The Unheard Years : Raja in the mid 90s

[Devaraagam]

Song No: 28
Song: Kottum Melangal
Film: Makkal Aatchi
Singers: Chitra
Lyricist: Muthulingam
Link: http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer...0'&lang=en

First NEPV, then work and then non functioning broadband kept me away from continuing this. But this series is close to my heart so I cannot give a big break. Given the tight situation on the professional front, I will probably be doing two writeups per week. I guess that will give people enough time to digest the songs and the writeup.

This song was a request from a friend called Sridhar, on twitter, @maya_twit. A very ardent Raja fan, he asked me to consider this song. As usual, this was the first time hearing for me. People can tell if this song was popular. This is one of those 'almost' Malayalam songs I would say. A soft and slow melody but with some very attractive rhythm. Chitra has sung many such songs for Raja and she does a class job. Songs like 'Shivamallipoove', 'Sitagathi Penoruthi', 'virahamay vipalamayi' come to mind.

The song starts with what sounds like a tribal beat and with women chorus before Chitra joins in with the Madhyamavathi based tune. And what a pallavi he constructs. Seeming simple but so charming, especially when she goes, 'poon kuruvi' and the female chorus joins her. The whole tune is like someone caressing you with a feather. The first interlude is typical Raja. The flute and violins playing counter to each other with the bass joining in.

The charanam is another master stroke. Raja keeps the rhythm instruments aside and lets only the bass and violins provide the rhythm. Very surprising given the high emphasis on the rhythm aspect in the pallavi. Only he can think this way. The way the melody moves with the female chorus joining in mildly is again typical Raja as is the way he joins back to the pallavi. The second interlude goes a step above the first one, with the bass playing a prominent part and the strings playing the countermelody.

An excellent song which showcases Raja's grip on the Indian raga as well as his grip on WCM. Ofcourse we can say this for many of his songs

Suresh,

you surprised me by posting this song because even I did not give attention to this song as I am saying I am 90's generation. I heard kathavukku, ippothenna, naadu irukura then melloor maaman becasue it was played lot of times in sun tv during those days. I dont know how did I miss this song

Today I had listened this song many time and got inside into me because it was too fresh for me.

I liked the rythm pattern used in this as need some more repeat to feel the song.