PB Sreenivas

[sagars]

RIP.

Will miss him in the various Sabhas, sometimes with his extempore poetry prasing the artists of the evening.

[arasi]

He will continue his musical journey into the other world, with his songs and poems in many languages, and I picture him with his bundle of notebooks and diaries, yes, writing something new in one of them tirelessly. My Chennai visits will be bereft of seeing him in his turban, Sri chUrNam and that smile--and his greeting "Ah, the poetess!" I've heard him read aloud to me a few of his poems and songs in English and Hindi. He was a fan of my uncle VVS too, and would always mention him at our chance meetings at Brindavan (New Woodlands). He is going to be missed there by the entire staff and fans from far and near who recognized him on walking in, and exchanged pleasantries with him. Once, it was some important man from the films (I do not know his name) who came in with an entourage to converse with him with such reverence. Obviously, another fan.

The very last time I saw him last December, he was with his son whom he introduced to me. I found him to be equally agreeable. I heard from the staff that PBS wasn't coming in alone any more because of his not feeling that strong these days. I'm glad I met at least one member of his family.

Heartfelt condolences to his wife and children. Every time I met PBS, he made me feel that getting old was no big deal and that our thoughts and ideas can forever be young. He also liked the kind of musicians I do, I gathered from our conversations.

Missing him...

[vasanthakokilam]

What a singer! Condolences to the family, friends and fans.

That combination of Gemini-PBS-Kanndadasan-ViswanathanRamamurthy is quite a separate world of Tamil cinema. Softer as a whole!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baVvb4zJixg

[Pasupathy]

PBS was also a great poet...and used to write poems of appreciation on the spot. There was one such instance which I will never forget.
Dr.S.Ramanathan gave a lec-dem on the types of songs used in " Nandhanar Charithram" by GKB at Thakkar Baba Vidyalaya , in the late 70's. It was a meeting arranged by Tamil writers' Assn, I think. Many dignitaries were present. At the end, PBS approached the dais and wanted to speak. He then read/sang out a poem complimenting Dr Ramanathan . What I remember distinctly is: He used swaraksharas when the word 'Ramanathan' came, using R1 M1 N1 D1 ....giving a 'vivadhi' type touch to the entire poem! It was wondeful !

[thanjavooran]

Heartfelt condolences to his wife and children.
Thanjavooran
15 04 2013

[mahavishnu]

Sincere condolences.

I still remember listening to him when I was just a child and being mesmerized by his voice on the radio. I think it was the very first singing voice that I fell in love with. The clip that VK posted and this one here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NG_aUnE-94 are immortal (also Viswanathan-Ramamurthy and Kannadasan).

[bilahari]

Condolences - his music is truly timeless.

Here's a song my mother and I adore:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFO5EbeDm5I

[rshankar]

Sincere condolences. May his soul RIP.
He was a very interesting personality. He has even composed in Hindi. IIRC, he composed a hindi 'padam' as part of a child-friendly mArgam for Smt. Mamta Niyogi-Nakhra, a Canada-based b'nATyam dancer and teacher.

What a singer! Condolences to the family, friends and fans.
That combination of Gemini-PBS-Kanndadasan-ViswanathanRamamurthy is quite a separate world of Tamil cinema. Softer as a whole!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baVvb4zJixg

VK - I love this song, but I have to say that IMO, the best person to sing play-back for Gemini was AM Raja.

The clip that VK posted and this one here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NG_aUnE-94 are immortal (also Viswanathan-Ramamurthy and Kannadasan).

A beautiful one - probaly the only movie with Sacchu as the heroine (I believe that there was some North Arcot connection my family had with her)
kATRu veLiyiDai kaNNammA was a fantastic duet from Sri PBS and Smt. Susheela, although I have issues with the 'cheapening' of the mahAkavi's immortal pean to the dEvi by filming it as a mortal love song....(and another one with play-back for Gemini)
And here is another evergreen duet that I love... pon onru kaNDEn peN angu illai, although I'd much rather listen to this one than see the images!

[rajeshnat]

Sad loss , his voice has so much melody and his solo renditions are so soothing . Apart from few songs that is mentioned, the two numbers in sumai thAngi , manithan enbavan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sefEeamoRI ) and mayakkama kalakkamA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdrBOuI4Lt4) were just too good.

One rare number which perhaps did not get that much visibility is from the film Kaatu roja . The song keeps ending with oor(places) . I am told few decades back that the song itself is kind of biography of Kaviarasu kannadasan kind of tracing different places that he lived, the ups and downs of his life . If I am wrong here perhaps sri pasupathy can add his views here . The words of kannadasan meshing up with PBS voice in this particular song is really touching with KV Mahadevan being the music director. You should hear this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKDLm1pnaAg , the lyrics of this song is here http://songlyrics.blogsplug.in/2011/07/ ... ne-lyrics/

[vasanthakokilam]

>although I'd much rather listen to this one than see the images!
I know what you are talking about. I forgot about that scene for that great song.

Rajesh, that is quite an interesting set of lyrics. I know that song but did not realize the structure of the lyrics. I do not know if it is all the places kannadAsan lived, but if you look at the first part of the first word you can see the pattern: uDal, uravu, karu, mann, kaN, kai, kAl, vEl, vizhi, pAl, patti, kAdhal, kAdu, kanni, kadal, pallam, medu,mEl, keezh, mEl
Well sung by PBS.

I was thinking of many of the songs that are already posted by you all. I have fond memories of Roja Malare Rajakumari as well. Few remaining ones from the one I remember( may be repeats )

Anubhavam Pudumai : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9Tjz6_GEDI
Nillave Ennidam - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8MYbZVETDU
Ninnaipadellam Nadanduvitaal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRWpX_Imi5k
and many more

As a side bar, the beginning of Roja malare rajakumari, the instrumental part 20 or so seconds in, reminds me of this song. Don't know why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh3980VY49Y ( orE oru UrilE )

[PUNARVASU]

My favourite PBS(play back singer)! A great loss. I have seen him at the woodlands regularly. The lat time I saw him was, at the Saravana Bhavan,, opposite woodlands. I always wanted to go and talk to him, but was hesitant. Wish i had!
The song 'nALAm nALAm ' from the film 'kAdalikka nEramillai' I alo by him, I think.
RIP, PBS.

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Great loss!! A very decent man according to my late father(who has never been to any movie with his songs or heard his songs!!!) based on an event where my father was honored and PBS was the Chief Guest!! He was very much liked by MSV who used to say that PBS was very quick in his uptake during the rehearsals,unlike another prominent playback singer(name withheld!!) about whom MSV used to say in Tamil--' BHAGAVAN THONDAIKKUL VAITHADAI,KONJAM TALAIKKULLE YUM VAITHIRUKKALAM"(Translation: God could have put in his brain a little of what He put in his throat"!!).
RIP!!!

[varsha]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTdGJE0-v3w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gGXCzIGGQg

The art of the likes of PB Srinivas ,to my mind , died the day heroes started singing for themselves again .(with specific reference to his early retirement caused by Rajkumars singing in Kannada films . )
Playback took a new meaning from then on Very often just uttering lyrics.
He will go down in history with Manna Dey as the few singers who never sang a dabba (read lousy - just for the sake of the money )song .( post 60s)
Hear his voice ,and the whole period of his times comes floating back .
His attendance with his turban on ,at concert halls - sheaf of papers , clutch of pencils ... while they were amusing to the normal eye .. they taught me a great lesson .
On how to live life to its fullest .
By never losing interest in ones surroundings , inspite of .....
PB Srinivas's way is the way to go
In a world which is changed from the one we are born into and into the one we grow up into .
He must be chasing the ones who got there before him , with his shayarees ( poetry ) .
May God Bless him in the other world !!!

[varsha]

https://archive.org/details/AaMogavu

A dainty collection from the period I understood the value of PBS , best .
Listening to these now , brings back , a flood of memories .
As the saying goes , Old age ,if life was lived well enough , brings its own lamps for the evenings.
PBS was a lamp that never burned bright . But was delicate in its own way .

[rshankar]

PBS was a lamp that never burned bright . But was delicate in its own way .

Or, was he that unique parvAnA that even SammA seek? -sort of like 'khud DhUNDh rahE hai SammA jisE kyA bAt hai is parvAnE mein'