The unsung series - Special # 8

Dear music lovers, before writing this blog for the unsung song of SPB “Raasathi Unnai” from Veidhegi Kaathirundhal, which was originally sung by P. Jeyachandran, I want to make a point to note. Unsung songs are usually from a budding singer, who stimulated by some senior singers and try to sing like them. But, SPB, a singer who have already a gigantic number of 40000 songs in his credit, holding the Guinness record of maximum songs by a singer, released his “Unsung songs” album only to honor all the singers and their immortal songs. Even SPB’s songs database itself included with almost half-a-lack, in which almost seventy percentage are hit numbers, hence singing others songs only shows SPB’s modesty, and simplicity. Also, can anyone tell me how many senior singers are ready to sing his/her juniors songs? But, SPB in this album sang almost all the singers’ song, in which some of the singers’ age is par below with the singing experience of the great SP Bala! Also, SPB, in this album selected many famous songs which have already registered in the minds of music lovers along with the singers’ style of singing like KJJ’s ‘melodious’, M.Vasudevan’s ‘base’, ARR’s “westernize” and etc, so don’t compare it with SPB’s way, which is ofcouse a different one, not a replication "unsung songs" like mediocre budding singers use to, actually its SPB’s way of giving tribute to all the singers. So, please avoid the statements like “I cant see the MV’s base voice in SPB’s version”, “Like KJJ, noone can sing Kanna Kalaimane” and etc, because, my dear friends, MUSIC is not a comparative study. And final words, “All of you LOVE MUSIC and so LIKE SPB”, but me, the stupid who doesn’t know about music “I LOVE SPB, SO I LIKE MUSIC”, so atleast for this idiot, avoid comparison, please.

Voice of Jeyachandran
Paliath Jayachandran , I don’t know why this singer didn’t get the same popularity as of his contemporary KJ Jesudas in Malayalam Film music, actually PJ deserved more than what he is having now. I like PJ’s voice since the day I listened the song “Mayanginen Solla thyaanginen” from Vijayakanth ‘comedy(!!) try’ movie of “Naane Raaja Naane Mandri”. In this song he competed with the singing queen P. Sushila, especially the lines he rendered “Kothithirukum Kodai kalamum”, is a perfect instance of how to sing a melodious song. I love his voice like anything, which makes my friends to ask this question “Balu, do you like SPB or PJ”, although they knew the truth, they use to enjoy my embarrassment, let them to.

The song “Raasathi onnai” was sang originally by Jeyachandran, and confusing so, why this amazing and talented singer got minimal chances in tamizh. But, PJ was well utilized by the maestro Raaja, and Raaja gave PJ an innumerable number of Hit songs. PJ’s voice is actually fit for soft songs, and in this song also one will feel the velvet touches of PJ, and at that time he used to sing for Vijayakanth.

In this song, I like the way he sings “Yaarodu Ingu Ennakenna Peachu, Needhane Kanne Naan Vaangum Moochu”, simply the melody and softness is all about. Also I amaze at his breath control as this song includes continuous lines of poetic version. May be for music lovers and persons knowing all the notes of music, love only the composers’ effort in this song, and appreciating composers’ violin effects as honey-bees, for those people, music is brain-based, but for me, an amateur, music is only ear based and those ears are filled with honey only thru’ singers like PJ and KJJ, so for me ONLY PJ IS A HONEY-BEE in this song.

Realo-Replicate
It was 1985, in tollywood, a film released ‘Manchi Manasulu’, Banuchandar & Banupriya acted in that, all the songs were mega hits in this movie, especially a song which starts “Jabili Kosam Aakashamalli”, which is nothing but a remake of Tamizh “Raasathi Unnai”. In telugu version, it was sung by a world-famous singer, who doesn’t have any parallel to his voice, none other than SPB, the name which spells melody. In this song, the emotions of Balu is quite amazing, and especially the second stanza finishing “Naave Naave”, I cant think of any singer who can give this much emotions and expression in his voice. I can’t express in words, just listen to that version, then only one will realize.

So, in unsung songs album, it’s SPB’s turn to produce a song which shouldn’t replicate the great PJ’s tamizh version and his own telugu version, and the result is obviously the PERFECT, and if SPB can't, who can, my dear friends!!!

In this version, listen to SPB’s pronunciation of ‘Nakshtiram’, in the lines “Mutham thara nitham varum”, and listen the expressions in the lines, “Vazhndhgavendum Vaa Vaa Kannae”, in the second stanza’s “Thangadha Eekam Poduhum, Podhum”, if one wont get a tears while listening to this line, Sorry, I’ll call them ‘Maakaal” as of Valluvan’s lexicon.

The highlight is SPB’s improvisation of “Ponmanee Unnai Theduudhuuu”, in the finishing of the song, in my view SPB is the pioneer of applying lateral thinking in voice culture, hehhehehehe I Love SPB

My Nostalgia

When I was in 3rd std, I won in a musical concert rounds, by singing M.V’s “Poduvaga En Manasu”, and in the final I sang M.V & TMS’s (a rare compo) “En Sogha Kadhayai” and won a ‘Soap box” along with some cash awards, which made me to enter direct Semi finals when I was in my 4th, and at that time I sang KJJ’s “Urrai Therinjukeeten”, and selected in finals, in the final I sang “Raasathi Unnai Kaanadha Nenju”, those days are gone out, oofffss, don’t ask me to sing now, then I’ll sing my darling’s Janu’s “Aan Paavam” song, hehehehehehehe, “Ennai Paada Solladha Naan Kannadapadi Paadipuduven”


Fact File


1. SPB used to sing all the PJ’s tamizh versions in Telugu and relatively, PJ mostly used to sing SPB’s telugu versions in Malayalam. Anyone happened to listen to the Malayalam Version of “Thagidha Thadimi”?

2. In tamizh SPB-PJ combination duet is rare, to my knowledge there are only two songs sung by SPB and PJ, one is “Andhi Nera” from Inindha Kaighal and another is from the Sridhar’s movie Azghae Unnai Aardhikiren. But in Kannada they sang many numbers.

3. In Kannada there was film called ‘Kiladigalu’, the hero was Vishnuvardhan, in this there are two male duets by SPB and PJ, especially before the recording of the song “Kaala Mattomme” PJ told to the composer Raj Koti “Don’t expect me to sing like Balu, he is genius”, that’s what PJ is for you, he is very simple personality like my own SPB, the great.


Trivia, Train UR Brain
SPB holds the Fame of Singing the Last Cini Song of a Great Lyricist, the TFM ever produced. Mention the Lyricist Name, and the Song (Film Also).

Clue: This song got another Version, which only included in the film, sung by S.Janaki with Paliath Jayachandran!!!!!

With Love

S.Balasubramanian.
www.prodigyhub.org

*****

It was in the mid 80's. I was living in Musiri, a small town, 40 kms away from Trichy, TN, doing my schooling. Musiri had one or two old theatres which they used to screen movies after their first runs were over at Cities. A new theatre came up with modern amenities (don't try to define 'modern amenities' please! a 'concrete structure' is one among the 'modern amenities'!) and started releasing new movies.

I was never interested in Vijaykanth's movies for the simple reason, he was acting in movies like 'sattam oru iruttarai' 'sivappu malli' which went over my head those days. However my friends insisted me to watch a new movie 'vaithegi kathirunthal' which just came in the new theatre. I went with hesitations - but never regretted watching that movie till date.

There was no usual matrix style fight sequences, no major violences, no punch dialogues, no cigar-pipe villain gangs - the movie came as a surprise to me. Vijayakanth also looked very different in that movie like the 'ellai saami' of the village.

Maestro was at his peaks in those years. This movie had wonderfully orchestrated songs which are simply mind-boggling. The sweet singer Jayachandran had some great numbers of his career in this movie like 'Indraikku Enintha Anandame', 'kaththirunthu kathirinthu'.


The picturization was great. The village atmosphere, location, characters, etc. reminded me of my childhood years in which I lived in a similar village. It was directed by R. Sundararajan.

This particular song starts with Jayachandran singing the first line twice... like

"Rasathi unna kanatha nenju kathadi poladuthu"... and then an ocean of violins strikes us like a giant wave and make us surf on top of it for a prolonged time. This song is Jayachandran's best of the bests and is my all-time favorite.. I would have listened to this song hundreds of time so far, and I can't deny an opportunity to listen to it once again - any time!

I have mentioned it before and I would like to mention it once again, as this is related to this post. My father always talk high about the 60s and 70s - Pre-Ilayaraja Era- Music and always used to compare with the 'modern noise'. However this song has been his favorite till date. This song brings a smile on his face instantly. He used to quote 'Ilayaraja has God's blessings - its' impossible otherwise!'. He's 70 years old. My 5 year old daughter also loves this song.

I watched Jayachandran performing this song in the recent Maestro's Orchestra telecasted by Jaya TV.

This song is not sounding so different with the voice of SPB!!!

Ilayaraja's Violins must be Honey-Bees. Thatiswhy they produce honey-like songs with a taste that lasts for ever!

-Sundar.