Mazha Njaan Arinjirunnilla (cover)

It has been more than two months since I have sung or recorded anything. Thanks to my wifey and kiddo who were kind enough to leave me alone on a Saturday evening, I recorded a cover version of this beautiful song without any backing track. Do hear and let me know how it sounds. :-)

Movie: Doctor Patient (2009)
Lyrics: Rafeeq Ahammed
Music: Bennet-Veetrag
Original singer: Hariharan
Covered by: Joseph Thomas (Jo)

Mazha njaan arinjirunnilla (cover) by jocalling

Nilaa Nilaa Mizhiye

It's been a long long time since I have sung or recorded anything. The little one is taking most of my time, not that I am complaining. With him, life is so much different but in a very positive way that I forget the sleep interruptions, waking up early, spending time with him and all that. I just love being with him. :-) He is the most precious thing ever in my life. But last weekend, I took sometime off baby sitting with wifey's permission and recorded this song. The thing is, I have not been singing much these days and music blogging is an excuse to get back to singing. To sing properly after a few months was really tiring but I enjoyed every moment of it.

Here is yet another gem from Deepak Dev. Let me know what you think and thanks for listening. :-)

Iniyethra Naal (original composition)

I am not an expert in music and I don't have even the basic ideas of the raaga/classical system. However, I love to compose songs occasionally. The first time I composed a song was many years back. It was a devotional song. It happened this way - our Church choir had an A grade in those days at All India Radio, Thrissur station. We were occasionally invited to the AIR studio to record songs for Easter or Christmas days. The songs had to be original works.

Once we had an invitation to record for the Easter week. Our main composer, George chettan, was kind of busy with working for albums and he could not do all the songs. There were about 5 to 6 songs scheduled for the recording session. So he asked if anybody had any songs composed and ready to orchestrate. My friend Lindsie knew that I had composed two devotional songs and she mentioned that to him [I owe you for that, Linu! :-)]. I presented the songs before him, both which I wrote and composed. He liked the songs and agreed to orchestrate it.

The recording on that day at All India Radio, Thrissur is an unforgettable moment of my life. It was my first studio experience ever. The AIR studio used (I don't know if they still use it) old recording techniques, so there was no studio softwares or punch-in options. If you misspell even just one word or go out of tune in one place, you would have to sing the entire song from the beginning to end. I was totally nervous (as I always am when I sing) but somehow managed to sing the songs.

I was so happy that day that I could sing my own song at AIR. I was even more happy when I listened to the song at my neighbor's house through their radio (we did not have a radio in our house then). My heart nearly burst out when I heard the announcer saying my name and the song's name before the song was played. I wanted to scream to the world that this is my song that you are hearing through All India Radio. The song I wrote, composed and sang [ Listen to the song here - not the original version, re-recorded many years later]. Unfortunately, I couldn't get hold of a recorded version of the original. After many years, when I went to learn Karnatik music, I made my teacher listen to the song and he said that the song was based on Hamsadhwani. I had no idea of what raaga it was.

Now that's a long introduction. Coming to the topic, I composed a song recently for a short film being directed by a friend's friend. Here is the situation of the song as I learned from my friend:

The girl hasn't met the boy yet. She has only heard so much about him. He is a revolutionary kinda person and she develops a heroic crush towards him. He is in jail. Even though they haven't met each other yet, she begins to love him after she learns a about him from his family etc, and waits for him to return from jail. So this is not a sad song. This song is about waiting, but involves the pain of love. So I kept all of these in mind when I composed.

The song is written by Retheesh from Malappuram. I met him first at my house when he came in with the lyrics and explained the song situation. His beautiful lines inspired me to come up with the tune in a short span of time. He made several changes to the lyrics on my request. Orchestration was done by Rajith, a keyboard player who also owns a small studio in Thrissur. He has done an awesome job and made this song to what I had imagined it to be. When I requested Divya S Menon (who needs no introduction to the music blogging world) to sing the song, she happily agreed and did a wonderful job on the vocals. My thanks to all of them.

I sent this song to two of my close friends in the field of music and both of them gave me positive reviews. One said that the song fits the description very well and the other said that I should quit my job and become a full time music director. My thanks to you guys for your kind feedback. :-)

Now, I leave the song to you guys to listen. Let me know how you like it. When the music video gets ready, I will post it here.

Song: Iniyethra Naal (Malayalam)
Lyrics: Ratheesh
Composed by: Joseph Thomas (Jo)
Orchestrated by: Rajith
Singer: Divya S Menon



Download the song here


Iniyethra Naal (original composition) | Music Upload

Picha Vacha Naal from Puthiya Mukham

Perhaps after Kangal Irandaal, this is one song that keeps me hooked to my iPod and I never get tired of listening to it. Such a beautiful, melodious song from Deepak Dev and it seems to be the come-back of Deepak after a short interval. This song is already a huge hit across Kerala. One thing I like about the orchestration of this song is that the vocals do not get miffed in the background music. It has very minimal use of background music so that the vocals is clear when you hear it. And this one is sung by the versatile Shankar Mahadevan and the Shankar - Deepak has made this song forever hit. Here is my humble attempt in singing "Picha Vacha Naal Muthal" from Puthiya Mukham.

Sally is a long time friend of mine and also the elder sister of Jessica, whose song I published in my old blog. Sally thought this song would suit me and requested to sing it. Here is the song for you, Sal. :-)

And many thanks to Rosh for the karaoke track. She knew I love this song and sent me the karaoke. Thanks!

Song: Picha Vacha Naal Muthal
Movie: Puthiya Mukham
Music: Deepak Dev
Original singer: Shankar Mahadevan
Sung by: Joseph Thomas (Jo)
Karaoke provided by: Roshni

Paalapoovithalil (cover)

Here is a song from the Malayalam movie Thirakkatha. The album marks the come back of music director Sharath to the Malayalam cinema after a break. This is a duet song and I did it myself. :-)

Movie: Thirakkatha
Music: Sharath
Original singers: Nishad, Swetha
Covered by: Joseph Thomas (Jo)

Download MP3 of "Paala poovithalil (cover)"

Kandu Njaan - from Abhimanyu (cover)

Here is a rough recording of one of my favorite songs. I did not try to edit out the breathing noise or lip movements. Just wanted to sing it, since I love this song so much. :-)

Song: Kandu Njaan Mizhikalil
Movie: Abhimanyu
Music: Raveendran
Original Singer: M G Sreekumar
Covered by: Joseph Thomas (Jo)

Download MP3 of Kandu Njaan from Abhimanyu (3.49 MB)


Kandu Njaan (unplugged) | Online recorder

Sundariye Chempaka Malare

Vishu reminds me of three things - kaNi konna, vishukkaTTa and my Mother's birthday. :-) During the months of March and April, you would see the golden flowers of kaNi konna everywhere in Kerala and just the sight of the bloomed konna is a treat to eyes. Vishukkatta is the traditional Vishu special delicacy of Kerala homes. I remember that there was Mohan chettan and his younger brother Unni chettan who were friends of my elder brothers. They used to bring Vishukkatta on Vishu days in my early childhood and it was so yummy! I don't know how many homes still prepare Vishukkatta these days. And today is my Mother's birthday. She has just turned 73.

Here is wishing all Malayalee readers/listeners of this blog a wonderful Vishu day (with lots of Kaineettam :-) ) and all prosperity throughout the year.

And here is a song which I have sung with Rashmi Nair.

Film: Panthayakozhy
Lyricist: Sarath Vayalar
Music: Alex paul
Covered by: Joseph Thomas, Rashmi Nair

Download MP3 of "Sundariye Chempaka Malare" (my version)


Sundariye Chempaka Malare (with Rashmi) | Upload Music

Vrischika Penne (cover)

It has been a long time since I have sung and old Malayalam song. Here is a fun song, composed by the legendary music director Salil Chowdhary, from the Malayalam movie Thoma Sleeha. I sang this one with Vidyu, one of the most amazing singers in the online world. Thanks to Vidyu for suggesting this song.

Film: ThomaSleeha
Lyrics: Vayalar
Music: Salil Choudhary
Original singer(s): Yesudas, Sabitha Chouwdhary
Cover by: Jo and Vidyu

Download the song MP3 here (3.28 MB)


A Salil Chowdhary song | Upload Music

Chaanthu Thottille - Banaras

I was looking for the MP3 files for M Jayachandran's latest, Orkkuka Vallappozhum and I was stumbled upon another recent work from him - Banaras. I was in a hurry to catch my train back to Thrissur and I downloaded a couple of songs from that film. I was happy to find an official karaoke track for one of the songs. That song caught my immediate attention as it was a Dhandiya song. The song name is Chaanthu Thottille and it is sung by my fav singer, Shreya Ghoshal. :-) This must be her second Malayalam song after Vida Parayukayaano from Big B. I listened to the song multiple times when I was lying down in the train. Then I thought, why not sing a male version of the song?

As soon as I got a breather in the late evening on Saturday, I learned the song and recorded it. I have changed the lyrics a bit to make it suitable for the male vocals part. Let me know how it sounds. :-)

Song: Chaanthu Thottille
Movie: Banaras (Malayalam)
Music: M Jayachandran
Original singer: Shreya Ghoshal

Download MP3 file of this song


Banaras - Chaanthu Thottille | Upload Music

(Image courtesy: IndiaGlitz)

Yamuna Veruthe from Ore Kadal

It has been a very long time (almost 2 months) since I have sung or recorded anything. The change in the climate did not go well with me and the sinusitis took this chance to attack me all over. I had no choice but to keep quiet. This week seemed to be better and I couldn't wait any longer. :-) Today after coming back from work, I recorded one of my favorite songs from the recent times - Yamuna Veruthe - again. Everything about this song is so beautiful - the lyrics, the music and the wonderful renditions by music director Ouseppachan himself and the Shreya Goshal of Malayalam, Swetha Mohan. :-)

I had posted an unplugged version of this song earlier. You can check it out at my music blog. Also thanks a lot to Rosh for sharing the karaoke track. This song is also my first music post in the new year. Hoping to get back to my song posts here onwards. :-)

Movie: Ore Kadal

Lyrics: Gireesh Puthenchery

Music: Ouseppachan

Original singer: Ouseppachan

Sung by: Joseph Thomas (Jo)

Requested by / Dedicated to: Rosh

Download the MP3 of this song

Yamuna Veruthe (with karaoke track) | Music Codes

May Maasame (cover)

It has been more than 3 weeks now since I have sung or posted any song. Weekdays are busy and the weekends are made for sleeping and taking care of the things back at home, so not getting much time to put into music. But I can promise that something is cooking and hope to bring it out by the year end.

Here is a song for the time being, an unplugged version of a Malayalam song, from the recently released movie My Mother's Laptop.

Song: May Maasame
Movie: My Mother's Laptop
Music: Sreevalsan J Menon
Original singer: Amal
Cover by: Jo


May Maasame at Muziboo.com

Download MP3 here (3.10 MB)

A prayer song

This song in Malayalam was first written by a Malayalam teacher and then composed by a music teacher in the same school. Interestingly, both teachers share the same name – Aravindakshan. I used to sing this song at school every morning during the school assembly. This is my all-time favorite prayer song and reminds me of my school days.

Song: Saarada neela rajani than
Written by: Aravindakshan master
Composed by: Aravindakshan master
Sung by: Jo

Download this song (1.82 MB)

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My first solo song in an album

On Monday of the last week, Anil chettan called me and asked if I would like to record a song with him. The song was for a devotional album. I was excited and grabbed the chance. I went to the studio on the very next day and recorded the song by 10 PM. This experience is quite new to me as I learned the song just 5 minutes before recording, something which never happened before. I always learn and practice songs beforehand for studio recordings. And this time it was different and was done in a professional manner. Also this is my first solo song that is released in an album. And it is really nice to see the song title with my name and also a photo printed in the back cover of the CD. :-)

Song: Oru kuttavum
Album: Aardra Sneham
Lyrics: Shobhana Mohan
Music: Vinod Mohan
Orchestration: Anil B S
Studio: S S Digital, Trivandrum

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My first solo song in an album

On Monday of the last week, Anil chettan called me and asked if I would like to record a song with him. The song was for a devotional album. I was excited and grabbed the chance. I went to the studio on the very next day and recorded the song by 10 PM. This experience is quite new to me as I learned the song just 5 minutes before recording, something which never happened before. I always learn and practice songs beforehand for studio recordings. And this time it was different and was done in a professional manner. Also this is my first solo song that is released in an album. And it is really nice to see the song title with my name and also a photo printed in the back cover of the CD. :-)

Song: Oru kuttavum
Album: Aardra Sneham
Lyrics: Shobhana Mohan
Music: Vinod Mohan
Orchestration: Anil B S
Studio: S S Digital, Trivandrum

Download this song (4.29 MB)

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A devotional song

I blog-hopped into Geetha teacher's blog a couple of days back. There I read this beautiful song about Krishna and it was written with a lot of bhakti as we can see from the lyrics. Then I asked her permission to compose and sing this song. She was totally fine with it and here is the result. Do let me know how it sounds.

Song: Guruvayur thrikkovil
Lyrics: K C Geetha
Composed and sung by: Joe

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Nanmayaakunna Kaanthi

I heard this beautiful prayer song after Raj (peringodan) asked me to sing this song. It is from the movie Calcutta News and sung by Chitra. The lyricist needs two thumps up for this song for penning such beautiful and meaningful lines.

Movie: Calcutta News
Music: Deb Jyothi Mishra
Lyrics: Vayalar Sarath Chandra Varma
Originally sung by: K S Chitra
Sung by: Joe

Download this song (2 MB)

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United We Stand - A collaborative music project

United We Stand

Download the song here - 3.65 MB (file name: UnitedWeStand.mp3)

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I found this song in one of the posts in Muziboo by Prateek. Prateek posted this song on behalf of Sanour Sunny Mohammad, who is a sound engineer with Sandeep Chowta.

This is what Sunny has to say about the song:

“We being musicians/technicians, can express our thoughts and present it to the
world in our own pleasing way … So come on guys and girls, seniors and amateurs,
contribute in this song, by taking part. I am uploading the idea of the song.
The tune and the arrangement pattern will be same further, but according to the
members submissions, i may change it. Drummers can record drums, guitarists can
do guitars, singers can do vocals/harmonies/aalaps/, flautists can do flute,
sitarists can do sitar portions, watever they like, but associated with the
song. Its not necessary to play the same thing, but ya over the same track u
have to do it. Anyone can contribute. Take the song in ur session, put the song
on the first or bar of ur choice, and go on!!!!! I have bounced the track on
bar, so it will sit on the tempo mentioned on the song page. If anyone wants the
song in some other way, like only rhythms, i can do tht even, and send it to
them.."

Sunny did this song as a base stuff and invited other Muziboo members to collaborate and contribute to this song. He provided the minus track and his vocals track separately. I liked the music, lyrics and the whole concept and I was humming along as I listened to the song. After I finished listening, I recorded the aalaaps and humming part. Then I cut some vocal portion of Sunny's original song and put some Malayalam lyrics there. Just to mention, the lyrics was an instant creation. I recorded the Malayalam part and mixed the song altogether and posted it. So it all happened in one hour (I added the last Vande Mataram bit on Saturday). The complete lyrics of the song and Sunny's original song can be heard from here. The Malayalam lyrics is as given below:

ii bhaaratha bhUvil nanmayum Saanthiyum pularaTTE
chidra SakthikaL nilam pathikkaTTE
uNaRnnonnaayuyaRnnu paaTaam
jayikkaTTE bhaarathaambaa

A rough translation of this would be:

May love and peace prevail in the land of India
May the divisive powers fall
Let us wake up and sing together
May the victory be with mother India

The original lyrics by Sunny:

Don’t u think u make mothers cry
Don’t u think innocents die
Don’t u think u r hurting a nations heart
Don’t u think u r making kids apart

Please stop this!!! Please stop this!!!
Please stop this!!! Please stop this!!!

Will ur mother be proud of what u r doing
Will sumone forgive u, for what u r doing
U r hurting a nations life
U r killing a world of smile

Whatever u did in the past
We were together
Whatever u do further
We will be together

United we stand United we stand
United we stand United we stand

Its a request
Its a warning for u
Its so disgusting
The things u really do
U took smiles away
from so many kids around
U took hearts away
from some ones bound

Dnt u think we r afraid of u
WE can get u down
One day will come u will plead us for mercy
Then we will show u how
Show u how….

UNITED WE STAND UNITED WE STAND
UNITED WE STAND UNITED WE STAND

War isnt an answer
To the questions u really dnt know
War will just give a loss
And nothing, even to u
Be ready to face us
We’ll strike together
We r coming together
U really cant beat us forever

UNITED WE STAND UNITED WE STAND
UNITED WE STAND

UNITED WE STAND (Vandemataram Vandemataram)
UNITED WE STAND (Vandemataram Vandemataram)
UNITED WE STAND (Vandemataram Vandemataram)
UNITED WE STAND (Vandemataram Vandemataram)
UNITED WE STAND (Vandemataram Vandemataram)
UNITED WE STAND (Vandemataram Vandemataram)
UNITED WE STAND (Vandemataram Vandemataram)
UNITED WE STAND (Vandemataram Vandemataram)

I must say that Sunny did a great job with this song. Kudos to him! Those of you who would like to add your part can feel free to do so as Sunny has mentioned in his post (you can download the minus track and Sunny's vocals track from his post). Here is my contribution and you guys listen to it and let me know your comments.

Shyama Meghame - Salil Chowdhury composition

Presenting you Shyaama Meghame, one of the most beautiful compositions by the maestro Salil Chowdhury and sung by Yesudas. This was a long pending song request from Deeps and I had severe throat pain at that time and I couldn't record it. Deeps is one of the best friends that anyone could ask for if friendship means standing by your friend at times when he/she needs you the most. And I dedicate this song to her.

Song: Shyama Meghame
Movie: Samayamayilla Polum (1978)
Singer: K J Yesudas
Music: Salil Chowdhury
Lyrics: O N V Kurup
Year: 1978

Download link: http://www.4shared.com/dir/4894733/31186d27/josharing.html
File name: SyaamaMeghame.mp3

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SyaamaMeghame.mp3

Yamuna Veruthe from Ore Kadal

Ore Kadal is one of my most favorite movies of the recent times and music has an important role in it. All the songs in this movie are composed in one raaga that is Subha Panthuvaraali and yet each song sounds different from the rest. The music composer Ouseppachan has done an amazing job with this and here is my attempt in singing Yamuna Veruthe. Velu had earlier suggested me to sing this song and here it is with just shruthi in the background. Do let me know your valuable comments.

Movie: Ore Kadal
Lyrics: Gireesh Puthenchery
Music: Ouseppachan
Original singer: Ouseppachan
Sung by: Joseph Thomas (Jo)
Suggested by: Velu

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Related Links:

Ore Kadal - My review
Ore Kadal - Music recommendation
Podcast review

Ilam Manjil - Ninnishtam Ennishtam

Here is my first song of the new year. This is one of my favorite Malayalam songs and I have sung it with Rashmi. It's a pretty tough song with high notes and do let us know your comments.

Movie: Ennishtam Ninnishtam
Music: Kannur Rajan
Original singers: K J Yesudas, S Janaki
Sung by: Jo, Rashmi

Download MP3 File (6.09 MB)

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