Year in Review: Top 10 songs
My top 10 for the year...
10. Raa Raa, movie: CHANDRAMUKHI - When I first saw the song name, I thought it would be similar to Raa Raa Ramaiah in Baasha. The surprise was lurking. Telugu lyrics. Can't understand, but the composition was good. Another Carnatic-based number. However Jyotika's dancing was funny. Only I could have done worse.
9. Chi Chi Chi, movie: MAJAA - I hated - absolutely abhorred - this song during the first helping. But subsequently, this mesmerising number has climbed into my top 10 list. Very good improvisation in the charanam. Starts badly - unconventionally, rather - and surprises as it moves. Typical Vidyasagar duet. Shankar Mahadevan excels.
8. Enna Paarkiraai, movie: THAVAMAI THAVAMIRUNDHU - "Why should such a good song end so abruptly?" was my initial reaction (you'll know if you see the movie). Excellent interludes (flute?). I would have placed it at 8 just for this one line - "Thanimai kodiyadha?"
7. Thazhuvudhu Nazhuvudhu, movie: ANBE AARUIYIRE - Another hate-love relationship. The refrain "Oru kanam oodal, maru kanam koodal, irandaiyum..." is winning! SPB, you are a world champion!
6. Theepidikka Theepidikka, movie: ARINTHUM ARIYAMALUM - Don't know if MKT would have appreciated it, everyone else has! Without doubt, the remix of the century!
5. Ding Dong Koyilmani, movie: JI - The only relieving feature of a complete failure of a movie. The initial humming is too good. Madhu Balakrishnan deserves a kudos!
4. Iyengaru Veettu Azhage, movie: ANNIYAN - The one song that gives single Tam-Brahms like me any hope at all! I virtually lived with this song during my many slogfests (alternate term for long working days). Harris Jayaraj's mastery is evident!
3. Chinna Chinna Sigarangal, movie: KANAA KANDEN - Percussion makes perfect. A fabulous song. Both singers (especially Sunitha Sarathy) have done well.
2. Oru Maalai Ilaveyil, movie: GHAJINI - In many lists, this would be numero uno. What happens when two great talents come together? A world-beating song. Karthik + Harris Jayaraj, a combo potent of defeating anyone. Great! Great!! Great!!!
And...
1. Konjam Konjam, movie: ARINTHUM ARIYAMALUM - In many lists, this song would be absent. I have already dedicated a post in praise of this song and the singer,Maheeva Mahua Kamat. I should have listened to this one song a few hundred times, and each time, I discover something. This number combines a lot of styles, of which the qawwali stands out. I have no second thoughts... this is the best Tamil movie song of the year.
But hang on...
My profession demands that I do something nerdy. Since computers start counting from zero, I'm still left with one position to fill up. But this is a special position, and it has to be filled up with something really really special... Which is Ilaiyaraaja's Thiruvasagam. The entire album, I've heard nothing like it. And chances are I may never! To someone who leans towards divinity, this is a treasure trove! I would rate the entire album at position zero, but if asked for one specific song, I would settle for Koththumbi!
9. Chi Chi Chi, movie: MAJAA - I hated - absolutely abhorred - this song during the first helping. But subsequently, this mesmerising number has climbed into my top 10 list. Very good improvisation in the charanam. Starts badly - unconventionally, rather - and surprises as it moves. Typical Vidyasagar duet. Shankar Mahadevan excels.
8. Enna Paarkiraai, movie: THAVAMAI THAVAMIRUNDHU - "Why should such a good song end so abruptly?" was my initial reaction (you'll know if you see the movie). Excellent interludes (flute?). I would have placed it at 8 just for this one line - "Thanimai kodiyadha?"
7. Thazhuvudhu Nazhuvudhu, movie: ANBE AARUIYIRE - Another hate-love relationship. The refrain "Oru kanam oodal, maru kanam koodal, irandaiyum..." is winning! SPB, you are a world champion!
6. Theepidikka Theepidikka, movie: ARINTHUM ARIYAMALUM - Don't know if MKT would have appreciated it, everyone else has! Without doubt, the remix of the century!
5. Ding Dong Koyilmani, movie: JI - The only relieving feature of a complete failure of a movie. The initial humming is too good. Madhu Balakrishnan deserves a kudos!
4. Iyengaru Veettu Azhage, movie: ANNIYAN - The one song that gives single Tam-Brahms like me any hope at all! I virtually lived with this song during my many slogfests (alternate term for long working days). Harris Jayaraj's mastery is evident!
3. Chinna Chinna Sigarangal, movie: KANAA KANDEN - Percussion makes perfect. A fabulous song. Both singers (especially Sunitha Sarathy) have done well.
2. Oru Maalai Ilaveyil, movie: GHAJINI - In many lists, this would be numero uno. What happens when two great talents come together? A world-beating song. Karthik + Harris Jayaraj, a combo potent of defeating anyone. Great! Great!! Great!!!
And...
1. Konjam Konjam, movie: ARINTHUM ARIYAMALUM - In many lists, this song would be absent. I have already dedicated a post in praise of this song and the singer,
But hang on...
My profession demands that I do something nerdy. Since computers start counting from zero, I'm still left with one position to fill up. But this is a special position, and it has to be filled up with something really really special... Which is Ilaiyaraaja's Thiruvasagam. The entire album, I've heard nothing like it. And chances are I may never! To someone who leans towards divinity, this is a treasure trove! I would rate the entire album at position zero, but if asked for one specific song, I would settle for Koththumbi!
3 Comments:
No.5 is one of the true 'haunting melodies', to use a cliche (which itself is a cliche, but I digress..(damn! another cliche))
The only jarring bit about the song is the use of the words 'Ding Dong'... I have no idea what else could have been used in place of that, but anything would be better than 'Ding Dong'.... no really..
In Oru Maalai Ilaveyil you've forgotten one person... Thaamarai... we've had men lyricists writing songs of man->woman, woman -> man...
women lyricists are themselves rare. writing a man->woman song is even rarer... the lyrics were really romantic.
Hi Vijaya Krishna,
Wishing You and Your Family a New Year thats Filled with all the Excitement of Living Each day to the fullest
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