Cherry Vanilla Cleverfolk

This category uses chorus arrangements which are inspired from folk music traditions. Chorus arrangement is a staple technique of Raja and he has used it on every genre he has worked with. However, he uses both folkish chorus as well as Western choral arrangement in different combinations.

Kannodu Kannu from Paalooti Valartha Kili (1976) is a nice folk tune supported well by chorus.

Kothamalli Poove from Kallukkul Eeram (1980) has the first interlude with folk style chorus set in a farm setting. The second interlude has a similar chorus arrangement.

Megam Karukkaiyile from Vaidehi Kaathirunthaal (1984) is a masterpiece of sorts. As discussed earlier in the section

‘Introduction to polyphony’, the male and female choir alternates between Western and folk arrangement throughout the track. It is arranged as a call and response type arrangement.

Poo pookum maasam from Varusham 16 (1989) – the track starts off with a chorus repeating the main singer’s lines. The transition from the charamans to the pallavi is arranged as a chorus. The choir also sings melody lines in interlude 2.

Puthu Rootile from Meera (1992) – this track starts off with a male chorus in a folkish style – it is arranged as a nice harmony. The pallavi has the male choir supporting the main singer. The charanams have similar choir support throughout the track.

Rasave Unnai Naan from Thanikattu Raja (1982) is an interesting track. The first interlude has a nice choir arrangement which is hard to classify. It is neither folkish, nor Carnatic but a nice creative arrangement! At least I have no way of describing it. The second interlude has the female choir singing melody lines supported nicely by some guitar work.

The clip below starts off with Kothamalli Poove followed by Pudhu Rootile. Finally the track has Rasave Unnai Naan. Observe the difference with folk choir treatment for all the three tracks. Most casual listeners think that the choir arrangement for such folk choir is identical – nothing can be farther from truth.

Coffee flavored Cleverfolk

This category is a catch all that has traces of any of the 9 other flavors!

Aayiram Thamarai Motukkale from Alaigal Oiyvathillai (1981) uses the kummi style composition completely set to subhapanthuvarali ragam. It’s hard to classify this track as it has folk, Carnatic and Western flavors supported by chorus!

Ilangathu Veesuthe from Pithamagan (2003) has folk lyrics, beautiful western orchestration for a karaharapriya ragam based tune. Again another quintessential Cleverfolk that has Western, Carnatic flavors for a folk lyric!

Thendralai kandu kolla from Nilave Mugam Kaatu (1999) – the interlude, is a clear demo by Raja of a light music piece, a sloka and a folk piece all overlapping. He goes back to his old famous quote that all musical systems are the same. A light music piece where Raja throws a slokam in parallel with a folkish female voices!

In the track Raman kadhai kelungal in the film Sippikkul Muthu, Raja uses the folk technique of kadha kalashebham – conventional religious storytelling. However, he sets the track to the reetigowlai Carnatic ragam. The lyric is not folk, the technique is, but the track is set to a Carnatic ragam – only Raja delivers such surprises.

Thendral Vandhu Theendum Podhu from Avatharam (1995) – the lyrics are folk, but the orchestration is completely Western, the rhythm arrangement is Western and Raja throws also chorus into the mix, not to mention a few counterpoints into a folk track!

There are several tracks of Raja which are set to the folkish style lullaby when the lyric itself is not folkish! Example, Thooliyile Aada Vandha from Chinna Thambhi (1991).

The clip below has three tracks. It starts off with ‘Aayiram Thamarai Motukkale’ followed by ‘Thendralai kandu’ and finally ‘Raman kadhai kelungal’. Observe the variety of flavors Raja throws withi just these three – kummi, subha panthuvarali, Sanskrit slokam, folk rendition, western orchestration, kadha kalashebam, reetigowlai all in those 3 minutes. That's like being inside a coffee grinder with flavors ranging from Brazil to Coorg!

 

I have attempted to provide a menu with some examples of the Raja Cleverfolk flavors. By no means is this complete. He took the basic ice cream and flavored it 6 ways to Sundae (pun intended) and he is fighting the world that he is not the first ice cream maker.

Though we have extensively analyzed Raja’s folk work, this is just one approach. It does not cover several aspects of folk music as that was not the intent. However, most of the analysis on Raja’s folk are serious ones and leave out his various flavoring to the folk idiom. I hope the readers enjoyed this fun ice cream trip.

Cookies and cream flavored Cleverfolk

This category has folk lyrics with mixed rhythm arrangement (Indian and Western). As we saw in the rhythm series of posts, this is a Raja specialty and he has ensured that switching Indian and Western rhythms are in every possible genre of composition.

In this section, unfortunately, we will have to repeat some of the tracks from ‘Raja’s rhythm innovation stage 8’ as some of the tracks in that post had folk lyrics.

Balegara Balegara from Bhagyadha Balegaara (2009) – this is the latest from Raja using switching rhythms in his latest Kannada venture.

Unnai Maathi from Uthamarasa (1993) is a typical Raja song that appears very folk from lyrical and arrangement. The pallavi is backed by both drums and tabla in alternate phrases. The female voice is backed by western drums and the male voice by tabla. The charanams are also set the same way – male voice backed by the tabla and the female voice by western drums.

Sandhu Pottu from Devar Magan (1992) is another track where the lyric is folkish and the rhythm arrangement is very sophisticated. The arrangement uses several patterns with the tabla and the dialogs are backed by western drums.

The clip below has two tracks (both charanams) – the first one is Sandhu Pottu followed by the charanam of Unnai Maathi. Notice the alternating rhythm arrangement between Indian and western drums in both tracks.
 

The cookie is perhaps the Indian rhythm and the cream is the Western or the other way around. While Raja has done several of these as discussed in the Rhythm Section, his folk application of this technique is limited. However, very pioneering and unique.

Rocky road flavored Cleverfolk

This category has folk lyrics with interludes set to rock music style arrangement. Mostly, Raja serves this flavor with the rhythm arrangement. Prior to Raja no one dared to serve this flavor!

Aasai Adigam Vachu from Marupadiyum (1993) is served with rock beats! The prelude of this song starts off with the heavy beats. The guitar usage in this track is very interesting (electric). The second interlude uses the wah wah guitar for the folk song!

Nila Athu Vanathu Mela from Nayakan (1987). The track starts off with a nice guitar strum as though it is another regular song and deflects you with its rock beats. The lyrics are folkish. The first interlude uses nice saxophone with the rock beats making you wonder if this is Jazz or Rock! The second interlude misleads you even more – the saxophone is on a counterpoint with the nice guitar melody!

Yeh aatha from Payanangal Mudivathillai (1982). The guitar work in this song is amazing that you tend to ignore it given the nice tabla rhythm throughout the song. The second interlude of this track is noteworthy – the rock style guitar strumming in counterpoint with the western flute makes you forget for some time that this is supposed to be a folk type track.

The clip below has two tracks. It starts off with Aasai Adhigam and ends with Nila Athu (charanam). Observe the sax and the nice counter melody with the guitar in the 2nd interlude of this otherwise folk song. Vintage Raja…

While most of the present day tracks use the same western rhythm arrangement, they miss out on the rich folk flavor. The difference is in the way Raja orchestrates. The flavor does not suffer in any way because he chooses a Western orchestration method - that's the genius of Raja. Very folky, very Indian, the orchestration happens to be western for those who choose to observe and enjoy.

Cookie dough flavored Cleverfolk

This category is folk lyrics with Jazz style interlude arrangement. Now, that’s probably a first in Indian cinema where someone dares to make such an attempt! Lots of composers have tried to set Indian film songs to a Jazz arrangement, but they never take a folk lyric and experiment!

Kaatile Kamban Kaatile from Rajakumaran (1994) set to a nice Jazz rhythm with folkish lyric. In the first interlude Raja throws the kitchen sink – female choir, with a nice synth play very typical of Jazz. The second interlude confirms any doubts by the wonderful sax and pan flute in typical Jazz style.

Thangakili Tholil Vacha Neethane Meenachi from Manam Virumbudhe Unnai (1999). As described in the section ‘Raja’s rhythm innovation stage 13’ this is a fantastic folk track that is set to the Jazz style arrangement, it becomes hard to say if this is folk or Jazz.

The track below has the beginning of the track Kaatile Kamban Kaatile followed by the second interlude. Let’s first analyze the prelude. It starts off with brilliant violins in tremolo. The synth joins at a relaxed pace. Raja cuts the violins out with a very slow jazz paced folk song! Do not miss the bass playing nicely on the left channel. The interlude has all the elements of a Jazz elements – the Western pan flute is the embellishment which plays for few brief seconds that is not typical of jazz. With that exception, (you got to go looking for it), it’s like any other jazz song. Nice use of sax and synth which is typical of Jazz music.

This is experimentation at its best. Folk meets Jazz so effectively. While Raja has used Jazz techniques in several compositions , his application to folk is limited.

Strawberry Flavored Cleverfolk

This category has folk lyrics with a CCM raga based melody. This is a very popular Raja flavor and the CCM raga is mostly ignored due to the rhythm arrangement and folkish lyrics.

There are countless tracks of Raja that have the Carnatic touch to a folk lyric. I will list some top of mind examples. All ragams are courtesy of Vel Ramanan.

1. Chitira Chevvanam from Kaatrinile Varum Geetham (1978) set to Savithri ragam.
2. Megam Karukuthu from Ananda ragam (1982) set to Abheri ragam.
3. Aathadi Paavadai kaathada from Ponvilangu (1984) set to Laavantika ragam.
4. Paadariyaen Padipariyaen from Sindhu Bhairavi (1986) set to Saramathi ragam.
5. Arumbagi Mottagi from Enga Ooru Kavalkaran (1988) set to Charukesi ragam.
6. Thaana Vandha Sandhaname from Ooru Vitu Ooru vandhu (1990) set to karaharapriya ragam
7. Kottukali kottu nayanam from Chinnavar (1992) set to Mayamalavagowlai ragam
8. Adukkumalli from Avarampoo (1992) set to Karaharapriya ragam
9. Vanam Ellam Shenbagapoo from Nadodi Paatukkaran (1992) set to Madhyamavathi ragam.
10. Aalapol Velappol from Ejaman (1993) set to Shankarabharanam ragam.
11. Chinna rasavey from Walter Vetrivel (1993) set to Lathangi ragam
12. Azhagana Manja Pura from Ellame En Raasathaan (1995) set to Madhyamavathi ragam.

All the tracks listed are fantastic melodies but have a folkish lyric. Most of them are runaway hits of Raja and he seems to have used a lot of this technique in the early 90s – nice flavor to folk lyrics. While several composers have attempted to do this strawberry flavoring, no one has succeeded as much as Raja as he has the deep knowledge of both the systems – folk and Carnatic.

The clip below is a folk raagamalika with the following ragas Savithri (Chitira Chevvanam) followed by Charukesi (Arumbagi Mottagi) followed by Karaharapriya (Thaana Vandha Sandhaname) and finally ends with Madhyamavathi (Azhagana Manja Pura).

Neapolitan flavored Cleverfolk

This category has folk lyrics with western rhythm arrangement. This is a flavor that Raja uses rarely, but does have its attraction.

Some top of mind examples…

• Oru Kolakili from Uzhaipali (1993) – this entire track is set to western drumming and nice strumming guitar work. Interludes use the synthesizer extensively. Nice flavoring for a folk track!

• Nethu Oruthara Orutharu from Pudhu Paatu (1990) – the track is set to a western rhythm arrangement. Like the previous track, nice use of guitar and synth in this track too.

• Thenpandi Seemaiyile from Nayakan (1987) – this is one of the most popular Raja tracks in Kamal’s voice. Notice the orchestration in this track – fully western with its bass drum, violins The Raja version of the same song uses tabla for its rhythm arrangement and does have the bass drum and grand violins as it is also included towards the end.

• Maasi Madham Aalana Ponnu from Dharmadurai (1991) is one of the best Raja compositions in the Western major scale. The beats get everyone’s attention, but not the wonderful compositions. The choir arrangement along with the violins is mesmerizing
  Western composition.

The clip below has three tracks in it. It starts off with Oru Kolakili followed by Nethu Oruthara Orutharu and finally it has the mesmerizing pallavi of Maasi Madham Aalana Ponnu. That’s a sample of Raja’s Neopolitan Flavored Clevrfolk.

The arrangement of these songs are so clever that you either get swayed by the Western rhythm arrangement or the folk lyrics that it escapes the listener's mind how innovative the composer has been in putting such extreme musical elements together. This must be contrasted with the remixes that composers are doing today with old Raja folk tunes. While it goes without saying that this is original work, I call Raja as the microchip maker - he somehow sticks stone and metal together and none of us realize what he does!