127 hours

I saw '127 hours' for the first time, last evening. I recommend it for its moving representation of a one paragraph story, context-relevant music, including silence at times and distant sounds at other times, and camera work, how many angles can you come up with in a crevice of a place, though there are lots of errors pointed out in popular blogs. The belief and spirit of Aron Ralston comes through very well. James Franco's effort is praiseworthy. And the screenplay tells the story in an engaging fashion. 


Apparently the helicopter pilot who rescues Aron in the movie, is the pilot who rescued Aron in reality. And Aron himself appears toward the end of the movie, much like 'Pursuit Of Happyness', where the real Chris Gartner walks across the road in the last scene. 



Aron's forms a relationship with the rock, which comes out in the following quote:  

'This rock has been waiting for me my entire life, 

since its been a meteorite, 

millions of years ago. 

I've been moving toward it my entire life, 

the minute I was born, 

every breath I've taken, 

every action 

has been leading me to this crack.' 

Poems, Prayers, Promises

And talk of poems and prayers and promises
And things that we believe in
How sweet it is to love someone
How right it is to care

How long it’s been since yesterday
And what about tomorrow
And what about our dreams
And all the memories we share

I Hope You Dance

I heard this wonderful song last evening... such inspiring words... credit to Lee Ann Womack, covered by Ronan Keating later...

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,

May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed,

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.


I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance

Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',

Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

The Day The Music Died!

On February 3, 1959, a small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, killed three American rock and roll musicians: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as the pilot, Roger Peterson. The day was later called The Day the Music Died by Don McLean, in his song "American Pie".

When asked what "American Pie" meant, McLean replied, "It means I never have to work again." Later, he more seriously stated, "You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of them by me... sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence." How profound!

The Genius in the gene

As I return back home from office, I listen to Tamil songs on my Sony mp3 player. Its been a while I've listened to my selected list of songs, accumulated over a period of time. There are many songs of AR Rahman and Harris Jeyaraj, and this thought crosses my mind. Harris Jeyaraj, at times, is better than Rahman, especially in the clarity of the lyrics in his songs. Listen to Nenjukkul Peidhidum, Kumari, Andangkaakka and you'll know what I'm saying. And he is good with the instruments and the arrangement. What else can you ask for?

Compared to that, Rahman doesn't focus too much on how clear the lyrics are in the song. He's too busy with experimenting with the music that he ignores the lyrics. After all the music is what is important. And I was reminded of the movie 'Music and Lyrics' in which Drew Barrymore says that the music is important at the start, but for the song to be truly good, the lyrics are also important. I agree with that. And with the lean patch that Rahman is going through, I almost conclude that Rahman is no longer what he used to be.

But then I listen to his songs on the playlist and find that Rahman is not just a good music director. He is a genius who believes in experimenting. Listen to Newyork Nagaram and you'll know the amount of gamakkam he has brought into the song. And not the traditional sort.

I paused to find the meaning of the word genius. And where else to find it except Wikipedia. Genius is ability, creativity and originality that is associated with achievement of unprecented insight. And I realise that only Rahman fits the bill completely.

And I remember the biography presentation I had prepared a few months back about Rahman. I had said then that whatever the state of my mind were, my mood was, I could find a song here and there in Rahman's discography that could put me further into it or pull me right out of it. In some ways, without really defining in words, Rahman's music was like therapy for me. Genius, for me, is being able to touch someone ordinary in a profound manner.

I'm not saying Harris Jeyaraj is bad. I remember how I answered a question during my presentation when someone made a comment that Ilayaraja was better. I said 'A lion is a lion and a tiger is a tiger'. There is no comparison. Having said that let me reiterate 'Rahman is a genius'

Every moment has its music

Every moment has its music. Bombay is experiencing rains of the season since the past few days. This certainly is a good spell.

Saturday mornings are relaxed, since it signals the beginning of the weekend, and despite any trouble that one may otherwise be in, there is a certain ease that takes over. I walked to the station to board the train to office. And there was a light drizzle.

I had Hosana from Vinnathandi Varuvaaya, playing on my Sony Walkman, and something prompted me to not open the umbrella. With the light rain falling on my face as I looked up, I felt the music take over, and Rahman weave magic.

En meedu anbu kolla, ennodu serndu sella  

Hmm endru sollu podhum, Hosanna  

Somehow, life felt good, meant more.

Every moment has its music - line borrowed from Sony Walkman 

Beatles, 50 years of mediocre nonsense

The Beatles are 50. They started in 1960. And all the papers and magazines have dedicated scores of articles on them, Beatlemania, how influential they were, and how they changed the world. I was brought up with no great exposure to pop music of the 60s and 70s. All my hearing and understanding of pop music was acquired quite late in life. And to tell you the truth, I'm not and have never been too impressed with The Beatles. That, I can tell you, is blasphemous, to say the least.

I remember a time about 10 years back, when some of my friends, one evening, were discussing about how great The Beatles were. And I certainly wasn't contributing to that view. They mistook that I hadn't heard them, or had no clue of what they were talking about. I confess I haven't had a great understanding of their music. All that I have is a basic hearing. And, I reiterate, they aren't too great. They certainly don't deserve the hype that surrounds them.

But my friends took it personally, and attacked me. They couldn't defend their point for too long, but they still won because of a simple majority. At the end of the argument I realised that they had a lesser understanding of their music.

I beg to add a point, a disclaimer. John Lennon, individually, a few of his songs, were okay. He wrote well, but all of that was his solo attempt. Not the Beatles as a group.

I scoured the net to find if there was anyone who held the same view as I had, I'm sure there are. But I couldn't find much on this, just a few blogs, here and there. Why are people afraid to confront long-held beliefs? Why is it blasphemous to say the truth. That the Beatles were not great.

Listen to their greatest hit, 'Love Me Do'. Its not very impressive. In fact its quite unimpressive. Or 'Hey Jude'. Except the interlude and close, there is nothing very great about the song. 'A Hard Day's Night' was immature and insipid. And 'Yellow submarine' is utter crap, sheer nonsense.

Talk about 'U2' or John Denver and you have my attention. But that can be the subject of another discussion, another day.

Let me present my case:

1. Their music is not revolutionary, not engaging. It doesn't move you, doesn't affect you. Its just some words and music thrown in to average effect. Their music is over-rated.

2. They were around only for about 7-8 years, I understand. And they did not perform many live shows. They were more of a studio group. So if you haven't been a 'live' band, I wonder how they could engage so many in so little time.

3. They may satisfy the definition of cult, but not the spirit. Having teenage girls who don't understand life going around is not 'cool', and certainly not mass appeal.

4. Just because there are a million or billion fans who faint when they hear you, doesn't make you great. Its merely a reflection of the large-scale mediocrity that is prevalent in the world.

5. What about their songs was about world peace or love? Nothing at all. They couldn't stay together as a group for long, despite being love gurus. And they conveniently sidelined George Martin.

6. They won Grammies, 7 of them I think. But since when did winning Grammies make you great?

7. Most of all, their music is not timeless. Like Bob Dylan or John Denver whom you can listen to even today. 

To all those false Beatlemania victims, I say 'Move on'

Mozhi, Language

Mozhi is a beautiful movie. And the music of the movie complements the concept well. The highlight is the song 'Katrin Mozhi', written with a lot of love, music and lyrics. This is a song that touches your heart, makes you smile, and feel good. And it reflects the mood very aptly. I rate this as one of the ten best Indian songs created.

The format of the song is very simple, very conventional, following the usual mukhda-interlude-antara pattern. But it scores with its simplicity and its adherance to the mood without exception or stray. Another important aspect of the song is that it ensures that the lyrics are clearly understood by any listener. The singer has an understanding of the feeling expressed in the song.

There are few songs which are able to stick to the regular format, yet establish such a rapport with the listener. And linger on in your thoughts. I reproduce the lyrics below. I thought I'd attempt a rough translation, but realised two things. One, that I was good only at prose, not poetry. And two, translation kills the mood. Most things are better in their original form.

Katrin mozhi oliya isaiya
Poovin mozhi nirama mananama
Kadalin mozhi alaiya nuraiya
Kadhal mozhi vizhiya idazha

Iyarkaiyin mozhigal purindhuvidu
Manidarin mozhigal thevaillai
Idhayathin mozhi purindhuvidu
Manidarin mozhigal thevaillai

Katru visum podhu disaigal kidaiyadhu
Kadhal pesum podu mozhigal kidaiyadhu
Pesum varthai pola mounam puriyadhu
Kangal pesum varthai kadavul ariyadhu

Ulava therya katrukku oruvam theta mudiyadhu
Kadhal pesum mozhiellam sabthakootil adangathu
Vanam pesum pechu thuliyai veliyagum
Vanavillin pechu niramai veliyagum

Unmai oomai anal kanner mozhiagum
Penmai ommaianal nanam mozhiagum
Osai thoongum jamathil uchimeengal mozhiagum
Asai thoongam idayathil asaivu kooda mozhiagum