The original Rahman...and his masterpieces

Allright......That's it..This is the 458,658,458th time I am listening to Rahman's 'Jai ho' on the radio. Frankly speaking, there is nothing wrong with the song. It's just that the song is just about ok. But they have been playing to so often and raving about how great it is that I have been complelled to put together a list of his songs which are far better. For the record, I do not claim to be an expert on Rahman, nor is this an exhaustive list of his work. It is just an listof his songs that have made an impact on me.These are great songs, great compositions, and according to me, in the musical land of Rahman, Jai Ho is just average. Here's a list of Rahman's songs I think are great, please feel free to add any I might have missed. Here goes, in no particular order ,

- The whole album from the movie Roja - I cannot choose any, every single song is outstanding.There is a Hindi version, but I feel the Tamil one really brings out the emotions. The whole album I think is one of his best works.
- Thiruda Thiruda - in Tamil - I love the song Konjam Nilavu from the movie.
- Kadhalan - Tamil again - You should listen to Pettai Rap. It is uninhibited fun. The album on the whole is good.
- Bombay - Again has versions in bothTamil and Hindi. Tamil's great, but Tu Hi Re in Hindi is heart wrenchingly beautiful. The Bombay theme makes your hair stand on end.
- Iruvar - Tamil - I have not heard the whole album, but Narumugaye is a song I just cant get out my head. It's timeless.
- Rangeela - Hindi - A fun album - every song is worth listening to more than once.
- Kadhal Desam - Tamil - I think I listened to mustafa mustafa day and night and never got bored. It broke a few records.
- Muthu - Tamil - Thilana Thilana is something only Rehman could have made. Pure fun.
- Minasara Kanavu - Sapnay in Hindi - Vennilavae is Tamil is great - Aawara Bhaware is Hindi is joy unscripted. Feel like dancing every time that song is played.
- Daud - Hindi - I dont know how popular it is but I love the whole album. except probably zehreela pyar. The rest of the album has amazing variation in music.
- Dil Se - Also has the Tamil soundtrack. Since I have listened largely to the Hindi version, I'll refer to it. Has the unforgettable chaiyya chaiyya, Another 'make you feel like dancing in abandon' song. The whole album is simply mindblowing. Listen to E Ajnabi, soulful and beautiful.
- Earth - Hindi - A great movie - An an amazing soundtrack. You need to hear it. Especially Raat ki Daldal hain.
- Doli Saja Ke - Hindi - A cute album. Kissa hum likhenge is the best of the lot.
- Taal - Hindi - Another masterpiece by Rehman - I really cant choose a favorite here. But I am a little bent towards Ramta Jogi.
- Pukar - Hindi - I absolutely love his Kismet se tum. It's an amazing song. The rest are great too. Kay sera sera is a feast for both eyes and ears.
- Alaipayuthey - Tamil and Saathiya in Hindi - A great album in both languages - Snehithane Snehithane in Tamil and O humdum suniyo re in Hindi is what I'd recommend. The whole album is great, in both languages. Do not miss out on it.
- Kandukondein Kandukondein - Tamil - I love the album, my personal favorite is still Kandukondein Kandukondein.
- Fiza - Hindi - Listen to Haji Ali - I really do not have words to describe it. The - Zubeidaa - Hindi - Like the album but my personal favorite is Mehndi hai rachnewali.
- Lagaan - Hindi - Outstanding music - every single song is great. Every.Single.One.
- Boys - Tamil - A total fun album. peppy and happy tunes. Boom Boom is good fun.
- Yuva - Bilingual again - I know the Hindi songs. Dhakka laga Bukka is inspiring.
- Swades - Hindi - Another of his outstanding albums. Absolutely love Yeh jo desh hai mera. Makes you fall in love with India again. The whole album is amazing.
- Rang De Basanti - Hindi - Listen to Lukka chuppi and Khoon chala and tell me you dont feel a lump in the throat. This is Rehman at his best.
- Guru - Hindi - Really like Maiyya maiyya, no complaints about the rest of the songs either.
- Jodhaa Akbar - Amazing soundtrack , personal favorite is Khwaja mere Khwaja.
- Jaane tu ya Jaane na - Hindi - Another peppy, full of life, fun album. Kabhie kabhie aditi will always make me smile.
- Ghajini - Made in Tamil and remade in Hindi - I personally think the Tamil songs are far better (which has been composed by Harris Jayaraj, Rehman only composed the Hindi version, I apologize for the error), but Guzarish in Hindi is great and Kaise main deserves a special mention.
- Delhi 6 - Hindi - I absolutely love this album. From Genda phool to Rehna tu to Kaala bandar to Masakali, I love every song. I think it got a bit overshadowed by the average Jai ho.

These are the songs I love and will listen to anytime and anywhere. Rahman has a vast body of work, across languages. This is just a small glimpse. There are so many more I know I have missed. But these are the ones from the top of my head. The list may increase as Shruthi is always there to give inputs. So here's to Rahman, may he live 300 years and always compose music like he's been doing. :)

Back!

oooook..been a long time...a whole 3 and almost half months. It sounds cliched, but I honestly did not have time to think and I have been a victim of writers block..It's a serious disease for writers or for people who have been looking at excel sheets and ppt's for a long time. I have been looking at a lot of the latter two in the recent past. So I have been afflicted with stage 3 of the disease..The good news is that it gets better from now, the bad being there will be a lot of poor jokes and innuendo's which will follow..So all the best. An update on what I was upto these last few days.

- Ranted against the HR. Annoying useless set of people . Stopped for the time being as it got monotonous (truth being I ran out of really nasty things to say)
- The Americans came. So had a busy week.
- Played the Wii - Like the PS3..anyday.
- Learnt how to bake a cake...honestly..can bake a mean chocolate cake. Am obsessed with it now. (ah! probably should'nt have given that bit of information out)
- Cut my hair...real short...cant decide whether I like how the look or not. Sometimes I do, sometimes I dont, but most days I do.. :) I am a Rock Star.
- Still hate congress and their shameless vote bank and caste politics. They are like rabid dogs sniffing a target.
- Markets are so boring that they can put a hard boiled insomniac to a sound sleep.
- Probably will not watch Slumdog Millionaire till they stop playing Jai Ho..
- Feel that Rajdeep Sardesai needs to be transferred to Al- Jazeera or PTV at the rate at which he is obsessively covering Pakistan politics and screaming down at all of us.
- Feel that Rehman has composed far greater music than the Jai Ho thingie..his jingle for Garden (the sarees) was better than Jai Ho.

The writers block refuses to budge...But it will..and it shall and it will..till then..Jai Ho...