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Lyrical sense of MDs

Topic started by Guru (@ 129.49.80.172) on Sun Sep 29 07:09:39 EDT 2002.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Quality of film songs has gone down: Lyricists
Our Staff Reporter
Chennai, Sept 29:

Leading film lyricists who participated in the centenary celebrations of lyricist and poet Udumalai Narayanakavi organised by the Sahitya Akademi and Kavya Circle in the city yesterday were unanimous in their opinion that the quality of film songs has degenerated. While veteran lyricist Vali candidly remarked that films had nothing to do with aesthetics or arts and that it was purely a business, popular lyricist Vairamuthu blamed it on the changing times. However, poetess Thamarai provided some comfort to those seeking improvement in film songs when she said lyricists should not bow to the whims and fancies of producers and directors who expect abject verses from them. Thamarai said she declined to pen a song on fashion shows and beauty contests recently. Although she had earned a bad name by such acts, she had successfully avoided writing vulgar and obscene lines. Lyricists should have social responsibility as films and its songs have considerable impact on the people especially youth, she said in a soft but determined tone. Film industry was not purely a business and it had artistic value too, she observed. She hailed Narayanakavi as a poet who propagated rationalism and social reforms and vowed to follow in his footsteps.

Thamarai said all Tamil poets from Ilango who created the epic Silappadhikaran were emotionally attached to Cauvery. Cauvery is not only a river. It is our cultural symbol and the origin of of our civilisation. Poets should be in the forefront of an agitation to secure the release of Cauvery water, which is our right, Thamarai said.

Vairamuthu who spoke later said the deterioration of films songs was a reflection of the changing times. He speculated that he would have penned good songs with quality in both content and form if he was in the film industry four decades earlier. He came out with a revelation that the most popular lyricist Kannadasan had planned to take up journalism after he returned from US (where he died) suggesting that the most successful lyricist who reigned supreme in the Tamil celluloid world was not able to cope with the pressures of modern film industry.

Vairamuthu justified English words in Tamil songs saying that they were used only for humour and fun. Only Tamil words were used for serious situations, he said.

Unlike Vairamuthu who offered several excuses and tried to defend the lyricists, Vali who spoke earlier said film songs were penned for loaves and fishes. Those who claim that they are doing yeoman service to arts and literature by producing films are deceiving people. It is all defrauding the common man. I am in this field for more than 45 years and I know what is happening, he observed.

The other lyricist Muthulingam who also spoke, attributed the deplorable standard of film songs to the lack of Tamil literary knowledge among music directors, producers and directors. Apart from Ilayaraja who is well versed in Tamil literature, no music director understands simple Tamil words leave alone poetry, he remarked.

Muthulingam recalled the achievements of the Justice Party and the association of Narayanakavi with the Dravidian movement. Earlier, a book titled Udumalai Narayanakavi written by K Shanmugasundaram was released by Vali and the first copy was received by Lion V Balakrishnan. Muthulingam also released Udumala Narayana Kaviyin Paadalgal, a collection of Narayanakavis songs. Malayalam writer S Gitendranath delivered the introductory address.

http://www.newstodaynet.com/29sep/ld8.htm

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: OISG (@ 193.188.97.152) on: Thu Oct 3 05:16:07 EDT 2002
  
  Awe
  
  It is the dance master s "Assass" ination of the lyrics.I dont think its VR/ARR s contribution.
  
  BTW Telephone Mani pol songs stanzas have simple good lyrics.That reminds Pachai kiligal has one of the best lyrics in the last decade.Though you cant compare it with the School Master movie song "thannanthanimalyile udal thalldum" -a PS-KD-MSV masterpiece this one aptly captured the old man s feel.
  
  
• From: Vj (@ 61.11.77.71) on: Thu Oct 3 05:43:56 EDT 2002
  
  again, talking of comparing Manisha's *** with tabla, i dont think ARR or Vairamuthu would hv imagined that... rather Shankar and Rajusundaram when choreographing the song shd hv done that.. 'coz very obviously, choreography cannot be done first-hand without the songs and the music. And Rajusundaram is very famous for his fun-oriented dances and think about Kamal who always has 'inputs'. :-)
  
  
• From: Guru (@ 129.49.149.179) on: Thu Oct 3 07:32:29 EDT 2002
  
  That is why in this instance...'Bharathi' songs need to come in the game......Bharathiyar Prasad deluxela IRoda compose pannumbodhu
  irundhaara enna??
  
  Wonder how some other MD would have composed for this movie...lyrics puriyardhukke avangalukku 1 varusham aagum....that is why raja is still a gem in tamil MUSIC industry and not in Sound engineering.
  
  
• From: OISG (@ 193.188.97.152) on: Thu Oct 3 07:43:43 EDT 2002
  
  Nenachen!
  
  G Ramanathan,MS Viswanathan,L Vaidyanathan have done better scores for Bharathiyar songs than IR.
  
  Guru, are you a recent entrant to TN driven away from Bangalore by Wattal Nagaraj(Despite your name!)?
  
  
• From: Guru to OISG (@ 129.49.149.179) on: Thu Oct 3 08:14:02 EDT 2002
  
  yow OISG...unakku puriyave puriyaadhaa.....contextla pesenya...the topic is about current MDs...unga thathakaalathu MD's patthi yaarum inga pesala....
  
  ippo irukkara MD's patthi pesungayyana...evar enna Wattal Nagarajoda link panraaru...sokenu ninaippu...
  
  Just tell me..can anumalik,ARR,deva or urself can compose such mellifluous songs for this generation?
  
  
• From: Guru (@ 129.49.149.179) on: Thu Oct 3 08:20:05 EDT 2002
  
  Leave this: If you consider VM as the best lyricist...then have u guys noticed this bug:
  
  In Baba,..Rajini is an atheist in the first half....but in his intro song-Dippu Dippu: he sings
  
  "Kuzhandai Kuzhandai Manasu..Adhu 'Kadavul' Vaazhum Manasu"....How can an atheist sing this!
  
  Had IR been here...he would have jumped at VM..but ARR aache....avar kandukaamaatar...after all lyricsnu vittutaar polirukku....
  
  
• From: G (@ 129.49.149.179) on: Thu Oct 3 08:22:38 EDT 2002
  
  ok..now this issue goes as a separate thread....
  
  
• From: OISG (@ 193.188.97.152) on: Thu Oct 3 08:25:33 EDT 2002
  
  (((Apart from Ilayaraja who is well versed in Tamil literature, no music director understands simple Tamil words leave alone poetry, he remarked. )))
  
  This was there in the heading.Nowhere it was talking about current MDs.
  
  (((Wonder how some other MD would have composed for this movie)))
  
  You too do not talk about current MDs.
  
  Soke illa thambi!It is sincere attempt to make you understand.But you are proving to be tough NUT to crack.You do not know history of TFM,tamil literature etc..All you know is Muthulingam s statement which at best exhibits his poor grasp of other MDs and his Kashta Jeevanam.
  
  But going by your standard i would prefer Wattal.
  
  
• From: G (@ 129.49.149.179) on: Thu Oct 3 08:40:58 EDT 2002
  
  I guess you still are not understanding about the context.I am tired arguing with u. This was a recently held function and no one complained about KD or MSV or tamil pulavar OISG. The stuff is about "current trend".- the quality of film songs has degenerated- an obvious issue that everyone needs to worry in the VIRUS age. Only to discuss this worrying situation these guys have got together and pulambi thallufied.
  
  Headlines parthuttu conclusionku jump aagura party polirukku...fulla porumaiya padinga..enna..?
  
  
• From: Guru (@ 129.49.149.179) on: Thu Oct 3 08:43:18 EDT 2002
  
  In this context: Apart from Ilayaraja who is well versed in Tamil literature, no music director understands simple Tamil words leave alone poetry
  
  U behave as such u have read in a headline: "Water is bad"...leaving the context- u jump....
  
  and ofcourse...its a proven fact that in this age..IR is a special multifaceted genious...he is not goina be belittled by OISG's comments
  
  
• From: Pothumda Saami (@ 203.106.70.53) on: Thu Oct 3 10:47:02 EDT 2002
  
  Please continue here:
  http://newtfmpage.com/forum/3512.10.41.22.html
  
  
  
• From: kiru (@ 192.138.150.249) on: Thu Oct 3 11:37:15 EDT 2002
  
  I guess..you all have missed my point about the connection between the words and the notes/beats !!! All because we are talking about IR (same would have happened in the context of ARR). We are getting too focussed on the personality than the issue.
  (Re: telephone mani pOl..I think it was intended by the lyricist. It is a varnanai of the woman. the choreographer and the MD (by adding the table sound) just did their job !!)
  Re: bhArathi songs..the harish raghavendhar is a concatenation of various bharathiyAr songs put together by IR himself !! Now can I expect YSR or Harris Jeyaraj to do something like this ? (Lets leave ARR out for a change :))
  
  
• From: hihi:-) (@ 128.111.113.76) on: Thu Oct 3 12:29:37 EDT 2002
  
  what is the harish rAghavEndhar song in bhArathi?
  
  
• From: Lord LabakuDas (@ 12.162.224.6) on: Thu Oct 3 12:39:58 EDT 2002
  
  hihi,
  Nirpathuvey Nadapathuvey..
  If u are a veg then u will eat nirpathu..
  If u are a non-veg then u will eat nadapathu..
  
  
  
• From: LLD (@ 12.162.224.6) on: Thu Oct 3 12:51:58 EDT 2002
  
  ayoo..parapathu vittuten..
  if u eat parapathu then u r non-veg..
  if u eat parapathu podarathu then u r veg..
  
  
• From: hihi:-) (@ 128.111.113.76) on: Thu Oct 3 12:56:47 EDT 2002
  
  thanks labakudas (super name :-)) ).
  
  kiru: if i remember right, that's just one kavithai by bhArathi. not very famous tho'.
  
  
• From: G (@ 129.49.149.179) on: Thu Oct 3 13:01:38 EDT 2002
  
  so...that song became famous bcos of IR ..hihi...:))
  
  
• From: :-) (@ 67.241.92.254) on: Thu Oct 3 16:25:22 EDT 2002
  
  Dear Vengayam,
  
  Thanks for introducing me pushpavanam and VL. Seems that your for folk songs boundary starts with pushpavanam and ends with VL! well, Before proceed further let me ask you onething:
  
  IRkku vensamaram visum gumbalin panni thodarathum what does that mean? It means that you are purposely coming with nerupu samaram against IR? Unlike your projected logical(!) postings I never talked anything about personality. I didnt talk about 'vadi en kk' or bad lyrics either. It's you who brought that great example over here. If at all point out your finger isn't that should be against lyrist than md?
  
  Coming back to your queries, I dont assume anything about your canratic or bharatha natiyam interests. But your comment (cheey!) against the natupurapattu is the symbol of our (assumed and established) social and cultural factors which has to be deeply analyzed from the root. That's what veLi rangarajan also talks about in that article.
  
  And yes, my posting doesn't suit to the topic and yours either. Thats how people are discussing here. If you would like to run this forum like a high court you would be kicked out first and probably me next. Easy:-)
  
  
• From: Karthik (@ 66.176.161.168) on: Thu Oct 3 20:49:40 EDT 2002
  
  Think Kiru meant the "Kelada Manuda " song. The "Vellai Nirathoru Poonai" bits are from a different kavithai.
  
  

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