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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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VaniJairam.com - A site that has lots of info and songs of VJ.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: Neel D (@ 24.99.73.50) on: Sun Nov 30 09:40:54 EST 2003
  
  Saravanan,
  
  Thanks for part-6 and for the songs from "Dhikkatra Parvati". It has been a quarter of a century since I last heard "AgAyam mazai pozinjA". I have never before heard "enna kuRRam".
  
  "AgAyam" with its folksy lyrics and who else but Vani to execute it like an authentic folk singer. It is a folkish song, but also seamlessly blended with an alaapanai and classical instruments as it progresses. VJ makes the progression and transition with utmost ease.
  
  The authenticity with which VJ executes any genre of songs is truly a wonder. The authentic folkness in the songs like "Ala marathu kiLi", "nitham nitham nelluchORu" and the authentic "working classness" in the song "AmbaLainga sandhaiyila mAmA", the authentic nightclubness in "Cola Cola", "rAthiri nilAvil", "ammAdiyO" and plenty of love songs, motherly songs, semiclassicals, sad songs, and the list goes on. In every category Vani has proven her authenticity.
  
  I wish Rajaji had written more songs in TFM. He does have a very unique style. It is indeed an honor that VJ got to sing his only film song. I also wish that the "new wave" in filmmaking from the mid to late 70s had stayed on for a few more years. VJ was the perfect singer for that era. She was new, strong and versatile. All the directors and musicians realized that too. But then other waves come in and take over...
  
  
• From: balaji (@ 128.173.82.95) on: Sun Nov 30 12:47:55 EST 2003
  
  Saravanan,
  I immensely enjoyed reading all your writeups (parts 1-6). Great work..
  
  
• From: Naaz (@ 24.87.30.219) on: Sun Nov 30 15:23:42 EST 2003
  
  Saravanan -
  
  Every time I see "thodarum" at the end of your write-up, my heart is a kite in the sky of hope!
  It is VJs pride, I am sure, to see how even after her absence from the film music scene for a decade plus, her artistry still shines like a magnificent diamond in a tinsel (town) crown! Your chronology smothers her critics as they eat up all their words (and biases) - and then some! Your narrative about your meeting with "greatness" - proves that excellence can only be matched by excellence! Yes, your dedication and regard for VJs discography is inspired and just as brilliant.
  A more glowing tribute to an artiste I am yet to read!
  
  (Thanks for the rare songs from Thikkatra Parvathi. What a find! (And lost no more!:-))
  
  Neel D -
  
  The ability to traverse dialect and genre in the same language is VJs forte. Her hindi/braj songs are just as nuanced, authentic and miraculous.
  In that list of "folksy" memories, I would like to add this (one of my all time favourites, even more than Alamarathu Kili) -
  "Maasi Masa Kadaisiyile Machchan Vandharu, Pangunimasam Paakku Vachchu Parisam Pottaru" (Pallandu Vazhga.)
  
  When Saravanan mentioned K.Shankar, one classic came to mind immediately (a duet with the peerless Seergazhi Govindarajan) -
  "Nee Indri Yarumillai Vizhikaatu, Muruga
  Nenjuruga Vendugiraen Oli Kaatu..."
  
  There are two precious moments in the above song that still send a shiver up my spine every time I play it:
  
  "Thirupadhi Mamanukku Kannillaiyo, Mami
  Ilakumi Ennai Pole Penn Illaiyo?" (I simply relish the tamizh "ilakumi" used so rarely in tamizh film lyrics!)
  And in the same stanze, there is the perfectly pitched "Naangal Kadhirkalam..." followed by a quick but brave visumbal...followed by
  
  "Kasi Visalatchi Undhan Maganidam Sollvai
  Kanchi Kamatchi Undhan Maganidam Sollvai
  Angaiyarkanni Undahn Maganidam Sollvai
  Adi Abirami Nee Undhan Maganidam Sollvai"
  
  She touches the peak of peaks here, and SG takes over with all the force of blind man finding light in his eyes with "Kandaen....." all the way to "Ayyiah Murugaiyah."
  The fervour of the two voices rings and purifies long after the song is done. What a tour de force, indeed!
  
  Just as an exercise it would interesting to list all the classical musicians/trained MDs who have chosen VJ for their projects (I have a list :-)) It is an (obvious) honour call which only proves that VJ is a musician's musician!
  
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 68.51.215.28) on: Sun Nov 30 17:58:21 EST 2003
  
  Saravanan, excellent writeups. I hope you or someone else is saving all of these. This can be compiled together and published somewhere in DF as a permamnent feature for future readers. Your writing excellently imparts the feeling of having been there with both of you guys at her residence.
  More than the content itself, the writing style is quite enthralling. I wish some of the hapless film magazines/newspapers there in Chennai could use your services, if they arent using them already(?).Cant wait for the future installments.
  
  
• From: Neel D (@ 24.99.73.50) on: Sun Nov 30 23:58:01 EST 2003
  
  Saravanan/Naaz,
  
  Remember the song "Nithyasumangali Neeye" from the movie "Vetri Vinayagar". I think the movie was directed by K.Shankar too. It was released in 1996, I believe. This may be one song VJ sang after "edhu sugam sugam" in TFM.
  
  
• From: OISG (@ 213.42.2.12) on: Mon Dec 1 00:33:54 EST 2003
  
  Naaz
  
  VJ interjects the right feel also at "Adi Abirami".(KKD has used the "Adi" Abirami earlier also).
  
  BTW it is not Kadhirkalam it is Kadhirgamam (or Kadhirkamam) the Muruga temple in Sri Lanka.Chandrakala continuously would use her left hand to point at sannathis.
  
  Varuvan Vadivelan will remain as the last clean and successful "Bakthi" film.(thai moogambikai could not reach upto VV's success)
  
  
• From: OISG (@ 195.229.241.164) on: Mon Dec 1 05:09:04 EST 2003
  
  Sorry typo "injects".
  
  
• From: Naaz (@ 24.87.30.219) on: Mon Dec 1 10:25:36 EST 2003
  
  OISG -
  
  Thanks for the correction of Kadhirkamam. I should listen to the song again...the above was posted from memory to keyboard! :-) Nevertheless, the whole song is a stirring example of what TFM used to be - MDs and Lyricists who were committed to their own cultural/mythological heritage, Singers who sang with great feeling and from the pit of their stomach, and an audience that was moved by simple sincerity. Ippo ellam bhakti padalgalilum synthesiser vandhuvittadhu! (Lord Muruga goes Polyester :-))
  
  Neel D -
  
  I recall the song from Vetri Vinayagar, but the tune...I'll have to give it a listen again :-(
  
  
• From: Kaumudi (@ 136.142.153.250) on: Mon Dec 1 20:15:46 EST 2003
  
  Saravanan
  Thanks for the nice, suspenseful write-up again. But many more thanks for the birthday special songs - truly special indeed! A nice theme music piece which starts and ends with the "manthrapushpam" piece gave the whole song a special atmosphere, if you will. Was this the background music during the titles?
  VJ's ragamalika "aagayam" was also lovely. Traditional, classical music woven excellently into a song with a folksy touch.
  But my favorite, I have to say, is "Enna kutram". What a neat, lovely song this is and very moving too. For some reason, I was reminded of some old telugu classics that came under Ghantasala. And of course, VJ does full justice to the song. She sounds so deeply moved by the song herself.
  
  
• From: Naaz (@ 24.87.30.219) on: Mon Dec 1 23:44:11 EST 2003
  
  Kaumudi -
  
  "She sounds so deeply moved by the song herself."
  
  So precisely phrased, I was moved by your summation!
  
  Aagayam, as Neel D said, is a discovered gem for me as well. I have heard the song when I saw the film, and that was was century ago (or so it seems. It was a black and white film too!)
  
  AIR is guilty of giving no time to Enna Kutram. And then the film ("arty" "bleak" "serious" "well acted") vanished. Of course, by that time, there were other memorable VJ songs that took to the airwaves, and so the loss was not immediately apparent. But on hearing it in this forum, after these many years, still brought that same thought of perfection and poignancy.
  
  Bless Dr.Cittibabu, too. The man had the good sense to do a fine film and call it quits in commercial music. There's an unheard raga in that wisdom :-)
  
  
  
  
  
• From: sriram (@ 163.181.251.9) on: Tue Dec 2 11:17:59 EST 2003
  
  saravanan, thanks for the songs.
  In "Enna kuttram", "kurai ondrum illai" sAyal theriyudhu. especially the lines sound like "kundrin mel kallaagi nirkindra varadha". most likely it was intentional.
  
  
• From: Saravanan (@ 213.42.2.13) on: Tue Dec 2 14:47:05 EST 2003
  
  Naaz, Balaji, Vijay, Kaumudi, Thanks for your kind words :)
  
  Neel, Yes, Nithyasumanagli neeye is a good song.
  
  Kaumudi, I haven't seen Thikkatra Parvathi. But I suppose the theme music may have unfolded as the titles appeared. The record just said 'Theme Music'. Glad you liked it- I too found it inexplicably moody and haunting. And as Naaz says, it is really unfortunate that the two songs didn't become popular. I believe they were featured in Radio Ceylon in the mid-late 70s.
  
  sriram- You're right- After you pointed out, I too can feel some shades of similarity.
  
  
• From: sim (@ 203.135.21.42) on: Thu Dec 4 01:31:45 EST 2003
  
  Saravanan,
  Almost all singers have some above average and some below average songs. Vani too is no exception. The only difference might be that you may think that her good ones are more than the poor ones, whereas I may hold that her below average ones are maore than her better ones. While it is good to dwell on the positive aspects of a singer, it is quite unbalanced to be completely blind to the shortcomings of a performer. Your write ups are excellent in their information imparting content, I hope you would make them more balanced and realistic in thoughts.
  
  
  
• From: Curious . (@ 161.114.64.74) on: Thu Dec 4 09:32:08 EST 2003
  
  Hi Sara, pls add if the talks were in Tamil/English/Hindi
  
  
• From: sorry cudnt resist this (@ 161.114.64.74) on: Fri Dec 5 06:06:23 EST 2003
  
  K Prabhaakar Shaastri (@ 213.185.126.4)
  sim (@ 213.185.126.18)
  
  

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