Dear all,
Sometimes a random flicker inspires something extraordinary and today’s song is one that was inspired by a nondescript event but became a landmark composition in the history of Tamil cinema.
Kannadasan has a habit of snacking while traveling long distances in car and in one such drive stopped to buy some peanuts to eat. He noticed that the wrapper had something written on it. He later found out that this was a தனி பாடல் composed by இராமசந்திர கவிராயர் in which the poet laments his extreme poverty:
“ கல்லைத்தான் மண்ணைத்தான் காய்ச்சித்தான் குடிக்கத்தான் கற்பித்தானா
இல்லைத்தான் பொன்னைத்தான் எனக்குத்தான் கொடுத்துத்தான் இரட்சித்தானா?
(Did GOD teach me to drink stone and mud? Or did HE bless me with gold?)
Kannadasan was very much enthused with what he read and immediately wanted to write a song similar to that. After writing that song he showed it to several music directors to tune it and use it for a movie but most said these lyrics were difficult to tune.
Finally, Kavignar went to his close friend MSV and gave it to him. MSV took up the challenge and instantly composed a lovely tune and the song became a huge hit. Since it was composed instantly MSV used only 4 or 5 instruments for the entire song (Lowest number of instruments amongst his songs).
Kannadasan’s inspired version:
அத்தான்
என்னத்தான் அவர்
என்னை தான்
எப்படி சொல்வேனடி
அவர் கையை
தான் கொண்டு
மெல்லத்தான் வந்து
கண்ணை தான் எப்படி
சொல்வேனடி
(When MSV tuned this song AVM Chettiyar who was producing the movie “பாவமன்னிப்பு” was very unhappy and was wondering why there was so much space and time between each of the words: அத்தான் …..என்னத்தான்……அவர் என்னைத்தான் …….எப்படி சொல்வேனடி”. He felt the tune was too much of a drag and even mocked that one had enough time to make a betel beeda and start chewing in between the words of the pallavi.)
However, MSV explained to him that this song was sung by a shy woman wanting to reluctantly convey her love and desire. He wanted the tune to indicate both her burning desire to express and her inherent shyness that prevented her from doing so. Hence the deliberate frequent pauses. A unique composition where MSV uses the accordion in isolation in the interludes beautifully (Don’t miss it!!!).
P. Suseela’s sweet voice brings the lyrics and emotions to life making it an enchanting melody. There is a specific manner in which P. Suseela sings (and MSV tunes) each of the first three words of the Pallavi. The first “அத்தான் “- almost calling him in a whisper. The second word “என்னத்தான்” – sung flatly in an affirmative tone. In the third word “என்னைத்தான்” one can feel the shyness, possessiveness and the pride in P. Suseela voice. Savithri gives three distinct but fitting expressions for these three words – excellence personified all around.
The Charanams follow the same theme – simple lyrics, the periods of silence, the accordion playing alone in the interludes and Suseela’s voice make this a tantalising song.
ஏன் அத்தான்
என்னை பார் அத்தான்
கேள் அத்தான்
என்று சொல்லித்தான்
சென்ற பெண்ணை தான்
கண்டு துடித்தான் அழைத்தான் பிடித்தான்
அணைத்தான்
எப்படி சொல்வேனடி
(துடித்தான் அழைத்தான் பிடித்தான்
அணைத்தான் – the slightly faster pace and lyrics here convey the restlessness of her mind and the brief flutter of her heart beat imagining all this flawlessly).
மொட்டுத்தான்
கன்னி சிட்டுத்தான்
முத்துத்தான்
உடல் பட்டுத்தான்
என்று தொட்டுத்தான்
கையில் இணைத்தான்
வளைத்தான் பிடித்தான்
அணைத்தான் எப்படி
சொல்வேனடி For geniuses inspiration come from everywhere they go and everything they see. Proof that when there is fire in the belly and passion in the heart the size and the source of spark that incites inspiration doesn’t matter. No wonder this song was one of the favourites of many legends including Naushad Ali and Lata Mangeshkar (She was listening to the rehearsal, fell in love with this song and wished she sang it). She and Asha Bhonsle made it a point to see this movie in Bombay – incidentally their first Tamil film experience!!!!!
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