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Ilayaraja's Melodies - VIII

2. Valayosai, Sathya - This song provides a window into the soft inners of a rough surface. Sathya (Kamal Haasan), the angry-young-man whose blood pressure shoots up at the sight of injustice, this time listens to the romantic jingle that flutters inside him. The song jump starts into action with pseudo adjectives like 'galagagalavena', 'silusilusiluvena' but then as soon as we step into the second line, as if our hero has found some time to appreciate her beauty, he takes speed off for the words 'chinna penn pennalla vanna poondhottam'. This pace variation, which to me symbolizes the adjustment of the hero's crudeness to politeness, spills over into the charanams too; such an unusual structure for a melody, but upon listening to it you wonder if there's any other way this tune could have gone.

The first interlude is classic Ilayaraja: short breaths of flute, a lovely guitar piece and then a group of tantalizing violins; the way one instrument takes over from another is how professional atheletes would pass the baton in a relay race - the precision and smoothness of transition is amazing and beautiful. The lyrics are emotional & sensual: when she says that his eyes have shot arrows into her heart, he responds that his touch will heal her wounds. Compare this sensitivity to what passes around for lyrics these days! The choreography which involves Kamal & Amala in a slice-of-life city lovers who don't lip-synch with the playback makes it all the more complete.

What strikes me about this song is its damn freshness - there are so many songs I enjoy from the 80s, but I know that they have aged well. But every time I listen to this one, its as if I'm falling in love with a new song.

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2 Responses to “Ilayaraja's Melodies - VIII”

  1. # Anonymous Anonymous

    u did not mention how sound will travel between one's left and right ears, if listened using a good headphones. perfectly orchestrated, balanced and mixed.

    -sri.  

  2. # Blogger Prasad Venkat

    nee solla vendiyadhellam naan edho olari kottitirukkan.  

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