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Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Music

Music sure isn't what it used to be. Many a time, people tell me I've not moved with the times. OK, so I still listen to film music from the 50s and can sing along to most of Lata's and Asha's songs, not to forget Geeta Dutt.

In the early 90s, I remember my parents commenting on some music I was listening to. And they said, 'Is this music?" If they are, today, subjected to Himesh Reshamiyya's numbers, they wouldn't be talking about Jatin-Lalit, Nadeem-Shravan and Anand-Milind that way.

I think it's quite the same all over. Give me Abba any day. But give me Brothers Four or Joan Baez or Ralph MacTell and I won't complain.

About 2 days ago, I was traveling back home and was subjected to some song which went "Aa bhi jaa". That's all I could catch in that song... wait... that's all there was. In a lousy monotone, the guy went on like a stuck record. He must have sung "Aa bhi jaa" about 100 times in that song. I wanted to scream and jump out of the cab. What rubbish plays under the umbrella of "Super Hit Hour".

We watched Cheeni Kum and it was a pleasure to listen to Ilayaraja's old numbers reinvented. Such hummable numbers. I know I will incur the wrath of several people on blogosphere when I say this. But I will anyway. I don't think very highly of ARR's music. I find it highly repetitive. And the guy copied music left, right and centre from Western Classical music. Sorry, in my book, geniuses don't resort to plagiarism.

My Tamil music is limited to Ilayaraja's works and I hope to, someday, own all the music that the man created. I do own ARR's works as well: Roja and Bombay. Someone gifted me the cassette of Rangeela and so I own that too. But that's it. Deva is another story altogether. He will need a book, not just a mention in a blog post.

Why this random post about Music? Just like that. Because I was tortured... because I've loved the songs of Life in a Metro... because I can't get Jaane Do Na (the remake of Vizhiyile) out of my head.

6 comments:

Pretty Woman said...

atlast I get to see this side, as well!! :) I am an ARR fan, so no comments on the post! cant seem to catch u online...will call sometime.. :)

ur wanting to jump out of the cab was funny! :D

Raaga said...

Now you'll see more here :-)

Anonymous said...

Raaga,

I think a person like ARR has to be appreciated because, in the (g)olden days, Music Directors can get away with a 4 melodies and 1 fast number in a movie. Now, the masala Generation demands 1 tappanguthu, 1 hero introduction song, 1 fast number, 1 melody, 1 heroine introduction, 1 sexy vamp number PLUS 1 bonus song. Inspite of all this, I think ARR has done a commendable job with beautiful melodies.

Raaga said...

Yeah Chill, but he copied. Plagiarism is not OK for anyone... not even ARR.

smilie said...

Looks like You have varied interests. I am too more for Raja's numbers.

Unknown said...

I guess you wouldn't agree with Pablo Picasso who once said, good artists borrow, great artists steal. ;)