Lyrical Love – Part V

Back to writing about the two things that could keep me awake and on a high permanently in life – Love and Music 🙂 

The last time I featured (previous editions in this series : 1, 2, 3 and 4) 3 Malayalam songs and this time, I’m switching to another language – Tamil. These three phenomenal songs have been on a loop on my phone and laptop for the whole of last month and I cannot stop. Here goes:

—–

So I’ve watched this movie Goa (Tamil), and only because this song Arabic Sea playing on the TV had piqued my interest because I loved Goa the couple of times I’ve been there and even a movie situated in Goa can transport me into a romantic world of my own. After all, who can blame me?

But I never kind of “noticed” this song, and it had to wait for a couple of years for my ears to discover it – and never want to stop listening after that. I stumbled onto it while researching Andrea Jeremiah (she starred in a Malayalam film Annayum Rasoolum and I was kinda checking her out :P)  and heard her croon this song in a video. Wondering why I had never noticed it, I find the actual song on youtube…

…and realized just *why* the hero of the Malayalam movie Fahadh Faasil fell in love with Andrea (yes, in real life – they are together currently).

Whatay voice!! But oh, what a song.

This, is a woman’s song. A powerful woman’s song.

A woman who can look straight into the eyes of her lover and not hesitate to tell him that she loves him and what thoughts of him do to her. Sensual, bursting with life, and yet fluttering longingly around the senses to create a kind of excitement that makes you want to touch, and yet, stop inches before you do.

Andrea’s voice is magic. Throaty and raw, she brings life to the piece and I’ve heard several renditions of the song after that, but there is truly only one Andrea.

Ajeesh – a reality music show find, is the perfect foil for her. Muted and melodious, his rendition of Dhegam ippodhu unarndhadhu, Thendral en meedhu padarndhadhu, Mogam munneri varugudhu munne makes me want to stretch my arms à la SRK, and forget everything else that exists around me. A fine find indeed!

While I am waxing eloquent on the choice of singers, it’s not just them but the music and the perfect lyrics, particularly for the situation in the movie. You can find a (poetic attempt at) translation for the song Here.

Song: Idhu Varai
Movie: Goa
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyrics: Gangai Amaran
Singers: Andrea Jeremiah, Ajeesh

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGztE6CDn08

Idhu varai illaadha unarvidhu
Idhayathil undaana kanavidhu
Palithidum annaalai thedidum paadal kettaayo…

Moodamal moodi maraithadhu
Thaanaga poothu varughudhu
Thedamal thedi kidaithadhu ingey… (2)

Inge oru inbam vandhu niraya
Eppodhu en unmai nilai ariya
Thaangamalum thoongamalum naal selludhey…

Illamale nitham varum kanavu
Kollamal kolla, sugam ennendru solla

Nee thunai varavendum neenda vazhi en payanam…

Ange ange vandhu vandhu kalakkum
Venmegamum vennilavum pola
Endhan manam, ennangalai, yaar arivar…

En nenjamo un pola alla
Yedho ore maatram
Nilai puriyadha thottram

Idhu nirandharam alla
maarividum mananilai dhan…

Manadhile ullorum unarvugal
Malarnthadhey muthaana uravugal
Piranthadhe thannale kadhavugal namakku munnale…  (2)

Dhegam ippodhu unarndhadhu
Thendral en meedhu padarndhadhu
Mogam munneri varugudhu munne…  (2)

—–

I kid (pun intended) sometimes that the only thing one gains out of Facebook is the tiredness from having to like and ooh and awww these oh-so-adorable pictures of infants & toddlers (offsprings of one’s classmates & colleagues – hmph,  this is probably the problem with this generation I belong to: eminently fertile and prone to gushing about one’s own babies :P).

Sarcasm aside :), once in a while this difficulty brings along with it some surprises. I came across this song from a video one of my friends had posted, of her lovely little 2 year old, trying to lisp a song – apparently taught to him by his grandpa, and the only Tamil that comes out of his mouth for now. The attempt was very cute and so I tried to check out what the real song was like. I mean, if the grandpa wanted this to be the first Tamil words the kid could speak/sing, it probably meant the song was a favorite, right? I was thinking this would be one of those 50’s classics or so. Surprise, surprise – a 2012 number!

It took me just one watch to decide I wanted the song on my iphone playlist. Now that’s a commitment, guys – and I’m usually not one to make commitments so easily :P.

A few hours of listening to the song on loop followed and after that, there’s not been a day when I can stop at listening to it just once. If I could describe the song in one word, that would be:

Nirvana.

Haricharan, hitherto unknown to me, suddenly added a die-hard fan to his account. I must have spent atleast half a Sunday, researching him on the net, and listening to everything else that he lent his golden voice to.

The song sets your heart soaring as soon as the first beats emerge. The tinkling bells, and Haricharan’s voice rushes into your being like an incoming tide as he sings Ayyayayo … forceful, deliberate, and leaving you gasping. And just as you’re submitting yourself to his force, he’s touching silvery notes, almost whispering into your ears with a yearning “karai sera neeyum kaiyil yendha vaa” and all you can do is melt.

I’ve believed that only A R Rahman could create music that evokes the senses of the elements… until I heard this song. The song is perfectly matched by the visuals in Kumki – the brute force of an elephant, gushing water, the denseness of the forest … and the spirit of love.

Song: Ayyayayo Aananathame
Movie: Kumki
Music: D. Imman
Lyrics: Yugabharathi
Singers: Haricharan 

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB1VSViOaC4

Ayyayayo aananthame, nenjukulle aarambamae

Nooru kodi vaanavil, maarimaari seruthae
Kaadhal podum thooralil, thaegam moozhgi poguthae

Aedho oru aasai vaava katha paesa
Ayyayayo…

Unnai muthalmurai kanda nodiyinil thanikulla vizhunthaen
Andru vizhunthavan innum ezhumbala mella mella karainthaen
Karai sera neeyum kaiyil aenthava, uyir kaathalodu naanum neenthavaa..

Kangalil kandathu paathi, varum karpanai thanthathu meethi
Thoduthae.. Suduthae.. Manathae….
Ayyayayo…

Kangal irupathu unnai rasithida endru solla piranthaen
Kaigal iruppathu thottu anaithida alli kolla thuninthaen
Etharkaaga kaalgal kaelvi kaetkiraen, thunai saernthupoga thaethi paarkiraen..

Netriyil kungumam sooda, ilanenjinil inbamum kooda
Methuva.. Varava.. Tharava….
Ayyayayo…
—–

There are probably no words of mine that can laud the greatness that was these two people – Padmini and Sivaji Ganesan. I still remember the moment I saw this song as a child – I would have been about 7 and I was mesmerised. Not by Padmini (even though she is mesmerising in this song) but by Sivaji Ganesan. Watch from 2.04 to 2.07 minutes of this video and the way he looks at her – yep, this is what did it. (those eyes, oh, those eyes!!!)

It’s hard to recollect another song in cinema that could have captured how two people, surrounded by countless others, could be completely immersed in each other and where the words of the song could have captured the subtle dynamics of their relationship. Padmini is the kind of dancer who could have inspired the countless dancing sculptures on the facade of temples in India. Not petite, her proportions belie the grace and ease of movement that she has and there isn’t much else you can watch when she’s on screen – her craft is best seen in her navarasas (watch from 2.43 to 2.53 in the video).

My favorite portion of the song is not that though. It’s the

Engirundhaalum unnai naanariven, unnai ennaiyallal veru yaar arivaar 
Paavai en patham kaana naanamaa? Undhan paattukku naan aada vendaama?
Maanava, venava, maayava .. Shanmuga!

Watch from 4.20 to 4.25 – the exchange between Mohanmbal (Padmini) and Shanmuga Sundaram (Sivaji Ganesan) – the hide and seek, the play on the name Shanmuga (to the audience, intended to be the name of the God; to him, a hint hat she knows he’s watching) and his reaction – pure thrill.

[I’m trying to find a good translation for this song somewhere – will link once I find it]

Song: Maraithirundhu paarkum
Movie: Thillana Mohanambal
Music: KV Mahadevan
Lyrics: Kannadasan
Singers: P Susheela

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPwCtBidy_8

Maraithirundhu paarkum marmam enna… swami
Maraithirundhu paarkum marmam enna
Azagar malai azagaa, indha silai azagaa … Endru
(Maraithirundhe paarkum…)

Navarasamum;
Mugathil, navarasamum malarnthirukkum mugathil navarasamum
Chekka sivanthirukkum ithazil kani rasamum… Kandu
(Maraithirundhe paarkum…)

Engirundhaalum unnai naanariven
Unnai ennaiyallal veru yaar arivaar (2)

Paavai en patham kaana naanamaa? (2)
Undhan paattukku naan aada vendaama? (2)

Maanava, venava, maayava .. Shanmuga!
(Maraithirundhe paarkum…)

Naathathiley thalaivan kuzhal ketten (2)
Andha naanathile ennai naan marandhen (2)
Mohathiley ennai mozgavaithu (2)
Oru orathiley nindru kalvanai pol

Maanava, venava, maayava .. Shanmuga!
(Maraithirundhe paarkum…)

Maan aada malar aada mathi aada nadhi aada, mangai ival nadanam aada
Vaan aada mann aada kodi aada idai aada, vanji ival kaigal aada
Suvaiodu naanaadum enainadi ithuvelai viralvinil thunaiyaaga odi varuvaai
Thooyane maalava maayane velavaa
Enai aalum shanmmuga vaa
(Maraithirundhe paarkum…)

to be continued…

Lyrical Love – Part IV

[It’s been a long time that I’ve written about Lyrical Love, and so this is *still* the 4th installment in a series, after 1, 2 and 3 – even though there have been 100 others written in my head ;). Nevertheless, I’m pretty kicked to be writing this, because as a post, this is what I LOVE writing about]

—

Some of the most beautiful poetry about love, I realize, has been written in Malayalam film music. Particularly, those 80s classics for which the poet ONV Kurup wielded his pen, and got immortalized in beautiful music by masters.

Having grown up with these songs, it’s pretty easy for me to get lost in the nostalgia of its music as soon as I listen to them. But as I discovered a few years ago, and keep discovering each time I listen to these songs now, they have a completely different prospect for a listener with a good ear – particularly someone who has a fair understanding of the words (though some are cloaked in a maze of poetic expression :/).

The ease with which ONV is able to navigate the nuances of love, and create a tapestry of emotions that come very close to invoking the actual feeling within you – is incredible. Being an intensely romantic person (yeah, I have rose-colored-glasses :)), all I have to do is to sit still and listen. If I ever called love “sublime”, this would be when I understand what it means to be sublime.

Today morning, as I listened to these songs, and discovered yet more layers in these songs, I decided I’d post them today – not just with the Malayalam lyrics, but with my crude English translation *grimace*.

This is still not quite effective translation, since much of the language specific constructs get destroyed in a literal translation. However, I’ve tried my best to write it so that it makes *some* sense (and seriously, there’s not a single other decent translation available online!).

[Interestingly, all 3 songs – though from 3 different movies, feature the same actor – Vineeth, who btw, used to be quite the heartthrob (AND a temporary crush of yours truly) right from the very early age that he began acting in a lead role  (14 yrs!). Lucky guy – to be the face for these songs, I mean.]

Song: Aathmavil Mutti Vilichchathu
Movie: Aranyakam
Music: Raghunath Seth
Lyrics: O.N.V Kurup
YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNsG2-A2dOE

Song Context: First kiss – the song plays in the background while a girl mulls about how a boy kissed her in a fit of (err..)passion, albeit without her consent. The song’s more of a play on adolescent love…and about the realization of love itself – the “awakening” of the emotion.

[Malayalam Lyrics]

Kanni poonkavilil thottu kadannupokuvathaaro
Kulir pakarnnu pokuvatharo
Thennalo, thenthumpiyo,
Ponnarayaalil maranjirunnu
Ninne kandu kothichchu paadiya
Kinnara poomaarano…
(Kanni poo..)

Thazhampoo kaattu thalodiya pole
Noorathirathan rakkuliraadiya pole (2)
Kunnathe vilakku thelikkum kayyaal
Kunjuppoovin anjanathil chaanthu thottathu pole
Chanthu thottathu pole
(Kanni poo..)

Aathmaavil mutti vilichathu pole
Snehaathuramay thotturiyaadiya pole (2)
Manninte ilam choodaarnnoru maaril
Eeranaamorindu kiranam poovu chaarthiya pole
Poovu chaarthiya pole
(Kanni poo..)

[English Translation]
Who’s run away, having touched (your) virgin cheeks, and causing a chill (to rise in you)…
Was it the breeze? Was it a honeybee?
Or was it your lover, hiding behind the banyan tree,
(and) looking at you, singing with desire?

Like the wind has caressed the falling flower,
Like a hundred stars dancing in the chill of the night, and
Like the hand that lights the lamp on the hill
ouches (and thereby adds color) to the purity of a small flower…

Like (someone has) knocked on your soul,
Has gently touched you, and spoken,
Like a moist ray of moonlight has graced
the warm body of the earth…
(Who’s run away…)

Song: Kevala marthya
Movie: Nakakshathangal
Music: Bombay Ravi
Lyrics: O.N.V Kurup
YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVpXFyFz2yo&feature=related

Song Context: The protagonist (a young boy) is around a beautiful girl who’s deaf and mute; the song plays begins as an indication of his thoughts about her as  observes her, lost in her own silent world, growing to admire and fall in love with her. (Read the poet’s interpretation of the “silent universe” – it’s pure brilliance).

[Malayalam Lyrics]

Kevala marthya bhasha kelkkaatha
Deva dhoothikayanu nee, oru deva dhoothikayanu nee

Chithravarnnangal nritthamaadum nin
Ull prapanchatthin seemayil,
Njangal kelkkaatha paattile
Swaravarnna raajikal illayo, illayo…
(kevala marthya..)

Antharashru sarassil neenthidum
Hamsa geethangal illayo
Shabda saagarathin agaadha
Nishabda shaanthatha illayo, illayo…
(kevala marthya..)

[English Translation]
You are a messenger from the Gods,
a woman who doesn’t hear the languages of all mortals…

Vivid colors dance in your inner universe.
Don’t the extents of this universe conceal
a myriad of music that we are unable to hear?

(Aren’t there) the songs of swans that
swim in the lakes of your countless tears?

In the ocean of sound, isn’t there
a bottomless ocean of silent peace?

Song: Vaathil pazhuthilooden munnil
Movie: Idanazhiyil Oru Kaalocha
Music: V. Dakshinamoorthy
Lyrics: O.N.V Kurup
YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-TH-aG4-hE&feature=related

Song Context: The protagonist (a guy) falls in hopeless adoration-love with a beautiful dancer, who’s older than him. The lyrics convey the intensity of his infatuation for her – and yet, does not for a moment transcend into a crude or obvious description of her. The word play is just on what he feels when he listens to her footsteps  and is a clever use of words to evoke imagery.

[Malayalam Lyrics]

Vaathil Pazhuthilooden munnil kunkumam
Vaari vitharum thrisandhya polae
Athilolamen idanaazhiyil nin, kala madhuramaam kaalocha kaettu
Madhuramam kaalocha kaettu

Hridhayathin thanthiyil aaro viralthodum
Mridulamaam nisvanam polae
Ilakalil jalakanam ittu veezhum polen
Uyiril amrutham thalicha polae
Tharala vilolam nin kalocha kettu njan
Ariyaathe koritharicchu poyi
Ariyathe koritharicchu poyi
(Vaathil…)

Himabindhu mukhapadam chaarthiya poovine
Mathukaram nugaraathae uzharum polae
Ariya nin kalocha cholliya manthrathin
Porulariyathe njan ninnu
Nizhalukal kalamezhuthunnoren munnil
Mattoru sandhyayai nee vannu
Mattoru sandhyayai nee vannu
(Vaathil…)

[English Translation]
The evening sun goes by, scattering redness before me, through the gap of a door
as I hear your sweet footsteps reverberating across the sublime passage (leading to me)

Like the tender sound that emanates because someone touched the strings of my heart,
Like droplets falling softly on leaves, someone showered upon my being, the nectar of immortality…
Unbeknownst to me, a shudder of pleasure went through me, as I listened to your sacred footsteps.

Like the bee that circles a flower that’s been decorated by a drop of snow, without touching it,
I stood, unable to understand the meaning of the mantra that your footsteps spoke (to me)
While shadows drew columns in front of me, you arrived in the form of yet another sunset…

—

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya

Prologue: A while ago, Visitor asked me if I could post my take on VTV. Given that Visitor is extremely hard to refuse ;-), this is the fulfillment of my solemn promise –  a review of the Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya album, the latter, crafted ever so carefully by the wizard of Indian music – A R Rahman.  @Visitor, this one’s for you! 🙂

I want to buy a guitar.

Drive down to the shores of a beach, somewhere far, far away.

Strum the guitar, till the sun sets.

Watch the moonlight making silver patterns on the dark sea.

All the while, singing “Aaromaleee…”

These were probably the first clear thoughts that I got, after listening to this song. Someone told me “Aaromale” was close to Led Zeppelin-from-Kerala. Well, I’m not an expert on Led (and core fans would probably consider this comparison a sacrilege?!)… however, “Aaromale” is different, and really good at being so.

The song is a rocksy-bluesy alternative to Malayalees who’ve wanted to find a new-age soul in music. And that soul hits you, around 2 minutes 5 seconds into the song, when Alphonse’s husky crooning of Aaromale leads you into a venerable chorus of “Swasthi, swasthi, sumuhoortham, sumangali bhava manavaatti“. Within seconds, the chant transports you into the hallowed portals of a church, and the song becomes a tormented, rebellious soul’s prayer of love.

I won’t say the song is a classic. It is a daring, different attempt, and as a musician, ARR pulls a rabbit out of his hat. I’m not certain how many non-Malayalees will embrace it completely – the lyrics are integral to the song, and not understanding it may dilute the impression on the listener.

There is another (strange) aspect to Aaromale. Typically ARR’s songs take much listening to, for a true discovery of the song’s potential. I liked Aaromale in the 2nd and 3rd hearing, which is too soon by the usual standard. It changed to intense obsession in even a shorter while, as I had it on loop for 2-3 days.

And then I moved on to the other songs. I even went to the extent of wondering if Aaromale was just a phase.

But then, when I came back to it, the visuals did too and the crooning was back in my head. I realized that I may not always have an Aaromale frame of mind, but when I do want to listen to it, it would be to experience that feeling of pathos mixed with heady exhilaration.

The second surprise of the album is Mannipaaya. It’s the quintessential ARR romantic song ;). You never get to know what the song is when you hear it for the first time. Infact, it just appears deceivingly lowkey, esp. because it is difficult to hum the first few times. You wonder what’s so great about a romantic number that Shreya Ghoshal is singing. But wait, ARR sings it too, right?

So you listen to it a couple of times (after all, he’d have some reason for singing just that one song, right?!). And then… the brilliance of the maestro finally dawns on you, and you’re left with a side-sloped grin, grudgingly admitting to yourself that you underestimated, and he tricked you into it again.

For many people, Mannipaaya is the pick of the album. For me, it rates next to “Munbe Vaa” from SOK, and “Tu Bin Bataye” from RDB – even though the emotion of love explored in the song, is vastly different from these two.

Music-wise, ARR breaks the traditional charanam-pallavi mode, and creates a rhapsody of instruments and vocals, and your keen ear is left wondering what started when and how it all fits together, so deceptively! Sheer brilliance.

I found the lyrics of the song, a little too blasé – they were intended to convey the poetry of romance, but do it overtly, if you know what I mean. Somehow the phrases lack that heart-tugging quality in the Munbe Vaa and Tu Bin Bataye (or even Yakkai Thiri) – and that is the only aspect of the whole song that I felt cheated about.

Talking about the two songs above, reminds me, that my favorite Naresh Iyer features in the album. Kannukkul Kannai is a short racy number (3 min 53 sec), and just for featuring Naresh, a big yay to ARR. This is one guy I’ve really wanted to hear much more of, but somehow, nothing much has graced my ears post his Munbe Vaa, Innisai, and Roobaroos. It would have been nice to hear another version of Mannipaaya with Naresh and Shreya, but what the hell – since ARR does it himself, I forgive him ;).

What about the KK track? It gives me the kind of urgency that some of the tracks in Boys did. Pulsating (techno) beats, and a quality of “there’s something to be done very soon”. It is again, a different attempt – but probably the lesser known ones out of the album. And is that a violin or a cello belting out staccato sounds? *Eyes widen as the significance of this sinks in*.

“Helllooooo?”…”Yooo?”…”Hosanna”

Yeah, I’m switching tracks to another song with a rather obvious Church influence. This song could easily have been done in the “Ale Ale” setting from Boys: dreamy sequence, flowers, girl dressed in a pretty-fairy like dress. Add a nice group of fairies to do the background dance to the tune of the chorus. And then put in Siddharth. *Swoons and goes off into a reverie*….

….Okay, back to acting my age.

Hosanna is a good song and achieves an unexpected marriage of two entirely different experiences – the sanctity of the church and the purity of love.  The last (and only) time I felt this was possible was when I heard “Jaana suno, hum tumpe marte he” from Khamoshi.

But, but wait. Have you been misled into thinking that you’ve already heard about my favorite from the VTV album?

If so, you’re SO WRONG!

*Waits for the initial shock to subside* …

…

… (*chuckles* :D)

Yes. Swallow this: Despite Aaromale, despite Mannipaaya, despite Hosanna, I’ve still gone and fallen in love with an unexpected song from the lot of VTV. Well, perhaps the drama I’m trying to create is unnecessary, but atleast I for one, was surprised by my choice.

The pick of the album for me is “Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya” by Karthik.

Starting off with a strum, and almost a wispy, recital of words “Oone, uyire, unakkaaka thudithen, vinmeeney“, Karthik breathes an ethereal quality into this piece that’s almost impossible to place. The song is just out-of-this-world.

Close your eyes and listen to ARR developing the layers that bubble in the background with Karthik’s voice till they melt with his, and you know why. The notes go up and down in waves, and just when you’re thinking it’s reached a place from where it cannot return, out comes an unpredictable twist, and you’re left with your eyebrows an inch higher than usual.

Karthik, the singer, is one of ARR’s BEST finds – and another favorite of mine. Incredibly diverse and rich vocals, he’s shown himself as capable of a wide spectrum, from the “Enakku Oru Girlfriend” to “Oru Maalai” to “Ale Ale” to “Unpaarvayil/Niluvadhamu”. And now this. Top Class!

The VTV album has two other tracks – Anbil and Omana Penne. Both are pretty popular, and interesting in their own way, but for me, they come below the 5 above, and so I don’t attempt anything beyond a mention.

My rating for the album overall? Given that I feel extremely satiated (and have Visitor to thank for!! *beeg smiles* :D), I would give this a 4.25. (Warning: Rating is calculated after extensive research, regression and quantitative arithmetic jugglery, so don’t dare question me !!… ;))

What a delightful experience!!

Love, The Retro Way

Once in a while, you come across these songs that you remember forever.

It’s like these songs are stuck in time, and each time you listen to them, you’re transported back to those years – when you were a different person, when your heart was naive, when you had emotions so strong that they altered the chemistry of your body.

Such songs have the capability to trigger long-forgotten sensations within you. The recollection becomes a physical experience… veering into synesthetic awareness – you can see, feel and almost *taste* those moments in time.

This blog is dedicated to three such songs – retro hindi at that… Ageless songs, phenomenal music, awesome lyrics..and that haunting characteristic that’s so indescribable. Enjoy 🙂

Aisa Sama Na Hota

One of the most incredible voices in Indian history, Lata Mangeshkar, graces this song, and how. As if her honeyed, luscious tones were not enough to send you into a blissful stupor, she has this way of inducing a pang into certain parts of the song – listen to “rahe wo hi waadein wo hi badla kuch nahi, phir bhi tere milne se he duniya kyon hasi”, to understand what I mean.

Youtube allows me to share the video, so here it is. And if I you’re ogling at Sanjay Dutt’s angelic face, well, I don’t blame you ;-).

Tere Dar Par Sanam

Another woman singing this again, yet a favorite of mine, and incidently, A.R. Rahman’s too 😉 – judging by the number of times he’s made her croon his loveliest of numbers : Sadhana Sargam. This song is one of her best but I won’t attribute the success of the song only to her.

Just listen to the violin piece at the start of the song. And feel your heart bleed.

Can you believe Anu Malik is the composer? True to his nature, the piano prelude is lifted from ‘Summer of 42’. But you’ve still got to hand it to him – for melding the piano with the violin seamlessly, for sustaining the expectations from the prelude, and creating a song that’s poignant and laced with a kind of passion that can only be called … *Searing*.

The video is no great shakes – esp. since I hate both the lead actors. But if you believe love can transcend into the territory of dementia, you can sort of accept these two being picked to depict that. Nevertheless, preferably, close your eyes, and soak in only the song.

Tu, tu hai wohi, dil ne jise

Can love be playful? Can it be as much the desire to possess another soul as the need to discover the freedom of the spirit?

Is it a promise? A promise made, to be each other’s soul mate – and to bound to each other, in eternity?

Is it the merging of two waves of consciousness into the sea of the universe?

Well, perhaps it is all of these and more. Listing this song here, is an attempt to pay tribute as much to the words as to the music – so let me write down a few of the former here:

“Mein aawaaz hoon tho, tu he geet mera” (If I’m the voice, then you’re my song)

“Tujhe mein jahaan ki nazar se chura loon, kahin dil ke kone mein tujhko chupa loon” (I’ll steal you away from the eyes of the world, and hide you in a corner of my heart)

“Mil jaye iss tarah, do lahrein jiss tarah, phir hona juda, haan yeh waada raha” (..let’s unite so, like two waves, never to be separated from each other – and that’s a promise forever)

The Sax, the whistling, the claps, the flute (how unusual, and incredibly creative!) and the two brilliant voices – a sprightly Asha Bhosle, and a delightfully virile Kishore Kumar (Oh boy, I could spout pages of poetry now, just at the mention of Kishore. *Dreamy Sigh*)  – I could listen to this song for 100 more years, and not get tired of it. Here it is:

Lyrical Love – Part III

I cannot help but come back to the lyrical love posts. Each time a beautiful song about love plays on my ipod, I am tempted to write down its lyrics and capture my emotions in its lovely words… written out on my blog.

This time however, I have songs in four languages to the kitty… Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and English 🙂 :

1) Saathiya, Tune Kya Kiya (Love – Hindi)

This is an older song from the Bollywood 80’s (when Salman Khan was still thin and had lots of hair on his head ;-)). Some of us mallus were amazed at the (wierd?) combination of a popular Malayalee actress Revathi with Salman in a movie called “Love” (See the song in YouTube). But anyways, I bring up this movie now not to dron about its unusual pairing but for this timeless song…

The music (by Anand Milind) captures that era and leaves you feeling like you’re walking in the Bombay of the 80’s… on an evening as the sun is setting; your heart is filled with the joy of being alive, and love. The song is sung by two South Indian singers – the maestro SP Balasubramaniam and the woman with the voice of gold – KS Chitra. SPB is flawless as usual and Chitra’s accent for once doesn’t distract you from her beautiful voice. The lilts in their voices as they sing the “la-la-la” sweeps you off your feet, a rush of emotions capture you as you echo those words with the song that makes you want to run (Bollywood style) straight into the arms of a lover, who’s telling you “jaana kahaan? aa dil mein aa”…….*Sigh*.
Not surprising, since it is penned by the genius Majrooh Sultanpuri.

[Male]
Saathiya, tune kya kiya
Beliya, tune kya kiya…

[Female]
Maine kiya, tera intezaar…

[Male]
Itna karo na mujhe pyaar… (2)

[Female]
Saathiya, tune kya kaha
Beliya, tune kya kaha…

[Male]
Yoon na kabhi, karna intezaar…

[Female]
Maine kiya he tumse pyaar… (2)

[Paragraph]
[Male]
Itni mohabbat, seh na sakoonga
Sach maano zinda, reh na sakoonga…

[Female]
Tujhko sambhaaloon, yeh mera zimma
Main hoon tho kya hum, jaane tamanna…

[Male]
Ab jeena marna mera, jaanam tere haath he…

[Female]
Maine kaha na sanam, ab tu mere saath he…

[Male]
Tho phir sambhaal, ke main chala

[Female]
Jaana kahaan, aa dil mein aa (la-la-la…)

Saathiya….

[Paragraph]
[Female]
Dil ke chaman ka, hasna tho dekho
Jaage nazar ka, sapna tho dekho

[Male]
Aise hue hum, ek jaan ek dil
Tu he ke main hoon, kehna he mushkil

[Female]
Jhonka basanti he tu,
Than he gulaabi mera…

[Male]
Do rang milne ke baad,
hothe nahi he juda

[Female]
Tho phir sambhaal, ke main chala

[Male]
Jaana kahaan, aa dil mein aa (la-la-la…)

Saathiya…

2) Munbe Vaa (S(J)illinu oru kaadhal – Tamil)

It would be sacrilege if I don’t mention Munbe Vaa in a blog devoted to love and beautiful songs. (And yes, I know I have written about this before in my album review but I can still speak volumes about this song ;)) This has kept me company for many of my travel journeys, times when I would listen ardently to the lyrics, and wonder if there would be the perfect love in my life. And then, when I would listen to them again, and sing along… living my idea of the perfect love. Munbe Vaa is one of AR’s best melodies. The prelude piece brings visions of droplets of water falling, dancing rather, as they fall softly onto the earth – only to blend with other droplets and flow into an ocean as the main song emerges.

[Female]
Munbe vaa en anbe vaa
OoNe vaa uyire vaa

Munbe vaa en anbe vaa
Poo poovai poopom vaa

Naan, naana kEtEn ennai naane
Naan…. neeya, nenjam sonnathey

Munbe vaa…

[Chorus]
Rango rangoli
KOlangal nee pOttaal
KOlam pOttava kaigal vazhi…
Vallayal sattham

Jal jal….

Rango rangoli
KOlangal nee pOttaal
KOlam pOttava kaigal vaazhi
Sundara malligai sandhana malligai
Sinthiya punnagai vannam enna…

[Female]
Poovaithai poovaithai
Nee poovaikkor poovaithai
MaNa poovaithu poovaitha
Poovaikkul thee vaithai, oh…

[Male]
Theyney nee mazhayil aada
Naan maan naan nanainthen vaada
En naalathil un rattham naadikuL unn sattham
Uyire…ho…

[Female]
ThOzhi oru sila naazhi
Thaniyena aanaal tharayinil neendhum mmm.

Munbe vaa en anbe vaa
OoNe vaa uyire vaa…

[Male]
Naan, naana kEtEn ennai naane
Naan… neeya, nenjam sonnathey…

[Female]
Munbe vaa…

[Male]
Nilavidam vaadagai vaangi
Vizhi veettinil kudi vaikkalaama
Naan vazhum veettukul
Veraarum vanthaley
Thagumaa…

[Female]
Thenmalai thEykakku nee thaan
Unthan thoLgaLil idam tharalamaa
Naan saayum thOlmel verorum saaynthaley
Thagumaa…

[Male]
Neerum sengula cherum
Kalanthathu poley kalanthavar yaar…

Munbe vaa…

The song is written by Vaali, and sung by Naresh and Shreya. See the video here. And I have seen lots of people requesting it, and have been prey to it myself – the translation of this song. Couple of versions are available on the net, but the best one I liked is this.

3) Moovanthiyaay Pagalil (Pakshe – Malayalam)
This is not a song most people refer to often. But it is a phenomenal one, if ever there can be one. Music by Johnson, written by K Jayakumar, sung by the “gaana gandharvan” Dr. KJ Yesudas. The song embodies a more mature love and its inherent sadness, pain, angst. The music and words burn into your heart, its warm embers glowing through your eyes causing you to hold yourself close, lest those feelings burst out of your heart and lose you in their midst.

[Male]
Moovanthiyaay pakalil raavin viral sparshanam
TheerangaLil baashpa deepangaLil
POrithal naaLamaay nombaram…

Moovanthiyaay…

RavEReyaay piriyaanaruthathoru nOvin rapadikaL (2)
Choodathora poompeelikaLaal koodonnu koottiyallo,
Janmangalee veenayil meettum eenam
Moolunnu raakkattukal

Moovanthiyaay…

YaamangaLil kozhiyan madiyaayoru tharam thEngunnuvo (2)
InnOrmayil kilivaathilukal thaane thurannuvallo,
DoorangaLil enthino kannu chimmi
Veendum nishagandhikaL

Moovanthiyaay…

4) Is This Love (Whitesnake – English)
This is my most special song and it will remain so forever. I heard it for the first time (sent to me by my very special person ;)) at a time when I was just waltzing into love and to this day each time I hear it, it brings in those wave of emotions. The thrill, the magic and the feeling of floating in air :). It beats everything else in this world. (Btw, you can see the video here)

Should have known better
Than to let you go alone
(It’s) Times like these
Can’t make it on my own
Wasted days, and sleepless nights
An’ I can’t wait to see you again…

Find I spend my time
Waiting on your call
How can I tell you, babe
Back’s against the wall…

Need you by my side
To tell me it’s alright
Cos’ I don’t think I can take anymore…

Is this love, that I’m feeling
Is this the love, that I’ve been searching for
Is this love, or am I dreaming
This must be love
Cos’ it’s really got a hold on me…
Hold on me…

Can’t stop the feeling
Been this way before
But, with you I’ve found the key
To open any door

Can feel my love for you
Growin’ stronger day by day
An’ I can’t wait too see you again…

So I can hold you in my arms

Is this love that I’m feeling
Is this the love that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming
This must be love
Cos’ it’s really got a hold on me…

Hold on me…

Is this love…

Hmmm. Yes, it is! 😉