What’s this phenomenon called songs “growing on you”? Why do some songs that sound so non-descript and obscure at the first listen gain a different dimension altogether with passage of time? Does listening to them repeatedly alter our musical sensibilities? Or are there “hidden treasures” in those songs that we discover only after three or four repetitions?
For all Rahman fans it’s all too familiar an experience. Do we even have a count of all those gems that did not strike a chord the first time, the second time…made everyone say “Well you know what, the Rahman of Roja, Bombay and Indhira is lost!”…..only to unfurl in a few days (at times weeks and months) into the masterpieces that they are! Suddenly, all those little intricacies begin to unleash their dormant beauty. Suddenly we begin to notice the barely perceivable chords or an evasive strumming of strings that makes such an enormous difference to the song and compels us to keep listening to them ceaselessly.
I am sure this growing nature is not a characteristic of Rahman’s music alone, and am curious to know of any other composer, genre that is known to have a similar effect.
What made me think of writing this post is my tryst with his latest album Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya, and in particular, his much awaited duet with Shreya Ghoshal, Mannipaaya. A Rahman-Shreya duet is bound to be associated with sky high expectations, but when I listened to it, I found it to be musically unfathomable. Every line seemed to take off creating certain anticipation, and ended in a way completely antithetic to it (for example, the transitions at 2.57 and 3.20, if anyone is interested in the specifics
). The whole song is marked by such “non-standard” transitions, which made sure you don’t remember anything of the tune after one listen. But, if the composer is Rahman, you know better than to give up on it. So I played it again, and this time, made it a point to track this growing process of the song…exactly when does it start to acquire a new meaning?
It made me think of the other songs which took long to grow… Taal, some of the songs of Minaxi and En Swasa Katre, the song “Secrets of Success” and so many others. Our notion of good music is limited by the kind of music that we have had prior exposure to, and have liked. So perhaps, sub-consciously, we try to match every new song that we listen to with this pre-formed pattern in our minds. Anything that matches well is instantly likeable. It’s the same thing as if you are a follower of a particular genre, you like it, but when it comes to something different, as they say, you need to “develop a taste” for it. So, now when it comes to Rahman’s music, which does not comply with any of the traditional genres (It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say he invents a new genre with almost every song
), there is nothing in our previous musical experience that it can match with. Well, for most parts. Intentionally or otherwise, he does throw in a loop or a refrain that catches on quickly, even when the rest of the song is beyond reach. Usually, this bit is repeated at least a few times in the song, take the examples of the “na na re..” chorus in Barso re or in the case of Mannipaaya, the line “Melum melum urugi urugi”. It is this little bit that haunts us and makes us come back to the song over and over again. With every listen, the songs broaden our “mental realm” of likeable music, till we come to think that while it’s nothing like any of the good music we’ve heard before, has none of what we expect in a good song, it’s beautiful in its own way!
The other reason for the ever growing effect of course is the use of layers so prevalent in Rahman’s music. For reasons unknown he likes to keep some of the most intriguing parts of the songs subdued in layers. So that most of the time we completely overlook them in the initial listens. Then one fine day, when we decide to revisit an old song, we suddenly discover these subtle sound bits that had so mysteriously escaped notice all these days. Never before has recorded music been so dynamic; every time you listen to them, there is something new waiting to be discovered!
Well, so the next time it seems like a particular Rahman song doesn’t sound that great, or does not have the “Roja charm”, do think before giving up on it instantly
.It might be one of those hidden wonders, in want a few more listens and some time. As for the song that made me write on this, I have lost count of the number of times I have listened to it, and it’s still growing!







