Originally Posted by app_engine
Om Namaste astu Bhagavan Vishveshvaraya Mahadevaya Triambakaya Tripurantakaya Trikalagni kalaya kalagnirudraya Neelakanthaya Mrutyunjayaya Sarveshvaraya Sadashivaya Shriman Mahadevaya Namah Om Namah Shivaye Om Om Namah Shivaye Om Om Namah Shivaye
Most of us who visit tfmpage / hub frequently are familiar to the fact that IR wasn't the first to use SPB in TFM (or any FM). Specifically in TFM, SPB's first few songs were with MSV / KVM and for big stars Sivaji / MGR.
Despite that, SPB wasn't in the numero uno slot for a decade or so as TMS was the #1 choice for Sivaji / MGR. With the progressive kozha kozha of MGR's voice after being shot and also possibly because of the 'nAttukkAran' connection, KJY got to sing lot more songs than SPB during the 70's for MGR. (avaL oru navarasa nAdakam / idhazhe idhazhe thEn vENdum notwithstanding). In Sivaji's case, it was mostly TMS for Sivaji with SPB typically thrown in to sing for some son / younger brother kind of character in his movies in 70's.
Also, till the arrival of IR, MDs were not typically in-charge of the matters for biggie movies and SPB had to mostly sing for Sivakumar / Vijayakumar level of stars and often for the then-coming-up Kamal. Interestingly, the #1 MD, MSV, wasn't his biggest promoter but there were a variety of others who used him prominently - like V Kumar / Vijayabhaskar / Shankar Ganesh (before IR became #1 in my books, my most fav SPB song was 'unnai nAn pArththadhu veNNilA vELaiyil' by Shankar-Ganesh, movie pattikkAttu rAjA).
The reason for giving the background above is to emphasize how, in a way, the rise of IR helped SPB to get into that formidable position in TFM. The rise of Kamal / Rajini obviously helped but if one looks closely at SPB's curve, it was more of "IR erA" that helped his top position more than that of the rise of these two stars as some of the Mohan starrer songs had more phenomenal reach than that of KH-RK.
Starting today, I'm planning to post about one specific song each day, in the IR-SPB combo, in chronological order as much as possible. Obviously, it will be one of a personal experience rather than musical analysis. Music-savvy hubbers are welcome to add further details as much as possible to the song I pick each day.
I'm sure I can go on for 100's of days
Last edited by app_engine; 22nd April 2011 at 06:53 PM.
#1 நான் பேச வந்தேன், சொல்லத்தான் ஓர் வார்த்தை இல்லை
(பாலூட்டி வளர்த்த கிளி, 1976)
When listening to this morning after many years, I realize that this is going to be a very sweet and nostalgic trip for me
Since IR started with a kiLi, the sentiment-driven TF launched him for another kiLi movie, this one named after the famous gauravam song that reverberated through out TN on loudspeakers with a famous Sivaji dialog prelude. (கிளிக்கு ரெக்க மொளச்சிடுத்து... ஆத்த விட்டுப் பறந்து போயிடுத்து).
Perhaps the first released song in IR-SPB combo, with the addition of Janaki ammA (or should I call "aththai" since PS is HMV for me). So early in IR's career he laid the seed for the combo that'll drive people crazy for decades, i.e. the unbeatable top combo ever in TFM of "IR-SPB-SJ"!
Both singers bring in such a feeling of closeness in this song and IR does a very controlled aggression with lead guitar-cymbal-tabla accompaniment to a sweet melody. As one can hear, while SPB still has his boyishness (well, he has it even today), there're signs of "maturity" developing in this song
I don't remember associating this song with IR when it was on radio during my school days but enjoyed it thoroughly then. (It was years later that I got into this habit of asking whether it's an IR song or not).
Last edited by app_engine; 22nd April 2011 at 06:57 PM.
app,
A superb writeup about SPB's rise in TFM and from my limited knowledge of TFM of those days, I will agree with you. The analysis is spot on. I would personally say that SPB along with Raja was able to overcome the influence of TMS and leave his stamp behind. In Telugu it is a bit more complicated. To be honest, I would say even today the shadow of Ghantasala looms large and SPB has not been able to erase that as he was able to come out of TMS's shadow in Tamil film music. (Something like how Kannadasan's personality looms large over any other lyricist.) To certain extent that would also be because the Telugu music directors of late 70s and 80s were not a match for the masters of 60s and Raja did not do as many films in Telugu as he did in Tamil.
Good to know that you will be writing one song per day. Looking forward to it and definitely looking forward to your emotional connect with the songs and also about the background of the songs. You are eminently qualified to do this.
And what an opening song you have given. I love this melody both for Raja's tune and for the singing. You can easily say that this is a Raja's melody of the 70s.
Raja of 90s: http://onlyraja.wordpress.com
Very nice write-up App with lot of insights. Waiting to hear more from you.
Never knew much history behind Telugu music scenario in 70's and 80's. Thanks Suresh ji for your insights as well and please continue your inputs too.
App - I thought Oru Naal Unnodu Oru Naal from Uravaadum Nenjam was the first song SPB sang for IR. So, Naan Pesa Vanthen got released first? Looking forward to your posts about more SPB songs.
Suresh - Who else was the popular male singer in Telugu film music other than SPB in 70s, 80s? Did KJY or PJ sing lot of songs in Telugu?
rajkumarc,
There was really no great competition for SPB once Gantasala passed away. The one person who was used often by the MDs was Ramakrishna, a clone of Gantasala. There was also a singer called Ramesh, who had a few good songs. Some other came in once a while but it was SPB show all the way. Jesudas has sung some songs but not many. I don't know if PJ has sung songs in Telugu. Maybe in some dubbing movies but not sure.
Raja of 90s: http://onlyraja.wordpress.com
What is missing from this analysis is, TMS and IR had a tussle. From what I heard TMS made some bad remarks about IR which IR heard himself by accident. Since IR was indispensable at that time, TMS was dispensed from TFM. (Moreover TMS had already lost MGR's favor for a similar reason earlier).Most of us who visit tfmpage / hub frequently are familiar to the fact that IR wasn't the first to use SPB in TFM (or any FM). Specifically in TFM, SPB's first few songs were with MSV / KVM and for big stars Sivaji / MGR.
Despite that, SPB wasn't in the numero uno slot for a decade or so as TMS was the #1 choice for Sivaji / MGR. With the progressive kozha kozha of MGR's voice after being shot and also possibly because of the 'nAttukkAran' connection, KJY got to sing lot more songs than SPB during the 70's for MGR. (avaL oru navarasa nAdakam / idhazhe idhazhe thEn vENdum notwithstanding). In Sivaji's case, it was mostly TMS for Sivaji with SPB typically thrown in to sing for some son / younger brother kind of character in his movies in 70's.
Also, till the arrival of IR, MDs were not typically in-charge of the matters for biggie movies and SPB had to mostly sing for Sivakumar / Vijayakumar level of stars and often for the then-coming-up Kamal. Interestingly, the #1 MD, MSV, wasn't his biggest promoter but there were a variety of others who used him prominently - like V Kumar / Vijayabhaskar / Shankar Ganesh (before IR became #1 in my books, my most fav SPB song was 'unnai nAn pArththadhu veNNilA vELaiyil' by Shankar-Ganesh, movie pattikkAttu rAjA).
The reason for giving the background above is to emphasize how, in a way, the rise of IR helped SPB to get into that formidable position in TFM. The rise of Kamal / Rajini obviously helped but if one looks closely at SPB's curve, it was more of "IR erA" that helped his top position more than that of the rise of these two stars as some of the Mohan starrer songs had more phenomenal reach than that of KH-RK.
Starting today, I'm planning to post about one specific song each day, in the IR-SPB combo, in chronological order as much as possible. Obviously, it will be one of a personal experience rather than musical analysis. Music-savvy hubbers are welcome to add further details as much as possible to the song I pick each day.
I'm sure I can go on for 100's of days
Wasn't SPB a star singer in TFM before he became popular in TeFM (largely due to Ayiram Nilave Vaa)? It is sad IR had to use substitutes like Mano/MV in the 90s because TeFM kept SPB so busy.
naan pesa vandhen......Shri.bala serving Raaja with Janu.
nostalgic early IR days indeed.
wonderful pick, app_eng.
Hindish Ilayaraaja in raagam kamas.
Khamas - Shri.Sanjay Subrahmanyan's RTP in this rag is very melodious.
brochevaarevarura.....Shri.Yesudas.
idadhu padham thookki aadum.....papanasam sivan composition by Sudha Ragunadhan is my favorite.
R.D.Burman-Kishore Kumar combo is as memorable as IR-S.P.B.
remember kuchh toh log kahenge.....amar prem.
Hindustani Khamaj - Carnatic Khamas for your pleasure from Indian Cinema.
thanks
Last edited by baroque; 23rd April 2011 at 12:02 AM.
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