The Golden Era of Dr.IR and Dr.SPB

[app_engine]

nanRi, rajkumarc!

Interesting info on ThamizhththAththA, jai!

BTW, raj & jai, what is the number you want as #250? duettA / sOlOvA, from unakkAkavE vAzhkiREn?

[app_engine]

#248 தண்ணி தவிக்குது தண்ணி தவிக்குது வண்ணக்கிளி
(தாய்க்கு ஒரு தாலாட்டு , 1986 , ஜானகியுடன்)

Another SPB song from a NT movie and I don't know who does the udhattasaivu for this on-screen. Possibly for some son kind of character as it's difficult to imagine NT (of 1986) dancing around for this song. A beatsy themmAngu that's completely in the rAsA domain (and the structure possibly got reused a few times later on as well).

This album was quite famous for two reasons :
1. Raja did a full-fledged remix of a MSV-TKR number from pudhiya paRavai. ('unnai onRu kEtpEn uNmai solla vENdum' has become 'pazhaya pAdal pOla puthiya pAdal illai'). Though he had used portions of older songs in medley kind of format earlier, there was never a total repeat of a single old song like this IIRC.
2. TMS singing again for IR, after some gap (Those who frequently term IR as an arrogant man please take note). Interestingly, the original unnai onRu kEtpEn was a PS solo but the remix was a duet.

The other interesting thing about this movie was the import of Balachandra Menon from MF to direct. He was quite popular in MF during early-80's (TN magazines used to call him Kerala's Bagyaraj) and was the first hero / director for Shobana (April 18). With MF having its golden age during 80's, every other field was looking at them with admiration & awe. Only a year before, TF had that awesome Fazil movie 'poovE poochchooda vA' that was nothing like what the viewers got as their regular dose and became a huge hit!

There was thirst for more from the arabikkadal theerangaL. So, Balachandra menon got imported to direct Sivaji (name pronounced as "BalEndra" menon , MGR is known as MG RamEndran in Kerala as they have the habit of swallowing "ch" when it comes in the middle. OTOH, they pronounce "Ch" very clearly in the names such as Chandrika, Chandran etc...BTW, I always remember Chandrika soap very favorably, not for the soappu but the family that owned the company...a young couple from that family helped me reack KG in their Maruthi after I spent > 30 min lying on highway a few years later - with mARu kAl mARu kai heavily fractured in a hero honda -truck collision, desparate & slowly losing hope)...

I don't think TOT was a runaway hit like PPV. Possibly a moderate success (again we need encyclopaedia Murali sir's help). The songs were moderately popular and almost 100% of my listens were either on buses or teakkadais around the Cbe region. ArArirO pAdiyathArO thoongippOnadhArO is such a sweet KJY gem. 'kAdhalA-kAdhalA' is an interesting IR-KSC duet as well).

[app_engine]

Now I've caught up and will await makkaL's verdict on which to post tomorrow - whether it will be iLanchOlai or kaNNA unaiththEdukiREn vA
(My preference for #250 is obvious as usual, duettu)

[al_gates]

Great going App.

I remember that aroundthe time Mella Thirandhadhu kadhavu came, we had the Asian Games where PT Usha had 4 golds. Actually for about 4-5 days of the games, we watched the highlights daily which ended with the medals tally and India's name was not there for few days

It was a humble weightlifter from TN, Muthusami, who got India's first medal(bronze). A week later, when Athletics started, Usha got 4 golds.

Any paraparappu in Kerala Nadu when Usha's achievements happened?

BTW, I am excited to look forward to picks for 1987 that are coming up...wont spoil the suspense by telling the movie names

[rajkumarc]

Nice posts App... love Kallukulle Vandha Eeram enna.. the tune is so soothing and special. This movie has two other nice songs - Santhosam Indru (KSC i think) and Oomai Nenjin (KJY).

My pick for #250 is Kanna Unnai Thedugiren (i'm floored by the string section in this song throughout and also the entry of SPB midway into the song and the way he renders, it sounds so reassuring and makes a compelling listen).

[groucho070]

-vA veNNilA was a "reworked" tune from an old MSV song (so, your guess of that being IR-ish is quite off the mark)
-Orchestration was by IR for the most part

Inspired from this (in case no one mentioned):

[al_gates]

thanks groucho.

MSV mentioned in a tv interview that it was taken from his hindi song Chandi Rani, which is here


however in the above link, a commenter states the original was in telugu and later dubbed into tamil/hindi.

[groucho070]

Ah, that's news to me al. Thanks for the info.

[Divine22]

Hi app sir,

Nice reading your memories related to MTK and Vaa vennila.... othe sivappu roja vacha ponnu, salwar, bus stop, parvai parimaatranggal , appdiye ore 80's pada scene paartha matiri irukku ..

Great going!!

Vaa vennila, what a honey soaked, breezy song,,, My most fav song from the movie. Once the clapping starts in the beginning of the song, one cannot restrain from getting in to the mood of the song and my heart melts away... Laaalaa by SJ,,,sweet & mellow.SPB never fails to add extra aural elation through his magnetic voice presence & singing...

As you mentioned one of the best Albums in TFm for sure, Kaalathai thaandi nikkum isaippadaipukkal. mSV & IR ..

Never heard of the duet frm Thaaikku oru thalattu, My pick from that movie are Kaathala2 (IR & KSC duet) & the extremely sad soulful Aarariro... Thank you fr introducing this song App sir

for saang #250 , I vote for the duet too ~~ Kanna Unnai Thedugiren ~~~ another heart melter ~~~

[groucho070]

Sadhanai.

I remember that whenever interviewer ask NT why he didn't become a director, he would say that he at least played a film director. The movie had a good subject, but poorly handled.

Was it this film or another that Prabhu got his back whacked by NT? He would later recall lin a concert how they put a board to absorb the whacking but bloody hell it was still aching

app, as usual I'll go with majority with duet simply because the other song was ruined by cinema markandeyan