Tamil is a beautiful language, the lyrics of this song encourage people to pay their respects to it. I learnt this song from my teacher, Vinothini Barathan.
If you have listened to Carnatic music, the melody might be familiar. This is because the lyrics have been tuned to the melody of Bho Shambo which is set to Revathi Ragam. The song that this melody was originally composed for praises Lord Shiva. It was composed by Dayanantha Saraswathi.
The Lyrics:
ஓ நெஞ்சே தமிழ்த்தாயை வணங்கு
சந்தங்களில் வளர்ந்த தமிழ்தானிது மாமொழி இது அல்லவோ தேனிது
சொற்ச்சுவை பொருட்சுவை நிறைந்தது மொழிகளின் புலத்தில் தனித்த விளக்கு இயல் இசை நாடகம் தமிழ் தனிச்சிறப்பு இதுவரை அவனியில் இணையில்லை இதற்கு
தொன்மை மிகுந்த மொழி தமிழ் மொழிதானே தொல்காப்பியம் தந்த மொழியிதுதானே மதங்கள் இனங்களை கடந்ததுதானே சர்வ திசைகளும் நிறைந்ததுதானே இத்தனை பெருமையும் தமிழுக்குதானே! பேசு நீ பேசு தமிழ் பேசு!
This video features a song that describes the beauty of music and how it can affect the world.
This song is from the 1972 film, Thavapudhalavan. This was originally sung by T. M. Soundararajan. Lyrics were written by Kannadasan. Music was directed by M. S. Vishwanathan.
It is based in Kalyani Raga which brings joy to people. This is known as the Lydian Mode.
As this is an Acapella cover, I have used multiple tracks to create the melody, drone and the rhythm.
1/2 tracks for the main melody
1/2 tracks for the harmonies
2 tracks for the drone Sa and Pa
0/1 track for the clapping which I did instead of konnakol or a percussion instrument.
1 track for the thakkathina thom repeating theme.
Leave a comment on social media or youtube to let me know of your thoughts!
The lyrics are below:
இசை கேட்டால் புவி அசைந்தாடும் அது இறைவன் அருளாகும்
On the occasion of Bharathiyar's 100 year death anniversary, I've performed the long version of his popular Ragamalika, Chinnan Chiru Kiliye.
Bharathiyar is an example of an open minded individual. Throughout his life he was inspired by others and conveyed great messages through his works.
This particular song was originally meant to be in Bhairavi however it is popular in it's multi raga form.
Though this song is said to describe Bharathi's feelings for a child, he has employed double-meanings which may indicate his wife, Chellamma. They were both married at a young age.
It took me time to hunt down and learn the full version and I'm glad I was able to learn this and hopefully pass it on to more people.
This is my first video where I accompany my singing with the keyboard.
I'm including rough translations and rough notations which can be used as guides.
My Petite Parrot, My Bountiful Treasure My Wholesome Happiness, You came to create progress in this world
Cinnam shiru = Small / very Little / Petite kiLiyE = Parrot KaNNammA = dear, or a common South Indian female name (Bharthi alluded to this name quite a lot) shelvak-kaLanjiyamE - A bountiful Treasure
Ennaik - For me kali - Happiness tIrttE - make whole, fulfill ulagil - In the World Etram - Progress / forward puriya - do / doing vandai - came
2
பிள்ளை கனி அமுதே கண்ணம்மா பேசும் பொற்சித்திரமே அள்ளி அணைத்திடவே என் முன்னே ஆடி வரும் தேனே
piLLaik-kaniyamudE kaNNammA pEshum por-chittiramE aLLi aNaittiDavE en munnE Adi varum tEnE
My Child-like, fruit dipped nectar, my speaking golden portrait Dancing before me, you come to me so I can hug you
piLLai - Child kaniyamudE - Fruit dipped in Nectar kaNNammA - a common South Indian female name pEshum - to speak / speaking por - Golden chittiramE - painting
aLLi - to grab/scoop aNaittiDaVE - to hug en - My / Mine munnE - in front Adi - Dancing / moving with grace varum - come / came tEnE - Honey
3 raagam: maanD
29 shankaraabharaNam janya Aa: S G3 M1 P D2 S Av: S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
ஓடி வருகையிலே கண்ணம்மா உள்ளம் குளிருதடி ஆடி திரிதல் கண்டால் உன்னை போய் ஆவி தழுவுதடி
Odi varugaiyilE kaNNammA uLLam kuLirudaDi Adit-tiridal kaNDAl unnaip-pOi Avi tazhuvudaDIaaDi tiridal kaNDaal unnai poi aavi tazhuvudaDi
When you come running towards me, my heart chills When I see you dancing with merriness, my soul hugs you
Odi - Running varugaiyilE - coming / came kaNNammA - dear, a common South Indian female name uLLam - Heart kuLirudaDi - Cooled / Cooling
Adit-tiridal - Dance around with merriness kaNDAl - To See unnaip-pOi - Come near you Avi tazhuvudaDI - My soul hugs you
4 raagam: vasantaa
17 sooryakaantam janya Aa: S M1 G3 M1 D2 N3 S Av: S N3 D2 M1 G3 R1 S
ucci tanai mughandAl garuvam Ongi vaLarudaDi mecci unnai oorar pugazhndAl mEni shilirkkudaDI
When I smell the top of your head, I feel strongly proud If I hear the people of the village praise you, my skin tingles with excitement
Ucci - Top of forehead Tanai - That part (as in that part of the forehead) mughandal - Kiss lightly, smell garuvam - Proud Ongi - Strong ValarudaDi - Grows
mecci - To praise with sincerely Unnai - you Yar - whomever pugazhndal - praise mEni - skin shilirkkudaDI - tingles (goose bumps)
5 raagam: tilang
28 harikaambhOji, 30 naaganandini janya Aa: S G3 M1 P N3 S Av: S N2 P M1 G3 S
If your face turns red, even momentarily, my heart feels uneasy If I see your forehead wrinkle, my heart throbs with fear...
ShaTru - momentarily mukham - face shivandAl - redness (as in became red with embarassment, discomfort, worry) manadu - heart sancalamagudaDi - disturbed (as in I'm disturbed)
neTri - Forehead Shurungak - shrunk (as in wrinkled forehead) kanDal - See enakku - me / mine nenjam - Heart padaikkudadi - flutter with fear
7 raagam: neelamaNi
27 sarasaangi janya Aa: S R2 M1 P D1 N3 S Av: S N3 D1 P M1 R2 S
உன் கண்ணில் நீர் வழிந்தால் என் நெஞ்சில் உதிரம் கொட்டுதடி என் கண்ணிற் பாவையன்றோ கண்ணம்மா என்னுயிர் நின்னதன்றோ
un kaNNil nIr vazhindAl ennenjil udiram koTTudaDi en kaNNin pAvaiyenrO kaNNammA ennuyir ninradanrO
If I see tears from your eyes, a whole river of blood flows from my heart (because) You're the light of my eyes, my life is yours
un - Your Kannil - Eyes Nir - Water (as in cry) ennenjil - My Heart udiram - Blood KoTTudaDi - pours
en - me / mine KaNNin - eyes Pavaiyenro - girl / light KannAmma - dear, a common South Indian female name ennuyir - It is actually En Uyir - My Soul / My Life ninradanro - is yours
8 raagam: neelaambari
29 dheera shankaraabharaNam janya Aa: S R2 G3 M1 P D2 P N3 S Av: S N3 P M1 G3 R2 G3 S
சொல்லு மழலையிலே கண்ணம்மா துன்பங்கள் தீர்த்திடுவாய் முல்லைச் சிரிப்பாலே எனது மூர்க்கம் தவிர்த்திடுவாய்
In your child-like way of speaking, you'll cure all my worries/misery In your innocent smile, you'll cure me of my ignorance
shollum - Speaking (as in words) mazhalaiyile - child like mumblings kannamma - dear, or a common South Indian female name tunbangal - misery / sorrow / worries tIrttiDuvAi - cure (as in you will cure)
Can even the pages of old literature tell happy stories as you do? In sharing Love, can even a God equal you?
inbak-kadaigaLellAm - Happy stories unnaip-pOl - Like you EdugaL - Pages (as in pages of a book) sholvaduNDO - Tell
anbu - Love taruvadile - Giving unainEr AghumOr - Wonderful, combination / play on words -- means, nigar - (as in equal to you) deivamundo - God (as in is there a God equal to you)
10 raagam: Brindavana Saranga
22 kharaharapriya janya Aa: S R2 M1 P N3 S Av: S N2 P M1 R2 G2 S
மார்பில் அணிவதற்கே உன்னைப்போல் வைர மணிகளுண்டோ சீர்பெற்று வாழ்வதற்கே உன்னைப்போல் செல்வம் பிரிதுமுண்டோ
mArbilaNivadarkkE unnaippOl vaira maNigaLuNDO shIr peTru vAzhvadarkkE unnaippOl shelvam peridumuNDO
To wear on the chest, are there even diamonds/pearls like you? Is there even a larger treasure than you in my life? i.e. You're the most prosperous treasure in my life.
mArbil - Chest (as in over the chest) AniVadarKke - wear ( as in wear over the chest) unnaipol - like you vaira - Diamonds / precious stones manigal - Precious stones Undo - Is there?
ShIr - Prosperity Petru - Got (as in get prosperous) vazhvadarkke - live unnaipol - like you shelvam - Treasure (large sum of bounty) Peridu - Large Undo - Is there?
This cover is dedicated to Appa! Happy father's day!
I have thought about dedicating a cover to him for a long time but was struggling to find a meaningful song that captured us as well as appreciated by both!
I really enjoyed making this cover of Please Sir from Boys. The original is also A Capella with a range of voices while my rendition uses my voice only with different harmonies. I'm hoping that this will be the first of many solo acapella tracks...
