#365DaysOfWriting – Day Twenty-Seven
Today is S.P. Balasubrahmanyam’s birthday.
The name may be a mouthful for most, but his voice has always been so easy on the ears. There’s an interesting story about how he learnt classical music by just tuning into All India Radio. I’m inclined to believe it too – it’s just a very SPB thing to do. Maverick would be the right way to describe him.
I’ll keep today’s post short, or else I might end up spending all night just listing out my favourite SPB songs. I must talk about 2 songs though – not songs I suspect you’ll see in anyone’s Top 10 lists.
Kaadhalikkum Pennin Kaigal (Kadhalan)
What makes this song special for me is that the great man himself features in the video, alongside Prabhu Deva and Nagma. And believe me, he’s one of the cutest scene stealers. He’s singing alongside Udit Narayan, and the music has been provided by none other than the genius AR Rahman. The weird thing about this song is that I first heard the Tamil version on someone’s transistor, and when I saw the Hindi version on TV it struck me that it was essentially the same song! If for nothing else, watch this song here just to see SPB dance.
Sach Mere Yaar Hai (Sagar)
Quite a lot of people associate SPB in Bollywood with Salman Khan, but few know he was the voice of Kamal Haasan way before that. This song, set to music by the great (but fast fading in those days) Panchamda, is an education on how to sing a song when you’re heartbroken and yet, keep a smile on your face. Kamal Haasan’s acting throughout the song is incredible, but it was made even better by the aching, endearing baritone of SPB. Watch the song here, although I suggest you keep a few tissues handy…
That’s it for today. Happy birthday SPB, and no amount of thanks or love for you is going to be enough for all the beautiful songs you’ve given us over the years. And it’s a LOT – he holds the Guinness World Record for recording the maximum number of songs in a career. I wish you health and happiness wherever you are – in return, all I ask for is a few more songs from you. ;)
