Hoton Pe Beeti Baat Aayi Hai

I wrote this post, in my mind, probably 3-4 months ago...when i revisited this song with a clean slate in my mind. As good as a first listening. The song just took me in.

Angoor was probably the only comedy film made by Gulzar. He adapted the film from Shakespeare's work 'Comedy of Errors'. Some of the films made by him after 1975 had very limited scope for music, or rather, he choose to have only 2-3 songs per film instead of the usual 5 or 6. Angoor was one of them, with only 3 songs. The song which went on to become most popular was 'Roz Roz Daali Daali', a semi-classical number by Asha Bhonsle. This song, however, did not get receive its due attention, despite all its merit.

The most interesting thing about the song, sets off as soon as the songs starts - bass guitar usage interspersed with a very peculiar rhythm cycle. The bass guitar is interspered with a duff like percussion instrument, followed by tabla. Acoustic guitars only support, mildly. Collectively, these sounds enhance the sound canvas of the song enormously. Another testimony of RD's emphasis and fascination for the sound of a song.

Asha's rendition oozes sensuiality particularily when she glides over from 1st line (Hoton Pe beeti Baat aayi hai) to the 2nd (Vaada nibhaane ki raat aayi hai) and then naughtiness when she lets off a 'huh' instead of 'baat', without skipping the beat, at 00.32mins. RD was indeed the last composer who could understand Asha's voice and knew how to tap it.

Flute was always RD's favourite instrument and so was santoor, which he used extensively in many songs right from his first film to his last. Now santoor is a flat-sound instrument, with more number of strings to cover the pitches. The sound from santoor is produced by tapping the string, unlike pulling it, like in a sitar or sarod or veena, to produce a meend. It is precisely here RD defies convention. In the 1st interlude of this song, after a brief interlude between Santoor and Bamboo flute, he gives a 'meend' to the santoor note, at 00:52mins. The santoor in this song was played by Ulhas Bapat, an eminent santoor player. The same idea was again used in his Ijaazat song, 'Mera Kuch Saamaan', 7 years later.

First stanza has the same rhythm cycle continuing through it and one can hear 'oud' like instrument towards its close. The 2nd interlude has the same rhythm, minus the tabla beats and RD's meend on santoor again plays. The acoustic guitars alone stand out when Asha sings 'Yaad hai us din', reminding us about their presence through the song.

It is rather difficult to pinpoint on one high point of the song. RD paints a mood to this song, with minimal usage of instruments and sensuality in Asha's voice giving the song a very 'Nightly' effect. The lyrics just tally with the same, with beautiful lines like 'vaada nibhaane ki raat aayi hai'.Gulzar's brilliant expression of sensual moment comes as the last line of 1st stanza - 'chaand ko chabaane ki raat aayi hai'. Its literal meaning is unimaginative, yet, if one can see moonlight as sweet, then why cant one long for the sugar-cube itself, in a moment of heightened passion.

Hoton Pe Beeti Baat aayi hai...
vaada nibhaane ki raat aayi hai..

Yaad to hogi kuch bhooli bisri...
Aise hi barsi thi..chaand se misri...
Chaand ko chabaane ki raat aayi hai..
Hoton pe beeti baat aayi hai...

Yaad hai us din baarish bhi thi..
chatth pe bheegi khwaahish bhi thi..
Chatth pe jaane ki raat aayi hai..
Hoton pe beeti baat ayi hai..
Vaada nibhaane ki raat aayi hai..

Beautiful lyrics, fantastic rendition and some mind-boggling music makes this song a wonderful listen, particularly in the night time. The song, with all its innovative rhythm pattern, ideas and a defining sound texture, reflects the burning passion, RD had, to be way different from the rest. He was.

R.D.Burman lives on...

Had R.D.Burman been alive, he would have turned 69 today. Barely a month ago, i was digging out few songs of R.D.Burman and listening to them carefully. I was astonished to discover some of the phenomenal ideas which he had pioneered back then. Some of the ideas are still in vogue. Either he was too ahead of his times, or some of these current generation composers have not moved beyond such ideas.

There are/were/will be many composers whose music not only impressed me but also inspired and influenced me. If i need to list them, particularily from the Indian Film Music arena, the list would be really huge. Yet, R.D.Burman has a special place. There were better and more legendary composers than R.D.Burman, yet what sets him completely apart, in my perspective atleast, is the kind of eccentricity which drove him to create unusual music. It was an eccentricity which only the people close to whom understood, and that included his team-members. To think of it, he was probably one of the foremost composers to have a regular team of musicians around him. and people from that team were/are famously known as Pt.Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma or even Trilok Gurthu.

If we carefully study the works of all yester-year composers, we notice that every composer had a distinct style. I like R.D.Burman not only for his distinct style, but also his out-of-the-box-thought-process. His roots were his legendary father for sure, but he imbibed several other elements and forms thus creating a different brand of music. I usually give different key-words to different composers. if it is Hindustani Music to Naushad, then it has to be Western Classical + folk + Indian classical to Salil Chaudhary. If it is pure sensitive melody to Madan Mohan, then it is folk + indian classical + bengali music to S.D.Burman. Shankar JaiKishan for classical + commercial music and C.Ramchandra would get vintage melody. In the case of R.D.Burman, i do not have any keywords. RD itself is a keyword.

R.D's one of the biggest contributions to Indian Film Music is giving importance to sound. sound of a song or even an instrument. If today, RD's team-members assemble and play his music, it purely out of their love for the man who let them gain their stature, by emphasizing on the crispness of sound. And if we trace the sound of R.D's music, it has many phases during which it evolved. His early and mid 60s had vintage sound with lot of traditional instruments. the sound changed in early 70s. His innovative self broke open and he went on to create energetic numbers, one after another, amply punctuating them with wonderful classical numbers too. As 80s came, he began freaking with electronic instruments and a far crisper bass guitar (bass notes rock). The traditional instruments did not lose their place in his ensemble. it was only that he just went on adding things to his scheme of work.

Lot of people have a wrong notion about RD, that RD means only cabaret numbers or fast songs. One rarely talks about his classical songs or even the many other genres he experimented in. If his debut composition was in Raag Malkunji, his last composition was in ChaayaNatt and all that he created in between spanned variety of raagas interspersed with some brilliant ideas borrowed from either western music or baul music or even nature. There are some songs which run as long as 8 mins, with only a single lead melody phrase and yet the music keeps me engrossed.

During my recent tryst with his collection, i chanced upon many wonderful songs, Hindi and Bengali, which went unnoticed before...all carrying some brilliant ideas. Some composers today might be still groping for such kind of ideas. Incidentally, every decent composer of today, right from Shankar-Ehsan-Loy to A.R.Rahman to Shantanu Moitra to Vishal Bharadwaj swear by RD's music. Why not, when people still try to use his ideas. I recently read an interview of Vishal Bharadwaj in which he spoke about his Omkara's "Beedi" song. The song starts off with a "Di-Ding daang ding di-ding daang ding..." and Vishal remarked, "See, RD pops up somewhere or the other". How true? He was referring to the similar pattern RD used on guitar, with a flanger effect, in the song "Dhannon Ki Aankhon Mein" from the film "Kitaab". One might say that RD's era has ended. One might even say that RD was not that great compared to other composers. Yet, one cannot rule out the existence of RD in the pysche of any composer willing to experiment. R.D.Burman lives on...as long as composers want to try something different. Because he dared to be different and he was and what kept him so was only his acute passionate attitude towards music. I am still discovering it all, opening album after album. I hope to write more about specific songs sometime soon.

I am eagerly waiting for a documentary, which was made by a film-maker who studied R.D.Burman's music. It is yet to the released.

Uliyin Osai

Music: Maestro Ilaiyaraaja

Uliyin Osai (Sound of a Chisel) is a period film, based on a script written by Karunanidhi. Expectations were quite high among music buffs, because Ilaiyaraaja was scoring music for a period film after a long time. Some of the recent albums by Ilaiyaraaja evoked mixed response, due to repetitiveness at times or excessive usage of technology. While there were occassonal glimmers in many albums, it has been long time since ilaiyaraaja dished out an album in which all the songs bore his style, living up to quality. Uliyin Osai succeeds exactly there, with some fantastic classical songs. Why/How? Here we go:

1. Abinayam Kaatugindra: Bombay Jayasree, Sudha Raghunathan

A classical song which sets off with heavy mridangam and barely in few seconds, it made me think "Is he back to his violins?". Ilaiyaraaja used his trademark violin ensemble, aptly punctuated by veena and his favourite flute in this wonderful Raagavardhini. ilaiyaraaja has his way of using bass-guitar in classical songs, to add weight to the song and he does exactly the same. The rhythm change in the 2nd half to traditional-folk percussions could make us skip the song a bit, although it doesnt take away anything from the quality of the song. Its just that the song becomes little serious in sound, (probably something to do with the picturisation) and the string section maintains the interest.

2. Aganthaiyil Aadu Vandha: SriRam Parthasarathy, Ilaiyaraaja

The song, another classical gem in the album, starts off with a brief tune of the song, after which ilaiyaraaja recites poetry-like stanzas which has the names of few instruments in it. Predictably, he backs it with the sound of same instruments after which the actual songs sets off in Rasikapriya raaga. Mrindangam and violin accompany the singer in the wonderful melody. A short Veena interlude justifies the ambience created in the sound of the song and immediately the raaga changes to Chalanaata (for 4 lines, while bass guitar gives me goosebumps). I am yet to understand his thought-process behind linking Rasikapriya to Chalanaata. Having touched Chalanaata, the raaga soon transforms to Maayamaalavagowla (including change in Rhythm on Mridangam). Keyboard chords support the MMG, in which the charanam completes and then we come back to Rasikapriya again. He then skips the 2nd interlude and jumps directly to 2nd charanam, again changing the raaga, this time to Saveri. Now this where me and Ravi began to look at the bigger picture. The raaga transitions are not as random as they seem. little bit of explorations revealed to us, the genius of Ilaiyaraaja. Sample this:

This song is based in Rasikapriya. Except for a brief venturing into Chalanata, the song moves to MMG in the 1st charanam. Then in 2nd charanam, it moves to Saveri, before coming back to Rasikapriya in the end.

Maayamaalavagowla -----> Shruthi-bhedam (tonal shift of melodic pattern) = Rasikapriya.

Secondly, saveri =Janya Raaga of MMG (with avarohanam being the same for both the raagas).

So, MMG is the epicentre of this song, while Ilaiyaraaja choose to move from one end of it(Rasikapriya) to the other (Saveri). Interesting idea. But why the chalanaata? the mystery remains. Probably the genius himself can reveal it.

3. Kaalaththai Vendra: Bhavatharini, Sriram Parthasarathy

This song bears ilaiyaraaja signature in every sense. String section, chords, unusual bass guitar usage and ofcourse his favourite raaga - Keeravani. The rhythm pattern is quite unusual, time intervals during which a rhythm cycle is established are lengthy, so it would take few moments to get the tala in our head. This song(and one more), however, lack the period-feel, as flt in other songs, although the composition bears the late 80s-early 90s ilaiyaraaja tunes style.The bass usage is groovy and mild piano strains makes this song a must listen during night times. Amidst all classical numbers, this song works like a variety.

4. Kallai Irundhen: SriRam Parthasarathy, Dhaanya

Is it coincidence or did Ilaiyaraaja wantedly try to make this song prophetic for the female singer? In short, this composition is a delight in Suddha Dhanyaasi. In my opinion, all ilaiyaraaja songs in this raaga were delights and this is no exception. Although this song too lacks the period feel, he makes up for it just by dishing out such an endearing melody. The instruments used are modern as well as traditional. Keyboards, veena, flute, guitars, electronic percussions...he does it all, yet the treatment is Ilaiyaraaja. the guitars strumming in the background just keep the pace up while the bass guitar reminds us the man behind the song. 2nd interlude is my favourite, for it looks like a palette of many colours (instruments, both traditional and modern) all taking the shape of a picturesque Suddha Dhanyaasi. I dont care if it doesnt justify the period feel. infact, i dont care anything, as long as Ilaiyaraaja treats his songs in the way he treated in this one. Class.

5. Pularkindra Pozhuthu: Sriram Parthasarathy

Sriram Parthasarathy cannot thank ilaiyaraaja better. He has got stealers in this entire album and he emerges brilliantly in all the songs. This song, in my opinion, is another high-point, not only to the singer but also to the composer. He uses his science again in this classical composition. The song starts off with a dawn-ish raaga and then establishes his identity in Raag Kalyani, backed by mridangam and ghatam. The aalaaps used in the pallavi must have been difficult for the singer, though he managed to sing them with great confidence. Violins and Veena (observation: Most ilaiyaraaja's Kalyanis have Veena) take over the 1st interlude and flute and bass-guitar and flute (standard in any ilaiyaraaja kalyani).

In 1st charanam, the raaga changes to hamsanandi (observation: few kalyani's of ilaiyaraaja have glided into hamsanandi before). The charanam is punctuated by veena while the raaga changes to Dharmavathi and flows back into Kalyani.

2nd interlude is back to Hamsanandi and the charanam changes colour from Hamsanandi to Vasantha or Chaayavathi (yet to ascertain). Now, having understood ilaiyaraaja, there is this natural curiousity to unravel the linkages between these raagas and their usage. Here is the science:

Watch this Symmetry

R2 changes to R1 = stepdown
G3 changes to G2 = stepdown
M2 changes to M1 = stepdown

So if 1st charanam was about transformation into Hamsanandi into Dharmavathi...

2nd charanam was about transforming Hamsanandi into Vasanthaa/Chaayavathi(sister raagas). Ravi felt it was vasantha while i presume it is chaayavathi, given the symmetry used by ilaiyaraaja. we did not have instruments to play and check it out. Whats more interesting is that though there is symmetry, ilaiyaraaja likes to throw a surprise. after changing R2 to R1 and G3 to G2, one can expect a similar step down to Ma. Although it occurs, the change is done not to Kalyani, as expected, but to Hamsanandi. Idea is same, but the object is different. Now thats an intelligent trick. Not to forget, Ilaiyaraaja has experimented in similar way to another illustrious Kalyani of his, "Vaidehi Raaman" , way back in 80s. This song again reminds that his attitude/soul towards Kalyani is still the same. Its just that we need to look within. Undoubtedly one of his best Kalyanis this song is.

Uliyin Osai has another 2 songs which i didnt find much interesting. Neverthless, these 5 songs were enough for me to sit back ponder about the genius. It is not a new experience to me that whenever i begin to tell myself - 'Perhaps i prefer that ilaiyaraaja over this ilaiyaraaja' , he is there smiling with a pleasant surprise, assuring me - 'I am the same'.

Yes sir! You are...the same...Genius!

My Thanks to:

1. Ilaiyaraaja for composing.

2. Mr. Velramanan for giving me initial cues/threads.

3. Ravi for de-composing.

An Ode to Art by SiriVennela

I am usually drawn more by music, than by words. Not to demean the beauty of wordplay as such, but for me, lyrics come after the music. But when good music is laced with some exceptionally beautiful poetry, the song is complete by all respects. This is the reason why songs from 1950s, 1960s and to some extent few of the numbers from 1970s appeal to me completely.

This post of mine is aimed at highlighting the lyrics of a song, instead of music, which i usually do. Quite surprisingly, the composition is by my favourite, Ilaiyaraaja. But i wish not to talk about the musicial genius in his song. instead, through this post, i want the readers to pause and take a note of wonderful imageries created by the lyricist, Sirivennela Seetha Rama Sasthry.

The song is from the film - 'Swarna Kamalam'. The song is 'Sivapoojaku chigurinchina siri siri muvva'

If you remember this film 'Swarna Kamalam', the hero is a worshipper of art(dance) and literally coaxes the heroine to take it up more seriously. She, on the otherhand, is fascinated by worldly pleasures. She wants to breakfree from the shackles. She dreams of materialistic pleasures. She says in one scene - "the world is marching ahead at a rapid pace but we are still stuck somewhere else".

This song is like an argument between both of them in a duet. It's a challenge for the writer to potray both the schools of thought, of hero and heroine, and in a way that both have a valid point to make. The writer didn't just manage, but actually came out as a winner in potraying profound thoughts wonderfully.

He:

Siva poojaku chigurinchina (blossomed/sprouted) Siri Siri muvva (anklets used by dancers)

mrudu (soft) manjula (pleasing, beautiful) pada (words) manjari (spring out) poochina (to flower) puvvaa

yatiraajuku (the best of the ascetics) jati swaramula (the musical-swaras used for dancers) parimaLamivva (give the fragrance)

naTanaanjalito (dance offering) bratukunu (life) tarinchaneevaa (fulfill)

The above paragraph means - your anklet-bells have blossomed to offer pooja to lord Shiva (through Dance). These soft-pleasing words springing out are like flowers. Wont you lure the best of ascetics with the fragrances of these dance-swaras(ascetics cannot be lured by anything, ideally…so, here he says even Yatiraj could be lured by dance)…wont you fulfill your life by dance-offering!

It's great imagination to bring the concept of yatiraj in a line..yatiraj is referred to as the best ascetic, who is not lured by any worldly pleasure (typically represented by women, money, things which intoxicate..like fragrances)..but here, he says even yatiraj could be lured by one fragrance..called dance..

She:

parugaapaga payaninchave(do travel) talapula(of thoughts) naava(o boat)

keraTaalaku(to waves of sea) tala(head) vanchite(bow down) taragadu trOva (your path wont pass)

edirinchina(against) suDi gaalini (strorm) jayinchi(win) raavaa(come)

madi(mind) kOrina(desired) madhu(sweet) seemalu(land/regions) varinchi(conquer) raavaa(come)

O boat of my thoughts, do travel further, if you bow down to the waves of the sea, you can never cross your paths, come, win over the storms against you…and come, lets conquer the sweet lands desired by your mind.
I just loved the lines - 'madi korina madhuseemalu varinchi raava' ; infact every line is a classic.

He:

paDamara(west) paDagalapai(on the hoods) merisE(shining) taaralakai (for the stars)

raatrini(night) varinchake(don't choose) sandhyaa sundari (o evening beauty)

toorupu(of east) vEdikapai(on the stage) vEkuva nartakivai(becoming a dance of the dawn)

dhaatrini(earth) muripinche(delight) kaantini(light) chindani(let sprinkle)

Nee kadalika(your movements) chaitanyapu(of consciousness) sreekaaram kaani (let them be an initiation for)

nidurinchina (slept) hRudaya (heart) ravaLi (eeshwara) Okaaram kaani (let it be Omkaaram)

For the sake of shining stars on the hoods of the west(heroine wants to go to foreign country in this film), don't embrace the night(darkness) o evening beauty; on the stage of the east, by becoming a dance of the dawn, do delight the earth by sprinkling light; let your movements be an initiation for consciousness; let the sleeping eeshwara (lord of dance) in your heart become an omkaaram (symbol of piousness, god, ultimate)

Watch the way he maintained the rhyme - 2nd line ending is 'sundari' and 4th line ending is 'chindhani'..its not just endings but even beginnings; 2nd line beginning is 'Raathri' and 4th line beginning is ''Dhaathri' …and he conveyed such profound thought

She:

tana (her) vELLE(roots) sankeLLai (hand-cuffs or chains) kadalalEni (which cant move) mokkalaa (like a plant)

Aamanikai (for the spring season) eduru choostu aagipOdu ekkaDaa (it wont stop anything waiting..)

Avadhi lEni (no barriers) andamundi (there is beauty) avaniki (on earth) nalu dikkulaa (in 4 directions)

aanandapu (of happiness) gaali vaalu (breezes) naDapani ninnilaa (let them drive you along)

prati rOjoka (everyday) nava geetika (a new song) swaagatinchagaa (let it welcome)

vennela (moonlight) kinnera gaanam (song of river kinnera) neeku tODugaa (will be your companion)

A plant chained to the ground by her own roots; wont wait for the spring; there are boundless beauties on earth everywhere; let the breezes of happiness take you there; let a new song welcome you everyday; let the moonlight and songs of kinnera (free flowing rever) be your companion
The words 'avadhi'; 'andamu' ; 'avani' all have phoenetically similar sounds

He:

Lalita (playful) charaNa (feet) janitam (cause) nee sahaja (natural) vilaasam (way of life)

Jwalita (embers) kiraNa (rays) kalitam (filled with) soundarya (beauty) vikaasam (grow, blossom)

nee abhinaya (expression, act) ushOdayam (dawn) tilakinchina (watched) ravi (sun) nayanam (eyes)

Gagana (sky) sarasi (lake) hRudayamlO (in heart) vikaSita (bloom) Sata (100) daLa (leaves) Sobhala (of beauty) suvarNa kamalam (golden lotus)

Let your natural way of life be caused by your playful feet; like the embers which blossom into beautiful rays; even the eyes of the sun watched the dawn of your expressional dance; in the hearts of sky and the lake; a hundred leaves shall bloom on the beautiful golden lotus.

Again, every word in 1st rhymes with everry corresponding word in 2nd line. and It takes a genius to write 'nee abhinaya ushodayam thilakinchina ravi nayanam

He: SwadharmE midhanam shrEyaha para dharmO bhayaavaha (from bhagavadgeetha)

Meaning: It is better to die while following one's own faith rather than adopt other's faith; the latter shall lead one to disaster

In my opinion, this song is perhaps one of the best writings of Sirivennela. Because the song not only captures lyrical splendour, but touches the intellectual depths too, overcoming the challenge of speaking two minds in the same song, without disturbing the flow of language.

Interesting to note that Ilaiyaraaja composed this song in Raaga 'Kalaavathi' (Kala=art, Kalaavathi=a lady who is impeccable in art). Was it intentional? or coincidental?
The thoughts of film-maker (K.Vishwanath), Lyricist (seetha Rama Sasthry) and Composer (Ilaiyaraaja) melding together to create a phenomenal song, stands as an example of what intellectual team work is.

And as the song itself summarizes, Art preceeds (and even supercedes) any mundaneness (work).
I am glad to be a art Lover.

Adnan Sami's Raag Yaman

I have always felt that Adnan Sami is wasting is career, by trying to emulate R.D.Burman's style of composing and Kishore Kumar's style of singing. Instead, he should focus on what he is best at... Playing Piano. Not many have the speed which he has got and his command over the instrument is phenomenal. He can do with his fingers, what Ustad Zakir Hussain does with his fingers on Tabla. His understanding of Indian Classical Music is no less. This video gives a small peek into what he is capable of and the magic of his fingers, when he plays Indian Classical. Interestingly, i have an album featuring both, outdoing each other. I wish Adnan does more of this, so that he can also join the league of Ustads.