Chocolate Flavored Cleverfolk

This category has folk lyrics presented with camouflaged WCM interlude arrangement. It takes a while to figure this one, but is very popular flavor among listeners. The flavor is hidden by tabla arrangement to an otherwise Western string section.

Poovarasambu Poothathu from Kizhakke Pogum Rayil (1978) – Observe the second interlude in this track – the flute parts followed by the accordion. This track has three charamans – if you observe the 3rd interlude, it freely uses bells and a sliding violin scale. Now, this is supposed to be a folk track. Nice flavoring by the master ice cream maker!

Samakozhi Koovuthamma from Ponnu Oorukku Pudhusu (1979). This song is another classic with violins, synthesizer, guitar and flute all set to a typical western arrangement but cleverly hidden with congas and tabla based rhythm arrangement. The second interlude is a beautiful call and response arrangement between flute and bells. The third interlude has an amazing counterpoint between the synthesizer and the violins.

Pothi Vacha Malligai Mottu from Man Vasanai (1983) – this is another classic Raja song that has some outstanding Western orchestration, but cleverly disguised with a tabla and folkish lyric.

Rasanthi Unnai from Vaidehi Kaathirunthaal (1984) – this is a classic Raja song that I have described in the section called ‘Revisiting folk’. Suffice to say that this is wonderful western orchestration camouflaged with tabla rhythm arrangement.

Muthu Mani Maalai from Chinna Kounder (1991) – the comments that apply to the previous track applies here too.

Pacha Malai Poovu from Kizhakku Vasal (1990) – this song is a classic Raja track that uses folk lyric but completely western orchestration arrangement nicely hidden behind the tabla rhythm. As I have mentioned in the section – ‘counterpoint with flute’, Raja has done some outstanding flute and guitar counterpoints in the track. Also, the violin work in the first interlude uses another western orchestration technique of call and response with a long passage with flute answered by violins followed by the synth and bells.

Onnavida from Virumandi (2004) is another track with a folk lyric but the interludes are set to a WCM style arrangement. If you observe the second interlude, the arrangement is quite stunning. If you keep your mind off the lyrics, the interludes are part of the vanilla flavor of Raja.

These are some top of mind examples of folk songs where Raja delivers one of his most successful flavors. This type of flavoring shows the creativity employed by Raja where he takes his strong WCM foundation and applies it to folk lyrics making it very palatable (pun intended).

The clip below has Poovarasambu Poothathu followed by Samakozhi Koovuthamma and Pothi Vacha Malligai Mottu. You can also hear Onnavida at the end. You can notice how cleverly Raja hides a Western interlude within his folk melody.

Chocolate Chip Flavored Cleverfolk

This category has folk lyrics WCM interlude arrangement (not camouflaged). Raja takes the smoke and mirrors and lets you enjoy almost a WCM concert in the interludes while you listen to folk lyrics throughout the track. Perhaps the WCM arrangement sticks out like a c

hoco chip and that has its own nice taste as well!

Poovarasan was a 1996 Tamil film that disappeared without a trace. Raja has two duets in this film completely set to

folk lyrics. Itha Poovukoru Arasan and Rasathi Rasathi – both sang by SPB and Chitra. If you hear the prelude, interludes of these Intha Poovukoru Arasan, they are very modern sounding and amazing WCM work. Raja uses very pleasant synth sound with flute, with beautiful violins and solo (violins) as well. The last few lines of the charanams are beautifully backed by synthesized violins. The second interlude starts off with a beautiful flute and synth counterpoint followed by synth work. This is one of his fine WCM work hidden by a folk lyric. Rasathi Rasathi

also starts with synthesized violins as part of its prelude. The first interlude uses a nice chorus arrangement with flute and synth parts – towards the end of the interlude switches to a tremolo violin arrangement which is typical of Raja’s WCM work. The second interlude starts off with another counterpoint between plucked violin strings and synthesizer followed by extensive violin work. He makes no attempt to hide any of these flavors – no tabla, no duffle – pure WCM work.

Kadhaipola Thonum from Veera Thaalatu (1998) is another interesting track where Raja provides a choco chip and vanilla flavor to the track. The prelude and first interlude are like several songs of Raja. However, the second interlude is just stunning. There is a brief silence followed by synthesizer to simulate wind followed by some very fine tremolo string work. This is supposed to be a folk track – Raja uses a nice WCM technique to bring additional flavor to the song.

Sandhirarum Sooriyarum from Avatharam (1995) is a track that fully does away with any percussion and uses western style violins throughout the song that is very folkish in its lyrics. More of it in the section – Raja’s rhythm innovation stage 12.

The clip below starts off with the interlude of Intha Poovukoru Arasan – this is like hearing a western classical concert than a folkish melody. This is followed by an astounding interlude (2nd) from Kadhaipola Thonum fully using western ideas such as tremolo strings. Finally, I included Rasathi from Poovarasan. When you hear this whole collage, you never get an impression of hearing any folk melody. Raja’s interludes live in a different world. He somehow stitches his interludes to his main pallavis and charanams. There is nobody who is better than him in this. I almost forgot that I was providing you examples with his folk work. Enjoy the hidden Western classical music interludes in the folk melody – except, Raja does not make any attempt to hide it.

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…

Cleverfolk – a Raja genre

There is a widespread view among music listeners that Raja was responsible for popularizing folk music in films. In most interviews Raja vehemently denies it and quotes several examples of composers who have done folk compositions before him. However, this view somehow has stuck to the listener’s mind and he is unsuccessful in trying to reset it. Let’s step back and analyze why most listeners associate him with film based folk music.

Before diving deep, let’s get to a common understanding of what we mean by folk music. Here is a text book definition:

Folk music is the traditional and typically anonymous music that is an expression of the life of people in a community

In the Indian context, it is more associated with music traditions of the countryside. In other words, it is culturally very dependent on the language, rituals, and beliefs of the countryside. Unfortunately, this gets a bit twisted when applied to film music. For instance, any colloquial usage of the language is justified by most composers as giving a ‘folk feeling’ to the composition. The folk lyrics are hardly anonymous, but written by a lyricist who gets credit. Our journey is about analyzing Raja’s music contribution in the genre confused as ‘folk’, and not trying to dissert on the definition of folk music.

As I mentioned in some earlier sections on Raja’s folk work, he rarely composes folk music in its pure form. He flavors it in several ways and has created a genre called Cleverfolk in the process. His flavors are so nice, that most average listeners tend to associate all his flavors containing musical lyrics with a colloquial touch as Raja’s folk music. In my view, this is the reason, why even Raja has been unsuccessful in resetting this popular opinion.

How do we approach Cleverfolk and its various flavors? In order to navigate this genre, let’s have some fun with ice creams as they come in many flavors too. According to the food sciences department of University of Guelph, Canada, the top ice cream flavors are:

1. Vanilla

2. Chocolate

3. Chocolate Chip

4. Butter Pecan

5. Strawberry

6. Neapolitan

7. Cookies and cream

8. Rocky Road

9. Cookie Dough

10. Cherry Vanilla

11. Coffee

While the idea of ice cream flavors looks good, I do not want anyone to assume that I intend promoting Haagen Dazs or Dreyer’s or Baskin Robbins! Ice cream impressions are very pleasant and personal and more importantly very hard to reset. Many composers have served ice cream before (meaning folk music), but here is a composer that has served it in so many flavors that most consumers think that they are enjoying ice cream for the first time!

Let’s see the flavors that Raja serves and use the ice cream flavors to categorize them:

1. Cleverfolk unflavored: this is folk music presented in its native form without any major orchestration and other frills.
2. Vanilla flavored Cleverfolk: this category has folk lyrics presented with simple orchestration and tabla (simple or complex) for rhythm. Please bear in mind that tabla and shehnai, which feature in a number of Raja’s folk compositions are North Indian instruments.
3. Chocolate flavored Cleverfolk: this category has folk lyrics presented with camouflaged WCM interlude arrangement. You need to train your ear to unearth the WCM arrangement that is cleverly masked by the rhythm arrangement.
4. Chocolate Chip flavored Clever folk: this category has folk lyrics with WCM interlude arrangement (not camouflaged). Like the chocolate chips, the WCM arrangement simply stands out and you do not have to go searching!
5. Butter Pecan flavored Cleverfolk: this category has folk lyrics that have South Indian folk instruments used in the rhythm arrangement (not tabla).
6. Strawberry flavored Cleverfolk: this category has folk lyrics with camouflaged CCM based melody. Like strawberry, it has a distinct color that is easy to identify!
7. Neapolitan flavored Cleverfolk: this category has folk lyrics with western rhythm arrangement. This is easy to identify as the use of the Western drum kit or the synthpad makes it easy to identify and separate them.
8. Cookies and cream flavored Cleverfolk: this category has folk lyrics with mixed rhythm arrangement (Indian and Western). This is relatively easy to identify when you hear the track and not watch the associated video clip.
9. Rocky road flavored Cleverfolk: this category is folk lyrics with interludes set to rock music style arrangement. This is not a staple flavor and is available only as a special one. You have to go searching for this one.
10. Cookie dough flavored Cleverfolk: this category has folk lyrics with Jazz style interlude arrangement. This is not a staple flavor and is available only as a special one. You have to go searching for this one.
11. Cherry Vanilla flavored Cleverfolk: this category uses chorus arrangement which are inspired from folk music traditions. This is easy to identify because chorus arrangements are easy to recognize. However, Raja uses folk style chorus arrangement in tracks that have perfect (uses the language grammatically) lyrics also.
12. Coffee flavored Cleverfolk: this category is a catch all that has traces of any of the 10 other flavors! Let’s not explore if we would get Coffee flavor when we mix other flavors listed. You get this flavor when the ice cream is delivered to you in such a way, that you cannot simply call it any of the 10 other flavors.

There is no specific reason, why a particular flavor is chosen for a category – they are just random with the sole objective of making this analysis as fun. As folk involves language elements, I will stick mostly to Tamil compositions. I will include a few other languages where I feel confident that the composition is indeed folk. With every month, I will try and serve three flavors. As I mentioned in my rhythm series, these are top of mind examples based on a sample of 1,500 tracks from Raja’s work, which is roughly a 25% sample. Feel free to include examples that qualify that I may have missed. When someone serves you ice cream in 10 flavors when you went looking for one, he becomes the ice cream man. That’s my view on why even Raja cannot erase this opinion!

One more thing, before we jump into the flavors. There is bound to be some repetition between these sections and the rhythm stages we analyzed. There will also be some overlap with material that was presented earlier as Folk revisited. However, there will be lots of new material as well. As a departure from the past, audio clips presented with the flavors will be collages of some songs and not individual clips.

Unflavored Cleverfolk

This flavor has folk music presented in its native form without any major orchestration and other frills.

Needless to say, this is not hugely popular in film music as it lacks the ability to sell well. It’s still called Cleverfolk as it still does not fall into the strict definition of folk music where the lyricist in unknown. It does not use any clever orchestral arrangements and tells a simple story. Two examples come to my mind.

Vetalai Vetalai from Rosapoo Ravikaikari (1979) has almost no frills and tries to tell a story of an innocent villager who is going to the nearby town to buy things for his wedding. The song is embedded with dialogs where the other villagers tag along and ask this villager to buy some more things.

Vaaranea vaaranea vattamulla arakkan from Devathai (1997) is an interesting track and tries to bring out the village festival situation in its music. Complete with beliefs and traditions of the villagers in South India, it uses thavil and duffel/frame drum and urimi in its pallavi.

I am sure there are some more examples. However, these are hard to find.

Vanilla flavored Cleverfolk

This category has folk lyrics presented with simple orchestration and tabla (simple or complex) for rhythm. The flavor is by way of flute, guitar, bells, violins and synthesizer embellishments!

This is the most poplar flavor, where Raja uses freely his tabla based rhythm arrangement with flute, shehnai and violins throw n into the mix. The trouble with this flavor is that it has too many examples and is impossible to list them all. Some of the top of mind examples…

Maman Oru Naal Malligapoo Kuduthan, Uchchi Vagudeduthu from Rosapoo Ravikaikari (1979)

Oothakathu Veesayile, Vadatha Rosapoo from Gramathu athiyayam (1980). The Oothakathu Veesayile track has the bass lines standing out, though not as much as Naan Erikarai. All the usual Raja elements such as synthesizer, guitar arrangements are present. Vadatha Rosapoo is known for its guitar work.

Adi Aathadi, Rasave Unnai Nambi, Antha Nivathaan from Mudhal Mariyadhai (1985) – all these tracks have a colloquial lyric and has extensive orchestration by Raja. The track Antha Nivathaan even has some intricate counterpoints in its prelude!

Maalai Karukaiyil from Neethiyin Marupakkam (1985). This track uses violins and synthesizer extensively.

Chinnamani Kuyile, Poova Eduthu from Amman Kovil Kizhakale (1986). The first track uses a duffle but the second track is a simple tabla based song. Note that both these songs use guitar and synthesizer extensively which has nothing to do with folk.

Madurai Marikozhundhu Vaasam from Enga Ooru Paatukaran (1987). This track uses the shehnai, violins and synthesizer extensively.

Naan Erikarai from Chinna Thai (1992). This is a classic example of bass guitar usage by Raja where the bass guitar stands out. This song has a rich orchestration complete with synthesizer, violins and guitar.

Padasa kolusu from Thirumathi Palanisamy (1992). This track uses bells, violins extensively in its interludes.

Kannil Edho Minnaladichiruchu from Pon Vilangu (1993). This is a track with simple orchestration.

Aathorathile, Manu Tholuonnu, Rokkam Irukkara from Kaasi (2002).These are simple tunes with simple orchestration.

In the example s cited in this section, there is extensive use of non-folk instruments such as violins, guitar, bells, synthesizers to embellish the folk lyric. This adds flavor to the music and makes it very interesting.

The clip below has interludes from 4 tracks we discussed. Maaman Oru Naal, Oothakaathu veesaiyile, Raasave Unnai Nambi, and Aathorathile. All of them are backed by tabla and have extensive flute use. I avoided tracks that have heavy violin usage. That’s Raja’s Vennila flavored Cleverfolk…

Raja's rhythm innovation stage 14

This requires using only voices as rhythm for an entire track.

It is next to impossible to keep the listener interested with just voices still honoring all the constraints of a film music composition. You do not even have the freedom of an instrumental interlude. In other words, you need to have voices for rhythm, voices for interludes and the main melody obviously uses voices. It voices all over and yet, you need to still keep it interesting. This is the toughest experiment any composer can engage in. Raja comes out with flying colors with his track Naan Poranthu Vandhadhu from Maya Bazaar (1995). The rhythm backing with voices by Mano* is very impressive. Raja has used choruses in most places and the melody is so pleasing.

Notice the pace of the voice based rhythm backing of the charanams – it is not blindly set at the same interval – Raja has carefully thought through the rhythm lines, written it and carefully orchestrated it. This is an orchestration nightmare – you need the right voices, the right pitch, the right intervals and total coordination between the chorus singers. This is not something where you can mask errors under a heavy bass guitar or strings – there is only one option – perfection! Raja has not compromised in any way because of his use of just voices – the song has its interludes and the interludes are different from each other. In the charanam, the voices back the main melody and the song has a nice prelude and a postlude too. Raja uses even laughter as music! In most the tracks that involve vocal harmony, Raja is invariably involved in the singing in some parts at least (he does it even in Nandhalala (2009) tracks), and he does it with this track also.

Some parts of the prelude are violin lines sang between the female and the male voices. The bass lines are beautifully executed using voices. In the first interlude, after Raja sings his phrases, there is about 5 seconds of outstanding simulation of a lead and bass guitar by just voices – that’s a master stroke. This is repeated in the first 5 seconds of the second interlude too. However, this time around, you have female voices too. The female voice is also used to simulate typically a phrase where Raja would use either a trumpet or shehnai.

Please observe the laughter of a group that Raja uses at the end of the track. The pitch of the laughter keeps swinging – goes a notch below and then a notch high and then a notch below. Those who understand conducting will know that getting these three phrases to perfection is a nightmare.

In my view, this one track is enough to demonstrate the grasp that Raja has with Western harmony when it comes to voices. If I ever have to prove the genius of this man with just one track, I will just go for this one! The track proves the composer’s mastery over rhythm, harmony, melody, arrangement and total commitment to perfection. Now, who can set the bar higher than this?

Let's hear the master stroke from the genius. I have the second interlude, charanam and the third pallavi in the below track. You will also be able to appreciate the sweat that has gone into the conducting of the laughter too. I will leave you with this track, as it speaks more than any words can...

Errata: Mr. Napolean Selvaraj (Arunmozhi) clarified that he and Viji Manuel were the main singers behind the song and not Mano as I have stated here.