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Greatness of AMRajah

Topic started by Arun Prakash (@ 2cust46.tnt2.det1.da.uu.net) on Wed Jul 1 22:25:26 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

As we all know AM Rajah, the man who had a melliflous voice,who won the admiration of millions of fans was a versatile composer by himself. His compositions in films like Then Nilavu,Kalyanaparisu,Aadiperukku are just great.

He gave a lot of light music programs all over India with his wife jikki and the Great Maestro Illayaraaja was a guitarist in his troupe for a period of time.

Thanks.

Arun Prakash

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Responses:

• From: Srinath (@ 203-96-234.ipt.aol.com) on: Wed Jul 1 23:04:37 EDT 1998
  
  Hi:
  i have a personal affinity towards A.M.Raja, probably because I used to sing his songs in our light music troupe. He definitely was talented and proably was one of the few MDs who could sing beautifully. He definitely merits a thread in this discussion. Perhaps someday, somebody will come up with a remix of classics from MDs of the past. Atleast then let us hope that the MTV Generation will learn to appreciate our culture. Srikanth, I think, would be the ideal person to do this.
  His remix of "Ilamay, idho, idho" is mind-boggling ! I'm listening to it even as I post this !
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 205.218.142.217) on: Thu Jul 2 13:27:34 EDT 1998
  
  AM RAja will forever reign supreme as the most melodious voice in TFM history. He is the only bonafide crooner of love songs, kaadhal ennum melliya unarchiyai ovvoru aanum velipaduthuvatharku ippadi oru kural irundhaal ethanai sulabam. It took even the great SPB more than 20 years to reach that kind of kuzhaivu. One of my most treasured CD collections is the AM Raja collection put out by EMI. It's got about 22 old songs. Every TFM fan should own this CD or at least have it taped, it's a treasure. "Maasilaa Unmai Kaadhalae", "Brindhaavanamum", "Nilavum Malarum Vaaduthu" songs from Kalyaana Parisu and so many more. AM Raja is one of the best things that ever happened to Gemini Ganesan's career. Too bad AMR got usurped by the less talented and deserving PBS (andha kaalathu Mano, strictly my opinion, but I know I'm going to start a heated debate by these comments.) I usually refrain from comparisons of two different talents, but I have to break that rule here because, most of AMR's songs were for Gemini Ganesan and the other second tier heroes like Balaji, SSR at that time. With PBS, AMR was totally replaced and replaced is the correct word to use here.
  Am I remembering history wrong? Can someone shed light on why AMR waned in TFM?
  
  
• From: RV (@ 1cust138.tnt1.scl1.da.uu.net) on: Thu Jul 2 14:53:50 EDT 1998
  
  There is a nice article in the MD section of TFM page on AMR which answers some questions like why AMR waned etc.
  
  
• From: Veera Akkoor (@ 1cust228.tnt2.det1.da.uu.net) on: Sat Jul 4 21:32:22 EDT 1998
  
  To Mr Udaya,
  Your opinion about AMraaja was good and well expressed. But as you had mentioned PBS was less deserving. That statement made me think that you have not heard of PBS's songs. He was a great singer in his own right. They were equals in all respects except AM Raaja was a little bit more softer than PBS and he was a superb composer.
  
  I know PBS since 1970. He is good friend of our family. He has given some innumerable hits for Gemini,Balaji,SSR etc. Have you heard songs from movies like Paar magale paar,Kaathalika Neramillai. After singing in Tamil, he did go to Kaanada field and has sung for Raajkumar and others. I would consider PBS and AMR both as Melody kings on their own right.
  
  Please do not mention comparing PBS with Mano.I hope you would appreciate my opinion.
  
  Thanks
  
  Veera Akkoor.
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ host16.globalcenter.net) on: Sun Jul 5 13:55:21 EDT 1998
  
  Veera,
  I'm sorry to have made that comparison. I should have known better. I have many PBS tunes in my collection because they were good songs, I still wish AMR had sung those, but, let me not dwell on it. It is strictly my opinion and doesn't belong in a discussion forum. I apologize.
  
  
• From: muthax (@ 1cust185.tnt1.durham.nc.da.uu.net) on: Sat Jul 11 02:35:36 EDT 1998
  
  ofcourse guys AMraja and PBS were very good and fantastic Melodious kings.
  they were like India and WestIndidies of the 1983 team.
  one leading the other in sometime or the other
  AMR's maasila unmai kathalae is still evergreen and nilavae ennidam nerungathae is also evergreen.. ithu mathirii evalvo pesikondupogalam.
  
  
• From: Veera Akkoor (@ 1cust253.tnt2.det1.da.uu.net) on: Sun Jul 12 09:41:45 EDT 1998
  
  Guys ,
  Anyone who has a list of AMR's Music Direction movies please let me know. I need to know them. All I know is only three or four.
  
  Thanks
  
  Veera Akkoor
  
  
• From: Mohan G.I. (@ ) on: Sat Mar 31 12:06:00 EST 2001
  
  AM Raja is the greatest evergreen singer Tamil Movies had.It was not just his voice but the emotions that bloomed from it.When you hear
  'Sirpy Sethukatha Porchilayo' in Ethirparathathu
  or 'Kathalile Tholvi Yutran'in Kalyana Parisu,
  sadness engulfes you.But with 'Oh Ho Enthan Baby' in Then Nilavu or 'Masila unthan Kathaley' in Ali Baba and 40 Thirudarkal, joy engulfs you.
  In hundreds of his duets like 'Adatha Manamum Aduthe' in Kallathur Kannama or 'Thendral Uranguthu ' the melody strikes your heart.It even remains today.He suited MGR,Shivaji,Gemini,SSR and many others according to their character roles
  when they were younger.
  
  However in the case of PBS , there was a lot of melody and versatilty but in my opinion it lacked the emotion that could engulf your heart for generations to come.However PBS' melodious voice
  certainly is to be revered.
  
  I would some up to say both were legends in the
  evergreen 50's and 60's.While MSV is to be lauded for introducing PBS it still puzzles me to date why MSV and others dumped AMRaja totally then.
  Wasn't that cruel to the audience and the singers?
  
  
• From: Manisegaran (@ 161.142.2.10) on: Sun Apr 1 21:25:00 EDT 2001
  
  AM Rajah is one of my favourite singers. Though he had a goodvoice and won the adminration of many fans, he brought his own downfall. I had posted sopme details on AM Rajah in one of the threads, I do not remember where.
  
  KVM composed based on a Hindi tune. Later of course other MDS like Dachinamurthy, Sudharsanam, CN Pandurangarao, Rajeswara Rao,Chalapathi Rao, MSV-Ramamurthy and G. Ramanathan used him.
  
  
  Even in the very iniitial stages, AM Rajah was a very difficult person to work with. In fact in the initial stages, after the film Samsaram, it was KVMahadevan who promoted AM Rajah. In Kumari he sang the song "Azhiyatha Kathal Vazhvil Anaiyatha Jothiyaai". But, he was not cooperative with many MDS. KVM last used him in Manamulla Marutharam where he sang "Kayile Inippathenna Kanianaal Kasappathenna" with Jikki. After that KVM decided not to use him at all. This became known to everyone in the film circle.
  
  In 1958, AM Rajah decided to become an MD himself. He composed for Kalyana Parisu, and as it was an instant hit, he went on to compose for other films like Anbukkor Anni, Then Nilavu, Vidivellki, Aadiperukku. Around this time, ie the early 1960s, AM Rajah began to suspect that the cine industry was gossipping about him. Therfore he kept away from many people who promoted him. Sreedhar wanted AM Rajah to compoose songs for nenjil Ore Aalayam, but as AM Rajah was not cooperative he gave the chance to Visvanathan Ramamoorthy. Later, Sreedhar used him fopr Vidivelli.After composing the songs for Then Nilavu, AM Rajah refused to compose background music for the film. As a result Sreedhar could not release the movie. Sreedhar had to come to the feet of AM Rajah. Still he did not oblige. Finally the matter went to the ears of MGR, who talked to AM Rajah and finally he obliged. That was the last for the Sreedhar-AM Rajah team. After that Sreedhar went for Visvanathan- no more AM Rajah.
  
  This attitude of AM Rajah went around in the cine circles. So AM Rajah decided to keep himself and his wife out of the cine circles. He did not regret at all, as he was getting good income from the tourist cars that he was running. By this time PB Sreenivas was already shooting into popularity. So it was a perfect switch over. AM Rajah did make a come back on his own effort when he composed for the film Veettu Mappillai. We may remember "Rasi Nalla Rasi" with Jikki in that film. The song followed old tunes, and did not really suit the modern taste.After that Shankar Genesh used him in Puguntha Veedu-"Senthamaraiye Senthen Nilave" with Jikki. Then came Rangarattinam where he sang "Muthaaramey Un Oodal Ennavo" with LR Eswary
  
  Somehow, by the early 1970s the one time golden voice of AM Rajah was found not to be suiting the new cine environment.
  
  In short, AM Rajah became his own enemy. But while he was actively singing, almost all his songs became super hits.
  
  
• From: MS (@ 129.252.222.2) on: Sun Apr 1 22:37:54 EDT 2001
  
  MAnisegaran - Welcome back (with a bang) :-)
  
  
• From: SL (@ 63.253.8.3) on: Mon Apr 2 01:01:35 EDT 2001
  
  Mani, which movie was the song 'chinna kaNNanE nAn thanthai ena nee piLLai ena oru bantham vanthathu...' in ? It was picturised on AVM Rajan.
  
  
• From: eden (@ 210.214.5.193) on: Tue Apr 3 08:44:38 EDT 2001
  
  A few weeks back Jikki was the guest in the SunTV `lalithAvin pAttukkupAttu' and sang a song too...I was feeling a little sad since she lost her hubby in that train accident...this pair is my dad's most favourite...
  
  (She sang the song pretty well while the very next week I saw PBS struggling to sing his number in the same guest role...old age...)
  
  
• From: kiru (@ 192.138.149.4) on: Tue Apr 3 11:15:10 EDT 2001
  
  I do have the CD which Udhaya is referring to. I also have a PBS CD. I like AM Raja not only for his soft voice but also for his composing skills. His composing style is typically soft, rhythmic melodies. Very rhythmic melodies. (Probably, this was his only style and so his weakness). But he should be credited for his contribution to original compositiions in TFM. Very rarely do we see original composers in TFM. I would trade originality for versatility or longevity in the business.
  
  
• From: rajeshkumar (@ 198.151.230.253) on: Thu Apr 5 07:04:59 EDT 2001
  
  jikki has sung only few songs while P.Susheela has sung many duets with A.M.Rajah
  
  Before PBS+PS Combination
  A.M.Rajah+PS combination was a Great hit
  
  Nilavum malarum,
  vaadikai marandadhum,
  thanimayile,
  thendral urangiya podhum,
  thuyiladha penn ondru kanden,
  kangalin vaarthaigal puriayadho,
  aadatha manamum aaduthey..
  pazhagum thamizhe paarthubam magane,
  
  These r all REal melodies..........
  which r still hit,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
  
  
  
  
  
• From: Kathir Gaman (@ ) on: Mon Jun 4 13:14:42 EDT 2001
  
  I am an Indian Tamil and living in France
  I too join you all to remember our greatest singer Mr.A.M. RAJAH and whenever I have some free time I always listen some popular hits to get back my pleasure. If anyone can help me to have the following songs: sirtpy sedukada potsilaiyo and Nilvum malarum
  Miga wanakkam and Nanri
  
  

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