FOLK Music did exist way BEFORE 1976 -PART 1

FOLK Music did exist way BEFORE 1976 -PART 1 ============================================

This post is for those learned fools and blind Illayaraja devotees who time and again claim that folk music was introduced to TFM in 1976 like they say Bharathiraja brought cinema out of sets ha ha .. Many directors like Sridhar, KB sir, ACT, P.Madhavan, K.Shankar all have made films in various villages and other locations. This Raja(Illayaraja, Bharathiraja)gang want to spread false claim stating they did everthing first. Come on guys. Music is an ocean and one cannot own it. Stalwarts like G.Ramananathan, K.V.Mahadevan, MSV-TKR, T.G.Lingappa, S.Dakshinamurthy,S.Rajeswararao,T.R.Pappa, Ghantasala and many more legends have given varieties of FOLK songs and in this post i'll cover a few to showcase that FOLK music existed before 1976 and every single MD i've mentioned were masters of FOLK while thinking about this post I was asking myself how back should i go to showcase that Naatupura isai/padalgal featured in tamil movies and decided to start from Gemini studio's Iconic "Chandralekha"(1948) S.Rajeswararao one of the finest composers of Indian cinema did music for Chandralekha. who can forget the climax Drum dance M.S.Sundari bai wife of Kothamangalam subbu sang a beautiful FOLK song tuned by SRR "Padathe Padathe un paatai kettu pulikuttithan bayappadum" a funny folk number sung very well by Sundarai bai. a troll kind of a song in those days.

Another composer who rocked the Film scene with hit after hit was C.R.Subburaman (guru for MSV). He composed a brilliant folk number sung by the one and only Kalaivanar N.S.Krishnan and T.A.Mathuram from the film Nallathambi (1949) yes very famous "Vingyanatha Valarkka porendi" . Udumalai Narayana kavi's lyrics and NSK & Mathuram's rendition makes this a catchy number.

G.Ramanathan who defined Film music with varieties and also pioneer in taking Carnatic music to masses composed a beautiful folk in Manthirikumari(1950) yes "En Erumai kannukutti" sung by Master Subbiah and written by kalaingar Karunanidhi It's a combination of G.Ramanathan and S.M.Subbiah Naidu this time for another beautiful folk number from the film where Legendary Nambiar Samy portrayed 10 different characters (in disguise ofcourse ). Same Master Subbiah has lent his voice for this peppy folk number "Vaazha Pirandhavar Naame"

Next one is from Nadigaiyar Thilagam Savithiri's Debut "Paathala bhairavi" wherein she appears as a dancer in a folk song rendered by Pithapuram Nageswararao & T.G.Saraswathi composed by Ghantasala Master "Naan Matten Neeyum"

The movie which made the future Puratchi thalaivar noticeable and established Nambiar as a cunning villain yes "Sarvathikari" Movie had great songs tuned by Susrala Daskhinamurthy and this one particular song picturized on T.P.Muthulakshmi and A.Karunanithi is a hilarious folk number rendered by S.Dakshinamurthy himself along with U.R.Chandra

Another one from the movie Vanasundari (1951) composed by C.R.Subburaman penned by Udumalai narayana kavi. Vanasundari had the great P.U.Chinnappa pairing with T.R.Rajakumari. P.A.Periyanayagi sang a beautiful folk number Poovo poovu Manam veesum pudhusana poovu picturized on lalitha

The movie where MGR's name appeared as M.G.Ramachandran instead of Ramchandar was "Andhaman Khaidhi" G.Govindarajulu naidu composed the songs. It had a beautiful Folk sung by T.V.Rathinam written by Ku.Sa.Krishnamurthy picturized on beautiful P.K.Saraswathi "Anju rooba notta konja munne maathi michamillai" reality of money value said in simple words

Veteran singer K.Jamunarani started her tamil career with the movie "Valayapathi(1952)" Music was by S.Dakshinamurthy and A.L.Raghavan sang a brilliant folk number "Palli Koodam Bum bum bum" ALR's young boy's voice is the main plus for this song.

Anbu(1953) starring Sivaji, Padmini and T.R.Rajakumari, composed by T.R.Pappa here is a folk song penned by Ka.Mu.Sheriff and sung by A.M.Raja for Nadigar thilagam.

P.Pulliah's Manampol Mangalyam(1953) starring Gemini Ganesh, Savithiri music composed by Adhepalli Ramarao had a beautiful folk by P.Leela and A.M.Raja "Mappillai doi Mappillai doi" lyrics by Kanaga surabi

Same movie had another peppy folk by Jikkiyamma "Nalla caril yerikondu" a funny song performed well by Jikki

Marumagal(1953) featuring N.T.Ramarao and Padmini in lead had beautiful songs composed by C.R.Subburaman while background score was by MSV-TKR. Movie had a beautiful folk song perfomed by Jiki and A.P.Komala picturized on baby saraswathi aka Sachu and Master Sudhakar "chinna chinna veedu katti" an inspiration for Aathoram manaleduthu

Tel version-

Movie had another funny folk song sung by T.R.Ramachandran and A.P.Komala Romani mambazham than roobam than mari ..

telugu version-

sung by Pitapuram Nageswararo and APK Movie also had a folk song composed by G.Ramanathan "Aanukkoru pen pillai pennukkoru aan pillai"

A.P.Nagarajan's debut "Naalvar" had beautiful songs composed by K.V.Mahadevan and he was the one to create hundreds of folk tunes in tamil film music across decades Here is a folk song composed and sung by him along with K.Raanee. Abaratham 50 rooba

Another folk from the same movie sung by A.G.Rathnamala & U.R.Chandra

We are still in 1953 and see how many folk songs composed by various composers. better ones are yet to come and it's a proof and testimony to various talented composers who have composed numerous Folk tunes prior to 1976. Ponni(1953) C.S.Rao's debut movie had music composed by S.M.Subbiah naidu had beautiful songs and here is a beautiful folk by M.M.Mariappa and team "Aaduvathum Paaduvathum idhukku "

Thirumbipaar(1953) very famous movie for it's story and dialouged by M.Karunanithi music composed by G.Ramanathan Jikki lends her voice for Pandaribhai in this educative folk song "Aavanna doovanna aadu"

Edhirparadhadhu(1953) C.V.Sridhar was noticed as a writer thru this film. Film had amazing songs like Sirpi sedhukkadha tuned by C.N.Pandurangan Kuttakavi aka K.S.gopalakshrishnan wrote a comedy song describing how the person moved from a compounder job to a savory seller sung beautifully K.S.chellappa

Only film to have featured M.G.Ramachandran and Sivaji ganesan was Koondukkili(1954) directed by T.R.Ramanna. K.V.Mahadevan composed beautiful songs for this iconic film and he sang a comic folk song along with TMS and V.N.Sundaram Rathirikku buvvavukku lottery even in hunger labor community have fun in describing their poverty. how ironic

Next song to feature is from the famous Pakshiraja studios production "Malai kallan" featuring MGR and Banumathi. Music was composed by legendary S.M.Subbiah naidu who can forget the Sayubu role donned by MGR. unforgettable performance by Puratchi thalaivar Ehtanai kalam than yematruvar by TMS is popular even today. P.A.Peiyanayagi sang a beautiful folk penned by Thanjai Ramiahdoss "Oh Amma Oh Ayya O Saami" performed by Sayee Subbulakshmi sisters

AVM's Penn (1954) introduced Vaijayanthi Mala who went on to become a sought after actress in Hindi R.Sudharsanam master - permanent employee of AVM composed beautiful songs Who can forget Sonna sollai marandhidalama The folk number featured here is Vaijayanthi mala performing both male and female characters, sung by M.S.Rajeswari "Ettadha Kilaiyil kittadha kanipol iruppadhum serithana" penned by Veteran K.P.Kamatchi

RathaPasam (1954) in C.V.Sridhar's writing, R.S.Mani's direction and man who wrote vinnodum mugilodum later composed for this movie M.K.Athamanathan along with A.V. Natarajan Trichy loganathan sang this folk number "Dallu Dallu Dallu" a comic song describing economic situation and business market of those times.

another folk number written by Ku.ma.Ba sung by P.Leela

Doctor Savithiri(1955) songs composed by G.Ramanthan and then suvai mevum by P.Leela is a popular number NSK & T.A.Mathuram sang a hilarous folk song with meaningful lyrics by Udumalai narayana kavi

Devan's Gomathiyin kadhalan was made as a film by T.R.Ramachandran. He produced the movie and paired against Savithiri. Who can foget Vaanamedhil neendhi odum (2 versions 1 by Seergazhiyar and another one by Trichy loganathan) movie had a beautiful folk number for T.R.R. Kongu naatu sengarumbe penned by K.D.Santhanam

Based on 1001 arabian night stories T.R.Ramanna made a tamil folklore "Gulebakavali" featuring MGR,G.Varalakshmi & T.R.Rajakumari Music by MSV-TKR (Except for 1 song mayakkum malai pozhudhe was tuned by KVM for another movie but used in this) AG.Rathnamala and JPChandrababu sang a beautiful folk "Achu Nimirndha vandi"

Modern Theatres Kathanayagi(1955) starring padmini, T.R.Ramachandran had good songs tuned by G.Ramanathan and here is a beautiful folk by P.Leela and Swarnalatha (old singer) "Perum panathile pirandhu panathile valarndha"

I’ve covered only few samples but await for part 2 where in the main songs like “Mama Mama”, “chithada kattikittu”, “Kattodu kuzhalada”, “therodum enga seerana maduraiyile”,”Kaverithan singari”,”kaveri karai irukku,”Theru paarka vandhirukkum” all popular FOLK SONGS will be featured and it will prove the rumors spread by Illayaraja fans. The real TRUTH being KING of folk is/was and will be THIRAI ISAI THILAGAM K.V.Mahadevan and man who experimented western in FOLK will be one and only MELLISAI MAAMANNAR M.S.Viswanathan avargal. AWAIT for PART-2 Until then signing off - Rajesh Lavanya