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s.janaki vs asha bhonsle

Topic started by rasikan (@ 203.197.228.11) on Thu Sep 28 01:47:31 EDT 2000.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

this is an argument that has been going on for some time. who is more versatile?
asha is a great singer. but when it comes to singing a wide range, s.janaki is the queen.
both singers sing the classical songs well, but it is only when it comes to other variety that versatileness is noticed.
asha is supposed to be the best in cabaret numbers, but i differ.
she cannot come anywhere near SJ in this area.
my proof :
the humming and moaning in ponmeni urugudhe that conveys the frustration of silk smitha.

the y kind of singing in nila kayudhu.

the sensual touch in idhu oru nila kaalam.

and last but not the least

her interaction with SPB in the middle portionof that brilliant number from kakki chattai
poo potta thavani.

where is asha?

rasikan

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Responses:

• From: e (@ 61.1.250.134) on: Thu Sep 28 04:12:27 EDT 2000
  
  In the context of TFM alone, Asha is practically a non-entity (despite the great shenbagamE). So, don't expect any discussion with real substance:-(
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 63.89.188.115) on: Thu Sep 28 12:35:31 EDT 2000
  
  Never has the saying, "Caught between a rock and a hard place" been more appropriate than this comparison. rasigane, tough choice.
  
  
• From: kk (@ 198.4.92.5) on: Thu Sep 28 13:15:27 EDT 2000
  
  There is Asha version of 'katril en geetham ..'
  that goes like 'naina ble naina ..'. I like both.
  guys can give thier opinion on these songs.
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 129.252.22.221) on: Thu Sep 28 13:31:32 EDT 2000
  
  Its a tie;))
  
  
• From: rasikan (@ 203.197.192.115) on: Thu Sep 28 13:52:01 EDT 2000
  
  this is regarding kk's post on asha's rendering of katril en geetham. i haven't heard it. can someone tell me the film?
  
  
• From: rajaG (@ 208.24.179.202) on: Thu Sep 28 14:54:18 EDT 2000
  
  rasikan: In her prime (and I am talking about 60s to early 90s) Asha had zero-complaint performance. But even in prime I would say SJ's tone (it is a combination of konjam mookaala paadardhu + the voice quality) was such that her delivery of lyrics were not clear. I will give the following songs as examples - singaara vElanE devaa, pOgudhEy pOgudhEy, maNiyE maNikkuyilE, thaanaa vandha sandhanamEy - all covering different periods of time. Try to write down the lyrics of the song from a cassette or CD. You will find that some of the lyrics are not easily discernable. I suspect it is the tonal quality.
  
  My vote goes to Asha (of course comparing Asha's Hindi with SJ's thamizh/telugu - all other comparisons are meaningless!)
  
  
• From: kanthimathi (@ 202.177.162.91) on: Fri Sep 29 09:25:38 EDT 2000
  
  Hello, have you guys forgotten 'vennila vennila vennilave' in Iruvar, rendered by Asha? Compare that with 'Shenbagame' and you will find the range. I personally think that SJs voice is too shrill to do any serious singing. You always are in the fear when it will break.
  
  
• From: kk (@ 198.4.92.5) on: Fri Sep 29 10:00:10 EDT 2000
  
  rasikan, its 'aur ek prem kahani'. it's a Balu mahendra's movie which was made by NFDC for Doordharshan. It just had old IR songs rehashed.
  Was recorded well. Its was available in web sometime..dont know where. I got a audio cassette at home.
  
  
• From: :-) (@ 198.133.22.70) on: Fri Sep 29 12:20:20 EDT 2000
  
  Srinath is getting angry @#$#@$#@
  
  
• From: hari (@ 129.116.226.162) on: Sat Sep 30 17:11:53 EDT 2000
  
  Subjective thing, perhaps..
  
  But there is this gumbal of ours, which hates asha in tamil... shenbhagamae, and particularly in "oh butterfly" -- i am sorry to say this, but i feel like kazhuththa neruchchufying asha when i listen to this song... and that too in contrast to SPB's konjum kural... Same in some SJ songs... needless to say, the higher octave ones... granted that she was the best (comparable to SPB) in putting "feel" ;-), but then u cant stand her screeching at times... We end up feeling that the MD cud have compromised the "feel" aspect by replacing SJ with somebody else who was comfortable up there...
  
  
• From: karthi (@ 63.15.178.185) on: Sun Oct 1 00:39:16 EDT 2000
  
  SJ and Asha's singing styles are distinctly different, except that both are too good in improvising a song.
  
  While Asha's singing is less open throated than Janaki's, her voice is undoubtedly sexier than Janaki's. You just please don't compare Asha with anybody in this area - that is - when it comes to singing a tilting number or a cabaret song. The only sensual touch in SJ's voice is her husky tone and (if you could include these) her mukkals and munagals which she resorted to in the 80's thanks to IR!
  
  But, yes, I will give full credit to SJ when singing in high pitches effortlessly - even though she sometimes sounds like screeching - but it's not because she screeches (like Chitra does in Anjali Anjali), that itself is the quality of her voice. I don't know anything about the folk songs in Hindi so I can't comment about that.
  
  I have listened to Asha's classical singing from that movie starring Rekha for which Asha won the national award for that year. I like them a lot. But, certainly Asha cannot give a soulful number like 'SendhoorapoovE' with such completeness as SJ. Another thing about SJ's voice is that while it's possible that SJ could have sung those good old numbers of PS (I am not here to comment on which one will be resounding - but only the voice quality and the singing style) I can't think of Asha singing (even nearly as good as SJ if she'd rendered PS songs) any of those numbers rendered by Lata, inspite of Asha's impeccable rendition in songs like "Sara Pyaar Thumhaara".
  
  Lastly, I cannot listen to as much as even 3 songs of Janaki continuously unless they are of completely different genre. But, Asha voice scores better in this area!
  
  
• From: rajaG (@ 38.27.83.161) on: Sun Oct 1 06:30:18 EDT 2000
  
  karthi: aaga moththam "Who's better Asha or SJ?" ngara kELvikku unga answer "It is PS" thaanEy?:-) idha naanga yErkenavEY kaNakkula eduththundaachchu. Gore vs. Bush la kooda oru vote PS kku nu count paNraangaLaam!:-)
  
  BTW, as I said earlier any meaningful comparison between Asha and SJ should be made only between Asha's Hindi songs vs. SJ's Tamil/Telugu. For starters I want to know how many of us here have heard Re Man Sur Me Gaa and Sooni Sooni (both) from Lal Paththar; Asha and Ghulam Ali's ghazals - notably karoon na yaad magar, dil dhadaknEy kaa sabab yaadh.
  
  There is no genre of film song which Asha has not rendered masterfully and for each ones there can be multiple examples. SJ is good, in fact great. So is PS (idhu karthi kkaaga):-). But, there is only one Asha!
  
  
• From: MS (@ 129.252.23.185) on: Sun Oct 1 12:39:37 EDT 2000
  
  "There is no genre of film song which Asha has not rendered masterfully"
  
  Very true, but you may say that for SJ too. two extreme examples are:
  
  (1) dham maaro dham
  (2) samay dheerE chalo - from rudaali (a song which stirs your soul)
  
  But, IMO, SJ is more expressive. Some examples are:
  
  (1) raasave unnai nambi
  (2) inji iduppazagaa
  (3) rojaappoo aadi vanthathu
  (4) naan paada varuvaai - a song beyond compare.
  
  I would vote for Asha when it comes to tonal quality. When it comes to expressiveness SJ is miles ahead of any female singer.
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 129.252.22.221) on: Sun Oct 1 18:49:16 EDT 2000
  
  I think if u compare the 2 singers in terms of voice alone then u can argue saying that SJ sounds shrill in higher octaves etc. but it is not her fault, her voice is what that has been given to her, she didnt demand it.
  
  To be fair I think u need to compare these 2 singers based on their rendition alone and in this aspect I find both of them to be absolutely equal so far. Maybe if i listen to more songs of Asha I could come to the conclusion that SJ is better:-) But so far i have listened only to the more popular better songs of Asha.
  
  Also, if one were compare singers based on voice alone I would place even Swarnalatha above SJ.
  
  
• From: karthi (@ 63.15.178.123) on: Sun Oct 1 22:52:42 EDT 2000
  
  rajaG, your last posting brought a smile to my lips. Yes. It's true. And there can only be one PS and none near her. (BTW, unga Gore-Bush analogy-la, Clinton-dhaanE PS?)
  
  
• From: siva (@ 161.142.78.83) on: Sun Oct 1 23:47:31 EDT 2000
  
  Just wondering, who have sung more songs in Tamil Asha bhosle or Lata Mageshkar?
  
  
• From: SL (@ 63.253.227.121) on: Mon Oct 2 02:47:50 EDT 2000
  
  Karthi, surprisingly, you had to reference the most insipid songs for Asha's prowess in singing classical numbers. Listen to 'Chchota saa baalma' (OP Nayyar) and 'papiha us paar' (a duet with Lata) (Hemant Kumar). For soulful rendition, 'Chain se humko kabhi' , 'JayiE aap kahaan' (both by OP Nayyar) soar well above even a 'very good' rendtion. She has consistently 'overpowered' her male co-singers as nobody else has. My only criticism against her would be that , in late 50s she sounded vampish even in the romantic numbers owing to the fact she had been relegated to singing the 'left-over' songs in that period. I agree with RajaG, there is no genre of film music songs that she has not tackled masterfully.
  
  
  
• From: SL (@ 63.253.227.121) on: Mon Oct 2 02:50:15 EDT 2000
  
  read 'for highlighting Asha's prowess'.
  
  
• From: kanthimathi (@ 203.199.80.193) on: Mon Oct 2 02:51:14 EDT 2000
  
  My vote is still for Asha... becoz she has much better voice control than SJ. I saw SJ in Saptaswarangal 9Sun TV) and it was really bad. No doubt, she has sung some fantastic songs, but... I think CHitra is a much better singer, she has a much better voice and she has learnt voice modulation quite well. Coming back to the point, I think Asha has sung such a fantastic variety of songs
  
  
• From: kanthimathi (@ 203.199.80.193) on: Mon Oct 2 02:51:28 EDT 2000
  
  My vote is still for Asha... becoz she has much better voice control than SJ. I saw SJ in Saptaswarangal (Sun TV) and it was really bad. No doubt, she has sung some fantastic songs, but... I think CHitra is a much better singer, she has a much better voice and she has learnt voice modulation quite well. Coming back to the point, I think Asha has sung such a fantastic variety of songs
  
  
• From: Srinath (@ 198.133.22.74) on: Mon Oct 2 14:58:56 EDT 2000
  
  Doesn't AB's voice sound like Eric's mom's voice (from 'That 70s Show') ? ;-)
  
  Seriously, unless one can think, emote & react in Hindi (like I know SL & RajaG can), it would be very difficult to appreciate Hindi songs. From what little Hindi I know (studied it for only some 10 dangblasted years ;-)), I can hardly appreciate Hindi songs (especially if they are loaded with Urdu). But since I do understand Tamil a lot better, I am able to better appreciate the rendition by Tamil singers.
  
  Discounting all this, there is one reason why at the end of the day I would prefer going home with a CD of SJ's than one of AB's - and that reason is Ilaiyaraja :-))) PS, AB and the rest, eat your hearts out :-) SJ has song some of the greatest songs ever scored !!!
  
  
• From: sai (@ 63.75.49.120) on: Mon Oct 2 15:17:26 EDT 2000
  
  It all boils down to the composer in the end. However talented the singer may be , it takes a good music director to fully exploit it. Raja is miles ahead in terms of composing skills than any of the Hindi composers which includes R.D.Burman.
  
  

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