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!

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.