17. KANNE KALAIMAANE

17. KANNE KALAIMAANE

The one song that would go down in history is Kanne Kalaimaane in MOONDRAAM PIRAI. That was the last song that Kannadasan wrote for us.

When Ilayaraja started to sing in his childhood days, he went for the songs written by Kannadasan and sung by P. Suseela. His all-time favourite song was MAALAI POZHUTHIN MAYAKKATHILE in the film BAGYALECHUMY. Ilayaraja had sung this song and won awards in his school in Devaram.

It is this song that has made Ilayaraja what he is today, according to his own admission. There is a line in this song, which goes:

Ilamai Ellam Verum Kanavu Mayam- Ithil
MarainthathuSila Kaalam
Thelivum ariyaathu Mudiuvum theriyaathu
Mayanguthu Ethirkaalam
Mayanguthu Ethirkaalam

Youthful days have been spent as a dream. However, the future is till obscure. Therefore Ilayaraja used to meditate on the meaning. He felt that the song emphasised on the need to make a decision for the future. There and then he decided to shape his future and so decided to take up music for his career. He always felt that this song of Kannadasan would be relevant and meaningful for all years to come.

So he is today an MD in a way, owing to this song that triggered off his determination to shape a clear cut future for himself. There is an impact of Kannadasan in his life.

When Raja was assisting other MDs, especially GK Vengakatesh, he had contributed in the composing of the tune for the songs of Kannadasan. One such song was of course THEN SINTHUTHE VAANAM in PONNUKKU THANGA MANSU. But Raja had no opportunity to consort and associate with the great poet. It was only during his second film PAALOOTTI VALARTHA KILI that Ilayaraja had an opportunity to work with Kannadasan directly. When Ilayaraja was introduced to Kannadasan, the poet commented, “I guessed this must be Ilayaraja.” In the song Kannodu Kannu from PAALOOTTI VALARTHA KILI, Kannadasan added a line “VAA RAAJA VAA”. Ilayaraja felt that it was a welcome signal from Kannadasan. Raja considered that a great blessing. After that they worked together in many other movies, and all the songs of Kannadasan still occupy a special place in the musical career of the Maestro.


Meanwhile, when Ilayaraja picked up misunderstanding with some who were very close to Kannadasan, Kannadasan too jumped into the bandwagon and made a very strong statements hitting hard at Ilayaraja. (Details censured) Ilayaraja was naturally sad. Owing to this sad state of affairs Ilayaraja did not use Kannadasan for some time. But deep inside, Ilayaraja felt a great vacuum in the songs that he composed. Later, at a marriage function held at the Rajeswary Marriage hall, Kannadasan was seated in the front row. Ilayaraja who happened to pass Kannadasan enquired “How are you poet? Are you fine?” Kannadasan immediately responded, “When had the poets ever been fine without the support of the Rajas?” Ilayaraja took note of the wittiness of Kannadasan.

CONTINUES...

Soon old wounds were healed. On another occasion, Ilayaraja wanted to compose music, and wanted quality lyrics. So he sent his assistant “ Please bring our poet.” The assistant asked Ilayaraja “Which poet?” Ilayaraja angrily remarked, “What do you mean which poet? As if you do not know that poet in the cine industry refers to only one person, and that is Kannadasan?” Thereafter they started to work together and produce further gems.


In 1980, Kannadasan was not feeling well and was getting prepared to leave for Chicago for medical treatment. It was at this time that the film MONRAAM PIRAI was in the making. Ilayaraja sent for a song, and Kannadasan gave the song. That was the last song of the greatest poet the cine field had ever seen. As soon as Ilayaraja received the lyrics, he was overcome with untold sorrow. Ilayaraja himself is a writer of lyrics. He read and re- read the lyrics and sought to grasp the hidden meaning. Ilayaraja somehow had a premonition that this song would be the very last song from Kannadasan. He felt that Kannadasan had a message that he was leaving the Tamil people, the Tamil language and Tamilnaadu forever. That song was needed for a moving situation in the movie. In a very moving mood, Ilayaraja composed music for that song. And true enough Kannadasan never came back..

The poet’s first song is
Kalangathiru Maname.

His last song is
Kanne Kalaimaane

He hailed from Chiru Koodal Patti
He passed away in Chicago.

That last song of the poet brought crowning fame to Ilayaraja as the MD, Jesudass as the most appropriate singer, and by extension to Kamal Hasan as the one who provided lip movements. Jesudass had a great liking for this song.

I personally would like to trademark this song as a land mark song as Raja was the only privileged MD to have been bestowed this high honour of composing the last song of one whom I consider the greatest poet Tamilnadu has seen in recent days Kannadasan.

That was not the end of the story. Ilayaraja who was so sad following the passing of Kannadasan, continued to compose for his songs. This time he used a poem that Kannadasan had composed much earlier. That is “Devan Thantha Veenai” from the film Unnai Naan Chanthithen.

In my opinion this ranks top among the landmark songs of Ilayaraja. Just look at the lyrics:


Kannae kalaimaanae kanni mayilenak
kandaen unai naanaeandhip pagal unai naan paarkkiraen
aandavanai idhaiththaan kaetkiraen
raariraaroa oaraariroa
raariraaroa oaraariroa

(kannae)

oomai enraal oru vagai amaidhi
aezhai enraal adhil oru amaidhi
neeyoa kilippaedu pan paadum aanandak kuyil paedu
aeno dheyvam sadhi seydhadhu paedhai poala vidhi seydhadhu

(kannae)

kaadhal kondaen kanavinai valarththaen
kanmani unai naan karuththinnil niraiththaen
unakkae uyiraanaen ennaalum enai nee maravaadhae
neeyillaamal edhu nimmadhi needhaanae en sannidhi

(kannae)

Listen to 'kanne kalaimaane'

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Manisekaran Sir, I can personally say one thing upon reading Kanne Kalaimane: Strange yet Purposeful are the Ways of the Divine. (Didn't notice you are at song 17 already!)


Happy Weekend.

A great song, Mr.Manisekaran ! I can still visualise Balu Mahendra's cinematography as the song starts - Night enveloping the mountains and slowly becoming darker.The song, a beautiful "thaalattu", rendered by Yesudass's soothing voice and to top it all this, the great poet's haunting lyrics.... Mr.Maniskaran, i heard somwhere that kannadaasan wrote this song for his daughter, vishali kannadaasan. Is that true? Also, is that a solo violin playing as the singer sings? It adds to the pathos and churns out a deep emotion of love, loss and despair...Brilliant performances by Kamal and sridevi through this song... Putting all this togeher, I think this song perfectly fits the profile of a "LANDMARK IR COMPOSITION"

The other briliant song from this movie is : "Vaan engum thanga vinmeengal..."

Anand

Anand:

Some years ago, I indicated in one of the topics in TFM, that.."Kannae Kalaimane.." song has a solo violin that closely follows KJY's soulful rendering. I did not discover this until I had a high end music system and a good recording of the song in a Chrome oxide Type II tape.

I wonder how IR probaly could have written notes for violin that follows he violin piece. Or was it composed without notes? It could be.. May be someone knowledgeable can throw some light..

Violin track which you listned in Kanne Kalaimane might have been the one that was recorded for the track recording before Jesudos voice recording. Usually, such instrument tracks are erased and superimposed with the voice track later, and in this case it might have been left out as such (may be due to recording/mastering error or deliberately left out.

Dear Enabler,

Very well said.

In 1962 Kannadasan in Ratha Thilakam wrote a song and added a line:

NAAN NIRANTHARAMAANAVAN
ENTHA NILAYILUM ENAKKU MARANAM ILLAI

Perhaps he is kept alive by such discussions.

Anand,

Now that Kannadasan is no more alive, many new and unbelieveing stories tend to be circulated. This is the most commone and cancerous disease in the cine field.

This song was written for the movie.
There are people who claim that this is not the last song of Kannadasan. I want to know wchis is that last song.

All I know is that this was the last movie song by Kannadasan. Seergazhi Govindarajan told me that Kannadasan wrote him a poem (last peom) when he visited Kannadasan in Chicago. I have not seen that poem.

Keyboard Notes (carnatic and western) and chords for this song (and many more) can be found at http://KeyLessOnline.com (completely FREE)