A lot of our members have expressed their feelings that AR Rahman was better in his 90s. Though I don't agree with them I have my favorites from the past. Not just from Rahman. From all the composers, musicians and singers.
But the fact is that it is not because the songs were better in the past. it is because we always hold on to our past. be it songs, incidents, falling in love, breakups, marraige functions, first job, college graduation, a great friend.. the whole life. We always think that past was somehow better. We are always worried about the future. don't we cherish memories from our childhood and teenage ? It is the same with songs. when we hear an old song, it triggers memories of incidents, people, happiness or sadness that we related to that particular song. Beatles' Yesterday is an absolute favorite of mine. there are plenty of great songs even better than that one. but it brings me back the memory of a great time had in Brunei when I got my first job there in 2003. That is when I started listening to international artistes often and on top of that I was in love. And, when I hear it now, it gives makes me feel like I have lost something but, in reality I haven't. I love Tanha Tanha from rangeela a lot. it is a great song, musically. But the reason I love it the most is because that is when I got my first portable cassette player (Videocon Walkman) along with a cassette of rangeela as a gift. I did my schooling in a hostel, and I became a popular kid because I had a walkman. lots of kids would come to our dormitory to listen to the songs. So, we put some money together and bought a speaker and placed it on top of a cardboard box with a hole in it, so the rest of the kids can hear it. I was so excited. because not only I got more friends, I was doing something with electronics stuff.. cutting the earphones and connecting the wires to the speaker, making the sound go louder with just one cardboard box with a hole! I felt like I was Einstein! now, when I hear that song.. it brings back memories of my friends, that cardboard box, that videocon walkman, and my great school and teachers. We all talk about how great the classics were. we regard RD Burman, Noushad, Ilaya Raja and the whole lot of great musicians as the best and some people even compare them with today's musicians and talk about how music has lost its soul. It hasn't lost any soul. it is because those people related to their most cherished memories when they hear their favorites. give today's music another 20 to 30 years and we will be talking about how great the 2010's music were. It is same for AR Rahman. the reason why some of you think that ar rahman created better music in 90s is because you were probably teenagers or children during that time and probably were having the greatest times of your life. there were lots of things happening, experiencing new things.. and probably ar rahman's music even helped you a lot at that time. and when you hear it now, you are taken back to that golden era of your life. try to understand that fact before saying ar rahman's music lost the soul. it only means that you have grown up, you have become more experienced, aged and wiser ( and probably grayer and fatter - no offense, just for fun.). get into the mindset of a teenager again and see if you all can enjoy the Kala Bandar and Jai Ho and Fiqraana and even Enthiran. I bet you will. sorry about the long post :) ----------------------------------- http://roshanravi.com http://ramblingsoul.com http://cssheaven.org
