ILaiyaraaja!
The name is etched in the hearts of millions of people-laymen and cognoscenti.
With his entry, the word Orchestration assumed a new meaning. Seamlessly blending all major forms, he makes us realise that Music is universal and Divine. Like a colossus, he strides and wields his magic wand mesmerising people across the globe.
This Blog is an attempt to explore his compositions in multiple languages, his background scores and his non-film albums.
It is amazing to know how a particular thing acquires different names depending on the quality/character/circumstance.
Take the seven basic notes for example. Same notes used in different contexts give a totally different flavour. Though my intention is not to get too technical, the notes ‘pa’ ‘dha ‘ and ‘Sa’ are present in both Mohana Ragam and Kamboji Ragam. However, we call the same combination by different names depending on how they are rendered.
Examples galore..
In Tamizh language, the wind has many names.
If it blows from the east, it is ‘KoNdal’ (கொண்டல் ). If it blows from the west, it is ‘Kodai’(கோடை). If it is from the north, it is ‘Vaadai’ (வாடை) and when it blows from the south, it is 'Thendral'(தென்றல்).
A hurricane is called as ‘SooRai’ (சூறை) while a snowy breeze is known by the name ‘Oodai’(ஊதை ).
Out of these, 'Oodai' is supposed to be sensual and therefore the union while ‘Vaadai’ kindles the Viraha feeling.
Today’s rare gem is a wonderful mix of both these qualities.
It is ‘Oodai Kaaththu Veesaiyile’ from ‘Gramaththu Athyayam’(1980).
The entire song is an example of how folk tunes can be brilliantly used in films (of course he is a master in this!).
The song starts without a prelude with the melodious voice of Jayachandran. A very simple folk instrument accompanies the voice.We are transported to a beautiful village as Janaki now takes over.
The first interlude is a wonderful combination of folk and western as instruments vie with one another.If the sharp percussion sound gives the rustic flavour, the electronic instruments give the western contours without in anyway spoiling the mood of the song.The interlude ends with a mesmerizing piece.
The charanams are as tender as the ‘Oodai’ and as innocent as the ‘Thendral’.The way the female voice takes over in ‘Naan Ennaththai Seyya..’in the first charanam and ‘Adhai Solladi Pulla’ in the second interlude is wonderful.
The second interlude is a kind of ‘question/answer session’. The playful question and answer takes place between the electronic and bass guitar in the beginning and the flute in the end. In between, we have the santoor acting as the referee.
This is my most favourite interlude and I cannot help now swaying whenever I listen to this.
The third interlude is again different. The Santoor is sensual while the graceful flute is nostalgic and evokes viraha. ‘Oodai’ and ‘Vaadai’.
One of the most popular songs I can think of is ‘Muththu KuLikka VaareegaLa’ from ‘Anubhavi Raja Anubhavi’.It had the Tirunelveli slang rendered beautifully by TMS and LR Easwari with wonderful acting by Nagesh and Manorama.
‘Elantha Pazham’(PaNama Paasama) and ‘Vaa Vaadhiyare Voottande’(Bommalattam) had the great Madras slang.
In a similar vein, the Directors enjoy dragging a particular community.
It all started with ‘Ethir Neecchal’(Aduththaththu Ambujaththai paartheLa) went on to become ‘Iyeraaththu ponnu Sonna’ and ‘Engaathukku maappillai nee’(sorry, don’t remember the movie names).
‘Vaangonna’ was banned by AIR, the reason being ‘hurting the sentiments of a community’. Now-a-days, it is fashionable to robe the ladies in the group dance sequence with the 9 yard sarees and make them gyrate to the horrible beats(yes..this does not hurt anybody’s sentiments!!).
The point to be noted is that except one or two none of the directors is politically correct.
For example, in a movie where a very popular hero appears as a ‘paatti’, (s)he wears the nine-yard saree throughout and the ‘thaththa’ who loves her(?) is shocked when she says she is already married.
The fact of the matter is that any lady is ‘eligible’ to wear the nine-yards only after she is married.
One of the other ludicrous things is the group of women wearing white sarees during a pooja. White is anathema to married tamizh ladies in that particular community and even this fact is not known to that great perfectionist!
One feels very bad looking at such comedy of errors.
My idea is not to defend or offend any particular community but the film makers must realise the implications of wrong depictions and portrayals.
Today’s Rare Gem also uses the slang.
Though the song does not show the community in poor light, the diction and pronunciation of the slangs by Shailaja and Vasudevan leave a lot to be desired.
I honestly feel SPB and Suseela would have done a better job.Janaki of course does a good job in the song!
However, one can enjoy the song for the mesmerising Mohanam and the hypnotising Orchestration.
The song starts with a humming by Shailaja.
The Veena and the flute combine to give us a scintillating Mohanam and then the Nagaswaram takes over in the higher octave.
The first CharaNam has questions and answers (rib tickling?).The Raga again flows with great fluency and my most favourite line is ‘Thoppanaaru Panjapakesan..’(for the sheer beauty of the raga).
The Nagaswaram plays with evocative joy in the second interlude.The Jalatarangam and the tabla are the specialities of the Maestro.
The second charanam is structured in a different way. The voice of Janaki is a great relief here!
In ‘Nal Vaazhvu Vaazha Naam Vaazhththa VeNdum, Mohanam shimmers and looks at us with glee..
Listen to ‘Enthaththu Paiyyan Avan’ from ‘ILaiyaraajavin Rasigai(1980) and be blessed!
The chubby faced actor said this recently in a TV show:
“My father was very close to him. They would have friendly banters and quarrels now and then. One day, he landed up at our house early in the morning and said he wanted to see my father.My father was sleeping upstairs and I called him on the phone through the phone using the extension button.My father refused to see him.When I told him this, he smiled and said ‘Oh..he is still angry with me. Doesn’t matter. Please tell him that I am going to the US and will be back after a month. I came to say Bye to him..".
"But he never returned.This happened in 1981.My father was alive for another 10 years and not a single day passed without my father saying ‘He came to see me the last time.But I didn’t see him.. How bad on my part! ”
The ‘He’ here is Kannadasan.
Friendly banters and fighting with friends were not new to this gentleman. But the best part is he would do this only with a select few ‘just for the fun of it’.
Once he and Shivaji had a fight and both were not on talking terms.But he continued to write for his movies.That was the time when the Shivaji-Bheemsingh-Kannadasan-Viswanathan-Ramamurthy combination was at its peak.He wrote a song and asked MSV to show it to Shivaji.It seems Shivaji started crying the moment he read the pallavi.
The song was: ‘Ennai Yaarendru Enni Enni nee paarkiRai..Idhu Yaar Paadum paadalenru nee ketkiRai..’
MSV sir and Kannadasan too had a very special relationship.Their composing sessions were a treat to watch.It seems MSV would tell him ‘What are you writing anne..Even I can write better’ and Kannadasan in turn would say ‘You are not able to set my song to tune and are shifting the blame’.Both would even use unprintable language. But the session would end with one praising the other.Their mutual admiration was something that cannot be described in words.
People who have watched such spectacles live describe the events with awe. But all of them maintain that it was Kannadasan who would initiate the ‘fight’Why?Because he loved MSV so much that he enjoyed pulling his leg.
Not only did his face look like a child. He was a child at heart. But when it came to writing, he was unparalleled and incomparable.
That is Kannadasan.
I have already said this many times.There has never been and there can never be any other lyricist as great as Kannadasan.There can only be one ‘Kaviyarasar’.If some people claim themselves to be ‘Perarasar’,they are cheating themselves!
Today is the birthday of Kannadasan and MSV. I wish a Happy Birthday to both. The physical body of Kannadasan is no more.But he lives and will continue to live with his immortal songs.
Before I take up the Rare Gem of today and Raaja sir’s association with Kannadasan, I would like to quote a few lines from a MSV-Kannadasan song:
The Hero, a writer who writes with a pen name Gowrimanohari falls in love with a lady. What is great or different about it? He is a widower with 6 children and is in his middle ages. The Heroine sings ‘I saw Gowrimanohari in the form of a man’(the brilliant MSV set this song in pure Gowrimanohari ragam!).
The second charaNam shows us why Kannadasan is a genius.
(Breeze is breeze whether it blows over the mountain or over the sea Love is the same whether it comes during youth or in old age!).
With this, let me turn my attention on Raaja sir and Kannadasan and today’s rare gem.
In fact, I had written about their association and the mutual admiration many times in this community.
Raaja was a great follower and fan of Kannadasan right from his younger days.He still remembers the poem Kannadasan wrote when Jawaharlal Nehru passed away in 1964.
Kannadasan warmly welcomed Raaja to Tamizh cinema music adding the line ‘Raaja vaa..Raaja vaa.. ‘ in the song ‘Kannodu Kannu’(Paalootti VaLarththa KiLi-1976).
The combination gave some unforgettable songs(many of which have been discussed in this community) for 5 and half years.As fate would have it, Kannadasan wrote his last two songs for Raaja on the eve of his departure to the US in 1981.
There are many personal favourites but today I am taking up a song from ‘Pagalil Oru Iravu’, a 1979 movie. Somehow one song ‘obscured’ the beauty of other songs in this album.Maybe that song is very powerful and is indeed one of my all time favourites. But the gem of today is ‘Kalaiyo Silaiyo’, another beautiful composition not known to many.
The most striking aspect of the composition is the silken softness.The song describes the beauty of a young and innocent girl.
Other lyricists would have resorted to simple ‘Maane Thaene..’and gone on to write some nauseating words.. or would have given computer to Brahmma and imagined about her laugh being like the sound of a telephone. But not Kannadasan!
Before that, let us see the musical part first.
The prelude itself is so meditative that it makes our eyes close automatically. The sound of bells and the mesmerizing flute are steeped in tranquility.
The tune of the Pallavi in the melodious voice of Jayachandran is simple and beautiful.
The Violin orchestra in the first interlude is infused with haunting air. A very different combination of sitar and flute is the icing on the cake.The twin-violins with the Bells and the bass guitar in the background captivate our hearts.
The CharaNams radiate softly .The lines are tender and are piercingly sharp.
The second interlude is impeccably deep.The first part sparkles with the violins and the Bass Guitar while the second half-again a combination of sitar and flute but this time sounding very different- is dainty.
Let us now look at the lyrics.
He says ‘Are you the epitome of fine-arts?Are you a sculpture? Or are you like the Golden Deer? Are you a fruit? Or are you the parrot? Or, are you the moon who came on a walk to see this Earth?’
Though the words sound very simple, there are a lot of inner meanings. Awed by the beauty of the girl, he sees her as a sculpture as well as the art form; Bird as well as the Fruit.
He also feels for a moment that maybe this is not true..Because it is impossible for such a beauty to exist.So, he says ‘Are you the Golden deer’?(we all know the story of Golden Deer in Ramayana).
He then imagines that the Moon has descended on the Earth(it has come on a picninc!).
Poetic beauty at its best!
In the first CharaNam, he says ‘Is this the dancing chariot walking? When will the mind shed its innocence and blossom like a flower? A beautiful maiden with the youth like the rain of flowers..’
Please do not miss the ‘Blossoming of the flower’ followed by the ‘Rain of flowers’!
The second CharaNam is a marvel.
We all know the power of silence.Here, the poet gives a completely different dimension to the silence of the girl.
He says ‘Is your silence the code/secret language?’(the use of ‘paribhaashai’ here is very noteworthy.I am not aware of any other film song using this word!).
‘Gestures that I am not able to understand-maybe it is the respect you have for me and my love’.
‘Child-like enthusiasm and energy –a beautiful girl!’
The last line ‘Thogaiyin Bhaavamo’ can be interpreted in many ways. Thogai-means a girl. It also means a peacock feather. Peacock is known for dancing. Therefore, one could interpret it like ‘a beautiful girl’ or ‘a dancing girl’ or even ‘as beautiful as a peacock’.
His words mean so much…
At times, I even feel how would it be if only he was alive today.. But I thank God that he is not alive to see the murder of Tamizh. Murder in the name of ‘semmozhi’ by people who can not even say ‘Yaathum oore yaavarum keLir’(யாதும் ஊரே..யாவரும் கேளிர்..) properly.
As I said, Kannadasan’s words mean so much.. Now, let silence carve new meanings and teach all these people who murder the beautiful language and who ‘adorn’ the language with vulgarity and expletives..
The 12 year boy was very excited. He was alone at home and in front of him was a musical instrument. He had been wanting to lay his hands but his elder brother would never let him do that. It was his brother’s prized possession.
What is so special about that instrument? Coming to think of it, it just has black and white keys and is not very melodious.
But the boy was too excited with the instrument that he started playing it..And then.. suddenly his brother appeared from nowhere and needless to say what happened after this.
But that did not deter the boy from playing that instrument.He did not know the swaras.He did not even understand that.But he was capable of playing any song in that instrument.
His brother was running a drama troupe and was also an active member of a political party.One day, the instrumentalist was absent and without any hesitation, the brother asked the boy to play!
The Instrument-Harmonium Brother’s name-Varadarajan Boy???Do I need to say who it was?
Paavalar Varadarajan was a genius. He was a musician, a poet and an orator. He was also very actively involved in the communist movement during the ‘50s and early ‘60s.
Daniel Rassiah (yes..this is the original name of the man whom we know as ILaiyaraaja now)used to accompany him along with his brothers Amar and Bhaskar.Rassiah would sing in the female voice.
Paavalar Varadrajan penned lot of songs on the working class.He would use the popular tunes from films, modify and make Raasaiah sing.
He also did a lot of research on folk music.
Today, we are going to see one of his songs used by Raaja sir in a film.
The song is ‘Ellorum Poranthom Onnaga VaLarnthom Enna KoNdu Poga Porom..’from Agal ViLakku(1980).
The opening sounds very humorous..
The Flute bit that follows gives us traces of Valaji Ragam.
Ha.. ..before that is the harmonium bit. In fact, no film music composer has used harmonium as extensively as Raaja sir (and don’t we know the reason?).The folk beats add spice.
And then we hear ‘We were born here and we grew up here.But finally what are we taking with us?’(rendered beautifully by Malaysia Vasudevan and Sai Baba)
Surprsingly enough, I find traces of Harikamboji in the song now. The interludes have the Raaja trademark.Folk instruments with Shehanai and the drums!
The first Charanam take a dig at the society;at the people who cheat;who are deceitful.
The second interlude is another beauty.Very few instruments but look how the pattern changes.
The second charanam subtly attacks the so - called bonds between siblings.
A very thought provoking song with a simple but beautiful orchestration.
Ever heard of this name? No..my intention is not to threaten you nor take any class in Botany.
But somehow, I find this name to be very interesting and musical too. Remember my post on ‘Yaar Maamano’ where I had written about the musical sound of ‘Mediterranean’.
Mi mu so pu s-sounds like ma ma sa pa sa.
Well..this is the botanical name of a lovely flower.A flower that is small, stra-shaped, yellowish white with a crown rising from the centre.This flower is better known as ‘Magizham poo’ in tamizh.
‘Magizham poo’ has a very rich fragrance and the odour lasts several days. This quality of maintaining the fragrance without any change in the intensity makes this flower a very special one. ‘Magizham poo’ is also known by the name ‘VakuLa’.
More about the musical quality of VakuLa later.
Though most of Raaja’s songs have this quality,there is something very special about today’s rare gem.
The song itself is a ‘magizham poo’.It is based on Pahadi and is set to the 7-beat misram.
The prelude is enticing with a very different bass instrument. The combination of Bass Guitar and the Flute is amazing indeed! Wonder from where he gets such ideas.
The sweet voice of Yesudass now joins with the violins following him very closely.
The first interlude is dominated by the violins and the guitar in the beginning.Suddenly, the flute takes over and plays with spry freshness.It sings like a cuckoo while the guitar and the violins then gently caress us..
The Charanam is delicately nuanced with the voice of Suseela adding luster.If the first two lines are imbued with energy, the following lines are lucid and flow like a gentle stream. We swim like a fish and jump like a deer.
The second interlude has a swirl of patterns.We feel the aromatic flavour of the village garden with the stringed folk instrument and the flute. It entices us..It mesmarises us..It hynotises us..
The soft touches of guitar make us forget ourselves. The exquisite phrases continue in the second charanam but this time with a different orchestral arrangement in between the lines..
Mimusops elengi ..
This Magizham poo will continue to spread the fragrance even after centuries.
Most of you must be familiar with the famous quote ‘Eleven fools watched by eleven thousand fools’ of Bernard Shaw(if he was alive today, he would have said ‘Eleven Fools watched by Eleven million fools’!).
Now, look at this. A bowler delivers the ball and even when one can see the ball live, it is called as a ‘no ball’ just because his foot was outside the crease. But a batsman can stand outside his crease and yet it is not a ‘no bat’.
Then there is a leg spin ,a leg- cutter and a leg-break..If you are wondering how a leg can be spun..here is the answer: The leg-side is the left side of the batsman and if a ball pitches on or outside the leg stump and turns to the right, it is leg spin.
Then there is ‘swing’. No..it is not that the players sit on a swing on the ground.If the shining side of the ball moves in the air, then it is said to ‘swing’(there is reverse swing too when the other side swings later when the ball becomes older).
Let us look at these terms: Fine-leg, Square-leg, Short-leg, Long-leg. If the uninitiated among you think that over a period of time (of playing cricket), the legs of the players become like this, you are way off the mark. These are just names of some of the fielding positions.
There is a ‘silly point’ too (who is silly is the question).
And a person wearing all kinds of protective gears, gloves etc., stands behind the stumps(called as wickets) and while his job is to see that the wickets fall, he is called as ‘wicket-keeper’.
The bowlers and fielders also ‘appeal’ to the umpires very often as though it is a court of law!
There is something called 'Chinaman' too..China and Cricket?Am I kidding?
Well..it is the name given to a delivery bowled by a left arm spinner!
The best part is while two teams can have a game of just 20 overs each (one over consists of 6 balls), they can also play the game spread over 5 days(6 hours per day).To top it all, the one spread over 5 days can end up in a ‘draw’.Criminal waste of time, energy and money!!
Well.. if by now you have concluded that here is an heir to Bernard Shaw or that this guy hates cricket like how Aurangazeb hated music, you are thoroughly mistaken.
I am a great cricket buff and I go to the extent of seeing music in Cricket.
Then why write all these? It is always nice to see the lighter side in any event or for that matter in life. Laughter –the best medicine for any ailment!
In Film music, there have been some great humorous songs starting with the KalaivaNar(the one and only) NSK, Chandrababu, Manorama and a host of others.I can include Nagesh also though he only moved his lips(perfectly) for the played back voices.
These are of course comedians. But there have also been comedy songs involving heroes.
Unlike the popular perception, Raaja sir has a great sense of humour. His first song as a lyricist was ‘poda poda pokke’ from UdirippookaL in the year 1979.’Samaiyal padame’(the original of ‘Enna samaiyalo’) was written by him for the film ‘Manippoor maamiyaar’(1980) and people who do not smile after hearing this song can join the ‘most serious people’ club!
I can quote many more songs but let us look at today’s rare gem. This song was not written by Raaja sir but by Kannadasan.It is ‘Varuvai Kanna’ from ‘Pattakkaththi Bhairavan’(1979).This movie with the weird name must be already familiar to all those who follow this community very closely.
There are some specialities to this song. First and foremost, it is composed in Kedaram ragam(though many people think that this ragam was first used in ‘Pon maalai pozhuthu’).
Secondly, in between the song, he used the tune of one of the most popular hindi film songs.. In the film 'Avar Enakke Sondham' he beautifully used ‘Kabhi Kabhi’ . In ‘Varuvai kanna’ too, the hindi film tune is used wonderfully.
Let us have a look at the song.
The prelude has the flute, veena and the violins in pure Kedaram and we all begin to expect a classical song.
The pallavi in Suseela’s voice more or less confirms this.But suddenly, we hear catcalls(donkey calls?) followed by the flute still in classical style but in a totally different ragam (traces of vakhulabharanam and punnagavarali).The western instruments like guitar and the trumpets join now.
A very different voice sings a very familiar tune. Different voice-SPB Familiar tune-Mehbooba from Sholay.
The interlude is classical again with the flute, clarinet playing Kedaram. In the first CharaNam Suseela sings about ‘Srungaram’ ‘Krishna’ and ‘Radha’ followed by a beauty. The interlude of Mehbooba played in kedaram.Music for Raaja is like Srungaram to Krishna!
As the CharaNam ends, it is ‘donkey calls’ again and the song seamlessly changes its ‘Bhavam’. The second interlude has classic touches with more focus on the laya.
The second charaNam talks about the ‘Bow and Rama’ and ‘fine arts and Krishna’.
It is ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ after this. The orchestration is amazing here. The same words are repeated in modern style.The song ends with claps in ‘rock and roll’ style.
It is the applause for the many dimensions of the this gentleman’s music!
In tamizh cinema, some intelligent directors (though it is a rarity!) use songs very effectively.
Balachander used to boast that people would find to get up during the song sequence in his movies because he would narrate the story in the song itself.
One of the intelligent directors in tamizh cinema who could not cope up with the demands of the distributors was Mahendran.I am saying in past tense because he no longer makes any films.
Though he became popular with ‘Mullum malarum’ and very popular with ‘UthirippookkaL’, some of his movies have not been popular.
‘Poottatha PoottukkaL’ was one such film. It was a story about a childless couple.I do not want to get into the story now.
But what I would like to get into is the way he introduced the characters using a song sequence.The picturisation was great.But most importantly, the song(lyrics by Panchu Arunachalam), the tune, and the music are fantabulous.
It is ‘Vanna Vanna Vanna Pooncholaiyil’.
The prelude is very interesting.It starts with a violin prelude juxtaposed with the string.
The tempo that was very slow suddenly gains moment as the guitar and the flute start.Janaki’s humming takes over now.
The pallavi is simple and attractive and the guitar piece in between the lines add to the beauty.
The first interlude transports us to the western countryside and suddenly we are brought back to a South Indian village as we hear the flute and the throbbing of the Ghatam. The wonderful guitar piece-a kind of 'theme music' of the song-in the charanams is possible only by one gentleman.
The second interlude has the beautiful violins and the Dilruba and of course Janaki.Do we need to say more?
The way Janaki renders the word ‘NaaNam..’ is a lesson for the bunch of younger lot who pretend to sing with expressions.
Don’t we all want to be part of this musical colourful garden?
‘Bol re Pappihara..’.During early ‘70s(extending to mid ‘70s), if there was one song that held almost the entire nation hostage, it was this song.
Of course, there were also peppy songs like ‘Roop Tera Mastana’, ‘Dam maro Dam’ etc., but ‘Bol re..’ was unique.Unique because it was purely based on a Hindustani Raag.Unique because it was plain and simple.Unique because it was rendered by a hitherto unknown female singer.Unique because despite being a south Indian , her diction was impeccable.
This female singer created ripples (melodic ones of course!) and also tremors. I shall come to the last mentioned a little later.
The female singer is none other than VaNi Jeyaram.
‘Bol re Pappihara’ based on Raag Miya ki Malhar and ‘Humko manki Shakti Dena’ based on Raag Kedar (again sung by VaNi) were composed by Vasant Desai for the Hrishikesh Mukherjee directed film ‘Guddi’. The film was about a teenager (played with aplomb by Jaya Baduri) who is obsessed with actor Dharmendra. How she is made to distinguish between the real and the reel was shown poetically by the director. It is an undeniable fact that the songs played a great role in the success of the film.
It is not a surprise that this voice which was as fresh as early morning dew and as sweet as the honey attracted all leading Hindi film music composers and offers started pouring in for Vani Jeyaram. What happened after this is very interesting..or is it?
Let us now go back to the‘tremors’ part.
Unable to stomach the success of the new comer, the ‘leading female singers’ did the unthinkable.. The two sisters (I do not want to name them since it is obvious whom I am referring to. Moreover, both of them are legends in their own ways and I respect that!) requested, cajoled and finally threatened the Music Directors. The ‘threat’ was a kind of Satyagraha and they said they would never sing again. The final ‘assault’ worked. Music Directors budged. Hindi Film music lost one of the most beautiful and melodious voices.
Looking at it objectively, it is a case of jealousy getting the better of aesthetic sense. After all, aren’t musicians connoisseurs first? Should they not appreciate anything that is good? And most importantly, if only they are confident and feel good about themselves, can the feeling of insecurity ever creep in at all?
Questions that can be easily answered..
But in a way, it was a blessing in disguise since VaNi Jeyaram became a household name in the South. Hindi Films’ loss was South Indian Films’ gain.
What stands out in VaNi Jeyaram’s voice(apart from the sweetness) is the clear diction. In fact, I have found it easier to remember lyrics of her songs and I am sure this has to do with her crystal clear rendering and pronounciation.With a very strong foundation in classical music (Gurus-Cuddalore Srinivasa Iyengar-Carnatic and Ustad Abdul Rahman Khan-Hindustani) , her adherence to Shruti is perfect.
Not many know that her family itself is full of artistes.N.Rajam, -a very famous Hindustani Violinist and sister of the legendary T.N.Krishnan –is married to one of the brothers of Mr.Jeyaram while Gayatri, a Bhratanatyam artiste from Kalakshetra is married to the other brother.
Though she is classically trained, she renders even dabbankuththu songs with consummate ease.
Her association with ILaiyaraaja is rather interesting. Though she did not sing too many(compared to Janaki and Suseela) in his music, almost all her songs in his music are gems.Can one forget the peppy duet ‘Poonthendrale’(Bhuvana Oru KeLvikkuri-1977), the folksy ‘Niththam Niththam Nellu Soru’(Mullum Malarum-1978), the intriguing ‘Ennullil Engo’(Rosappoo Ravikkaikari-1979), the beautiful Vivadi Ragam Chitrambari ‘Sangeetam En Degam Andro’(Bala Nagamma-1981), the romantic duet with Yesudass ‘ABC Nee Vaasi’(Oru Kaidhiyin Dairy-1985)?
When Raaja sir introduced the superimposing technique for the first time in ‘Kaatrinile Varum Geetam’(1977), he gave similar songs to Janaki and VaNi Jeyaram(of course different orchestrations). In fact, until the records were out, the singers were not even aware that the song had two versions!
In the song ‘Vizhiyil Vizhudu’( ‘AlaigaL Oyvadhillai’), VaNi Jeyaram’s humming in Sudhdha Dhanyasi in the telugu version- ‘Alalu Kalalu’(Sitakoka Chiluka) was retained in the movie though the Tamizh version was not rendered by her.This humming appears only in the movie(wish she had sung the Tamizh version as well!).
The Sridhar(whose wife Devasena was a classmate and a close friend of VaNi) directed ‘Azhage Unnai AaradikkiRen’(1979) saw VaNi Jeyaram crooning 5 songs-each sounding so different. ’Naane Naana’ was a rage those days.
Today’s rare gem is a song that can also be classified as a ‘disco song’.I have taken this song because it is relatively unknown and also to show as to how versatile the singer is.
The song is ‘Mayakkama oru Thayakkama’ from ‘Naan Potta Savaal’(1980).
It has contours of jazz with a unique mix of rhythms, trumpets, saxophone and guitar.
The prelude is dazzling.The bass guitar throbs while the trumpets are intoxicating.But the most beautiful thing here is the way the saxophone emerges. Dizzyingly beautiful!
The Pallavi gives ripples of melody in the sparkling voice of VaNi Jeyaram.The way it reaches a crescendo towards the end is remarkable. The flute bits interspersed between the lines carry the stamp of the Emperor.
In the first interlude, the drums thrum with life and the trumpets come up trumps. The Sax which is sandwiched between the two, roar with blazing intensity. The enthralling electric guitar sparkles.What is to be noted here is the synthesizers and other electronic instruments.
It is believed by the present generation that the synth and other techno sounds came into existence in Indian films in ‘90s.Such people must listen to this song (and ‘Vaalibame Vaa Vaa’-Ram Laxman).In any case, is there any use in waking up people who pretend to be sleeping?
The CharaNams are marked by lively touches with notes jumping suddenly and unobtrusively.The flute bits are elegant while the sax just at the end is euphonic.
The second interlude rocks us.It is agog with excitement moving at a fleeting pace.It is enticing and intoxicating. The harmony makes it quite irresistible. Makes one forget everything.
Anger, Jealousy, Sorrow, Hatred,Enmity.. That is the power of Music!
Yes, it was the beginning of a new decade and trends were changing (or trends were being set).
In London, Prince Charles married Diana.
In India, the first coalition govt. crumbled and the Congress took over yet again.
Indian Cricket team defeated the Pakistan team in a test series.
In Tamizh Nadu, the first batch of Higher Secondary(plus two) successfully passed out.
Most importantly, the 100th movie of the Master (Moodupani) was released.
The year also saw the advent of a new lyricist in Tamizh Film industry. This gentleman,whose name is Vairamuththu hails from a village called Vadugappatti in Madurai district.
He was already a known figure in (a section of) the Tamizh literary world for his ‘Puthukkavithai’ form. .
Puthukkavaithai(literally translated as ‘new poem’) is easy to understand and at the same time is very powerful. In fact , Mahakavi Subramania Bharatiyar is the father of this form-though some people have chosen tol call themselves as the ‘father of this puthukkavithai’.
Vairamuththu’s collection of poems like ‘Intha PookkaL ViRpanaikku alla’was already popular in 1980.In one of the collections, he had beautifully described about evening.
That was the time when Bharathiraja was looking for a ‘suitable replacement’ for Kannadasan.Until then Kannadasan had written at least one song in each of his five movies.Why they fell out is not relevant here.
ILaiyaraaja gave a tune in Kedaram and Vairamuththu responded with ‘Ithu Oru Ponmaalai pozhuthu’(most of the words were from his own poem written sometime back).
It was a ‘pon kaalai pozhuthu’ for Vairamuththu then since ILaiyaraaja developed a special liking for his lyrics.
This combination was almost like a MSV-Kannadasan combination and ruled Tamizh cinema for nearly 7 years until there was a misunderstanding.
For many, it still remains a mystery as to why the two parted ways. Though I know the background and the reason, I am not getting into that now.
The song became an instant hit as soon as the music was released in July 1980.The Film ‘NizhalgaL’ was released in Nov 1980.
Raaja sir being Raaja sir, introduced Vairamuththu to many producers and Directors.. Songs were recorded and strangely enough some movies were released much before NizhalgaL.
One was ‘KaaLi’ and the other one was ‘Soolam’.
So though his first recorded film song was ‘Ponmaalai Pozhuthu’, ’Soolam’(Soolam) and ‘BadrakaaLi’(KaaLi) were the first to hit he silverscreens(in Jul ’80).
Yes, truth is stranger than fiction!
Vairamuththu, a ‘proclaimed atheist’ wrote a song eulogising KaaLi and another song on ‘Trisoolam’, the weapon of Durga Devi .
Today’s rare gem is the latter and is also our 'Women's day' special!
The first thing that strikes us when we listen to the song is the use of electronic instruments.
This was the first Revathi Ragam by Raaja sir in films!
My most favourite is the second interlude where the Master has weaved magic just with the percussion instruments and the chorus voice.Simply exhilarating!
The third interlude is another beauty where the swaras dance and the traditional and modern instruments compete with each other.
The first interlude has the vibrant flute and the mellifluous Shehnai.
The opening of the song(prelude) itself makes us visualise the Trisoolam with a wonderful laya pattern.
The powerful lyrics give more energy to the Trident.
The Stree Sakthi-the Devi concept is described wonderfully. The explanation about the Trident is very thought provoking-valour,modesty and knowledge symbolising the woman.
In fact the song is peppered with feminist views, a rarity in film songs.
Let us all realise the Stree Sakthi, and celebrate 'Women's day'..not just by deifying or glorifying....... ......but by respecting women!
Kannan(or Lord Krishna) has a magnetic charm. People get attracted to him so easily that at times one even tends to forget the ‘divine’ tag.
Periyaazhwaar, one of the 12 Vaishnavite saints treated him as his child.
AandaL-daughter of Periyaazhwaar- considered Krishna as her lover.
Subramaniya Bharati went one step ahead and made him his servant, his master, his guru,his lover…In fact he even created a feminine version of Kannan and called her(him?) Kannamma.
There are many others including Poet Jayadeva and Meerabai and Muththiah.
The first two names sound very familiar.But who is that third person?
Muththiah was born in a small village in Karaikudi district who ran away from his home during his early teens. He became a great follower of the Dravidian ideology and became an atheist.
And what does this atheist has to do with Kannan?
Nothing much except that one day after reading the verses of AaNdaL, he became a devotee of Kannan and changed his name to Kannadaasan.
Yes, I am referring to the greatest lyricist Tamizh cinema has ever had.
Whenever and wherever possible, he would ‘drag’ Kanna (or Krishna) in his songs.
Today, we are going to see one such song.
And what a song it is..
It is a competition between lyrics, tune, orchestration, and the voice.
The song is ‘Kannan NaaLum Podum Vedam..’from ‘Ilamai Kolam’(1980).
It is based on Gowrimanohari ragam.It is generally a soft ragam that gives us peace and tranquility.
But the Emperor of Film Music shows us a completely different dimension of this Raga here. In fact, he poses a challenge to the Emperor of Film Lyrics.
Listen to the first two lines in the Pallavi. You will know what I mean.
It goes as very short phrases with each phrase almost sounding similar and suddenly it goes up like a crescendo.
Imagine the Music Director singing phrases like ‘Thaa Na Thaa Na Thaa Na Thaa Na Thaa Na Thaa Na Thaa Na Thaa Na Thanananaa Thana Thanananaa Thana Thanananaaaaa..Tha Na Na..Tha Na Naaa..’to the lyricist.
The great ‘poets’ of today would have walked around parks like Thiru.Vi .Ka Park(in Chennai) at least for one week before coming up with suitable words. Or they would have written ‘Naanum Paarthen Neeyum Paarththe Avanum Paarththan AvaLum Paarththaa..’
The Lion(of poetry) replies to the Lion (of Film music)-Kannan NaaLum Podum Vedam KangaL engum Pennai Thedum Gopalanin Antha KolangaL Thaan Nenjil Aanandamagum..Hey Krishna!Jey Krishna!!
And yes..just before this Pallavi is the prelude. And what is that prelude?
A sweet aalap by the evergreen Janaki.
What can one say about the first interlude?
Jazzy to start with.. Flute peeps in suddenly with a Carnatic flavour. It is then the violin in typical Hindustani style. Bass Guitar rounds it off in Pop style.
In the first Charanam, it is the Saree and the Garland. Gowrimanohari wears a beautiful Saree wearing a garland of Swaras.
Beauty at its best in the second interlude as the seductive bass guitar races ahead with the synthesizer following very closely.As we begin to get lost in this beauty, the Violin in Hindustani style appear from nowhere giving poignant images. The question and answer session between the Violin and the Harmonium(?) makes us raise lot of questions.
Is it a poignancy of parting and separation? Or is it nostalgia?
Is it the sadness? Or is it the compassion?
I would say a feeling that cannot be put in words.
Just like the feeling when one gets to see the different images of Krishna..
I am a person with varied interests.
Music is my breath and though I like all kinds of music, I am enamoured of the variety and the depth of Indian Classical music.As far as Film music is concerned, I love Old songs and ILaiyaraaja-whom I consider as one of the best composers in the world- is my favourite composer.
I love travelling and meeting new people . A lover of nature, I prefer those long walks.
