A small thread on SPB songs under the baton of music director V Kumar.

It is well known that SPB primarily shaped himself under the remarkable MSV & became a legend while singing for the peerless Raaja. But the beauty of SPB voice is that all music directors had to almost willy-nilly use him. And he had sung memorable songs under almost all of them.

His partnership with V Kumar, for me, is fascinating, and some of their songs together in the 70s can belong to the hall-of-famer category. It is just that Kumar's songs --- this was a lifelong blight for him --- tended go under the radar for inexplicable reasons.

They were celebrated and enjoyed, but when you made a list on occasions, people strangely recalled MSV, KM numbers, but not Kumar's. And that kind of bothered him and it was one of the reasons why he quit the industry and settled in the US. He passed away in the 90s.

Kumar and SPB shared a personal friendship, and the latter was his go-to singer. He used to wait for SPB for days together just to record him. But one occasion when SPB was inordinately delayed, that song went to KJY. What a brilliant one it was:

You can realise that while KJY aced it (so much so that Kumar reprised him in a similar song ), Unnidam Mayanguren was meant for SPB. The musical phrasings, the piano riff all cried out for the bounce and ebullience in his voice.

Talking of which, SPB's voice in this sports exactly that. You can experience flamboyance and flexibility that forever were SPB's calling cards in singing. BTW, the female singer Swarna is V Kumar's wife.

Many of Kumar's songs were mistaken for MSV's. The previous one and this one, Orayiram Karpanai, were certainly among them . But the brilliance of this melody ensured that SPB remained a cinch all through his career in numbers that had strong pianic snaps.

This song from Nangooram kind of epitomises SPB-Kumar combination. Unobtrusive melodic instrumentation to be carried by the innate romance in SPB's voice. The hero is Vijaya Kumaranatunga, former Lankan President Chandrika's husband.

Nangooram had another outstanding song
.
And this could as well be, in another time, a song from any Balu Mahendra film. Dripping cool and quiet beauty.
This film, BTW, had another music director from Lanka.

From a song featuring Lakshmi, we move to one that has her ex-husband, Mohan. What can we say about Sapthaswaram Unnidathil, ? It's one of the forgotten gems. But songs like this on Ceylon Radio were what made our childhood special in the 70s & early 80s.

Look at the orchestration of this Iravil Paarthen song, . In Kumarish universe instruments were less strident than, say, in MSV's. And relish how SPB sings with amazing control and poise even while oozing youthful romance.

And listen to this Ponnai Naan Parthathu Illai . I don't even know the name of the film. If this is going to be the voice of the hero, no heroine can stop falling in love. And that initial music again underscores Kumar's amazing ability.

'Pallava Naatu...' was a huge hit on the radio. Again the film is irrelevant. Just the simplicity of the tune & general fun emanating from SPB's throat. Even if a song was complicated, there was a sense of ease in SPB's voice. No singer had this quality.

Poongodiye Poongodiye . Just that warbling at the start can keep you high, as if you are floating amidst cotton candy clouds, all through the day

Listen to those guitar riffs & the haunting feeling that SPB voice evokes in Madhanorchavam, . This song is close to Mano Ho Tum in Toote Kilone. I was hooked to Madhanorchavam ever since I heard it in the film Sathurangam at Madurai Vijayalakshmi talkies

These 10 songs are samples enough to recall a unique and special partnership in Tamil film music. It is one that deserves more hearing. And more celebration. Thanks a ton to V Kumar and, of course, SPB, for giving so much music that enriches our lives in unimagined ways.