1994: An Analysis – Part 1

Posted onAugust 24, 2012 by raaga_suresh

As a first step, let me list down the films Raja did in 1994. The whole list of Tamil
films of 1994 as per thiraipaadal is
here:http://www.thiraipaadal.com/year.php…r=1994&lang=en
Films of Raja released in 1994: (in alphabetical order)
1. Amaidhi Padai
2. Atharmam
3. Athiradi Padai
4. Kanmani
5. Madhurai Veeran Engasamy
6. Magalir Mattum
7. Mahanadhi
8. Muthu Kaalai
9. Periya Marudhu
10. Priyanka
11. Puthupatti Ponnuthaye
12. Rasamagan
13. Rajakumaran
14. Shakthivel
15. Sathiyavaan
16. Seeman
17. Senthamizh Selvan (with MSV)
18. Sethupathi IPS
19. Sevvanthi
20. Thenral Varum Theru
21. Thozhar Pandiyar
22. Vanaja Girija
23. Veera
24. Veetla Visheshanga
25. Vietnam Colony

Of these, the following were successful films ( I need your help here. I am putting
up movies I know about. If I have missed something let me know)
1. Veera (Super hit)
2. Mahanadhi (Hit)
3. Sethupathi IPS (Hit)
4. Magalir Mattum (Hit)
5. Veetla Vusheshanga (Hit)
6. Prinyanka (Moderate)
7. Vietnam Colony (Moderate)
8. Rajakumaran (Moderate)
9. Vanaja Girija (Moderate)
10. Amaidhi Padai (Moderate)

In short, there were decent number of hits for Raja in 1994, in terms of hit films.
Our concern is more with songs, so let me list out the songs which were hits and
then I will list of songs which the Raja fans of 80s like and some which all Raja
fans should have in their play list. Here is the list of ‘hit’ songs of Raja in 1994.

1. All songs of Veera (Esp Konji Konji, Malai Koil and Madathile)
2. Sree Ranga Ranganathanin (Mahanadhi)
3. Muthu Mani (Adharmam)
4. Mothu Mothu Kuthanum (Magalir Mattum)
5. Vidala Pulla Nesathukku (Periya Marudhu)
6. Vana Kuyile and Indha Jilla muzhukka (Priyanka)
7. Ooradangum Saamathile (Pudhu Patti Ponnuthaaye)
8. Anju Kajam and Vaikasi Vellikizhamai (Rasamagan)
9. Sithagathi Pookale and Ennavendru Solvadhamma (Rajakumaran)
10. Malligai Mottu (Shakthivel)
11. Saathu Nada Saathu (Sethupathi IPS)
12. Unnai Edhirparthen, Othayile and Munnam Seidha (Vanaja Girija)
13. Most songs of Veetla Visheshanga
14. Kaiyil Veenai and Saamikki naan poo parikka (Vietnam Colony)

As you can see, each film had a hit but except for ‘Veera’ or ‘Veetla Visheshanga’
or maybe ‘Vanja Girija’, we were not seeing songs of whole film being hit, like in
the golden years of 80s. I personally like almost all songs in movies like
‘Pudhupatti Ponnuthayee’, ‘Vietnam Colony’, ‘Rasamagan’, ‘Periya Marudhu’ etc
but we have to accept that the audience did not view it as such. (Ofcourse I was
also part of the audience then. The liking I have expressed in more recent.)
Let us also see what were the other hits in this year from other music directors:
1. Duet (Whole album) – Rahman
2. Kadhalan (Whole Album) – Rahman
3. Karuthamma (Whole Album) – Rahman
4. May Madham (Almost the whole album) – Rahman
5. Sevvanam and Uyirum Neeya (Pavithra) – Rahman
6. Nee Kattum Selai (Pudhiya Mannargal) – Rahman
7. Senthamizh Naatu – Vandisolai Chinnarasu – Rahman
8. Indu – Deva (Which songs?)
9. Kotta Paakum – Naatamai – Sirpy
10. Jai Hind – Vidyasagar (Which songs?)

As can be seen from the statistics, the Rahman effect was in full swing. If you
compare the number of hit songs of Raja that year and the hit songs of Rahman
that year, they may be equal !!! Ofcourse Rahman has more % hits compared to
Raja. But all these statistics do not tell us anything about the Rahman effect. The
way the songs of ‘Duet’, ‘Kathalan’, ‘May Madham’ and ‘Karuthamma’ were hits in
Chennai and other cities can only be experience. People were in deep love with
these songs and they occupied the top slots in all the countdowns that had
started then and were fairly representative of the actual hit status of the songs.
(Unlike later days when the channels would themselves buy films and songs from
those films would appear as top songs!!!). So when you look at the statistics, you
can clearly see Rahman being the top music director that year from various
perspectives.

Song 23: Ovvoru Pakkam

Posted onAugust 23, 2012 by raaga_suresh
: Song No: 23
Song: Ovvaru Pakkam
Film: Walter Vetrive (1993)
Singer: Swarnalatha
Lyrics: Vaali
Link: http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer.asp?sngs=’SNGIRR4097’&lang=en
This movie is from 1993 but we will make an exception here because Rajesh
asked for this song. Secondly, this song is like a precursor to songs like ‘enakku
ulladhellam’ from ‘Vietnam Colony’ which I had posted a few days back. Walter
Vetrivel had some hit songs like ‘chinna raasave’, ‘poongatre’, ‘mannava
mannava’ but as Rajesh says this song did not get much airing. The reason could
be obvious once you listen to it

I remember someone posting it in one of the threads earlier with a comment

saying that the ‘ich ich’ could have been avoided (Was it Rajasaranam or
Aakarsh?) Anyway, let us get to the song. This is an uniquely constructed song.
The synth rhythms are very nice. Generally Raja uses drums in the interludes
while charanams will have tabla accompaniment, whereas here we have tabla
wonderfully blending with the beats in the first interlude. And observe
Swarnalatha. Listen as she right from the humming in the prelude gets the mood
of the song perfect. In this regard I would rate her along with Janaki and Asha
Bhosle, if not higher. Observe how she enunciates ‘poovidhazhil neeyum
naanum’. Why do you even need words to know what is going on? And then hear
‘aalukkoru paadhi paadhi’ !! And that lovely first interlude so loving keeps the
‘mood’ intact. Sheer brilliance, the interaction between tabla, violins and guitar.
Again observe how wonderfully the tune moves in the charanam and how
wonderfully Swarnalatha sings it. Then imagine how it would have been had
Swarnalatha sung, ‘ naane naana’. And then the second interlude!! This song is a
perfect example of how you should tune for an erotic song. (Infact the tune and
the singing are so good that the ‘ich ich’ is an overkill.)

Thanks to Rajesh for the reco. This will stay in my playlist for a long time.

TFM Discussion Page: http://www.mayyam.com/talk/showthread.php?9949-

The-Unheard-Years-Raja-in-the-mid-90s&p=937725&viewfull=1#post937725

Song 22:
Nadaswara Vithuvan
Posted onAugust 23, 2012 by raaga_suresh
Song No: 22
Song: Nadaswaram Vidhuvan
Film: Pudhupatti Ponnuthayi
Singers: Mano, S N Surendar, chorus
Lyrics: ??
Link: http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer.asp?sngs=’SNGIRR2984’&lang=en
This was a request by Jai. I have this theory that amongst the different types of
songs that need to composed, the toughest one to compose is the comic song.
While sad songs or happy songs get help from a raga, revolutionary songs get
their power from the orchestra. Comic songs generally get the comic element
from the lyrics. No raga is inherently humorous, whereas ragas like
Subhapanthuvarali are inherently sad or Atana can easily depict valor. If you
hear the comic songs from past you will see their high dependence on lyrics and
/or on some musical effects (like the ‘doing’ thing which is supposed to be
funny.) If you sing only the tune without lyrics, it will be interesting to see how
many tunes will make people go, “Wow, that must be a comic song.” Yet, there
have been comic songs all along and some of them have achieved cult status like
the ‘maama maple’ song, ‘aatukutti muttai ittu’ etc.

Raja has done lot of comic songs and you can see that he strives hard to get the
comic element in the tune itself. Comic lyrics do help here but Raja also tries to
get this aspect in the tune itself. It is a tough task in which I am sure Raja himself
may not be 100% satisfied with the output. How do you then get the comic
element into the tune? Let us listen to today song to understand how he gets it in
this song.

The first aspect is the rhythm. Raja has prepared us for such a rhythm that we
automatically associate the ‘thullal’ rhythm with humor. Just think ‘kadaveedhi
kalakalakkum’ and ‘yaaroda akka maga da?”. Then the tune itself, which has a
unique contour that gives us a sense of fun. Then comes the interlude with those
somewhat broken violins and the nadaswaram. The bass gives the necessary
effect to keep the fun element intact. The lyrics also help but even without the
lyrics, you can easily make out that this is a fun song. The second interlude with
the women joining in seriously is superb contrast. As with most songs of Raja,
you can easily visualize how the song must be picturized. The whole picture is in
the song.

Who is the other singer singing along with Mano? BTW, Mano and this person do
a great job in this job. The lyrics are very Gangai Amaran in nature. Maybe it is
him. Can someone confirm?