Happy Birthday Rahman!

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As I look back, A.R.Rahman’s music has been there with me at all times in my life. Be it celebrating a moment of success or brooding over a failure or just relaxing, it is Rahman’s music that has been a constant companion to me. I can think of many instances when I have felt a bit low and cheered up immediately after listening to Rahman’s music. Only his music has that magic.

Right from Chinna Chinna Aasai to Barso Re, there is something special about each and every song. When you want to get up, dance and enjoy your life, I don’t think any other song can come near Humma Humma, Fanaa, Lose Control or Thee Thee (I can list many more!). At the same time, if you take some of his sweet melodies with a tinge of sadness like En Kadhale or Idhuthaan Vazhkkai Enbadhaa (Puthiya Mugam) you will be able to relate to the feelings of the characters even without the lyrics! Didn’t the music of Telephone Manipol sound so beautiful even without lyrics when it came as just background music in Roja? Talking about BGM in Rahman’s movies, there are a quite a few BGM for which alone you can watch the movie. The BGM that comes in Bombay when Arvind Samy sees Manisha in the bus (It goes like Pa Sa Ni Sa Ni Sa), So Gaye Hain (from Zubeida) as a BGM again in Bombay, the one in Alaipayuthey that comes whenever Shalini and Swarnamalya are shown, Munbe Vaa as a BGM in Sillunu Oru Kadhal when Suriya first sees Bhoomika, the BGM in Swades everytime Sharukh and Gayathri are shown. The list is endless!

I recently got hooked on to one of Rahman’s oldest compositions, the Spirit of Unity Concert title music. The moment I hit the Play button I lose track of the number of times the track gets played. The play count in my Player reads more than 500 times! The freshness or magic or whatever you call it has not been lost in all these years! His present compositions too have the same magic that was there in his earlier compositions. I am amused when some people say they feel the quality of Rahman’s music has come down over the years.

Recently when I was asked by someone what I do to motivate myself, I said I listen to Rahman’s music! I don’t know why but my efficiency almost doubles up when I listen to his music! I wonder what is it that is there in his music that fascinates me so much. I don’t think I can ever find the right kind of words to describe his music.

May he be blessed with a long musical life and may all the millions of his fans continue to be blessed enough to listen to more and more musical creations of this musical genius!

Happy Birthday Rahman!

17 thoughts on “Happy Birthday Rahman!

  1. Prabhu

    Excellent post. And thanks for reminding about that Bombay BGM part. I havent listened to it for quite some time. Meanwhile have you listened to ‘Bose – The Forgotten hero’. Totally there are around 17 songs(including theme music) in that!

    The choice of Rahman’s photo has been good too. Look at the calmness in his face. Wonderful!

    Happy Birthday Rahman 🙂

    Reply
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  3. Hell's Angel

    oh wow!!Im proud 2 be a capricorn!!!And guess wat todays my star bday as well..i feel really honoured now…And talking abt the BGM, i saw Iruvar yest and the the music tht plays in the background whenever mohanlal comes was simply auperb & i was reminiscing abt his other background scores and u came up with this article in right time!!!

    Reply
  4. Sunil Rao

    Hi Aparna,

    Just today when I was travelling to go to work I was just recollecting the different moods Rahman has captured in his songs & your beautiful article reminded me of those songs.

    At home my parents say I am crazy when I go on & on about AR Rahman & his music. At office my friends call me crazy when I listen to AR Rahman’s Tamil songs even though I don’t understand Tamil.

    My friends call me crazy when I listen to soulful songs from Bose, 1947-Earth & many other periodic movies by AR RAHMAN when most of my friends are engrossed in songs like “Jhalak Dikhlaja”,”Crazy Kiya Re” & many more meaningless songs.

    But still undeterred I continue listening to AR RAHMAN songs because I know behind me there is a over 50000 & still counting strong crowd of even crazier AR RAHMAN fans. Its good to know there are friends like you who share the same thoughts as I do.

    A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AR RAHMAN!!!!

    Reply
  5. Arvind

    Hey, first time here via Prabhu’s link. Browsed through some our your concert posts and quite cool i should say 🙂

    Keep them coming !

    Arvind

    Reply
  6. Adiya

    via ferrai

    mm. nice post and no doubt a.r.r is a legend human beings made of various amazing s/w skills and talent.

    Check out Water Song Chan Chan Oscar nominated one.. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Ranjhith

    Also, if you haven’t noticed in the movie “Uyire” whenever Shaaruk sees Manisha, there’ll be a nice BG song. Goes like this, “Vinmeen galai thaandi vaazhum kaadhal ithu, uyire …” Drums & Tabala would hav got mixed well. Just to hear this song, I rented a DVD. >:O)

    Joining you in wishing the great man of all times. Cheers.

    Reply
  8. hosae

    Nice write up …

    A R Rahman and his music has long inspired me..The latest compostions for guru is simply superb…

    Well I was wondering if someone could get be Spirit of Unity theme music…

    if you can mail me @jeffjosejeff@gmail.com , I would be most grateful…

    Reply
  9. Pingback: From just another Rahman fan to a Rahmaniac – The journey « Aparna’s Blog

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