The Golden Era of Dr.IR and Dr.SPB

[Nerd]

Aduthu oru golden era of IR/SJ pottuttaa poch

[groucho070]

I was thinking of the Bronze Age of MSV/SPB, but hit AgAthu (plus SPB got his own). Nerd's suggestion very good. IR/KJY. IR/PJ, etc.

[V_S]

what other thread needs my olarals? tell me - angeyum oru "present saar" pottudalaam.

One is Uthiripookkal thread: http://www.mayyam.com/talk/showthrea...Uthiri-Pookkal
I even remember Plum referring you in couple of other threads, but could not get the links.

[genesis]

+1, I'd be lost after 92/93.

91,92, 93? Mano debuted(?) in Velaikkaran 1987 as a substitute for SPB - a good chunk of SPB's numbers went to him. As someone mentioned, all Telugu Geetanjali songs were dubbed in Tamil by Mano. But SPB still did lot of great songs with IR through the 90s.

Something worse happened sometime in 1988-1989: Ramarajan debuted with Enga Ooru Paattukkaran and started the process of killing the "தங்க முட்டையிடும் வாத்து". It was all complete by Mid 90s.

[genesis]

After about 6 years in Salem, my family moved to Namakkal (The Chicken and Lorry town) for a year 1985-1986. We lived near the famous Anjaneyar temple.

What a year it was? I associate all these movies to Namakkal: Geetanjali (Murali starer, not the Telugu one), Sindhu Bhairavi, Mudhal Mariyadhai, Kakki Sattai, Chinna Veedu, Idhaya Kovil, Padikkathavan, Pagal Nilavu, Aaan Paavam, Kunguma Chimizh, Japanil Kalyanaraman, Poove Poochudavaa, Vikram from IR. Uyire Unakkaga (Laxmikant Pyarelal), Rasikan Oru Rasikai (The great "Raveendran") and Nilave Malare (MSV). I watched all these movies in Namakkal.

Remember it was before Doordarshan (TV) penetrated interior TN and it was not uncommon to watch a movie in theater every weekend. Being a small town, we could reach all theaters in 5-10 minutes walk and did not have any trouble in getting ticket. (My father used to comment Nammakkal had too many theaters for its size. At that time Namakkal was the only small town in TN that had a multiplex - Cheran, Chozhan, Pandiyan).

Some time in the summer of 1986, we moved to a bigger city - Coimbatore. poof... I do not have any memory about Mouna Raagam. I never watched this movie in theater or had its songs in Cassette at that time. Other CBE natives can confirm... I think it was not a big success in CBE. For many, like me Mani truly arrived in Nayagan.

[app_engine]

#219 கால காலமாக வாழும்
காதலுக்கு நாங்கள் அர்ப்பணம்
(புன்னகை மன்னன், 1986 , சித்ராவுடன்)

Let's welcome Chitra to this compilation Though we had a brief reference to her when discussing 'samayal pAdamE' song (its second avatAr had KSC), this is the first official SPB-KSC duet we have in this series and very fittingly so as PM is perhaps one of the crowning glories for KSC! Though she entered TFM in 1985 with big hits like poovE poochchooda vA & sindhu bhairavi, I don't remember her doing a biggie with SPB under IR in that year. While PM was perhaps not their first combo, it is one of the most known and cracking efforts.

It was a milestone album for rAsA as well and had other big names associated with it too (KB / Kamal / VM). Interestingly, it even had ARR & computer in the equation. A great album, without question. KSC was the mainstay (2 solos, 2 duets). SPB had 3, MV had 1 congo sweetie and VJ had the computerized number. This kAla kAlam number had lovely drum work accompanied by piano with violins playing the lead. Interestingly, Kamal-Revathy too had violin thEchchufying on screen (It would have been nice when the movie arrived but I watched only after 2 decades and it looked very funny).

The melody is quite catchy and gets better in saraNam in my opinion. Especially the 'muLLai nAn aLLippOttAlum mullaippoovAka mARAdhO' portion is so sweet. The whole movie had KSC doing her best (EdhEdhO is one of her finest songs ever IMHO) and SPB was as good as ever. rAsA was possibly pleased with KB after their SB combo that won accoloades / award as well as critical comments from paNditharkaL on his rAgA manipulation. There cannot be two opinions about KB's musical sensitivity - he extracted gems out of every composer he worked with and the five movies that IR did with him had songs that can qualify among his finest, besides fetching him two NAs (SB / PM / MUV / UMT / PPA).

Also, KB had been a big promoter of SPB from his early days and the songs that happened in the KB-Kamal-SPB combo (irrespective of the composer) are quite memorable!

[app_engine]

#220 சிங்களத்துச் சின்னக்குயிலே
எனக்கு ஒரு மந்திரத்தைச் சொல்லு மயிலே
(புன்னகை மன்னன், 1986 , சித்ராவுடன்)

Though computer was the most talked about thingy during the promotion of PM music, each song featured at least one traditional instrument predominantly, making them endearing. For e.g., kAlA kAlamAga had violin. Likewise, there is some very delicious flute work in this chinnakkuyil song. For rAsA, kuyil = flute (mudhal mariyAdhai, poovE poochchooda vA, MTK etc are examples where the lyric had reference to kuyil accompanied by sweet flute passages). So, the singaLaththukkuyil too gets melodious flute treatment right from the prelude and elsewhere in the song.

A very nice melody accompanied by energetic KSC singing and neat SPB work made this song instantly catchy. The song was, in a way, also a message of true love...that TN-ers are happy to treat people from other cultural & ethnic backgrounds with equality and dignity (regardless of the way they themselves get treated in the hands of others). KB & Kamal need an extra shottu for that. That the people of TN welcomed this song and played in tea shops / buses / radio and their cassette players also showcased that they don't promote hatred but are happy to embrace people of all cultures and ethnicities.

The first time I heard the PM songs were in an interval when watching some obscure TF in the "New" theater of Palakkad. (Like I mentioned before, Sat evening was almost pre-written that bachelors go to some movie). The first song to be played was 'EdhEdhO' and I cannot express the immense feelings that went through my body at that time! silirppO silirppu! I instantly recognized that the song was from the much hyped PM (the line 'nee thAnE punnagai mannan' is very plain on that) and was so unhappy that the interval was over and the movie got screened. I remember madly enquiring the cassette shopwala for the PM cassette (who didn't have supplies) and IIRC, got the songs recorded from a recording center in the shopping complex next to Gandhipuram bus stand of Cbe.

It was one of the most played, most enjoyed albums of the bachelor days and continues to demand frequent listens to this day!

[jaiganes]

Punnagai mannan was among the weakest of kamal - kb combinations.
however Raaja ruled it with his music - not just songs, snippets of music that
propped the narrative every where - be it the dance school background or the
"edhedho" theme recurring throughout - it was no holds barred musical whitewash
applied generously by raaja - perhaps coming out of gratitude to the National Award
thanks to the earlier collaboration with KB more than the tiresome story of a
dance master rediscovering life and love only to end up blasted by act of inexplicable
hate. That one track of sheehan husseini - I was always at loss to understand what KB was
driving towards? here was an eelam thamizh guy with hatred towards the ladylove of the hero who happens
to be a sinhalese girl - this guy ends up being used as a puppet by a local bigwig with score
to settle against the hero - so age old shakespearean tragedy angle coming from a director
known for revolutionizing story telling and introducing complex character angles and confrontations..
It was totally surprising that such an angle on the eelam thamizh presence in heartland thamizh nadu
in pre Rajiv assassination days hardly evoked the kind of fanatical response that is more regular these days.
Talk of MGR's control on Law and order..

[San_K]

Oh so much killer rage on 90s raaja? They are always with me and very close to me. I am waiting for 90s also

[app_engine]

#221 என்ன சத்தம் இந்த நேரம்
(புன்னகை மன்னன், 1986 )

Perhaps the most heard song on headphone by me. The way in which the drum sounds alternate between ears is so enjoyable! And the wind instrument, AhA what a delicacy! Such a sweet melody in the honey-soaked SPB voice with pleasant chords and accompaniment, instantly throwing one in a night mood - especially the second interlude transports one to an EkAnthamAna malaipradEsam and twilight!

Since the song and SPB's greatness have been discussed umpteen times in the hub, let me jump into my indulgences with AthirampaLLi (the place where the scenes were supposedly shot for the movie). There are two waterfalls - AthirampaLLi & VazhachchAl not too far from each other and have a mountainous route from Valparai. However, the standard route is to take the NH from Palakkad and take the diversion to Athirampalli which is between Trichur & Chalakkudi. I visited the place in 1990 (i.e. 5 years after being in Palakkad, a shame) with house mates & friends, in a car full of KF kuppees and by the time we were in the falls, each one had an average of 2 X 650 ml on a hot summer day. (My indulgences with -OH, though limited, started back in 89, BTW).

I had showered in the main falls of KutrAlam in childhood but this one is quite different. The water in which you bathe / swim is "about to fall" and in case you're careless, you'll be falling with the water (Much like the Niagra falls where you can wet your feet about 100 meters prior to the huge fall of the water). It's not unusual for people to slip and get pulled into the current to fall down and die from time to time. So, we all became sober just by the thought of such a possibility and wetted ourselves responsibly and enjoyed the beautiful sight of the falls. (The next visit was with family).

Anyone who visits south India must visit AthirampaLLi falls! The 'enna saththam indha nEram' place