A TIny Drop from the "Symphony" Ocean !. Review on Ten Best Songs of Ilayaraja

Music has always fascinated me. But as a child(with nothing to worry about) I have always found it complex to understand how people can get so much involved in music. But on hindsight, I can gather that I have been always involved to whatever song/tune I've listened to, and that has stayed in the heart forever. The trademark Doordarshan channel background music and the symbol is just one example.

Though Harris, Rehman and Ilayaraja's son Yuvan might have captured the Top Charts in Tamil film music, one would prefer to listen to Ilayaraja's tunes and indulge in the melody repeatedly. Notwithstanding the changing trends in music, Ilayaraja is undoubtedly the maestro. Listing just 10 songs as his best, seems(and is)  an arduous task. Its like discounting his matchless contribution. Nevertheless, I have purported to categorize few of my favorites according to different  genres/emotional states.

Devotional:- 

Though I used to wake up listening to his classic "Malar pola malargindra." song about Mother in Vijay TV at 5.30 am, his rendition "Janani Janani" from the film "Thai Mookhambigai" is divine. Starting with a Sloka, the Veena medley adds to the beauty of the song, not to mention IR's flawless articulation. Though this song only affected me to the extent that I asked my mother why she didn't name me Janani then, now I could fully associate with the divinity in the song.

The song can be heard and seen in this link:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=X7n7lPpuBzU

*Admire Mother Nature:-

Songs starting with the word Nila(Moon) are umpteen. So much so that the Antakshari participants are spoilt for choice. Among the nila songs, "Ilaya Nila Pozhigirathae"sung by SPB from **"Payanangal Mudivathillai"  is a refreshing number.(There is a Hindi song in the same tune, I guess the remake of the Tamil movie). Though the credit for the meanigful and creative lyrics can't be given to IR, he is to be applauded for giving life to the lyrics and for not making it jazzy and painful to the ears.(which is happening these days).

Enjoy this at:

https://rakkamma.com/filmsongdetails.phtml?filmid=434&songid=1845

*The daunting task of waiting:-

An otherwise cheerful guy's mind, is filled with confused emotions, not knowing whether the girl to whom he has proposed would accept his love or not. Every second seems to pass like an era to the guy. Listening to just the first line of "Ennai Thaalatta Varuvalo"** would explain this perplexed state of mind of the guy. This song from "Kaadhalukku Mariyathai" which bettered the prospects of Vijay, made me cease my cosmetics shopping, cross the road and buy this cassette from the shop where this was played, when I heard it the first time.Hariharan's voice gelled well with Vijay's disposition in the movie.

Link for this song is:-

https://youtube.com/watch?v=isbiF6MUv2o&mode=related&search=

*Stage/Concert type song:-

Actor Mohan of yesteryears was mockingly alluded as Mike Mohan, as he's been one person whose been damn lucky to act in movies when IR was in the peak of his career and Mohan has been featured as a stage singer/performer in most such movies. The starting tune of the song "Sangeetha Megham" fromUthaya Geetham **is the favourite ring tone of many in the South. The frequent variation of high and low pitch in this songs is a treat to the ears.

Listen to this hit by SPB in:-

https://youtube.com/watch?v=CNjwh64DHgE&mode=related&search=

Folk Number:-*

"Murattu Kaalai" the movie which begot the "Superstar status" to the ever stylish Rajni, features a scene wherein the hero emerges victoriously from the perfunctory wild bull taming custom of villages.In the song "Pothuvaaga en manasu thangam." . the Dhoti clad Rajini, flanked by villagers old and young, the folk tune and Rajni's unique dance steps all form a superhit fusion.

Link for this song:-

https://youtube.com/watch?v=1D9EX3ZnMUw

Juvenile Attraction:-

IR's 500 th movie was "Anjali" a movie about a less fortunate child, revolving around other children as well. Though I feel the movie & songs picturisation were overdone, the songs were remarkable. IR's children and his nephews have sung some numbers in this movie. This song was a definite choice for group song competitions at Schools then. Ideal and apt for children.

Don't miss this song featuring cute children:-

https://youtube.com/watch?v=MVZQ4FKiC44

Enticing romance:-*

This is THE EXTREMELY difficult task. IR's work ranges from pleasant romantic melodies to scintillating seductive music. Watching "Punnagai Mannan" as a kid, I had no clue what the movie or the songs were all about. The song "Enna satham intha neram"from this movie is arguably IR's best work on love songs. The flute interlude in the song, the tinge of sadness that SPB brings into the song, everything makes the song awesome.

As it may not be advisable for some underage MSians to view the video, I give the link to the audio here:)

https://tamilbeat.com/tamilsongs/inter/punnagaimannan/

To suit the melancholic mood :-

Among other components which led to the success of ManiRatnam's Mouna Raagam, IR's music(again including the background music during Karthic's screen presence in particular) made an everlasting impact on the viewers. The subdued tune of the song "Mandram Vantha Thedralukku" gives a glimpse of the strained husband and wife relationship. Though a sad song, I felt the tune(which was later adapted in Hindi) suited the title track ofCheeni Kum very well; which only proves that its more in the way the playback singers add to the required  mood of the song. This song is another hit in the IR-SPB combination.(Unnecessary info: We used to have a practice of playing this song after the yearly ceremony of performance appraisal, to symbolically indicate thumbsdown)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Zi3wsC7bchc&feature=related

The Obsessed Mind sings thus:-*

Kamal, (in a not so handsome make over), confuses obsession with love in the movie Guna. The song "Paartha Vizhi paarthapadi." is a classic number. The brevity of this song(by Yesudoss), seems the song is incomplete to me, and I listen to it twice to satisfy myself. This short song is shot in a Temple scenario and the whole sequence is in slow motion.  Yesudoss starts off in a base voice after the chorus, and the song gets over wanting you to listen to it again.

Couldn't get a video version, link for the audio is:-https://raaga.com/channels/tamil/movie/T0000287.html