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Length of a TFM song

Topic started by Bhoori (@ synvpn.synplicity.com) on Wed Feb 24 18:54:25 EST 1999.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

The average length of a TFM song ? Approx 3-4 mins depending on the interludes. Is there any reason why we cant hv longer songs ?

After all, it would be nice to give enough time for a guy to go buy a cigarette, smoke peacefully and come back instead of rushing through it. ;-)

I recently saw a posting which said that 25 charanams were written for Ezhu Swarangalukkul. I would hv loved to hear them all! At least as a MD's cut of that films songs or a s the lyricists cut being published.

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Responses:

• From: Bhoori (@ synvpn.synplicity.com) on: Wed Feb 24 19:09:22 EST 1999
  
  Offhand I can think of very few long songs. Maybe
  
  Kannum Kannum Kalandhu Inbam Kondadudhe from Vanjikkottai V.
  
  hilarious kootthu from navaratthiri.
  
  
• From: Sriram Lakshman (@ ifmxlenx.na.informix.com) on: Wed Feb 24 20:54:25 EST 1999
  
  Thesulavuthe Thenmalarale from "maNaLane Mangayin baaggiyam"
  maan kanda soragangaL from "47 NaatkaL"
  
  
• From: RR (@ pb.cache.nlanr.net) on: Wed Feb 24 20:58:07 EST 1999
  
  'veenai kodiyudaya venthane' - sampoorna raamaayanam
  
  
• From: Ravy (@ eagle.vapower.com) on: Thu Feb 25 07:25:44 EST 1999
  
  Jagam pugazhum puNya kadhai - from the same film
  
  NaaLai ulagam illai endranaal from Love Birds is almost 7 minutes. The intro. music itself takes about 1.5 minutes.
  
  Tamil songs used to be 3-4 minutes in length (PBS, PS era songs) but not any more. These days the average length is about 4-5 minutes. I can not fit more than 10 new songs on one side of a 90minute cassette.
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ envy.cs.umass.edu) on: Thu Feb 25 08:13:33 EST 1999
  
  Most of the songs in Jeans are long (>6 mins). athisiyam is >8 mins. (sigh).
  ennuyirE in uyirE is 7:46 acc. to the cassette. (It does seem too long. ;-) In fact all songs are > 6 mins. in this movie except the hari version of thaiya thaiya.
  I agree with Ravy, songs are longer nowadays and I can barely squeeze in 6 songs in one side of a 60 mins. tape; sometimes just 5.
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Thu Feb 25 11:47:32 EST 1999
  
  Small is beautiful. Isnt it? Now a days, its the first two lines (pallavi) that MDs seem to be focussing their efforts on, rather than on the charanams.. if they get their "thaiya thaiyas" right, the song can become a sure hit!!.
  
  The songs can be lengthy, but the tunes of the charanams are going to be repetitive. And after 2-3 stanzas, the listener can get bored. We should remember that people listen to songs more for the tune than for the lyrics!!
  
  Regarding someone's comments on "Ezhu Swarangalukkul", I read somewhere that Kannadasan wrote it at one go.. continuosly as soon as the situation was narrated to him.. and K.Balachander chose a few stanzas.. Well, even that song sounds good because each stanza is set in a different tune / different raga.
  
  If the same tune is to be repeated for many more stanzas, how many of us are gonna be listening to it?
  
  
• From: Geetha (@ gatekeeper.oracle.co.uk) on: Thu Feb 25 12:20:13 EST 1999
  
  Chandy: Very Good point.
  
  Nowadays, songs are getting very long, as Ravi and Ravy pointed out. I think Malargale from Lovebirds was also a very long song....But I guess long is relative, it's the 'catching' of one's attention by musical and lyrical content which makes the song 'likeable'. A short song like Alai
  Meedhu(sorry for going on and on about this wonderous number) doesn't leave you wanting for more, as it's self contained and 'may I say perfect' in length and music.
  
  It's so true about not being able to put as many songs into a cassette nowadays.... 30 seconds extra per song will lead to a tape full of less songs.....
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Thu Feb 25 15:07:29 EST 1999
  
  Hi
  
  This cassette-length business is getting a bit too much. Its not that expensive to have few more songs and increasing the length of the tape.. and even if its gonna be expensive, no one really minds paying some 5Rs more for a cassettee.
  
  Another way to look at it is from the perspective of MD.
  
  I'll continue from where I left in my last posting.. If a MD should come up with a lengthy song, then he should ensure that the song doesnt get boring, which implies the tunes of the stanzas dont get repetitive (some good examples of songs were different tunes are used for different stanzas are : Acham Acham Illai in Indira, Chaiya Chaiya in Uyire etc..).
  
  Doesnt it make business sense for the MD to use only one good tune per song, rather than pack two/three different tunes in different stanzas of the same songs?
  
  Does this make sense?
  
  
  
• From: Chaiya Counter (@ 207.43.195.202) on: Thu Feb 25 16:23:21 EST 1999
  
  Chandy,
  
  Just FYI, the line "Chaiya Chaiya Chaiyaa Chaiyaa Chal Chaiya Chaiya Chaiyaa Chaiyaa" has been sung 19 times in the song. If you count Chaiyaa Chaiyaa Chaiyaa Chaiyaa as one line then the number of occurences is 38. Next in line, count of SatrangirE (ennuirEy)
  Oh my God! I need a life!
  
  
  
• From: Bhoori (@ synvpn.synplicity.com) on: Thu Feb 25 16:52:57 EST 1999
  
  Some of you hv remarked that it will be boring to listen to the same tune again and again. Please make an effort to listen to Bolero by Maurice Ravel - the ultimate refutation of this theory.
  
  Even if you want changes, changes can be incorporated by changing the leading instrument, tempo and myriad other effects. If the MD is no good, of course one would tend to get bored!
  
  We all hv heard renditions of kirtanas which last for more than 15-20 mins. I dont think we get bored with that!
  
  The only reason for not having 15 minute songs in a movie seems to be the way Indian movies are made. The songs, as a rule, dont move the story forward. The song is actually a break in the story. If you hv 15 min song, it may be difficult to come back to the story.
  
  So unless the song has excellent picturization, choreography, rich sets or whatever, the song
  cant be made long as the interest will sag. i.e. the song has to be take you to another level which is very gripping AND bring you back to the story without any jerk. That is a difficult requirement.
  
  
• From: bb (@ schubert.crhc.uiuc.edu) on: Thu Feb 25 17:09:38 EST 1999
  
  bb falls_at_the_feet_of_chaiya_counter: soooper! neenga idhukku munnaadi pozhudhu pOgaatha bommu series pannindirundheengaLA:-)))))
  
  
• From: Velaiyaththavan (@ 129.252.22.112) on: Thu Feb 25 17:13:35 EST 1999
  
  bb: He is my Sishyan :))
  
  
• From: bb (@ schubert.crhc.uiuc.edu) on: Thu Feb 25 18:01:24 EST 1999
  
  velaiyathavan: ulagathile paadhi pEr unga sishyargalaa thaan irukkaangalaa:-)) (atleast in DF:-) )
  
  
• From: bb (@ schubert.crhc.uiuc.edu) on: Thu Feb 25 18:02:31 EST 1999
  
  another long song: indhiya naadu en veedu..
  
  
• From: karthi (@ lab7.theatrium.net) on: Thu Feb 25 22:06:46 EST 1999
  
  Of the long songs, I have always preferred the oldies, as usual! Some of them are:
  
  1. Mannavan Vandhaanadi ThOzhi
  2. Oru Raja Raniyidam
  3. Ponnezhil Poothadhu Pudhu Vaanil (original version)
  4. NaanE varuvEn Ingum Angum
  5. Andha Sivagaami Maganidam SEdhi Solladi
  6. Ellam Inba Mayam Puvi MEl
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.146) on: Thu Feb 25 22:53:51 EST 1999
  
  Geetha
  I beg to differ, IMO Alai meedhu leaves you wanting for more - especially since that is the lone extraordinary number in the otherwise average album. Of course, had it been SJ or Chitra, then probably you'll agree with my opinion on the length.
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.170) on: Thu Feb 25 22:57:07 EST 1999
  
  Chaiya counter!!
  
  You seem to have real spare time.. i wish i were you.. :-) well, i didnt refer to the number of times the word chaiya occurs.. i'm referring to the way the tune proceeds.. its not repetitive! got my point?
  
  Bhoori : you have made a good point. In old movies, when a situation is enacted through the song (eg.. kelviyin naayagane in Aboorva Raagangal), the song is lengthy, and it makes you sit through it.. the lyrics explain the situation and take you through the sequences.. and thats something enjoyable.. even in that song, the tune of stanzas have been made different.. so that the audience dont get bored..
  
  Lengthy songs are appropriate if they replace a scene or a sequence and could be effective there
  
  
  
• From: Ravy (@ spider-wl024.proxy.aol.com) on: Thu Feb 25 23:11:02 EST 1999
  
  Most of the lengthy songs from yesteryears, were somewhat a synopsis of the storyline. Jagam pugazhum, maan kanda sorgangaL or even 7 swarangaLukkuL etc. Probably that's why they were longer.
  
  A bit of digression: When I listen to Alai Meedhu , it reminds me of KangaL EngaE from KarNan. Not only they are set in same raga (suddha Dhanyasi) but even the situation seems to be similar (Thalaivanai ninaiththu Engi paadum thalaivi). Hmmm I imagine PS (minus 30 years ) singing Alai meedhu...
  
  
• From: Bhoori (@ synvpn.synplicity.com) on: Fri Feb 26 13:44:17 EST 1999
  
  The drum dance ( no song, unfortunately ) in Chandralekha is quite long and very enjoyable.
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.155) on: Fri Feb 26 22:58:21 EST 1999
  
  `Man Kanda Sorgangal' song, though lengthy and has four stanzas, does not play in a single shot in the film 47 Naatkal. Each stanza is well spaced and played along the story line with gaps.
  
  

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