The unsung series - Special # 7

Preludes

Every Musician is a singer, and every singer is so. TFM had many great musicians can able to sing songs too. The fact is, the success is, in the selection of songs, that the musician can able to produce, in concise, knowing their own limits of voice culture. In that, I can rate MSV, Raaja and ARR as the best Composer-Singers. (Analogy with cricket’s batting all-rounder, like Sachin) MSV always used to select BASE songs, I amazed with his high pitches, and especially songs like “Aadala Ghanda”, in this, he compete even with high-pitch specialist Hariharan, and the oldies of “Sivasampo”. On the other hand, Raaja makes us to cry thru his pathos songs, my life time favorite is “Engengo Kaalghal Sellum” from Nandha. Somehow, still, I confused with his experimentation of songs like “Ullukulle Chakravarthy” from Panakaran and “Thalatu Maariponadhe” from Unnai Naan Sandhiten. (Sorry Raaja, and Raaja’s Fans, it’s only a view of an amateur who don’t know the ‘sa pa sa’ of music). Now move on to AR Rehman, the choice of young girls, his way of singing is more towards western culture, and especially he selects songs based on Arabian style. He sang only few songs, but, no need to say, all are box office hits, and who will forget the “Mustafa Mustafa” (Who is Mustafa, the question which is till date, unanswered) and this particular song from Bombay “Andha Arabi kadoloram”...



The Original Singer

The song “Hamma Hamma” from Bombay was originally sang by the musical thunder AR Rehman. If one asks me about my favorite composers, I’ll figure out only two persons, MSV and my all time favorite Raaja, because both of them are masters in their profession. If formers are masters, then I’ll quote ARR as a WINNER, because, winners never do different things, but do things differently. He cursed by many musical fans who love yesteryears melodies, by complaining ARR’s usages of more instrumentation, less melodies, and ofcourse, neglecting yesteryears’ popular singers. But only few, including ARR himself, knew how much respect he is having over the singers. I need a separate blog to explain about ARR’s love and view over Evergreen SPB, which I’ll do in the near future with a title “ARR on SPB”. OK

In this song, ARR starts “yaAbhireeee”, with full of Zeal and enthu, and continues same stamina thro’out the song, and as a composer, his usage of female voice Anupama overlapping in between, is quite amazing, and no words to explain that. Like that, there are many “oha, Great” things in this song, it’s not only because of ARR’s composition, but also, mainly because of his voice.

No yesteryear melody fans will like ARR, they always complaining ARR and comparing with MSV and Raaja. (Like Raaja, can ARR compose songs like “Ennule Ennule” from Valli?- a silly question from one Raaja’s crazy fan, who always talking about Raaja, in SPB’s forums) Leave those silly comparisons; just listen to ARR’s stamina, simplicity, respect to elders, spiritual things, and etc, and these maturity heights he gained only thru MUSIC, so for me he is a Winner, and deserved a separate chapter along with my favorite MSV and Raaja.

Replication or Renovation or something else

YaaaAAAAbhireeeeee, oha my GOD, SPBBBBBBBB, if one asks me to show a personality who can produce all styles and nuances of Music notes with his voice, my dear sir, definitely I’ll give your Gamdhar nagar address. Actually I’ve promised myself, to my intuition, that not to praise SPB with a trivial adjectives like “Super playback”, “SPB is the greatest singer India ever produced”, and bla bla, because, he is above all such trivial judgments by mortal like this silly Balu. Just, just listen to his articulation of “Paadham Kandane”, “Aaaacham naanam vandhu “ and nothing more could be said to praise his in-between impish acts of words like “dupalaka”, “dokuja”, “naghugu”, and etc.

SPB is generally a person of zeal and a vivacious vocalist, singing songs like these kind is usually his cup of tea, just listen to “Thanga Thamarai”, the perfect Arabian style song, again composed by the winner ARR. In my view, its stupidity to say that SPB goes nadir while singing RUSTIC style, and western culture, if one listening to SPB to the core, then only they’ll aware of his abilities in the above said areas.

At any point of this song, he never tried to imitate the original singer, but somehow, he mixed his own style with the originality’s. One will agree with me, if keenly listens to the lines “Vaanam Pozhindapinnum, Bhoomi nanaindhapinnum.. “. Honestly speaking, I’ve realized many words of this song, while listening to SPB’s version!!

A "Yaaaabireeeee" to SPB

Facts

Hariharan, the specialized singer for high pitches, took a high-fly thru this movie; his “Uyire” with Chitu is still lover’s favorite, while his rustic “Kuchi Kuchi” with swarna is my life time favorite. Hariharan narrowly missed his national award for his “Uyrie”, anyhow he got the same, two years later, for his Border song. Still, definately till my last breath my favorite will be SPB, I Love him like anything, but Hariharan and Jesudas is different, I have some hidden love with them, albeit one blessed with beautiful wife, he cant stay away from seeing beautiful girls, but wife is different, and beautiful girls are, right? Hence for me, it’s SPB and Hari-KJJ.

Quizzing Trivia

Many of you not aware that SPB sang a Punjabi remix. I think, it’s an apt situation to ask this quiz. Tell me the song which SPB recorded in this style, it’s a non-film Punjabi album.

Confusing Clues:

1. It’s a duet, the female singer is my Darling Janaki
2. It’s a remix of a famous Tamizh song, which originally sang by Mano, a solo!!!


Ok friends, with these confusing clues, a bye from Balu

With Love

S.Balasubramanian.
www.prodigyhub.org