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SPB - The Greatest Ever Melody Singer

Topic started by Dorairaj Pichaiyan (@ gateway7.ey.com) on Thu Sep 24 19:12:00 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I enjoy SPB's voice the most. Statrting this topic
for TFM users to be able to share their views
about the melody king SPB

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Responses:

• From: Raman TV (@ host-209-214-119-225.bna.bellsouth.net) on: Thu Sep 24 22:05:38 EDT 1998
  
  I Agree completely with your views about SPB's melodious voice. I have not seen any other example of an such an immensely gifted playback singer (with no formal training !) anywhere in the Indian film panorama
  
  
• From: balaji (@ schubert.crhc.uiuc.edu) on: Thu Sep 24 22:08:34 EDT 1998
  
  do we even need to discuss about this topic. not a word needs to be said. it is obvious, crystal clear that SPB is the greatest ever melody singer.
  
  
• From: Sriram Lakshman (@ sf-dnpqn-024.compuserve.net) on: Thu Sep 24 22:35:36 EDT 1998
  
  Balaji, I think we can use this thread to point out various facets of SPB. There have been other legends without formal orthodox training in music like Kishore Kumar and KL Saigal. Agreed, KK though versatile could never do justice to complex compositions and that is why he had Rafi singing for him at times (when KK was a famous hero).
  SPB's range , the range of songs he could cater to, remains unparalleled IMO. I personally would have liked MDs to give him songs that provided ample scope for improvisation (he in unparalleled in this too) with a little bit of the 'Hindustani' touch like Nandaa Nee en Nila , Annan oru koyil endral and his own composition, 'Itho Itho en Pallavi'. I have heard him sing Lata Mangeshkar's legendary 'Bhaiyyan na daro',Rafi's 'Mere Mehboob' and P.Sushila's 'Mayangugiral oru mathu' (when I was in Dubai), which all had meaty tunes for him to feast over and how well he introduced subtle improvisations ,at the same time keeping the melody touch intact.Several decades might pass till we have another singer who changes his delivery style for varying moods . Probably after TMS, he remains the only singer to have changed his voice for heroes, like NTR and ANR.
  
  
• From: N.C.Ramakrishna (@ 171-15-83.ipt.aol.com) on: Thu Sep 24 23:19:11 EDT 1998
  
  Hi
  
  There is no doubt that SPB is a great singer. When he enetered film industry with no carnatic music background which was must those days, I doubt anybody would have thought that he would become so great.
  
  The great gift he had from God is his incredible voice. Also his talent to change his voice to anybody not only to heros like ANR and NTR, but also comedians like Nagesh, Rajababu and Allu ramalingiah in Telugu. He has a very good pronountaition which many of the upcoming singers lack of. He has the command on voice to change according to the mood of the song. You feel it. when Ghantasala was considered to be the only singer in Telugu, he came and created his own wave and later on respects from his critics just by his voice.
  
  IMO only KK can be comparable to SPB. He is almost versatile as SPB and he also came into HFM without HIndusthani music background. Sometimes his voice is too good. Rafi is melodious. If Rafi is like TMS,Ghantasala, KK is like SPB. I cannot say SPB is the greatest ever melody singer but he is no doubt a great singer.
  
  
• From: SR Kaushik (@ nova13.cs.wisc.edu) on: Fri Sep 25 00:07:54 EDT 1998
  
  Another aspect of SPB - his dubbing abilities, esp for Kamal in TElugu. I have watched films of Kamal in both and Telugu. I could not believe that Kamal's dubbing in Telugu was done by someone else, esp if you watch Swathimukthyam, his voice is very similar to Kamal's.
  
  Of course, singing wise, nothing much need be said by me, its clear enough.
  
  
• From: yvs mani (@ hub.nic.in) on: Fri Sep 25 00:50:04 EDT 1998
  
  Even though, now, tfm is dominated by HHand Uk, I think they won't be able to match SPB. The song ,"|Unnai partha pinbhu than" in Kaadhal mannan is superb. After hearing his voice, I am unable to hear others.
  
  
• From: sundaresan (@ 202.158.21.224) on: Fri Sep 25 06:22:58 EDT 1998
  
  re: yvs mani.
  
  I fully agree.there is nobody to equal or beat SPBin playback singing. The leading singers like HH and UK are oflate singing thru their noses
  
  
• From: Venkat (@ lpcat102.oardc.ohio-state.edu) on: Fri Sep 25 17:04:41 EDT 1998
  
  SPB is simply unmatched.
  
  Samll correction Kaushik. SPB gives voice to Kamal for Telugu movies DUBBED from Tamil. However, Kamal retains his voice if it is a original telugu film (you can compare that). SPB also gave voice to many other artistes including gemini genesan in 'Rudra veena' (Telugu). That was one of the reason why GG's performance had a majestic quality.
  
  
• From: Venkat (@ lpcat102.oardc.ohio-state.edu) on: Fri Sep 25 17:05:53 EDT 1998
  
  SPB is simply unmatched by anyone.
  
  Small correction Kaushik. SPB gives voice to Kamal for Telugu movies DUBBED from Tamil. However, Kamal retains his voice if it is a original telugu film (you can compare that). SPB also gave voice to many other artistes including Gemini Ganesan in 'Rudra veena' (Telugu). That was one of the reason why GG's performance had a majestic quality to it.
  
  
• From: SR Kaushik (@ nova13.cs.wisc.edu) on: Fri Sep 25 17:39:13 EDT 1998
  
  Venkat are you sure? I'm sure that Kamal(although he is immensely popular) is not at all fluent in Telugu. In one interview, he was answering all questions in English.
  
  Others, sorry for the digression.
  
  
• From: N.C. Ramakrishna (@ spider-tk061.proxy.aol.com) on: Fri Sep 25 22:12:45 EDT 1998
  
  Kaushik
  
  Venkat is correct. SPB used to lend his voice to Kamal in Telugu for only in dubbed movies from Tamil. Where as Kamal retained his voice for direct Telugu movies. His dialogue delivery is much better than many of the other Heros. Even he speaks Telugu in many functions held in Andhra. I dont know the reason why he gave interview in English?
  
  Ramakrishna
  
  
• From: Rajan (@ 209-63-253-191.smf.jps.net) on: Sat Sep 26 00:37:51 EDT 1998
  
  More than just melody the expression in his songs are amazing. I couldn't experience a variety of expression in other earlier singers like TMS whose bhakti expression was great. And PBS's melancholy was good. But SPB could wring your heart when he is singing "Vaan uyarnda solaiyile" or make one's youth explode when he is singing "Unnai naan parthadu" . In the song "Marande pochu romba naal achu" he gives the expression of forgetfullness when he sings the pallavi. His romantic expression is unparalled. The examples are just a tip of an iceberg.
  
  I might be biased. But listening with a keen ear would be a supporting testimony.
  
  Rajan S
  
  
• From: Sriram Lakshman (@ sf-dnpqb-125.compuserve.net) on: Sat Sep 26 01:40:29 EDT 1998
  
  Good observation , Rajan. Also note the viraga thaabam in 'Kannan enge ' (from mathura geetham) song esp. when he sings the line 'mayakkam thondruthe', his kenjal in 'raadha kaathal varatha' and sheer romanticism in 'Then sinthuthe vaanam','Seer kondu vaa', 'Sapthaswaram punnagayil kanden', 'Malare mounama' etc. with subtle improvisations. His expression of melancholy was complete in 'Thangathottil pattu meththai' in Rangaraattinam. Apart from all this, his vocal reach (the ability to touch those elusive notes) brings with it, a tremendous sense of fulfillment and what clarity !!! Rajan, comments please.
  
  
• From: Sriram Lakshman (@ sf-dnpqb-125.compuserve.net) on: Sat Sep 26 01:49:22 EDT 1998
  
  His expression of youthful exuberance also remains unparalleled. 'Then sumantha mullai thaan naan' and several more stand as a testimonies. His songs sung with a serious tone, like 'Ilamayenum poongatru' ,'Oru paaravi paarkum pothu' are also remarkable. Ivara athi sollikkonde pogalam. Also try and listen to his 'Devan ke pathi indra' in the malayalam movie 'Swathi thirunal'.
  
  
• From: Viswa (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Sat Sep 26 07:05:44 EDT 1998
  
  Sriram,
  Now that you mentioned SPB's Malayalam song, let me say this : I have always wondered as to why SPB has not been able to get his pronunciation right in Malayalam. This is somewhat surprising, since fellow-Andhrites like PS and SJ have simply excelled in their Malayalam dictions ! Any comments, folks ?
  
  
• From: Rajan S (@ 209-63-247-163.smf.jps.net) on: Sat Sep 26 10:58:52 EDT 1998
  
  Sriram, You are right. His handling of those notes at the right moment in a song adds terrific value to seemingly simple lyric or music. Inspite of classic tamil being a new language experience for him in the late 60s and early 70s ("ayiram nilave vaa", no other person's first song has made it in a big way like this, "Inbam iduvo, innum eduvo" was very naughty) he took efforts to understand the content and express it so precisely that a listener would not need to understand a language to get a gist of the contents. His tender handling of "Ayarpadi maligayil" would put to rest any disturbed mind. As you had posted earlier MDs were somewhat insensitive to his improvisations. Nevertheless it was MDs like Kothandapani, KVM, MSV and IR who brought the best in him.
  
  
  -RajanS
  
  
• From: Sriram Lakshman (@ sf-dnpqg-073.compuserve.net) on: Sat Sep 26 23:23:25 EDT 1998
  
  I personally like SPB songs sung for lesser known MDs also like Sathyam (not popular in Tamil), VKumar (not as popular as MSV or IR) , Rajan Nagendra and VijayBhaskar. The songs he has rendered for them in Kannada and Telugu have his special stamp with all his sangathis etc. My favourite VKUmar SPB combos are
  Indru muthal selvamithu
  Vaazhvil sowbaggiyam vanthathu (He is too good in this esp. in the second stanza)
  Sapthaswaram punnagayil
  Mama Chandramama (Telugu)
  Oru paarvai paarkum pothu.
  
  Another notable feature of his singing is how well he changes his style even for duets with just the right expressions. Eg:- Devi vantha neram ( classical oriented ) esp. when he introduces a sangathi when he sings 'Selvam thedamal thaanaga serum' had classicism and elegance written all over it . Poongaatru un per solla in 'Vetri Vizha' was a fastish romantic number rendered with perfection
  
  
• From: shankar (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Sun Sep 27 23:55:02 EDT 1998
  
  viswa,
  U r right.Bala's malayaLam pronunciation is terrible. Not everybody can recognise it, only a mallu or a person who's been listening to mallu regularly can make out the difference.
  
  
• From: GV (@ d41-fx01-lond-pdi.attcanada.net) on: Mon Sep 28 01:56:59 EDT 1998
  
  Shankar:
  
  When Sonu Nigam or other north Indian singers have terrible Tamil pronunciation, "not everybody can recognise it, only a Tamil speaking person or a person who's been listening to Tamil regularly can make out the difference".
  
  Then why is it that I never hear this argument while we disacuss their pronunciation?
  
  
• From: GV (@ d41-fx01-lond-pdi.attcanada.net) on: Mon Sep 28 02:00:25 EDT 1998
  
  The last sentence should read as:
  
  ....while we discuss their pronunciation?
  
  Sorry for the typo.
  
  

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