SOTD #744: sIrmEvum gurupAtham from Chakaravarthi thirumagaL

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Song of the Day: seermEvum gurupAtham from Chakkaravarthith ThirumagaL.

http://www.dhool.com/sotd2/744.html

- Udhaya writes:

Song: seermEvum gurupAtham from “Chakkaravarthith ThirumagaL”
Singers: NSK, Sirgazhi Govindharajan
MD: G. Ramanathan
Lyricist: Thanjai Ramaiyadas

Period movies in Thamizh work much like Shakespearean dramas in that the leads speak a pure, lyrical diction that borders on poetic excess, while the comedians speak a more colloquial one. It gets tricky when they speak to each other in certain scenes while trying to stay true to their respective diction (Sivaji and Nagesh excelled at this in Thiruvilayadal). But to imagine this happening in a song is trickier still, but a treat when executed perfectly. We have such a song here in the hands of TFM’s vanguards G.Ramanathan, Ramaiyadas, NSK, and a very young-sounding Sirgazhi.

The scene is a song contest in the form of a riddle from one contestant and an answer and counter question by the other contestant. NSK begins the riddle which MGR (voiced by Sirgazhi) solves and counters. Then MGR piles on the riddles that go unanswered by NSK. The lyricist and NSK flex their comedic muscle in the wrong guesses. NSK saying “thinnai thoongip payalgal” had me chuckling for some time.

GR creates quite a foil for all the long questions and answers with an accommodating sandham and emphatic rhythms. NSK’s timing is as perfect as any trained vaudevillian while Sirgazhi wrestles the reeling sandham with Olympian vigor. themmAngu has had the riddle and answer in song format forever it seems, so does TFM.

[Udhaya]

I had a friend tell me that the lyricist was Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram. Can someone verify the lyricist, please?

[Saravanan]

Udhaya, thanks for this vintage delight!

Btw, the lyrics are by 'clown' Sundaram.

The album had songs by a galaxy of lyricists and singers- 'kaNNaLanE' (Jikki), 'enthan inbam' (MLV), 'kaathalenum' (Seergazhi G), 'ellaiyillatha' (Seergazhi G & PL) and 'aada vaanga' (Seergazhi G, Jikki & PL) were all by Ku.Ma.Balasubramaniam; 'yEmmatRam thaana' (S.Varalakshmi) and 'nalangittu' (S.Varalakshmi & AP Komala) were by K.D.Santhanam, 'athaanum naan thaanE' (SCK & TVR) was by Thanjai N. Ramiah Doss; 'poRakkum pOthu' (Seergazhi G) was by Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram; 'ennamellam' (PL) and 'sollaalE' (S.Varalakshmi & PL) were by Ku.Sa.Krishnamoorthi, and the SOTD by 'Clown' Sundaram.

I don't know if Clown Sundaram wrote any other song.

[Udhaya]

Saravanan,

Thanks for the info. There's no way I would've figured out Clown Sundaram. Thanjai Ramaiyadas has written many songs for comedians, so I went with that.

[ragothamanr]

Unearthing this kind of unheard but interesting songs is the highlight of SOTD. Continue your efforts!

[Guest]

Thanks for posting a great song excellent song gr8 work thanks