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Vani Jayaram's songs

Topic started by avvaiyar (@ 203.116.61.132) on Wed Jan 27 02:29:28 EST 1999.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I'm a new visitor to this website. I couldn't see anyone discussing about Vani Jayaram's songs.
Let me start this one.(It had been there previously pls. forgive me!)

"Ezhu swarangalukkul ethanai paadal..
Ithaya surangathul ethanai kelvi...
Vaazhum manitharukkul ethanai salanam.."

Wow! Beautiful voice!

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Neel's VJ Songs

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: siva (@ 194.180.160.10) on: Wed Nov 27 11:44:07 EST 2002
  
  Saravanan
  
  one rare song of VJ in priyamudan prabu song starts like "Melum keezhum moochu vangu...." with SPB. MD..?
  
  
  
• From: Siva (@ 194.180.160.10) on: Wed Nov 27 12:00:57 EST 2002
  
  VJ's rare song
  
  " Unvizhi sollum siru kathai ondru endru urangaamal thavikkinrathu athan kathai enna athan porul enne....." Sung by VJ &JC. Movie i think Deiveega raagangal?
  
  
• From: av (@ 132.216.68.114) on: Wed Nov 27 16:13:58 EST 2002
  
  Saravanan - Your description of mangala kannagi - was so very apt! What a rendering and what music! We are lucky to be living in an era in which singers like VJ lived to give us so many ecstatic moments owing to their divine voices. And an era where MDs like KVM created such great tunes which those voices adorned. Pure bliss! Very few of even VJ's own songs could compete with this one, IMO. Just hark at that high-pitched finish.
  
  Thanks!
  
  
• From: Saravanan (@ 195.229.241.212) on: Tue Dec 3 04:03:50 EST 2002
  
  AVR- Thanks for your response. Yes, 'Mangala Kannagi' is among the best ever of VJ.
  
  C V- thanks for the info on 'Ingeyum Manithargal'.
  
  
• From: Saravanan (@ 213.42.1.170) on: Tue Dec 3 23:18:51 EST 2002
  
  Continuing on the Vani trail in 1977-
  
  This week we are looking at Vani’s ventures in 1977 with yet another Music Director, and all 4 of them from a single film. Yes, you got it- the MD was Kunnakkudi Vaithyanathan and the film- Navarathinam.
  
  Permit me to indulge is some random thoughts here. Navarathinam was the film where two giants of Kollywood joined hands for the first and last time- AP Nagarajan and MGR. AP Nagarajan was hitherto a strict Sivaji-Camp director. But the disastrous ‘Raja Raja Chozhan’ had left a trail of bitterness, and APN crossed over to work with MGR.
  
  It was a repeat of what happened a decade earlier with another disenchanted Sivaji director- BR Panthulu. BRP was one of the earliest directors who recognised the genius of Sivaji and he was among the architects who helped Sivaji reach the pinnacle of glory. Starting from as early as Kalyanam Panniyum Brahmachari-1954, BRP’s films for Sivaji were milestones in the thespian’s career graph- Thangamalai Ragasiyam-1957, Sabash Meena-1958, Veerapandiya Kattabomman-1959, Kappalottiya Thamizhan-1961 and Bale Pandiya-1962. However BRP’s magnum opus-Karnan-1964 disappointed at the box office and his Muradan Muthu-also1964, was an absolute failure. BRP and Sivaji are supposed to have exchanged some angry words, and they split forever. BRP joined with MGR in 1965 and made the immortal ‘Aayirathil Oruvan’. He continued to work with MGR in films like Ragasiya Police 115-1968 and Thedi Vantha Mapillai-1970. It is said that it was BRP who started MGR’s last film- Maduraiyai Meetta Sundarapandiyan, but didn’t live to see its completion.
  
  Similarly, another director whose name will forever be enshrined with reverence in any analysis of Sivaji’s films is the great APN. With VK Ramaswami as the co-producer, he produced and directed Makkalai Petra Maharasi-1957, and this marked the beginning of a memorable relationship between the director and the actor. Navarathiri-1964, Thiruvilayadal-1965, Saraswathi Sabatham-1966, Kandan Karunai-1967, Thiruvarutselvar-1967, Thillana Mohanambal-1968 and Thirumal Perumai-1968 stand testimony to the success of this partnership. However, if Thirumal Perumai did not fetch the expected returns, Guru Dakshinai-1969 was a total washout. APN resorted to make some low-budget films with lesser actors. A few years later, backed by the financial support of Umapathi, he made Rajaraja Chozhan-1973. But even the fact that it was the first Cinemascope film in tamizh could not ensure its success.
  
  APN later approached MGR and they embarked on Navarathinam. But unlike BRP, who tasted success with MGR, APN tasted the worst ever failure in his career. In the year in which MGR ascended the throne in Fort St. George, Navarathinam was a big embarrassment to all associated with it.
  
  I have seen it on TV long back and time has luckily erased the painful memory. I think APN tried a modification of his own Navarathiri in Navarathinam. Like Savithri who meets nine different people (All Sivaji) in Navarathiri, in Navarathinam, a bewigged and pencil-moustachioed MGR meets nine different heroines. Latha was perhaps the main heroine. Actresses like Jayachitra and Sripriya who had never got to act with MGR previously, were part of the remaining eight. Perhaps Zarina Wahab too was one among them. Friends who remember more, please help in filling the blanks.
  
  Kunnakkudi Ramaswami Vaithyanathan was in charge of the musical score. It was APN who brought KV into the filmworld by using his ‘Thiruppankundrathil Nee Sirithaal’ in Kandan Karunai. And when APN fell out with KVM, it was Kunnakkudi Vaithyanathan he turned to. Starting from Vaa Raja Vaa-1969, KV commenced his chequered career as a Music Director. Recognition came soon enough- he bagged the TN State Government Award for the Best Music Director in 1970 for his score in Thirumalai Thenkumari.
  
  He composed music for 22 films, and most of them, being socio-mythological themes, had memorable songs. And whilst he collaborated with giants like Kannadasan, TRM, TMS, Seergazhi Govindarajan, KB Sundarambal, S Varalakshmi, (Radha) Jayalakshmi, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, PS, SJ, LRE and later KJY, SPB, JC and VJ to give wonderful songs, he also worked with some lesser known names and introduced some talented singers. Among lyricists, he gave remarkable opportunities to veteran KD Santhanam, Ki Va Jagannathan, Ulundurpettai Shanmugham, Geethapriyan, Puthaneri Subramaniyam, Poovai Senguttuvan, KKS Kumar, Nellai Arulmani and Ira.Pazhanichami. TK Kala and MR Vijaya were introduced by him. He sanctified the portals of Kodambakkam by bringing in stalwarts like Madurai Somu, Pithukkuli Murugadas, Bangalore Ramani Ammal and TN Seshagopalan. If Rajesh and Manohari were an unknown duo who sang for him in Melnaattu Marumagal (Sugam tharum ithu sorgalogame), in the same film he gave Usha Uthup what is perhaps her biggest hit in tamizh – Life is a flower, love is a treasure.
  
  And when I was in school- I think in 8th standard, a song sung by Kunnakkudi was making waves-( and all for the wrong reasons)- Kottampatti Roatille hey hey, Kutti pora shokkiley hey hey, Naan rottiyathaan thinbana, Kuttiya thaan paapapana!! I used to irritate my Violin master by asking him the raga of this song (Yes, my parents, with the mistaken conviction that there was a child prodigy lurking inside me, enrolled me for violin classes- it took two long years for my venerable Guru to finally wash his hands off me- I knew long back that a career in music was not my lot!)
  
  Now, (and about time, too), let us dwell on VJ’s songs in Navarathinam. Other songs include ‘Maanum odi varalaam’-KJY and ‘Puriyaathathai Puriyavaikkum pudhu idam’- PS with Dialogues by MGR & Sripriya(?)
  
  116. Kuruvikkara Machchane- Navarathinam- M Balamuralikrishna- Kunnakkudi Vaithyanathan
  
  TMS had a love-hate relationship with MGR, and after SPB- Adimaippenn and KJY-Ulagam Sutrum Valiban proved that their voices were accepatable for MGR, they were increasingly singing MGR songs, especially KJY. However, only two MGR films completely excluded TMS- Oorukku Uzhaippavan-1976 and Navarathinam. And while KJY and SPB were also there in Navarathinam, KV added a new dimension by making Balamuralikrishna sing for MGR.
  
  Padmavibhushan, Sangeetha Kalanidhi Dr.M Balamuralikrishna (Birth-1930) needs no introduction. He made an enchanting entry in tfm in Sridhar’s Kalaikkoyil-1964- the song was ‘Thangaratham vanthathu veedhiyile’-Indeed it was as though a golden musical chariot had arrived in the avenues of tfm. However, in spite of subsequent success in immortal songs like ‘Oru naal pothuma’-Thiruvilayadal-1965, he could not make it big as a playback singer.
  Nevertheless, he brought lingering lustre to each song that came his way- be it TK Ramamoorthi’s ‘Arulvaaye nee arulvaaye’- Sadhu Mirandaal-1966, S Rajeswara Rao’s ‘Aadhi anaadhiyum neeye’ and ‘Chinna china kanne’ (with SJ)- Bhaktha Prahalada-1967 (MBK himself acted as Narada in the film), TG Lingappa’s ‘Puththam pudhu meni’ (with PS)-used in Subadhinam-1969 or the two wonderful songs in Kann Malar-1970 –KVM’s ‘Thodudaya Seviyan’ (with Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi) and ‘Ambalathu Nataraja’ (with SJ).
  
  After 7 years of a drought in opportunities, it seems to have rained and poured in 1977. S-G brought him back into circulation with ‘Ramanum Neeye Krishnanum Neeye’-Uyarndhavargal. KV made him sing for MGR in Navarathinam. Ilayaraja capped it all with ‘Chinna kannan azhaikkiraan’ and ‘Aayiram kodi kaalangalaaga’-Kavikkuyil. MBK sang some more memorable songs in the following years. His achievements in film songs in the other South-Indian languages are many. He has the singular distinction of having won both the National award for the Best Music Director (1975) and the National award for the Best Male Playback Singer (1987).
  
  This song is a Kuravan-Kurathi duet:
  
  
  VJ: Kuruvikkara Machchane-
  Namma Kadavul serthu vechchane!
  Kozhi koovum varaiyile-
  Namma kondaattam thaan araiyile!
  
  MBK:Kuruvikkaran ponjaathi-
  Naan-kuravan thaandi un jaathi!
  Oosi kannai suthaadhe-
  Udambu poora kuththaadhe!
  
  VJ: Thirudanaattam kudisaikkulle, Poonai poley nuzhainje
  Purushanaattam manasukulle muzhukka muzhukka neranje
  Yo saami, osthaamee!
  MBK:Summa kidandha udambukkulle soodu porandhadhenna
  Semmaankuyilai serthu anaichu china idaiyai pinna
  En rani ---en rani!
  
  VJ: Innathathaan kekirennu sonnaathaane theriyum
  Ellathaiyum koduthupputtu sollamale puriyum!
  MBK:Kaavi pallai kaatti kaatti kaviyathai sollu
  Uruvamellam paadudhadi paruvakkaala kallu!
  
  Kuravan-Kurathi songs have been part of tfm from ever so long. MLV sang her way into the hearts of the common man with her ‘Ayya Sami, aavoji sami’-Or Iravu, as early as 1951. Other memorable songs of this kind include –‘Iththanai naalaaga’-Marma Veeran- 1956, ‘Kochimalai kudagumalai’-Vaazhkkai Oppantham-1959, the most popular of them all-‘Naanga puthusa kattikkitta jodi’-Oli Vilakku-1968 and ‘Kurathi vaadi’-Kurathi Magan-1972.
  
  Here MBK and VJ make this song memorable by their fantastic felicity of expression. KV has composed it in such a way, that a prefix is added in each repetition of the lines. For instance- 'un' oosi kannai, 'En' udambukkulle, 'nee' poonai poley, 'Ippo' purushanattam, and this adds unexpected beauty to the song. VJ sizzles, as usual. Hark at her playful prolonging of the Pallavi lines and the earthy, sexy appeal in ‘Yo saami, vasthaami!’ Yamma!
  
  
  117.High on a hill- Navarathinam- M Balamuralikrishna- Kunnakkudi Vaithyanathan
  (The song bears the title ‘English & Carnatic’ on the record)
  
  The song begins with the lines borrowed from the song ‘The Lonely Goatherd’ from the immortal English Musical-The Sound of Music, written and composed by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II.
  
  VJ starts off with
  
  High on a hill was a lonely goatherd
  Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
  Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd
  Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
  Folks in a town that was quite remote heard
  Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
  Lusty and clear from the goatherd's throat heard
  Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
  O ho lay dee odl lee o, o ho lay dee odl ay
  O ho lay dee odl lee o, lay dee odl lee o la
  
  
  MBK makes a grand entry singing a swara on the same lines as ‘High on the hill’ and after singing ‘High on a hill’ ,smoothly switches to ‘Palukku kanda sa kerunu geru ne’
  
  VJ comes back with the a superb western humming and sings the lines
  ‘Golden youth always rules,
  dwells in thought,
  dwells in love-
  
  Come on dears, cheers!
  Here is a beautiful stage
  Join in hands with age
  Join like our image’
  
  MBK repeats these English lines and switches over to Carnatic classical once again, singing
  Yetha unara nilakadaneeku, enchi chooda naga badavu---
  
  And therafter sings 'Golden youth' and 'Yetha unara' alternatively in what is an amazing swift jugalbandhi!
  
  Then comes another surprise and a third dazzling dimension appears- MBK breaks into a soulful Hindustani alaap and goes on to sing the famous ‘Jo thum thodo piya’ . The crowning glory is the alternate rendition of ‘Golden Youth’ and ‘Jo thum’.
  
  What a song!! What a charming coalesce of the three styles of music, and how beautifully has KV woven them to create a sensational composition! VJ proves that nothing is beyond her grasp and gives a superb yodelling, with her English being just perfect! And as for MBK, he is the juggler who handles the juglebundhi adroitly making each transition effortlessly and delightfully.
  
  
  118.Ungalil nam Annavai- Navarathinam-SPB-Kunnakkudi Vaithyanathan
  
  A typical ‘Kolgai parappum’ paadal-
  
  SPB: Ungalil nam Annavai paarkkiren
  Andha uthamaraam Gandhiyaiyum paarkkiren, paarkkiren
  Unagalil nam Annavai paarkkiren
  Both:Andha uthamaraam Gandhiyaiyum paarkkiren, paarkkiren
  Unagalil nam Annavai paarkkiren!
  
  SPB: Gangai nadhi pongi varum naattile-
  Palar kann kalangi vaazhugindraar veettile!
  VJ: Gangai nadhi pongi varum naattile-
  SPB: Palar kann kalangi vaazhugindraar veettile!
  SPB: Sila pergal kodi selvam kondanar
  Palar theruvoram kodiyile nindranar
  VJ: Sila pergal kodi selvam kondanar
  SPB: Palar theruvoram kodiyile nindranar
  
  SPB: Or uyir thaan yaavarukkum ullathu-
  Adhu orumurai thaan nammai vittu selvathu!
  VJ: Or uyir thaan yaavarukkum ullathu-
  SPB: Adhu orumurai thaan nammai vittu selvathu!
  SPB: Selvam indru vandhu naalai povathu,
  Seitha sevai endrum makkal nenjil vaazhvathu!
  VJ: Selvam indru vandhu naalai povathu,
  SPB: Seitha sevai endrum makkal nenjil vaazhvathu!
  
  SPB: Ezhai kathai medaiyile solluvaar
  Avar ettadukku maadi katti kolluvaar
  VJ: Ezhai kathai medaiyile solluvaar
  SPB: Avar ettadukku maadi katti kolluvaar
  SPB: Yaar enna kutram seithaalum kelada-
  Adhil endrum achcham illai endru koorada!
  VJ: Yaar enna kutram seithaalum kelada-
  SPB: Adhil endrum achcham illai endru koorada!
  
  VJ doesn’t seem to have much work in this song- she just gets to repeat SPB’s lines!
  
  
  119.Ladke se mili ladki- Navarathinam- KJY- Kunnakkudi Vaithyanathan
  
  A song wholly in Hindi in this tamizh film, filmed on MGR and perhaps Zarina Wahab. Some other such wholly Hindi songs in tfm are ‘Tu hai raja’-Varumaiyin Niram Sigappu-SJ, ‘Kaise kahoon’-Nandu-Bhupinder & SJ and ‘Samundar baar baar’-Jathimalli-KSC.
  
  VJ had struck gold in Hindi in her very first song ‘Bole re’-Guddi. KJY had won the National award in 1977 for Chithchor, and thus KV had made the right choice of singers to sing this Hindi song.
  
  
  VJ: Aa Gaye hain woh
  Aaj inka inthazaar
  Dil-e- bekaraar ko
  Mil gaya karaar
  Jhoom utti daaliyaan
  Khil gaye hain fool
  Maano phir chaman mein
  agayi bahaar-
  
  KJY:Ladke se mili ladki
  Ladki se mila ladka
  Dono ka dil phir
  Eh kahke dhadka-
  VJ: Kaise?
  KJY:Dhak- dhak- dhak!
  
  KJY:Koyi nahin hain mera yahaan
  Meri jaan apna bana lo mujhe
  Dushman mohabbat ka saara jahaan
  Palkon mein apni chupa lo mujhe
  VJ: Dekha hai jab se tuj ko sanam
  Is dil ki kasam hum tere huye
  Tu chand bankar badle se niklaa
  Door nazar se andhere huye
  
  KJY:Alkon mein rahoon teri
  Palkon mein rahoon teri
  Alkon mein rahoon teri
  Palkon mein rahoon teri
  VJ: Aahon mein raho meri
  Baahon mein raho meri
  Aahon mein raho
  Baahon mein raho
  Chaahon mein raho
  Raahon mein raho
  Aahon mein raho meri
  Baahon mein raho meri
  KJY:Lekin dar hai mujko
  VJ: Arre, kyaa dar hai tujko?
  KJY:Yeh saath rahen kab tak?
  VJ: Dhadkan dil me jab tak!
  
  VJ enchants in the opening soft thogayra itself and the song gathers romantic momentum with the pallavi. VJ’s hushed ‘Kaise’? is alluring.
  Wonder who wrote the lyrics?
  
  1977 to be concluded next week, with yet another Music Director (And who may that ‘Young King’ be?)
  
  
• From: Cinema Virumbi (@ 203.197.220.211) on: Wed Dec 4 02:35:27 EST 2002
  
  Saravanan,
  
  The Hindi song (MGR-Zarina Wahab, in some Moghul costume drama- Lata, the kuRaththi heroine sees this drama and enquires about MGR, the 'naadagaththula saayabu raaja vEsham pOttavar')goes like this:
  
  KJY: Ladkee milee ladkE sE
  VJ: Ladkaa milaa ladkee sE
  
  In addition, Jeya was also there in 'navaraththinam' as a Keralite girl, perhaps with a song in Malayalam!
  
  'navaraththinam' was such a shocking flop in the first week that within a few days, a revised edition was released, with posters loudly announcing ' pudhiya 'navaraththinam' pazhaiya navaraththinaththilurunthu muRRum maaRupattaathu!!'
  
  As regards kuRavar songs, I am sure you'll be covering the more authentic sounding songs from 'karai kadantha oruththi' and 'mudhal iravu'
  (aasha vachchEn oun mElathaan, sonnathu palikkuthu paaru, pachchamala pakkaththula kuRaththi etc.,) in your writeups to come!
  
  

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