Vani Jayaram's songs

[RR]

Naaz: Try http://as01.cooltoad.com/music/song.php?id=129060

[Naaz]

RR -

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.
Coolgoose has morphed into Cooltoad? Aandava!

[Ravi_odiyur]

Hi all,

Hope you had a chance to see the programme Sangamam on Vijay TV last Saturday (Dec 17th). This is a programme hosted by singer Mathangi featuring one or two singers each week. Last week it was Vani Jairam and I was immediately reminded of her fans in this forum (esp Naaz). Her vocal prowess has not diminished a bit with age (maybe due to the constant practice) and the range of songs that figured on the programme were also nice - included her film songs, ghazals (in diff languages) and other variety of songs. There is a repeat telecast on Sunday evenings too. But I guess that will be after a few weeks.

Ravi[/i]

[Naaz]

Ravi_odiyur -

No, I did not get to see it, but would be great if you can share/provide more details about the programme and the list of songs etc. Thanks for sharing this bit of news, I had no idea about the show.

[Neel D]

VJ was on Vijay TV again the Friday before New Year's on Sangeetha Sangamam. It was a half hour of semi-classical songs in various languages. Wish it had lasted one hour like it did for some other singers on the same programme series. VJ's performance was absolutely wonderful, as always.

Also VJ started off the New Year for Sun TV at 6:00 am with a devotional concert. I missed this concert unfortunately.

[AV]

http://www.salilda.com/filmsongs/malayalam/aparadhi.asp

Enjoy two beautiful Malayalam duets by VJ - one with Jolly Abraham and one with KJY.

While these two duets are lovely, some songs have something in them to deserve the phrase "just out of this world", like the VJ-KJY duet below.

http://www.salilda.com/filmsongs/mal...raasaleela.asp

[Naaz]

AV -

Thanks for the links. The duet with JA is typical SC: Melody with a built-in contrapuntal device! Brisk with JA and undulating with VJ - the move to Maamalaiyile...with the chorus, is inspired.

While at the SC site, I also discovered two solos by VJ for him in the film, Daisy. Click the hindi list to locate the songs.

Good to see you around here again.

[Naaz]

Neel D -

I hope you don't mind if I continue the discussion of the Savitri song here.
Your analysis was contextual, and your take on the song was spot-on, particularly the emphasis on how "acceptance of fate" becomes the most benign form of violence for women like Savitri. That was truly the case in the film, a remake of Bharathan's "Payanam."

My reading of Kannadasan's lyric is perhaps a little more cynical than yours, and if you don't mind, I'd like to give you my precis on the verses of KD.

Right from the get go, the song establishes its cross-referential leanings. The text is The Ramayana, and KD wants to explore its contemporary ramifications. While the song is specific to Savitri's predicament in the film, it seems unimportant to the listener who knows nothing about the story. After all, the story that the song tries to deconstruct is a well known one, and that's the only requirement.

The song seems to validate the text on the surface, but under it lie a series of rhetorical strategies that are a true KD marvel.

We are taken into the song with a vow, yet KD immediately reminds the listener that that is from a book. Things in life are very different (in the film that turns out to be Savitri's marriage to a man old enough to be her grandfather) but still the path of literature is filled with such "role models" (mostly) for women.

The illusory (or unreal) nature of this adherence to mythology is further demolished when KD does not excuse even the deity Rama from implications of "choice." He who didn't know the difference between a fake deer and a real one, that "role model" is also made suddenly human. Fate or (In) Fallibility? A woman of 20 and a man of 55? As I said, the song is morally ambivalent throughout.

When antiquated notions of modesty and servility are the implied norm, then "marriage" becomes a defeatist enagagement. The influence of textuality is distilled first into an image of fertility - Gangaiyil Yamunaiyil Puthu Vellam..." - just the stage of youth and promise and abundance that Savitri holds within her, and KD instantly turns the verse into a forked tongue on those who would stand by and celebrate such a marriage as duty and not (in)justice. What is crucial is that everybody is following a certain textual "role model", both the givers and the givens in marriage.
"Managayar Vaazhnaalil Manavinai...Manathugal Kulirgindrana..."
It is interesting to note that Savitri does not include her own personal sense of "happiness" in her conclusion. How could such violence warm human hearts? She moves it outward, erasing her singularity and privileging plurality (note the collective in the above lyric) acknowledging her effacement in the name of "adherence."

"Mangalam Kuraiyaamal, Manjallum Azhiyaamal Vaazvathu Nalamallavaa?" Just as she has been "taught" to believe that she should seek happiness from "within," (even in the most oppressive and emotionally annihilating of circumstances from without,) Savitri ends the line with rhetorical ambiguity: "Nalamallavaa?" According to the texts, and those who fundamentally believe in it, yes, of course, it is for the good. But the interrogation here is of the Marriage=Duty/Obligation permise, and hence, more about Savitri's husband, the old man (and, quite literally, the "patriarch") and his power as "status-giver." And not just of him, but also of the chorus of high-priest backers who endorse this textuality through repetition:
"Manavinai Naalandru Vaethiyar Palar Sollum Manthiram Adhu Allavaa?"
Again, "isn't that what they say/chant?" (note the collective)

The song that begins with one big text, moves to another, bigger tome. Kannadasan makes Savitri both the subject and the object of that moral - albeit literary - standard in contemporary times, an exile without exit.

Now don't get me started on Savitri and all the mythic baggage that name carries!

[Neel D]

Naaz,

Good post. My write-up was not necessarily an analysis. It was just an explanation of the way I saw it. When I say "it", I mean the song situation, the composition, the song lines and the rendition. I am not passing any judgement about Savitiri's story or fate. It was just an appreciation of the artistry involved in making that song.

As for Kannadasan's lines, I think he has well exposed the ugliness of the society which justifies unfair practices as values. Isn't that the purpose of the whole movie, anyway? Also, Kannadasan, or any film songwriter, should not be held accountable for the lines they write for film songs. Film songwriters are just trying to put together Director's thoughts and composer's ideas into few poetic lines under strict metrics. It is a very difficult job. Well, it used to be a difficult job up until some 15 years ago :-)

[kingvj]

Hi,

Looooooong ago, there was a devotional album from VJ in which there are songs like 'Madurai Arasilangkiliye, oru mangala vaazhvenakku aliyaen'. Would be glad if someone has any link to download the same.

Also, any links for SJ devotional songs like 'annapoorani easwari, aadhi nee maheswari'... and LRAnjali album with songs like 'Kaanak kaana inbam tharum raathiri'.

TIA.

Vj.