Breathless Singing

I still remember when I heard for the first time SPB singing "mannil indha kadhal inri" from "Keladi Kanmani" and hearing in TV and newspapers that may be this was first time anyone had sung such a tough song catching his breath throught the entire pallavi! Of course he also gasps and acts of shortness of breath after singing in the movie and someone suggested that all this may be an act or the song may have been edited in the studio to sound like that. However there is no denying that anyone who attempts to sing this song and do full justice to it needs to have good lung capacity. The funny part is those days in the college we would just sit and try to take this up as a challenge and try to fight it out just to complete the stanza "vennilavum Ponni Nadhiyum.." and by the time we get to the end of the challenging stanza "Adhisaya sugam tharum..." we will all be gasping for breath and admiring the singer......

Anyway the point of this post was Ilayaraaja in an interview mentioned that he had done this much before with Janaki in "Kanmaniye kadhal enbadhu karpananyo....." in the movie "Aarilirundhu arubathu varai" and now after listening to that...this one too is a tough beautiful song to sing holding one's breath......

I guess instead of doing Yoga and other breathing exercises people could just attempt singing these two songs daily morning and evening before food......and I am sure they would all remain as healthy as those doing sudharshana kriyas....

so lets all take up the challenge and see if we can find any more breathless songs to sing and remain healthy!!!

Songs with Patriotic Fervour

I have always had a big liking for songs with patriotic lyrics and tunes. Over the years AR Rehman has become a master of composing tunes to such patriotic songs, which really makes you get goosebumps when you listen to them. One such song is from Swades, "Yeh Jo Des hai tera"....the beauty of the song not only lies in the slow build-up but also in the crescendo it reaches...typically characetristic of ARR...Other important features being the Shehnaii in the background...and finally the most important thing of all the lyrics....It is important to note here that very few songs which become so called super-hit songs these days have any meaningful lyrics...most of the time the background music is so loud that you can't even understand the lyrics if there are any...However this song is an exception....Especially for us NRI's who are far away from India....whenever I listen to these songs I wonder what am I doing in this foriegn land...how long will I stay here with mixed identities...when will I have the courage and passion to do what my heart feels......when will I break away from the socio-economic responsibilities.....when will I return to my motherland once and for all????? But after a few minutes of being philosophical I am back to doing my 5-day job and weekend getaways....

Anyway let my rambings not spoil this beautiful song...I am giving the lyrics in english and the actual song in hindi is shown below that.

This country of yours is your motherland

and is calling out to you

this is a bond which can never break

how can you forget the scent of your earth

you can go anywhere but you'll always come back

in new paths, in every sigh

to your lost heart

someone will say

this land of yours is your motherland

life is telling you

you have achieved everything now what's left

looks like hapiness has been showered on you

but you're far from your home

now come back oh crazy one

where at least someone will call you their own

and will call out to you

that very same country

this land that is yours.....

this moment has hidden in it

a whole century of life

don't ask why in the road

has come a fork with two ways

you are the one who should choose the path

you should choose

which direction to take

this very country

this land that is yours....


Lyrics: Javed Akhtar Singer: ARR

(Ye jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara…
Ye woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta) -2
Mitti ki jo khushboo, tu kaise bhoolaayega
Tu chaahe kahin jaaye, tu laut ke aayega
Nayi nayi raahon mein, dabi dabi aahon mein
Khoye khoye dilse tere, koyi ye kahega
Ye jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara
Ye woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta (Hmm…hmm…hmm…hmm…hmm…)

Tujhse zindagi, hai ye keh rahi
Sab toh paa liya, ab hai kya kami
Yun toh saare sukh hai barse
Par door tu hai apne gharse
Aa laut chal tu ab diwaane
Jahaan koyi toh tujhe apna maane
Awaaz de tujhe bulaane, wahi des

Ye jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara
Ye woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta (Hmm…hmm…hmm…hmm…hmm…)

Ye pal hai wahi, jis mein hai chhupi
Koyi ek sadi, saari zindagi
Tu na poochh raaste mein
kaahe Aaye hain is tarah do raahein
Tu hi toh hai raah jo sujhaaye
Tu hi toh hai ab jo ye bataaye
Chaahe toh kis disha mein jaaye wahi des

Ye jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara
Ye woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta Hmm…hmm…hmm…