Unique Sound Of Illaiyaraaja

These are the song that a whole generation grew up with...

The arrangement of this song is quintessentially Illaiyaraaja.

For the line 'Poo Pookkum Raa Podhu' the conventional arrangement based on the melody note should have been D , C Gm
But Raaja reverses this and the original chords are D , Gm C7th.
and the same melody of the second line goes tangentially as F , Gm Eb

Transition to the relative major for the charanam is a drool moment..

From there the switch to the D Major (While the key signature is D Minor) is innovation as good as it comes..

Finishing line of the Charanam is:
Poovum = Dm C
Mullaai = C#dim Dm
Maari = Gm Dm
Pogum = Bb A

This is what I refer to as Chordensity.. A very high density of chords per unit time and still not making it sound cluttered..

You cannot get this sound anywhere else. This is Illaiyaraaja.

With Love
Vicky