It is very difficult to separate the composer Raaja, the singer SPB and the lyricist Vairamuthu from this song. > Ithu Oru Pon Maalai Pozhuthu: This is another song which will be in any ‘SPB list’. Kudos to the composer duo Shankar Ganesh for exploring SPB’s range at that time. He does attempt a false voice for this song to show a more rough-and-tough performance. > Vaa Machaan Vaa: How will a typical ‘Dappaan kuthu’ song sound in SPB’s voice? Listen to Vaa Machaan Vaa from Vandi Chakkaram. SPB’s Tamil rendition is as mellifluous as a hot knife piercing through butter and to me, fares better than the original. But this is composed by Salil Chowdhury for the film Azhiyaatha Kolangal, based on his own original Hindi version: Na Jiya Lage Na, sung by none other than Lata Mangeshkar. > Naan Ennum Pozhuthu: An everlasting melody, which is easily mistakable for a Raaja composition. Just like the words in the song itself: “ Kaalai Japaanil kaapi, maalai New Yorkil Caberet”! It is as if the song is a journey around the whole musical universe. SPB is in his element here as his voice traverses seamlessly from one rhythm pattern to another and from one octave to another - Pallavi to Anupallavi to Charanam. > Engeyum Eppothum: This is a song which will get into any ‘SPB list’. This would pave the way for many more songs in this genre for SPB later throughout his career. He sings with a rough tonal quality for this song, in line with the angry mood of Kamal Haasan, for whom he sings this song. Could SPB sing only soft romantic or smooth flowing numbers? He answers these questions with this song. SPB displays another dimension of his singing, hitherto not seen. While there is the song Ore Naal Unnai Naan, a melodious number sung by SPB, I picked this song - Ennadi Meenakshi - to be part of this list, for a reason. This song is from the film Ilamai Oonjalaadugirathu. > Ennadi Meenakshi: The Raaja era dawns upon us and for SPB and indeed for us, it is a golden period in Tamil film music. Amidst all this, SPB holds his own, conveying the sombre mood of the scene very well.
Apart from the male singing voice, there are a lot of sounds of animals, birds and others that come in between. > Kadavul Amaithu Vaitha Medai: From the film Aval Oru Thodarkathai, this one is not just a song but a stage performance. SPB along with S Janaki complement each other beautifully to give us this memorable song. The melody is complex, with long phrases and octaves that alternate between the higher and lower. Raaja, who was assisting Venkatesh in this period, has himself explained the uniqueness of this song. > Then Sindhudhe Vaanam: Though this song was composed by GK Venkatesh, this has an Ilaiyaraaja connection, with whom SPB would collaborate later to churn out thousands of hits and create history. We have heard of the Tamil phrase paal vadiyum mugam to denote innocence. A very soulful and soothing melody, SPB teases with his soft voice while matching the tempo of MSV’s famous rhythm arrangement. Among the ten odd songs in this film, while the other songs were mostly sung by TMS for MGR, Aval Oru Navarasa Naadagam was sung by SPB. But this song from MGR’s Ulagam Sutrum Valiban - a musical and a blockbuster - remains etched in our hearts. > Aval Oru Navarasa Naadagam: SPB started singing for MGR quite early in his career. The very youthful voice of SPB manages to suit Sivaji in this melodious duet and for listeners, this came as a different experience after being used to the usual steely voice of TMS for Sivaji. Music Director MS Viswanathan (MSV) tosses this song to SPB - his first for Sivaji. SPB was making his baby steps into the Tamil industry. In fact, it is widely believed that TMS used to modulate his voice to suit Sivaji and MGR respectively, for whom he regularly sang. Till then, we were used to the legendary TM Soundarrajan (TMS) doing playback singing for Sivaji. Pottu Vaitha Mugamo: This was at a time when the MGR-Sivaji duo was dominating the Tamil filmdom.
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