Butter Pecan Flavored Cleverfolk

This category has folk lyrics backed by South Indian folk instruments for the rhythm arrangement (not tabla).

Unfortunately, this category will find ourselves repeating some of what we saw with the section – Raja’s rhythm innovation stage 10. I will provide some additional examples that are not covered in that section.

This flavor instantly gets you the feel of a folk type song. However, this is just due to our getting used to Raja’s flavors – it has all his usual guitar, synth, violins which are non-folk instruments.

Nitham Nitham Nellu Choru from Mullum Malarum (1979) set fully on the ghatam.

Maankuyile Poonkuyile from Karakaatakaran (1989) using thavil and shehnai extensively.

Potri Padadi Penne from Devar Magan (1993) – uses duffle and ghatam

Amman Kovil from Aranmanai Kili (1993) uses urimi and thavil for this folk composition.

The track Nenjukkule Innarennu from Ponnumani (1993) uses ghatam and claves (sticks that create a sharp sound) in its prelude and pallavi. Observe that there is a sad version of the same song in the film, where Raja avoids the prelude and uses a 6/8 tabla arrangement.

Azhagana manjapura from Ellame En Rasathaan (1995) use a combination of a duffle and thavil as rhythm support

Kuruvi Kodaincha from Azhagi (2000) fully uses urimi and udukku throughout the track.

Manu Tholu Onnu from Kaasi (2002) using Udukku and country drums

The track Marakudaiyal from Manasanikkare (Malayalam 2003) is another amazing track where Raja uses thimila and thavil throughout the pallavi of the song. Thimila is a type of percussion instrument that is popular in Kerala. I am not sure, if the lyric of this song is folk type as I do not understand the language.

Chendakoru Kolundu from Manasinakkare (Malayalam 2003) using Chenda

Ghatam, thavil, udukku, urimi, chenda, thimila, duffle – a sample of folk instruments that Raja uses to create some of his folk compositions. Both the tracks of Manasinakkare use synthesizers and violins extensively.

The clip below starts off with Maanu Tholu Onnu and is followed by Kuruvi Kodaincha and finally has the famous Potri Padadi Penne. I leave it to you to figure the number of folk instruments thrown in by Raja in just these three sample parts…