For a generation of college students who prefer EDM, pop and hip-hop genres, old Malayalam songs are making a comeback in the form of covers and remakes by various artistes. The youth know of these songs either from their parents or other elders. However, the advent of covers has changed things. Now, these covers serve as windows for them to the world of Mollywood’s golden melodies.
Sandra Sam
Many popular singers are coming up with covers of golden melodies of the 80s and 90s. Are these covers appealing to college goers than the original ones?
A few popular covers trending on campuses include Anuragalolagathri by Najim Arshad, Harish Sivaramakrishnan’s Sreeragamo, Arvind Venugopal’s Mampoove / Manju Pole, Vineeth Sreenivasan’s Aayiram Kannumai, Thaikkudam Bridge’s Nostalgia 1 and 2 and the most recently Karutha Penne by Sanah Moidutty. The melody and emotion that is conveyed through these songs and their music has caught the attention of college students. However, to what extent is this comeback successful?
Most youngsters have a mixed opinion. Some feel that the covers have a melodious feel, and they prefer listening to the new versions than the old ones. “The remade versions have more of a soft and melodious tone that catches listeners’ attention,” says Anisha B., a student of SDV College, Alappuzha.
Tribute to Johnson Master by Thaikkudam Bridge is one example. It begins with a soulful rendition of Devanganangal, a pleasant song that is soothing to the ears. “These covers are mostly arranged in tune with our style and taste. However, older generation would not be so keen about these songs as they grew up listening to the originals,” opines Sandra Sam, a student of St Teresa’s College, Ernakulam. “In my opinion, the old songs should be left as they are, instead of remaking them,” she adds.
Rishika Hari, a student from Devagiri College, Kozhikode, cites songs like Anuragalolagathri by Najeem Arshad and Ennavale by Arvind Venugopal that give a soothing effect as her favourites. She says, “I think, it all depends upon the singer and how they present the song. It will either have the same feel of the original or be better than the original. Sometimes, it just gets ruined.”
Songs like Oru Pushpam Mathram and Anuraga Ganam Pole, which are classics, have a very limited number of covers. Varun Nair, a student at St Joseph’s College, feels that the original song is the best and that covers or remakes cannot do justice to the original. “The remade versions may sound good, but they don’t give you the feel of the original song. For example, take Devanganangal by Johnson Master. The covers that have come out are really good, but do not live up to the original song sung by K.J. Yesudas,” he says.
Subin Mathews, a budding musician, concurs. Having spent time doing music and sound technology, he feels that a cover can never replace the original. “It is difficult to replicate the original song and its style and tone. It will always just be ‘your’ rendition of the song,” he says.
