Well written and with good insight! Like this post a lot. Thanks Vithur!
--- In [email protected], Vithur <vith...@...> wrote: > > On the day A R Rahman received > <http://in.movies.yahoo.com/news-detail/41910/Bollywood-hails-Rahman-winning-Golden-Globe.html>the > Golden Globe Award, I decided that, if Rahman went on to win the > Oscars<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcKhIykF72I>, > I would blog about My Top 10 Favorite A R Rahman tracks. So here they are. > > The first comment I received from most of my friends, is that, Top 10 is too > small a thing to contain the full Rahman. Even the Oscars had to catch up so > late, so what can you say about an upstart blogger's ad-hoc listings ? So so > true, I knew it before I listed them. When I pulled a piece of paper and > went on to scribble 'top-of-mind-recall' tracks, the list came to 35, in the > first two minutes. Yet, there are so many Top 10 > lists<http://www.mouthshut.com/review/Ten_Best_Songs_of_A.R.Rahman-57146-1.html>, > let me just add one more. Not that my list matters, particularly since my > music sense is well-documented on this blog > before<http://whirlmind.blogspot.com/2009/03/value-of-tenacity-in-youth.html>. > But after all, as Munnabhai put > it<http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=aamir+rangeela+apun+public&btnG=Google+Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=>, > apun public hai public, kya ? > > If you don't like Rahman, simple, I don't like you. :) :) . But, since the > world is so vast and has unnecessary room for all of us, and I also want to > pride about balanced perspectives even when they are irrelvant, I still have > stuff for people who don't like his music: I'll make a mention of the few > things that I don't like about ARR's music, towards the end. It so happens, > some of my favorites in this list are from Tamil, because I also relate to > the lyrics. But, I am sure, most of these are equally enjoyable in their > Hindi and Telugu or even Swahili equivalents. > > Most links point to : Wikipedia/Youtube/Dhingana > > 10. Kannum kannum kollai > adithal.<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gp2v5vCsvs>.. > The Artham Song from Thiruda Thiruda <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108329/> > .... > > I can only start from the time I started listening to A R Rahman's music. > Unlike so many others who proudly mention today that they knew him from the > good old days when he was known as Dileep, like > this<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mani_Shankar>movie director I had > dinner with. I arrived rather late into that world. > Life had been busy, juggling between college, part-time/summer jobs, service > activities and competitive exams. I hadn't watched movies for the previus 7 > years. The comfort of touching a 4-digit salary for the first time > (particularly when you started with 2-digits) allows you certain > indulgences. Roja<http://www.dhingana.com/roja/movie/songs/hindi/latest/173>, > in all its glory, had come and gone, taking the music world by storm while I > was busy in chinna chinna velai. I would catch up with it later. > > I was staying at my friend's place, who was preparing for PG Medical > Entrance and I was surprised to see that, about once in two hours or so, he > would, take a break, play a couple of songs, jump around and get back to > serious study. One of them was, Kannum kannum kollai adithal. It's exam > time, try it out, may be with companion track, Putham pudhu bhoomi > vendum<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuUIQu9KiqM>. > When I last heard, my friend had made it big, both in medicine and in music. > :) :) If you try it with some other song, I am not responsible. (As if > otherwise I am). > > 9. Radha Kaise Na > jaley<http://www.dhingana.com/lagaan/movie/songs/hindi/latest/302>.. > from Lagaan.. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagaan>. > > There are some tunes which infect you and infect all others who come in > contact with you all through the day. Because, you began your day singing it > when you came out of the bathroom, having taken your cool time, insensitive > to the subtle needs of the waiting roommates. It used to be Hariharan's > 'Pachai > Niramey <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHE_aJMVSTA>' for one of my friends, > and the hum for him and haunt for the others used to be so much that, others > would cry out and plead for change of track or change of bathroom ... 'hey.. > please da.....' . For me, it is Radha Kaise na Jaley.. Oh, how many times, I > have looped and looped and listened to this.... > > 8. Nilaa > Kaaykiradhu<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxkri9Gw87o&feature=related>... > from Indira <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indira_%28film%29> > > If you are still under the myth that Rahman is all about Shivamani's drums > and western-sounding music, you should hear this kiddu song from Indira, > almost carnatic piece. So melodious, so soothing, so relaxing, you won't > read the rest of this post because you will fall asleep. If you are the > fast-track type, replace this rank with Kannodu > Kaanbhathellam<http://www.raaga.com/playerV31/index.asp?pick=3853&bhcp=1>from > Jeans <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeans_%28film%29>. > > 7. Pachai Kiligal Tholodu <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_RKWIz5dyE>... > from Indian... <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_%28film%29> > There was a time, for 10 months, when I was (literally) jobless, and if > carrom board can be considered keeping busy, one of my hobbies (?!) was to > re-write the lyrics of my favorite Rahman tracks to my favorite devotional > themes and share it with friends. One from that time, is this, rendered by > Yesudas, who, well, actually knew ARR from the time when he was Dileep. I > would love to give this remix-friendly slot to Oruvan Oruvan > Mudhalali<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_NOyAakmK0>, > which even the Japanese liked <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muthu>, but, no, > this is not about Kamal vs. Rajni or about SPB vs. Yesudas, its ARR vs. ARR. > > 6. Bharat humko jaan se bhee pyara > hai<http://www.dhingana.com/roja/movie/songs/hindi/latest/173>.... > from Roja <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roja> > > It's now well-known that Patriotism is Rahman's best and favorite forte. No > cultural event or a programme on patriotism would be complete without this > piece from Roja. For a change, I like the Hindi version much better, because > it sounds much more unifying. I have heard it being used and re-used again > and again in patriotic plays and everytime it sounds as inspiring as it did > the first time. > > 5. Bombay - Theme Tune - Instrumental > :<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGvU4fdVb-w> > > There are some tunes for which you don't need lyrics. It's as if the tune > can convey the context and the sentiments of the moment. The theme tune > instrumental of Bombay is one such. Less luck for Kadri > Gopalnath<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadri_Gopalnath>'s > saxophone, because I had to push out Mettu > Podu<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7mMLm6jZTo>from > Duet <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duet_%28film%29> and make way for this > popular choice for the instrumental slot. > > 4. Yeh Tara Woh Tara <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HabrmCs7nFA>... from > Swades <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swades>... > > If there can be a very simple-sounding tune, as if straight out of a school > annual day programme, yet one that flows gentle and cool like a river into > your ears and make you forget those 7 minutes and 53 seconds, and bring with > it a message for change, you need a track like this. > > 3. Maa Tujhe Salaam from Vande Mataram : > <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ399KOoNRA> > > If someone could re-ignite the interest of youth in patriotism through > modern music, ARR would be sure on the list. The rendering of Vande Mataram, > should make you join the crowd and hum or sing out aloud. If it doesn't, you > could have been born anywhere, not necessarily in India. :) :) Even the > halls in Los Angeles do it, when ARR performs it > live<http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=rahman+vande+mataram+live&aq=f>, > though he mostly does it as Maa Tujhe Salaam instead of Thai Manney > Vanakkam<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnidvlpw8oM&feature=related>which > has equally inspiring lyrics. > > 2. Iswar Allah Tere Jahan mein > <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoFLmdgiisw>.... > from 1947 Earth <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1947_Earth>... > > This is one song that mesmerized me when I heard it the first time, > introduced by a friend <http://raamp.blogspot.com/>. It was much before I > saw the movie, even before I knew it was composed by A R Rahman. It still > has the same effect on me. > > And the Nams-car award goes to... :) > > 1. Pray for me, > Brother<http://www.dhingana.com/play/pray-for-me/NDYyNzQ%3D/pop/1> > > The best track, gets the least number of words in tribute, because, when you > listen to good music, you don't talk about it, you don't blog about it, you > don't go gaga about it and jump about it. You just listen. If you have done > all that, you come back and listen once again. And may be pray thereafter. > Silence can bring out the music in you, and, such music, can bring about a > silence in you. This is one such piece. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Irony, no ? Jai Ho <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jai_Ho> is not among the > Top 10. I think, far greater music has been composed by A R Rahman, and the > worldwide recognition was long due. It had to happen through Jai Ho, and it > did, because of the movie's Englishwala visibility or whatever. I do like > the track a lot, however. I agree once again with the many-faced > blogger<http://manyaface.blogspot.com/>, > who is attributed to have said, that if ARR gets the Oscar for Jai Ho, it > would be like Einstien <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein>getting the > Nobel Prize for explaining Photo-Electric effect. > > Even for my own favorites, the list is grossly incomplete. There is no > Sapnay <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapnay>, no > Rhythm<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_%28film%29>, > no Taal <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taal_%28film%29>, no > Water<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_%282005_film%29>, > no Jeans <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeans_%28film%29>, no > Guru<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_%282007_film%29>, > no Yuva <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuva>, not even Alai > Payudhey<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaipayuthey>? > What kind of a funny list is this, without Chikku Bukku > Railey<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chikku_Bukku_Rayile>, > Muqabla <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dil_Se> and > Masti-ki-Pathshala<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rang_De_Basanti>? > > Change the topic.... > > Jaane Tu is not there, because I was put off by the accidental, but obvious, > resembling in the first few seconds of the song had with 'Appudo Eppudo' > from Bommarillu <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaane_Tu..._Ya_Jaane_Na>. That > the rest of the song follows a totally different tune should, of course, be > mentioned in the same beat. > > I don't like when the excellence of lyrics in one language gets diminished > when it's re-written in another language. Vennilave > Vennilave<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsKIlhn6if8>'s > is way better than Chanda Rey > , but no other language could match Rangeela > Re<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzbpGWAJPzg>in Hindi, with which > Rahman made his Hindi debut. I also don't like it when > Rahman, re-uses one of his earlier tunes in a different context, for the > sake of adapting it to Hindi or English, particularly when the earlier > version was so wonderful. 'Poraley Ponnu > thaayi<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LxI-NY2cgQ>' > in Karuthamma <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karuththamma>was so beautiful, > demonstrating ARR's music for a rural setting. Gurus of > Peace<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJhZD7zx_Ns>in Vande Mataram is > good, but I think the Karuthamma song was better though > it may not have had the same reach as Vande Mataram. Taal's famous > Ishq > Bina<http://www.dhingana.com/play/-ishq-bina-/MTgwOQ%3D%3D/pop/1>,reworked > for "Love isn't so easy" in Bombay > Dreams <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_Dreams>, made it only worse... > > I also like it better when old friend Shivamani is felt but contained, like > in Roja jaaneman <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSvJzG1FhuI>, though the > roaring success of a lot of songs including > Azeem-o-shan-shahenshah<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jodha_Akbar>andChaiyya > chaiyya<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_2gW3zwMMQ>, > is precisely because of the domination and flawless delivery of drums. > > http://whirlmind.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-top-10-favorite-r-rahman-songs.html#comments > -- > regards, > Vithur >
