Best Of T.Rajendar playlist

Few months ago, I was doing a series of posts on playlists of some of the popular music directors in Tamil and keeping up with my tradition of consistency in being inconsistent, was unable to continue posting for all the music directors. But couple of weeks ago, I read somewhere that in his forthcoming film Kettavan, Simbhu is planning to remix the Raakkaala velaiyila song from Mythili Ennai Kaadhali and that is when I listened to that song, which I had completely forgotten, again and it was as catchy as it used to be when I listened to it all those years ago. That is when I thought I should definitely write a post on the best songs of the versatile T. Rajendar.

We have seen so many heroes/ directors who have gone from hero to zero in the Tamil film industry (R.V.Udhaya Kumar, Ramarajan come to my mind instantly) but here is one guy who has become from something of an icon to almost a laughing stock for the current Tamil film followers. It is actually sad to see him do movies like Veerasami and make himself a butt of ridicule of so many jokes & mockeries. I really feel that he is (or I should rather say, was) too talented to do movies like these. But his actions in both the fields - political & cinema - have made things only worse.

Anyway, his music (from that 80s, that is) is something that I have always loved. I have always felt that his music is the closest that has come to the Maestro's songs from the 80s. Some of the songs from his hey days, you would have trouble believing that they are by TR and not actually by the Maestro. Listen to the way the Vaigai karai kaattrae song starts or the guitar usage in Vasantham paadi vara and you will understand I am saying.

Like with all my playlist series, one of the conditions while coming up with this list is that they all should fit in a 80 min audio CD. I had to relax my other preset condition that there can be only one song from a movie since there are just few movies of TR (less than 10) that I have listened to. So, here is my best of T.Rajendar CD compilation.

Indira logathu sundari raathiri kanavil vandhaalo from Uyir Ullavarai Usha
Vaigai karai kaattrae nillu from Uyir Ullavarai Usha
Endhan paadalgalil nee neelaambari from Uravai Kaatha Kili
Noolumillai vaalumillai from RayilPayanangalil
Vasantha kaalangal isaindhu paadungal from RayilPayanangalil
Vasantham paadi vara from RayilPayanangalil
Salangai Ittal oru maadhu from Mythili Ennai Kaadhali
Kanneeril moozhgum odam from Mythili Ennai Kaadhali
Engum mythili edhilum mythili from Mythili Ennai Kaadhali
Idhu kuzhandhai paadum thaalaattu from Oru Thalai Raagam
Kadavul vaazhum koyilile from Oru Thalai Raagam
Vaasamillaa malaridhu from Oru Thalai Raagam
Pookkala thaan parikkaadheenga from Pookkalai Parikkaadheergal
Moongil kaattoram from Pookkal Vidum Thoodhu (Mellifluous song with SPB at his best)
Kadhiravanai paarthu from Pookkal Vidum Thoodhu
Sollaama thaane from Oru Thaayin Sabatham
Moongilile paattisaikkum from Raagam Thedum Pallavi

Honorable mentions:
Aazhkadalil thathiluthu from Raagam Thedum Pallavi
Vizhigal medaiyaam from Kilinjalgal
Raakaala velaiyila from Mythili Ennai Kaadhali
En Aasai Mythiliye from Mythili Ennai Kaadhali
Amaidhikki peyar thaan shaanthi from Rayil Payanangalil

As always will look forward to your comments on any gems that I might have missed out.