10 of IR's ludes that you enjoyed most...

[app_engine]

ரொம்ப நாளாச்சு இந்த மாதிரி லிஸ்ட்டிங் எல்லாம் பண்ணி...

Let us select top 10 ludes of Raja that were both good, enjoyable as well as popular. (If you can't limit, feel free to go for more but be very careful in the selections as we don't want to have anything and everything here - these will have to be top notch)

Recently in AhA FM there was a session by Bhavadharini where she chatted with Harish Raghavendra. And not so surprisingly, Harish was talking like a typical DF'er:-) He talked about ludes (called them BGM in the beginning of a song or between saraNams), "re-recording", silence etc., much like the way DF'ers used to post here. One of the things he mentioned was something most of us can relate - vocalizing the instrumental part in Raja songs as one tries to sing in bathroom...I'm not sure whether people used to do this in the pre-IR era much...A number of Raja songs depended so much on these interspersed instrumentals that one won't have a complete feeling if they only sing the lyrical part...

[Nakeeran]

Great topic App Engine sir !

The one which comes to my mind immediately is :

1. Uravenum pudhiya vanil

2. Madai thirandhu

3. Nilavondru kanden

4. Padvaa un padalai

5. Poomalaye thol seravaa

6. En vaanile ore venilla

7. Andhi mazai pozigiradhu

8. Poovizi vasalil yaradi vandhadhu kiliye kiliye

9. Devathai oru devathai

10. Engengo sellum en ennangal

11. Naan pesa vandhen

12. Manadhil enna ninaivugalo

13. Devan kovil deepam ondru

14. Ponmalai pozudhu

15. Asai nenjin kanavugal valarpirai

All those above songs are my day to day ones & always I can remember the ludes by heart

More to come

[app_engine]

OK, here is my list (not in any specific order)

1. The majestic guitar postlude of 'iLaya nilA'
-This piece needs no introduction...very popular and one of those where one waits for the ending of a very nice song. It mostly resembles the pallavi but where it strays is what's really beautiful and the tail end is very sweet. (Movie - payaNangaL mudivadhillai)

2. The classic prelude of 'rAkkammA kaiyaththattu'
-Very popular again, even non-IR fans can identify the song when the strings start. The interesting part is, the effect continues even after the pallavi has started as the strings respond to each line of SPB (Movie -dhaLapathi)

3. The second interlude of 'madai thiRandhu'
-அப்படியே நம்மை வானத்தில் பறக்க வைக்கும் இசைக்கோர்ப்பு...it starts slowly with just harmonium and a timing sound, a variation of the pallavi, joined by some powerful drum sounds and then comes the violins - wow - majestic ! The chorus is again of very good order with excellent bass guitar backing, smoothly leading us to the saraNam. One of those many examples where Raja gives something extra in the 2nd interlude than the first. (Movie - nizhalgaL)

4. The second interlude of 'idhu oru pon mAlaippozhudhu'
- I used to wait for this song from AIR Trichy on Sundays when they used to play new songs at 1 PM...what a treat this interlude was...this piece alone can be developed into a full fledged instrumental track IMHO...it starts with a mild flute / jaladharangam sounds and then runs like a sweet stream...when it reaches the single violin phase we're already in a different world. Raja's presence of mind adds a quick, short, multi string conclusion to bring us back to 'vAnam enakkoru bOdhi maram'...என்ன சுகமான அனுபவம்
(Movie - nizhalgaL)

5. The second interlude of 'nee dhAne endhan pon vasantham'
-I'm not so happy about the amount of recognition this got, though this whole album was a big hit despite the dismal failure of the movie. pani vizhum & rOjavaiththAlAttum were more popular and adorable, but this part is the cream IMHO, showcasing the enormous talent of Raja...It's got to be some powerful string instrument that plays the lead melody, supported by excellent orchestration and the brilliant / mirattal guitar sound is the plum on the cream! (Movie - ninaivellAm nithyA)


Five more to follow...

[tvsankar]

Dear app,
NIce topic. Thanks a lot.

my picks

1.Annakili unnai thedudhae - SJ in humming, key board, flute , violin idhu ellam dhan first manadhil ninradhu. appuram dhan song. Indha prelude aiyae paatu madhiri kashta pattu manapadam seidhu iruken.(Appo ellam radio la mattum dhan ketka mudiyum.......)

2.Vizhiyilae malarndhadhu - what a song !!!!

pattai vida ludes dhan manadhil ninradhu...ippadi sollum podhae bgms dhan ninaivil varugiradhu.Especillay THE GREAT SOUNDS of VIOLIN and FLUTE...

3.Agaya gangai poondhen malar cholai

4.paada vandhadhor gaanam paavai kannil or nanam

5.Manadhil enna ninaivugalo - Preludes um interludes um tune ai gavanika vidamal nammai adhan pokirkku izhuthu kondu pogum.

6.Nyaan nyaan adanam - indha padalum paatai gavanika vidamal - ludes aiyae gavanika vaikum.

[app_engine]

6. The first interlude of 'thoongAdha vizhikaL reNdu'
-What a classic continuation from the vocals. Few will keep up the pace and racy like this one, so homogenously attached. Well, there'll be surprise varitions as it progresses and ends nicely to start the saraNam which follows a different percussion pattern from pallavi. (Movie - agni natchaththiram)

7. The gorgeous preludes of 'mAnguyilE poonguyilE' (both versions are great) I love the one for SPB version more. Starts with the mELam and then comes the beautiful, mesmerising nAdhaswaram piece sugar coating a nAttuppuRa mettu, ending with a combo of nAyanams to pave way for the majestic voice of SPB. Even someone who listens to movie songs rarely can identify the song within a couple of seconds of nAdhaswaram...(Movie - karakAttakkAran)

8. The first interlude of iLamai idhO idhO
-This song has 3 stanzas and the sound track alone (suitable for karOke) was released at the time of release of movie / audio. This part is the best IMHO and I can listen to the powerful trumpet pieces, guitar work and solo violin sound any number of times. Raja at his youthful, innovative & janaranjaga mood! (Movie - sakalakalA vallavan)

9. Prelude of 'EdhO mOham'
-Much has already been written about this by experts and I can hardly add any:-) So sweet! Impressing people like PM & RDB with this, Raja has scored a piece with which we'll identify him for years to come (Movie - kOzhi koovuthu)

10. Last interlude of 'vizhiyilE malarndhadhu'
-AhA, what a lovely stream of surprises! It reminds me of a thuLLal aruvi! with IR's signature country drums backing up an exotic concoction of strings, flute, clarinet and guitar and the speed of a race horse, this piece can inspire anyone instantaneously! (Movie - BhuvanA oru kELvikkuRi)

It's tempting to keep going for more of these...very difficult to stop at 10..can't stop even at 100...may be for later...

[app_engine]

Nakkeeran, Usha Chechi - nice contributions!

A small request...if you can also add info like which interlude or prelude that you pick, it would be more interesting:-)

[baroque]

Emotive second interlude of 'dhoorathil naan kanda....' & 'chinna kannan azhaikiraan...'- kavikkuyil, janaki's solo wisk me into the world of fantasy, early IR treasures!
Awesome picks guys!

[Vkrish]

App_Engine: I observed these words (BGM, Ludes etc) very often used by both Bhava and Purushothaman in his interview. Interestingly his voice was very youthful and I was even wondering who could this guy be, till he said that he worked with Raja for about 850 films. I think his interview lasted for some 5 day sessions..where he narrated so many interesting incidents on songs such as sound effects of "Paruvame Puthiya Padal", Multiple Live track recording without vocals for "Ilamai Itho Itho" and many of his drums based songs. When prompted with the question of his most interesting orchestration his choice was "Etho Moham..", and most challenging song for him as a Percussion player was interludes of "Raja Rajadhi" from AgniNak (which had just 3 persons on the recording) and final interlude & postludes of "Megam Kottatum".

There was one interesting query to Puru to recall his most unforgettable moment, after a pause, he said that this should be the song "Matha Unn Koilil..." by SJ, where she could not continue after the first interlude and she was all in tears, and when in the second take, there was silence from the entire interlude session where all of them were on tears, literally moved by something in the tune, which they cud'nt express ! The recording was postponed..Wow, Great Interview!!

Right now there is one more program going on conducted by Gangai Amaran which is too very interesting, and here he even casually remarks about the artists who handled the instruments.

Ohhh...sorry for the deviation...and here goes my choice :)

1. When digging out for of ludes of IR, the one instantly strikes me for the top slot is "Poongattru Puthiranathu" or its sister version "En Vaanile Ila Nenje Vaa" from old tresurebox.

2. Ohh Vasantha Raja ... watch out for the 2nd interlude

3. Onathhumbathhoru Unnzahl .... A simple but attractive prelude from film of "Pappayude Swantham Appus"
http://www.raaga.com/channels/malayalam/movie/M0000536.html

[tvsankar]

Dear VKrish,
Thanks for the song " Olathumpathu"
My alltime most favourite song in my life.The LYRIC is V.V.V.V.V.V.GOOD..

Beautiful LUDES....

[swathy]

Good topic but its really difficult to pick 10. let me try my level best to prepare my list

[tvsankar]

"Engum nirandha iyarkaiyil enna sugamo" from "IDHU EPPADI IRUKU"



Ven pani pol aval dhegam ' gara stanza ku munn varum ludes - really nice - bird sound - kuhu kuhu kukoo kukoo - - SJ in kudavae KJY
sound - thodarndhu varum violin - Guitar - violin-

[Sanjeevi]

Aaha! two of you have picked my one of fav. song Vizhiylae malarnthathu song :)

[krish244]

Nice topic. Its really very difficult to pick just 10 of IR's ludes that I enjoyed most. There are umpteen. Just cannot count. Still, to start with, one of the ludes that has an unexplainable effect on me is the interludes of "Kuyil paattu" song, sung by Swarnalatha (En raasavin manasile) and especially the second interlude. No words to explain the flute tune there and specifically the shift in the pitch in the later part of the flute tune. Pure bliss. The bass usage adds to the effect. Heard the song is in sivaranjani raagam (including the interludes).

There are too many like these. This is one I remembered where the flute tune is too good.

thanks,

Krishnan

[app_engine]

For the last couple of days, 'engengO sellum en eNNangaL' is on a repeat mode on my car (movie - pattAkkaththi Bhairavan, what a lousy title for a film with a sophisticated song like this...probably picked up from the rowdy character in a prior Shivaji movie, engaL thanga rAjA).

What a song! I used to miss some of the sounds in this song when they transmit in IOKS those days (the stereo tracks' distribution of instrumentals / voices is really childish), but on a car CD player, it doesn't matter and sounds sweet. I'm not even getting into the vocals or the BGM during vocals as that'll be a digression for this thread...sufficient to mention SPB & SJ will be loved forever for this song and the rhythm / chords / strings are of highest standards!

Coming to the topic, all the three ludes - the predule and two interludes - will rank among the top ones of Raja (or among the best ever in TFM / IFM IMHO). And they are some of the most novel sounding ones at the time of release - and they are as fresh even today...(somewhat similar to the 1st interlude of 'ninaivO oru paRavai' in one sense...i.e. that of "the effect they create in you").

I'm not sure whether this song got the pundits' attention as much as 'EdhO mOham' or HTNI / NBW. Neither do I think that it became as popular as it deserves, may be because of other non-musical reasons, though it had sufficient airtime on radio.

I'll stop blabbering much about the instruments, WCM stuff, brilliance etc of the ludes - leaving it to experts. Similarly, it's difficult to describe in words the feelings they evoke in you - how to term them....nostalgic? ecstasy? sweet? mesmerising?...

Raja, Raja dhAn!

[buggle]

App_Engine: I observed these words (BGM, Ludes etc) very often used by both Bhava and Purushothaman in his interview. Interestingly his voice was very youthful and I was even wondering who could this guy be, till he said that he worked with Raja for about 850 films. I think his interview lasted for some 5 day sessions..where he narrated so many interesting incidents on songs such as sound effects of "Paruvame Puthiya Padal", Multiple Live track recording without vocals for "Ilamai Itho Itho" and many of his drums based songs. When prompted with the question of his most interesting orchestration his choice was "Etho Moham..", and most challenging song for him as a Percussion player was interludes of "Raja Rajadhi" from AgniNak (which had just 3 persons on the recording) and final interlude & postludes of "Megam Kottatum".

There was one interesting query to Puru to recall his most unforgettable moment, after a pause, he said that this should be the song "Matha Unn Koilil..." by SJ, where she could not continue after the first interlude and she was all in tears, and when in the second take, there was silence from the entire interlude session where all of them were on tears, literally moved by something in the tune, which they cud'nt express ! The recording was postponed..Wow, Great Interview!!

Right now there is one more program going on conducted by Gangai Amaran which is too very interesting, and here he even casually remarks about the artists who handled the instruments.

Ohhh...sorry for the deviation...and here goes my choice :)

1. When digging out for of ludes of IR, the one instantly strikes me for the top slot is "Poongattru Puthiranathu" or its sister version "En Vaanile Ila Nenje Vaa" from old tresurebox.

2. Ohh Vasantha Raja ... watch out for the 2nd interlude

3. Onathhumbathhoru Unnzahl .... A simple but attractive prelude from film of "Pappayude Swantham Appus"
http://www.raaga.com/channels/malayalam/movie/M0000536.html

Vkrish, Puru interview was in which TV/channel? any idea we have that online? pls let me know..looks like a pretty good interview

[app_engine]

I wanted to get a link for the audio and stumbled on this old TFM page :
http://www.dhool.com/sotd2/294.html

It also has links to some nice discussion of those days...

[kingvj]

My two cents - not necessarily in order :

1. Vaanam keezhaey - Thoongaadhaey thambi thoongaadhaey - one of the masterpieces in preludes... the moment the guitar starts, the violins join in, the female chorus (SJ.. who else...!!)... spellbinding, mindblowing... ran out of adjectives..!!!

2. Naetru Indha Naeram - Tik Tik Tik - again the preludes.... HUGE impact with the guitar and the drums... hear it in a good audio system and u'll feel the difference..!!!

3. sundhari kannaal - Thalapathi - one more masterpiece in handling an orchestra complete with chorus, strings, flutes, percussions, keyboard, trumphets.... it could be easily mistaken for a cacaphony but its a symphony by itself... i understood the beauty of the flute that comes in the second interlude after the 'war music' when i attended the live show at Nehru stadium... THAT flute piece generated an applause, leaving me in tears...!!!

4. aasaya kaathula - Johnny - the bass flute... do we need to say more? wonder why Raaja hasnt been using this instrument much..!!

5. Senorita - Johnny again - the master in guitar/violin strikes again... WHAT A START TO A SONG..!!! Till SPB starts singing, there is no percussion/drums.. but the guitar is used in such a way that it sounds like drums...!!!

6. Sandhanakaatraey - Thanikkaattu raaja - the second interlude with violins... man...!!! IR surely rules the strings section than anyone else in Indian film industry...!!!

7. Vaanengum thanga - Moondraam Pirai - the guitar prelude... WOW...!!! perfectly sets the ambiance for a "setting of the dusk" by creating a visual in the mind ...(just imagine the sun slowly setting down in the sea and play this guitar music in your mind... u'll FEEL it...)

8. Thaen poovaey - Anbulla Rajinikanth - the one thing that always hooks me to this song is the strings that come at the end of every line in the pallavi... the boss makes his own world..!!!

9. Kaadhal kavidhaigal - Gopura vaasalilaey - how many variations can u use within 1.5 seconds? Raaja effortlessly accomplishes 3 in THIS song..!!! Observe the gap between the lines in the charanams... first violins-then flute-then violins..!!! why shd he do this when a layman just listens to the songs and not the interludes, and that too intricate like the ones mentioned? THAT's Raaja...!!!

10. Kannan vandhu - Rettaivaal kuruvi - The Sax bit in the second half... makes u imagine a beautiful girl that has just woken up and sombal murichifying making it a sight to behold...the lazy elegance!!!

can go on and on and on....

[kingvj]

...addendum :

IR has a special enchanting feeling for SJ's voice in chorus... vaanam keezhaey song is just an example in which SJ is not the main voice accompanying the male voice but just the chorus part.... "Vikram vikram" song is another.

[popeye11]

Can't compromise on 10 its too hard ..Oh well
How about Vaazhavaikum Kadhaluku - Aboorva Sagothargal
Kalyana Malai - PPA
Tholin Melae - Ninaivellam Nithya (Amazing Flute bit in Second interlude)
Punnagaiyil Minsaram - Bharathan

[popeye11]

Few More
1. Maniye Manikuyile - Nadodi Thenral
2. Mella Mella - Vaazhkai
3. Oru Kadhal - China Thambi Periya Thambi

[popeye11]

Aranmanai Kili - Rasave Unnai - Amazing Interludes
Aranmanai Kili - Vaanmadhiye
I Love India - Engiruntho
Captain Prabhakaran - Aatama

[Sanjeevi]

Some different preludes

Dialog:
Kannukkum Kannum Modhal
Raaja kaiya vacha
Malayala karaiyoram

Only first line (or part) of song:
Jaane Do na

Short & Sweet :
Oh paapa laali kanmani laali
Kannan oru kaikuzhanthai

Humming :
Idhayam oru koyil
Nilavae vaa

[app_engine]

I was listening to the KJY song that goes like 'minminippArvaigaL..' in the movie Julie Ganapathy this morning and got fascinated with the first interlude!

This is one of those "Raja play" ones:-) Sometimes I don't quickly understand a beat here and there and wonder whether it is out of place or wonder like, "No, this is not seamless" , only to be proved otherwise when all pieces fall together to create a harmony. The drum sounds made me feel the same way until others joined to prove the master that Raja is! Just compare him with all other "predictable" musicians...Wow!

I think Raja liked this song too much (he always does some special things for BM) and was probably upset when it didn't reach masses. For some satisfaction, I think, he simplified the same / sugar coated and gave as 'kai yeththA kombaththukkaNNeththENam' in the Sathyan Anthikaud movie, vinOdha yAthra.

minminippArvaikaL link:
http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/movie/T0000469.html

[app_engine]

Digression
One piece that fascinates me the same way (complex harmony, initially sound confusing to naive listeners like me and then mesmerise) is the Paul Mauriat version of ALW's Memory...
End-Digression