweet, attractive prelude.

The Pallavi with the flute juxtaposed lingers tenderly.

The tempo and the colour change suddenly in the first interlude. The guitars and the trumpets exude radiance and take joyous flights.

The CharaNams have soothing passionate phrases. It is sensuous, erotic and lucid.The resonant and charming timbre of Deepan makes it more attractive..It is enlivened by the flute and the Bass Guitar.

The Flute continues its journey with its melodic charm in the second interlude. It is a subtext of tones as the guitars and the synthesiser vies with each other to allure the flute. The subtle and varied electric guitar vivifies the atmosphere.

The second extended charaNam is a surprise too with the male singing the notes of the Pallavi with different set of words.

Intensely beautiful!

Rama and Sita.
Krishna and Radha.
Raga and TaLa.
Raaja and Music.

Are these not made for each other?

Musical Snowfall..

It is indeed amazing to note how Raaja creates a particular mood, and transports us to another place with just a simple combination of notes..

Not just the notes but also the pattern..

Not just the notes, the pattern but also the instruments..

Not just the notes, pattern, instruments but also the construction of the pallavi and the chranams..

Examples galore and I can quote N number of songs.

The song I am taking up today takes us all to the snow capped mountains.
We see the snowfall.

We feel the snowfall.

We get drenched in the snowfall, a musical snowfall.

It is ‘Pani Mazhai Vizhum’ from ‘Enakkaga Kaaththiru’(1980).

Raaja has always been fascinated with the Mohana Ragam.So fascinated that he also takes lot of liberties with the Raga. When he mixes the alien notes(mianly the 'dha' making it sound like Vaasanti), it only adds to the beauty.

‘Pani Mazhai Vizhum’ starts with a beautiful tribal instrument. We see the sherpas moving with glee but with military precision.

The interludes are illuminated by brilliant flashes- at times rollicking, at times reposeful. The Shehanai and the Flute are sedate while a different instrument and the Bass Guitar move quickly like a stream on the mountain. The stream becomes a water fall .A Musical Water Fall..

The Question and Answer session between the Shehanai and the Flute is an aural treat.

The Pallavi is designed cohesively while the Charanam moves decorously.

The instruments echo the voice in the first two lines in the charanam while the following two lines throb vibrantly.

The voices of Deepan Chakravarthy and Shailaja are intoxicating..

The Snow Capped Mountain is dizzyingly beautiful…like his Music!