Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Oda oda oda dhooram korayala - Mayakkam enna (2011)

Back to a song. A very colloquial one for a change.

Singer: Dhanush
Music: GV Prakash
Lyrics: Dhanush, Selvaraghavan

Lyrics:
Oda oda oda dhooram korayala
Paada paada paada paatu mudiyala
Poga poga poga onnum puriyala
Aaga motham onnum velangala.


Free ah suthum bodhu figure illaye

Pudicha figure um ippo free ah illaye
Kai la bat irukku ball illaye
Life poora intha thollaye.

Ulagame speed ah odi pogudhu
En vandi puncture aayi nikkudhu
Mokka piece kooda kindal pannudhu
Saami enna bantham pannuthu.

Apart from the third line, "
Poga poga poga onnum puriyala" and the last one (seriously, saami enna bantham pannuthu? duh!), this is an example of a perfect merger of the lyrics with the music. In fact, of the five songs in the album, I think the lyrics for this song fit the song best. 'Kaadhal yen kaadhal' and 'Pirai thedum' are contenders, but they lose out simply because when you randomly listen to them for the first time, you would be able to retain only 5 or 10 words. But this has the ' april may le' or 'chikku bukku' feel to it where a few lines register in your mind whether you want them to or not. Unless of course, you are from an orthodox generation that fundamentally objects to such lyrics.


Crack ah maariten. Joker aayiten.
Gundu chatti la rendu kudhira vandi oturen.


The variation in the line after 'joker aayiten' as we go with the song add an interesting feel to the song - something that keeps people guessing. One would expect the same 'gundu chetti...' to feature next time one hears 'crack ah maariten' line. The change makes your sub-conscience listen. This is one advice from some management gurus - try to lead people into guessing the next thing and make sure they get it wrong - anything in which the brain fails, the brain notices. Sorry about the digression :)


Oru beach la, thaniya alanjen alanjen

Nadu roattula, azhudhen, poranden, kizhunjen.
Baaram thaangala thaangala, kazhudha naan illayae;
JaanJob um yerala yerala, mozhama sarukuranen.


Not sure if it's 'Job um'. Can't really understand what he sings. This is what some other sites have put up.  (Thx RT :) )


Crack ah maariten. Joker aayiten.

Fuse pona pin bulb kaana switch ah theduren.

Oda oda oda dhooram korayala

Paada paada paada paatu mudiyala
Poga poga poga onnum puriyala
Aaga motham onnum Velangala.

Free ah suthum bodhu figure illaye
Pudicha figure um ippo free ah illaye
Kai la bat irukku ball illaye
Life poora intha thollaye.



Nadu raathiri ezhundhen paduthen ezhundhen
Oru maathiri sirichen azhudhen sirichen.
Meena neendharen neendharen
Kadalum seralaye!
Padagaa poguren poguren
Karaiyum seralaye!

The "
ezhundhen paduthen ezhundhen" and "sirichen azhudhen sirichen" lines, while not very innovative on the face of it, can work wonders with the right video. If it's a dance sequence, the two 'sirichen's should have the same step and if it's a song that runs in the background, a repetitive sequence or portraying the line as such would make the video merge with the song at multiple levels. Quizzers call the level Stage 3.


Crack ah maariten. Joker aayiten.

Kelvi ketu ketu kelvikuri pola nikkuren.

Oda oda oda dhooram korayala

Paada paada paada paatu mudiyala
Poga poga poga onnum puriyala
Aaga motham onnum velangala.

Free ah suthum bodhu figure illaye
Pudicha figure um ippo free ah illaye
Kai la bat irukku ball illaye
Life poora intha thollaye.


Ulagamae speed ah odi pogudhu
En vandi puncture aayi nikkudhu
Mokka piece kooda kindal pannudhu
Saami enna bantham pannuthu.


Why do I like this song out of the five in this album? Maybe because this is a situation song for me :) 


This song reinforces my arguments with some lyrically inclined friends - that colloquial words that we use in everyday life can have a lot more impact than using words that we never use in everyday discussions. Not the greatest of tunes, but a lot of work has gone into the lyrics - film making basics to be precise - and the overall impact is brilliant. This song might turn out to be another 'Suppose unna' (Sukran) or 'adithadi appatha' (Samurai) - a song that's on everyone's lips after the album releases but fades into the background within a month with better songs taking over (the wine-like, grows on ya types). There are some songs in the album that have the capability to grow on you (The song for the bevda devdas, for one).


I actually wanted to quote how 'Newyork Nagaram' faded with the video release of 'Munbe Va' (Jillunu oru kadhal) but that's really at another level altogether.


Video:


Thursday, August 18, 2011

Adieu to a Soldier - Walt Whitman


(Excerpt below)


Adieu dear comrade,
Your mission is fulfill'd--but I, more warlike,
Myself and this contentious soul of mine,
Still on our own campaigning bound,
Through untried roads with ambushes opponents lined,
Through many a sharp defeat and many a crisis, often baffled,
Here marching, ever marching on, a war fight out--aye here,
To fiercer, weightier battles give expression.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

By Emily Dickinson (1830 to 1886)

Much madness is divinest sense
To a discerning eye;
Much sense the starkest madness.
’T is the majority
In this, as all, prevails
Assent, and you are sane;
Demur - you ’re straightway dangerous,
And handled with a chain.


This blog is not just about songs, no? Some poems are songs, stories, ideas, messages - all by themselves.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Orayiram Parvayile - Vallavanukku vallavan (1960)

One of my all time favorite songs in Thamizh, sung by TMS in Thamizh and Mohammed Rafi in Hindi.


Brilliant composition, brilliantly sung and even more brilliantly written by Kannadasan. The beauty of the lyrics lie (for the lack of a better way to put it) in the way words work with each other.

I can identify you from you eyes, and I can understand your love from the sound of your footsteps... A death changes the love of mere mortals, and the smell of all those flowers will fade with the sun... but the light from our love will lead us forever... It's like words dripping from his mouth, the words being honey, of course. It's not even the words, but the choice of words for each meaning and it's like, they play with each other.

Except for "Un kaaladi osayile, un kaadhalai naan ariven.", which I think rings a wrong bell somewhere (God knows what), I've been in love with the song ever since I was little.

TMS and Rafi sing this brilliantly (yeah they live through their songs, don't they?), no doubt about that...but I just love the way it was written way back then. The 'sau baar janam lenge' part in the Hindi version looks like a direct translation of the prelude, but the later stanzas don't seem to match at all (could someone who knows both languages check that and let me know?)

Music Director: Veda (traditionally, he is someone who picks Hindi songs and turns them into Thamizh songs, or so I have been told, but surprisingly, this song seems to have come out in Thamizh first and Hindi a few years later)

Lyrics:


Nooru murai pirandhaalum, nooru murai irandhaalum,
Unai pirindhu veguthooram naan oru naalum povadillai...
Ulagathin kangalile uruvangal maraindhalum
Ondraana ullangal orunaalum maraivadillai...

Oraayiram parvayile, un paaravayai naan ariven;
Un kaaladi osayile, un kaadhalai naan ariven.
Oraayiram parvayile, un paaravayai naan ariven...

Indha maanidar kaadhal elaam,
Oru maranathil maarividum;
Andha malargalin vaasamellam,
oru maalaikul vaadividum.

Nam kaadhalin deepam matum, endha naalilum kooda varum...

Oraayiram parvayile, un paaravayai naan ariven;

Un kaaladi osayile, un kaadhalai naan ariven.

Indha kaatrinil naan kalanden, 
Un kangalai thazhuvugindren;
Indha aatrinil oduginren, 
Un aadayil aaduginren.

Naan pogindra paadhai elaam un poomugam kaanugindren...

Oraayiram parvayile un paaravayai naan ariven;
Un kaaladi osayile, un kadhalai naan ariven.
Orayiram parvayile un paaravayai naan ariven...

Thamizh:

Hindi:

Monday, January 31, 2011

"Punnagaiyil thee mooti" - Jeans (1998)

We move on to one of my favorite pieces from A.R.Rahman. "Punnagaiyil theemooti..." from Jeans. It is around 2 minutes long and wasn't part of the six songs in the audio release (added as an additional track in the Soundtrack CD released a bit later). It was more of a background theme in the movie, where it is placed after people learn that Aishwarya Rai's twin doesn't exist and they were all taken for a ride. Basically, everyone loses everyone else.

Brilliant composition, there's no denying that... I think AR Rahman's previous movie was Iruvar and hopes were really high. He exceeded all kinds of expectations with this movie. So yea, I don't really comment on AR Rahman's work usually, because all I do is praise it. Hariharan brings the feel that the lyrics deserve and the rest is history.

Vairamuthu dishes out brilliant stuff to go with the amazing tune and the song haunts me to this day. I 'drowned' in the song with the very first line. Imagine, she can set him on fire with just her smile and all he's left with, now, after everything that happened, are tears to put it out with.

Well, I can go on rambling about this song but I'm just gonna say one word - Brilliant. One of the very few songs that many people love and share their stories with.

Vairamuthu-Rahman-Hariharan: Respect!


Music Director: A.R.Rahman
Singer: Hariharan
Lyrics: Vairamuthu (for the entire film)

Punnagaiyil thee mootti ponavale...
Kanneeril adhai anaikka sonnavale...
Anbe, en boomiye mullaanadhe...
Haiyo, en kaatrellam nanjanadhe...

En uyire, en dhegam thinnadhe...
En vizhiye, mugam thaandi chelladhe(sellaadhe)...

En uyire, en dhegam thinnadhe...
En vizhiye, mugam thaandi chelladhe...

Anbe, mei enbade poi aaginaal,
Aiyo, poi enbadhu ennagumo?
Uyir kaadhal uyir vazhumo!

Translation:

You left after setting a fire with your smile
and asked me to put it out with my tears...
My dear love, my earth is filled with thorns...
and all the air I breathe is mere poison...

Oh my Soul, don't consume my physical self...
Oh my eyes, please don't go away from my face...
(repeat)

Oh my dear, if all the truth in the world are mere lies,
What will happen to ones that were lies to begin with?
Will my love, my life... will it survive? (kinda twisting it here to bring that feel )


Video
I wouldn't say brilliant, but it was good nevertheless and the team did justice to the amazing composition. Do listen...



Sunday, January 30, 2011

Yedho Seigirai - Vamanan (2009)

I checked my regular blog and found that this was the only song whose complete lyrics I've posted on the internet so far. So yea, why not dissect it?

I might be, in no way, eligible to criticize the Music director or the lyricist - they are experts in their own field...but what the hell, this is my blog and I have my opinions.


To begin with, this song is one of the better writing attempts of 2009, complementing the music around it and being a major major reason for its success. 
Yuvan's done a brilliant job, like he does most of the time - but he could have just made Javed Ali (the singer) pronounce the words a little more correctly - he doesn't even try to say the right words at places. Hurts the writer to hear the words twisted like anything.

'Ennai ennidam nee arimugam seigirai' (Literal: You are introducing me to my self - General: You are showing me a new me (or) I am discovering a whole new me, thanks to you)

Though almost cliched these days, it is still a wonderful way to put that feeling out, when being in a relationship brings out a whole new side of yours. You feel on top of the world, you are much more confident and the new found confidence takes you to new heights every day. That feeling is very easy to pick on but quite difficult to describe in a song - though it makes a wonderful and oft-attempted subject for newbies like me.

Unnodu pesinaal ul-nenjil minnal thondrude…

(There is a bolt of lightning in my mind whenever I speak to you)
Kanaadi paarkayil en kangal unnai kaatudhe..
(When I look at the mirror. my eyes show you (I see you, badly put))

You know that feeling... after you start talking to that special someone, when you realize that even talking to her takes your happiness to another level altogether? Using a lightning is probably an aggressive way to put it... I'd go for something a lot more gentle and not so directional, something that spreads through you. By the way, many people actually start judging others at this stage coz' to them, the conversation would lack that feel... that is, if you don't do that already.


Anbe… indha nimidam nenjukul inikiradhe..

Adadaa… indha nerukkam mayakamai irukiradhe..
Unnaal, indha ulagam yaavume pudhidaai therigiradhe..

(Dear, this minute is so sweetly etched in my mind
This closeness, this makes me feel high...
I am seeing a new world, because of you...)

The first one is one of the most repeated lines in thamizh song history with variants, while 'nerukkam mayakamai' not only rhymes at the third syllable (don't know if there's a Thamizh word for it... ethugai monai and directly goes to iyabu, no? but yea, this qualifies as the last syllable.) - difficult to pull off in successive words - but also creates this atmosphere around the three lines in a way. It is because of this second line that the other two lines make a lot of sense. The third line is again, like the first... common, cliche, oft-used, often misused and kinda veers into the boring territory. Even so, as a whole, along with Yuvan's brilliant composition, this makes for an interesting set of lines.


Penne endhan gadigaaram endhan pechai ketkavillai,

Unnai kanda nodiyodu nindradhadi, odavillai !
(Girl, my clock doesn't listen to me...
The moment I saw you, it stopped and refuses to run!)

Interesting choice of an object - the clock - to mean (I hope) that time stops for the girl. It doesn't matter what you are doing at the moment you see her... it is not important anymore. You will be ready to wait for her smile forever and forget every worldly responsibility. Sigh.

Enna idhu, Enna idhu, en nizhalai kaanavillai…
Undhan pinbu vandhadadi , innum adhu thirumbavillai.
Enge endru keten, un kaaladi kaatudhadi!


Totally common lines, could be seen on most thamizh poetry-beginners' blogs. Was actually disappointed there...

Kadhal nenjam pesikolla vaarthai edum thevayillai
Manadhil ulla aasai solla mounam pola mozhi illai…
(No words are necessary for two hearts in love to communicate with each other,
There is no language like silence to express all the desires in your heart)

Add two to the list of good lines in the song. Again, this would fall under the often explored territory, but these two lines are beautifully written - with a near perfect rhyme and urm, how do I put it? an 'enjoyable' choice of words.

Overall, yea, it is a song with many good lines here and there, at times unrelated and sudden, but good ones nevertheless.

Album/Movie: Vaamanan (2009)
Music Director: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyricist: Na. Muthukumar
Lyrics:
Yedho Seigirai, ennai yedho seigiraai…
Ennai ennidam nee arimugam seigiraai…
Yedho Seigirai, ennai yedho seigiraai…
Ennai ennidam nee arimugam seigiraai…

Unnodu pesinaal ul-nenjil minnal thondrude…
Kanaadi paarkayil en kangal unnai kaatudhe..
Penne idhu kanava nejama unnai ketkindren!

Anbe… indha nimidam nenjukul inikiradhe..
Adadaa… indha nerukkam mayakamai irukiradhe..
Unnaal, indha ulagam yaavume pudhidaai therigiradhe..
--

Penne endhan gadigaaram endhan pechai ketkavillai,
Unnai kanda nodiyodu nindradhadi, odavillai !
Idhuvarai yaaridamum en manadhu sayavillai,
Enna oru mayam seidhaai, ennidathil naanumillai !

Enna idhu, Enna idhu, en nizhalai kaanavillai…
Undhan pinbu vandhadadi , innum adhu thirumbavillai.
Enge endru keten, un kaaladi kaatudhadi!

Anbe… indha nimidam nenjukul inikiradhe..
Adadaa… indha nerukkam mayakamai irukiradhe..
Unnaal, indha ulagam yaavume pudhidaai therigiradhe..
--

Kadhal nenjam pesikolla vaarthai edum thevayillai
Manadhil ulla aasai solla mounam pola mozhi illai…
Idhuvarai en uyirai ipadi naan vaazhndadillai,
Putham pudhu thotramidhu, vereduvum thondravillai.

Netru varai vaanilayil endha oru matramillai,
Indru endhan vaasalodu kandukonden vaanavillai.
Orey oru naalil muzhu vaazhkai vaazhndene!

Anbe… indha nimidam nenjukul inikiradhe..
Adadaa… indha nerukkam mayakamai irukiradhe..
Unnaal, indha ulagam yaavume pudhidaai therigiradhe…
--

Yedho Seigirai, ennai yedho seigiraai…

Ennai ennidam nee arimugam seigiraai…
Yedho Seigirai, ennai yedho seigiraai…
Ennai ennidam nee arimugam seigiraai…



Video:
Super locations, not a bad looking heroine, not the worst hero in the region, good tech back up - but the team manage to wreck the video like anything! Badly shot, badly edited, no lip sync or voice match, too many shots of the same darn poses - the list goes on.




“When they come for me” – Linkin Park (2010)


This blog will be about my very own candid (at times silly) opinions on the lyrics of Thamizh (tamil) and English songs out there… and at times, my own.
I’m gonna start this blog with one of my recent favourites - ”When they come for me” from Linkin Park’s ‘A Thousand Suns’ (2010).
My comments?
I think it’s kind of neat and lays out a few ground rules for this blog. :)
(PS: Please don't mind the swear words)
Album: A Thousand Suns
Lyrics:
Yeah.
I am not - a pattern to be followed.
The pill that I am on is a tough one to swallow.
I am not a criminal, not a role model,
Not a born leader - I am a tough act to follow!
I am not the fortune and the fame…
Nor the same person telling you to forfeit the game.
I came in the ring like a dog on a chain…
and I found out the underbelly’s sicker than it seems
And it seems ugly, but it can get worse,
Coz even a blueprint is a gift and a curse!
Coz once you got the theory of how the thing works,
Everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first
And I am not a robot,
I am not a monkey.
I will not dance even if the beat’s funky!
Opposite of lazy, far from a punk…
Y’all ought to stop talking, start trying to catch up *****
And all the people say… <aah>
Try to catch up *****… <aah>
Lauryn said money changes situation.
Big said it increased the complication.
Kane said, ‘don’t stab, I ain’t the one!’
Chuck said that Uzi weigh a *****ing ton…
And I am just a student of the game that they taught me
Rocking every stage in every place that they brought me
I’m awfully underrated, but came here to correct it
And so it ain’t mistaking i’m a state it for the record
I am the opposite of whack
Opposite of weak
Opposite of slack
Synonym of heat
Synonym of crack
Closest to a peak
Far from a punk
Y’all ought to stop talking, start trying to catch up *****
And all the people say <aah>
Try to catch up ***** <aah>
Oh when they come for me…
Come for me,
I’ll be gone!
Oh when they come for me…
Come for me,
I’ll be gone!
Oh when they come for me…
Come for me,
I’ll be gone…
And all the people say<aah>
Try to catch up ***** <aah>
And all the people say <aah>
Try to catch up ***** <eh oh oh>


PS: Slight editing done coz' last I heard, children visit this blog! (Yea, I know)