Pulp Fiction -- Mayamalavagowla

The theme of Pulp Fiction --

western music, indian soul

2 movies.
2 pieces.
2 ragas.

1) Mask of Zorro: "I want to spend my lifetime loving you"

Superb piece! Almost completely set in Charukeshi.. a hauntingly intense raga that symbolises the intensity of expression in love. Here is the song. The lyrics are not bad either:

Moon so bright, night so fine,
Keep your heart here with mine
Life's a dream we are dreaming
Race the moon, catch the wind,
Ride the night to the end,
Seize the day, stand up for the light

I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do

Heroes rise, heroes fall,Rise again, win it all,
In your heart, can't you feel the glory?
Through our joy, through our pain,
We can move worlds again
Take my hand, dance with me

I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do
I will want nothing else to see me through
If I can spend my lifetime loving you

Though we know we will never come again
Where there is love, life begins
Over and over again
Save the night, save the day,
Save the love, come what may,Love is worth everything we pay

I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do
I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do
I will want nothing else to see me through
If I can spend my lifetime loving you.
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2) Pulp Fiction: Main theme.

The theme starts with a conversation which is produced here, just for the readers' (in)convenience:

man: "I love you honey-bunny"
woman: "I love you pumpkin"
man: "Everybody cool! This is a robbery!"
woman: "Any of you $@#^ing pricks move and I'll execute every mother$@#^ing last one of you!"

And then, the most pristine Mayamalavagowla I ever heard from a spanish guitar, accurate to a single note, ensues! You have to listen to it to understand how suprisingly faithful the tune is to the raga!

Kedar.

gowrimanohari

Well, let me attempt to write abt Gowimanohari as well, since I am this semi-classical mode these days, and I already had a small discussion abt Gowrimanohari. I am sure junta will add to the list.

As Ravi put it, this is one of the most under-rated ragas. Also, its very catchy and easy to identify!

To me, the melodic- expression "d2-n3---d2---p---, m1-p---g2---m1---p" defines the raga.

Let me start with tamil, because the following song is the one that got me into identifying the raga--

Tamil:
1)Paatum naane-- Thiruvilayadal: T.M.Soundararajan starts off with a rather boisterous note, and then takes off on a vigourous voyage. Only one word describes this one-- energy. This raga can carry any amount of energy on its shoulders with such ease!! Listen to it!

Of course, you can watch the whole movie... its good.. some other songs from it are good as well --pazham neeyappa: Jaunpuri, Oru Naal Pothuma: ragamaalika(mostly maand.. needs a post of its own).

Telugu:
1) Vennello Godaari andam: The King at work again... this one exposes the softer, yet more intense expression of pathos. .. has a very weirdly catchy start.

If anyone can find any other song in telugu, I will be grateful!

Hindi:
In Hindustani, this raga goes by the name "Patdeep".. it is basically viewed as Bhimpalasi (Abheri) with a shuddh nishad (n3) instead of komal nishad (n2).. for the same reason, r2 and d2 are not used in Arohana. (anyone get it?? r2d2!!!)

1)Megha chhaaye adhi raat: Camena Immortalis (Immortal song) if one ever existed! To talk abt the composer or the lyrics, let me leave it to the learned. The song begins with a sort of "differnt" guitar and drums of a normal duet.. and then the sitar restores order and gently nudges the mood into the pensive, thats characteristic of patdeep. The song seems to have been set in Khanda Chaapu taalam.

2)Chhodo mori baaiyya: This was a completely unexpected one, but then ARR did have his moments!! This is from Zubeidaa. Starts off with an alap in a different raga.. prehaps chandrakauns (if not, some kauns-anga raga that sounds like Kalyana-Vasantam--remember the duet theme by Kadri??) ... and then switches to Patdeep... A very decent and consistent composition.

Kedar.

Gar Yaad Rahe..

i am haunted by a song since morning. The song is from the film "Kinaara".This film, made by Gulzar, is one of the well-made films by him with the not-so-great actor jeetendra. Gulzar signed his favourite R.D.Burman for music.
Gulzar emphasized many times that he worked with many other great composers like Salil Chaudhary, Hemanth Kumar etc.,. but it was R.D.Burman who adorned his unusual poetry with some great music. this fact is evident in this song from the film.

naam gum jaayegaa,
cheharaa yeh badal jaayegaa
meri aawaaz hee pehchaan hai..
gar yaad rahe.

waqt ke sitam kam haseen nahee,
aaj hain yahaan.. kal kahee nahee..
waqt ke pare agar mil gaye kahee,
meri aawaaz hee pehchaan hain..
gar yaad rahe ..

jo guzr gayee, kal kee baat thee,
umar to naheen ek raat ki,
raat kaa siraa agar phir mile kahee,
meri aawaaz hee pehchaan hain...
gar yaad rahe

din dhale jahaan raat paas ho,
zindagee ki lau unchee kar chalo..
yaad aaye gar kabhee jee udaas ho,
meri aawaaz hee pehchaan hain..
gar yaad rahe..

naam gum jaayegaa,
chehra yeh badal jaayegaa
meri aawaaz hee pehchaan hai,
gar yaad rahe..

the mukhuda(pallavi) of this song doesnt have a meter..especially with las line "gar yaad rahe"..it's length is very odd compared tothat of previous lines..Only R.D could do it.. i dont know the raaga on which this song is based but this definitely falls into semi-classical genre. the wonderfully woven interludes..with instruments like sitar, sarod or haunting (hill-kind) flute ..with echo at tail-end(his stamp)...till 2nd charanam, the song is picturised on jeetendra and hema malini..but just before last anthara(charanam), he uses pakhwaj along with guitars. the mood here varies..compared to previous interludes...on the screen, the variation is shown with dharmendra (guest role) entering the scene(dream sequence)...

wonderful lyrics..looks like gulzar wrote it just for Lata(meri aawaaz hi..pehchaan hain!!), because she just nailed it. even bhupinder(male singer) is dwarfed.R.D knew the range of Lata's voice and tapped it eloquently.and musically, it is excellent craftmanship by him.who says R.D means only club songs..infact, this genre of songs (of semi-classical kind) faded out with R.D. today we dont have such songs...and such composers.

PS: i sincerely/strictly suggest all the readers to listen to this song keenly...after reading this.

GrahabalamAEmee

P: grahabalamAEmee...
sree rAmAnugrahabalamAE balamU (nava)

A: grahabalamAEmee aa thejOmayA
vigrahamunU dhyAninchu vAriki (nava)

C: grahapeedala pancha pApamulanAgrahamulukala
kAmAdhiripula nigrahamu seyu
harinee bhajinchAE thyaagarajunikee rasikaagresarulaku (grahabalamAEmee)

To listen to the song sung by Guru T. R. Subramaniam go to Grahabalamemi