The Golden Era of Dr.IR and Dr.SPB

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Suresh65 wrote about it in detail in his blog and linked it here a few days back.

Oh, we don't even need google for this, Sureshji has the blog in his signature

http://sureshs65music.blogspot.com/2...sed-me-by.html

Param,
With the kind of output & thrill that SPB-IR have provided us over the years, the job is so simple to get a 1000+ posts in this forum. I don't merit any credits, seriously

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This westerner's review of some IR songs got posted in the titbits thread.

Interesting to see some of the songs that we've discussed about during the last few weeks Surprising to see even 'nAn thAngoppandA' being mentioned

Long before Rahman emerged upon the scene, music director Ilaiyaraaja ruled the Tamil roost. To date, he has scored over 950 films not only for the Tamil market but also for Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu cinemas. Some of his most rollicking work between 1977 and 1983 is included on “Solla Solla.”

On this collection, rock and hi-hat/conga-heavy funk rhythms augmented with horns and early synth flourishes take a more prominent role than the ostentatious string arrangements of Bollywood. But at the same time, the masterful nuances displayed in the performances of singers like S. Janaki and the legendary S.P. Balasubrahmanyum suggests a robust connection to southern Indian classical vocal music. What might seem like a typical 1970s dancefloor-bomber subtly reveals itself as treatise in traditional vocal raag – as is the case with Balasubrahmanyam’s extraordinary timbral control over the modal funk of the title track and the frenzied “Vaa! Naailukku Naall."

From the first listen, it’s evident at least among these tunes that Ilayaraaja was far more liberal in his assimilation of western instrumentation, kitchen-sink arrangements and structures than many of his Hindi film contemporaries. “Raja Rani Jaakki” starts with a proggy bit that might not sound too out of place in a Van Der Graaf Generator leftover, before a vaguely Motown bassline/flute figure takes over, giving way to a much more traditional tabla interlude. Despite its title, “Disco Sound,” crooned mostly in English, evokes Blood Sweat and Tears (albeit with a scandalously breathy female vocal intro and weird - but equally lascivious - spoken interlude). Zippy, fuzzed-out slide guitar and synth drum fills drive the bouncy “Naanthaan Ungappanda,” which finds Balasubrahmanyam dipping into a throaty Satchmo register.

The shimmering synth intro of “Thithikkum” preludes a stomper driven by slashing wah-wah guitar and fuzzed-out organ swells. Sample English lyric (for which the Maestro gets an ‘A’ for effort): “Baby, shake it baby...I need you/I want to hold you tight/when you are in my arms I feel high...” “One and Two Chachacha” switches gears abruptly from, in fact, a sitar-seasoned midtempo cha-cha to a south-Indian bhajan-inflected interlude. “Kanavu Ondru” offers up a more introspective melody sung by S. Janaki over cyclical rhythms, space-age synths, piano, tabla and strings. The album closer, “Aadal Paadalil” pulls out any remaining stops, with a left-field take on big-band swing punctuated by thunderous percussion and rhythmic, basso profundo vocals.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Param,
With the kind of output & thrill that SPB-IR have provided us over the years, the job is so simple to get a 1000+ posts in this forum. I don't merit any credits, seriously

True , but still you are doing a splendid Job

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#70 இளங்கிளியே இன்னும் விளங்கலியே
(சங்கர்லால், 1981 , ஜானகியுடன்)

A song that can instantly lift up the mood!

Right from the prelude, it has mirth written all-over and one cannot help but get delighted! Raja must have been in a really happy state of mind when composing this and SPB-SJ share the same disposition, along with the orchestra Unintentional humor -by way of SJ's English- too is present (as in the case of another KH-SD / SPB-SJ number, the 'paRanthAlum vida mAttEn').

Sankarlal is one of those rare cases where IR shared music credits with another person for a movie. (Gangai Amaran). I think it was something like "each one scoring for a portion of the movie" - unlike the 'mellaththiRandhadhu kadhavu' model where IR & MSV sat together for composition. Not that IR-GA didn't sit together those days for songs as GA penned lyrics for a lot of them, played instruments in the orchestra etc. Just technically speaking - it wasn't a case of joint composition but rather "splitting" of respo. (The reason why it was so is not known to me, some KH-fanatics may know the reason).

The director was T N Balu, who earlier did uyarndhavarkaL & sattam en kaiyil with Kamal (iRaivan iraNdu bommaigaL seythAn & sorgam madhuvilE immediately come to mind). IIRC, he died before the movie was complete and someone else released it. (googled to verify my memory and wikipedia says Kamal himself completed it. It claims shankarlal was KH's first directorial attempt KH-anudhabees may frown at it because the movie was termed dumb and a disaster as well).

SPB, in top form, as usual!

[PARAMASHIVAN]

App anna

In the above song, I think there were few lines where SPB sings "Hello my beauty, dont be so naughty, I am your sweety" some thing like that Hilarious

[V_S]

Superb post App! Beautiful song. Lot of insights and information. You are a film encyclopedia!

[PARAMASHIVAN]

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நன்றி v_s!

'கலைக்களஞ்சியம்' எல்லாம் ஒன்னும் இல்லீங்க..நம்ம அறிவு ரொம்பக்குறைவு, 'ராஜாவின் அரண்மனை'க்குள்ள மட்டும் தான் நம்ம விவரம். அதுவும் எழுபதுகளின் பிற்பாதி மற்றும் எண்பதுகளின் முற்பாதி.

மற்றபடி சுத்தம். இங்க ஹப்'ல வந்து கேட்டறிந்தவை மட்டுமே

[Divine22]

#67 விழியில் உன் விழியில்
(ராம் லட்சுமண், 1981 , சுசீலாவுடன்)

Sticking to the IR/Devar films tradition, a Suseela-SPB duet. The best in the album IMO, it hasn't lost the appeal - not a bit - from the time of arrival till now! A guitar sweety, both the prelude and first interlude have so-good-to-ears-guitar sounds. And the dham-dham-dham-dham is quite interesting as well.

It was regular on radios and part of people's 'recording center requests' which was becoming more and more common around this time period as cassette players were becoming more affordable. It was however, mostly imported brands only still (Panasonic the leader) and were available from burma bazaar kind of shops or 'gulf-return' 'ceylon-return' kind of people. The regular electronic shops were still mostly selling only radios and record players. Cassette-decks were also available (from brands like Ahuja which was popular in the public address arena) but not much favoured by households.

Hi

Definitely this is the most famous number in the movie, Sweet & energetic singing by SPB as always! Long before i saw the movie, I thought Ram-Laxman is Kamal in dual roles, didnt know it was the elephant (Laxman).Duh! cant recall what was the entire story was about, I am never a fan for movies such as these, with elephants,dogs, monkeys & stuff. But nevertheless its an enjoyable song though,

KH & Sripriya make one of the best pair in the 80's, KH & Sridevi too make a lovely pair. Sri priya & devi complimented KH vr well as pairs. I read some where that Sri priya & Sri devi has done 27 movies each with KH !

[groucho070]

App, thanks for the vellaikkaran writeup link. "Balasubrahmanyam dipping into a throaty Satchmo register". For the benefit of those who don't know. Satchmo = Louis Armstrong. Yes he of "What a wonderful world" fame.