Ilaiyaraja’s Grand Slam Albums

I am liberally borrowing a phrase from Tennis, Grand Slam and using it in the context of Ilaiyaraja’s music. I have coined the word “Grand Slam” album just to mean all those albums where almost all the songs are very good. Every composer has had albums where all the songs are worth listening, though this trend is becoming a rarity these days. Considering the huge oeuvre of Raja, I am listing 40 albums across languages where I felt they were deserving of the Grand Slam tag, this is a random list in no particular order. I have excluded the albums of MSV-Raja collaboration as it is a topic for another blog post.

1. Guru (Malayalam): Raja’s collaboration with the Budapest Symphony orchestra
2. Mouna Raagam
3. Agni Nakshathram
4. Thalapathy
5. Geethanjali (Telugu)
6. Anjali: A case study on how to compose for a film based on children
7. Amman Koil Kizhakkale
8. Aboorva Sagodharargal (multi-genre album)
9. Chinna Thambi (this movie also ran because of its music)
10. Dhoni (contemporary Raja using live instruments)
11. Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal (what a masterpice album!)
12. Karagattakaran
13. Gopura Vaasalile
14. Idhaya Koil
15. Idhayam
16. Kadhalukku Mariyadhai
17. Keladi Kanmani
18. Pithamagan
19. Naan Kadavul
20. Needhane En Ponvasandham
21. Ninaivellaam Nithya
22. Nizhalgal
23. Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal
24. Punnagai Mannan
25. Sindhu Bhairavi
26. Uliyin Osai (classical+folk+melody songs, one magical album)
27. Villupattukkaran (folksy classical songs, each of them a gem)
28. Ejamaan
29. Uzhaippali
30. Poovizhi Vaasalile
31. Sri Rama Rajyam (a grand devotional Telugu soundtrack)
32. Anumanaspadam (Telugu)
33. Mahanadhi
34. Olangal (Malayalam, a vintage classic)
35. Geetha (Kannada, all masterpiece songs)
36. Chinna Kounder
37. Udhaya Geetham
38. Kizhakku Vaasal
39. Unnal Mudiyum Thambi
40. Mudhal Mariyadhai

 

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