Illamaiyenum Poongkātru

The song was one of the greatest masterpieces ever composed by Maestro Illayaraja and the song was written by Kannadaasan sung by S.P.Balasubramaiyam for the movie Pagalil Oru Iravu [1979].

The song was originally tuned and harmonized based on the Sindhu Bhairavi Rāgam but in western way actually it goes in C# minor scale, for the player’s convenient I have Chord-ed and TABed in D minor scale, just one semi-tone higher than the original scale.

Continue reading to get the Chords/TAB of the song along with a brief explanation... 

[Chorus]
Ilamai yennum [Dm] poong kātru
[F] Pādiyadhu [Gm] orr pāttu
[F] Oru pozhudhil [Gm] orr āsai
[F] Sugam [C] sugam adhi [Dm] lé
Oré sugam [Dm] x2

[Dm] Ore vee [A7] nai, Ore rā [Dm] gam

[Verse]:01
Thannai Maran [Dm] dhu,
Mannil vizhundhu
Ilamai malarin meedhu
[F] Kannai izhandha vandu
[A] Dhéga sugathil gavanam
Kāttu vazhi [Bb] yil payanam
Gangai nadhik [Gm] ku
[G] Mannil anai [Em] yaa..a..a..a [Dm]

Ilamai yennum [Dm] poong kātru 

[Verse]:02
Angam Muzhu [Dm] dhum,
Pongum ilamai
Idham padhamāi thondra
[F] Alli anaikka kaigal
[A] Kétka ninaithaal marandhāl
Kélvi yezhu [Bb] mun vizhundhāl
Yendha uda [Gm] lo
[G] Yendha ura [Em] vo..o..o..o [Dm]

Ilamai yennum [Dm] poong kātru 

[Verse]:03
Mangai ina [Dm] mum,
Mannan inamum
Kulam gunamum yenna
[F] Dhégam thudhiththāl kanédhu
[A] Koondhal kalaindha kiliyé
Konji suvaith [Bb] tha kiliyé
Indha nilai [Gm] thān
[G] Yenna vidhi [Em] yo..o..o..o [Dm]

Ilamai yennum [Dm] poong kātru



This is not only an amazing melody but also is a very romantic song too; goes well with any kind of instruments [strings, woodwinds, keyboards etc.] although the guitar can do well than the others.

Finger Chart for the TAB
The following Fret board illustration showing the finger placement of the melody notes found in the attached TAB sheet.

Technically the time signature of the song is in 4/4, but the song is exactly started at the 4th note of the first bar instead of starting it at the 1st beat of the bar, you may listen when the first accent of the song came in the 1st beat of the 2nd bar with the word “poong kātru”.

Theoretically this technique gives us a feeling as the song is exactly starting at this point on, but it wasn’t; actually it starts from the half of the previous bar and each end of the verse, then it keeps the number of bars in the entire piece at a whole number without go against the time signature.

So! Don’t try to play the song from the first beat of the bar. This type of arrangement is often called anacrusis* [pickup note] which makes the melody to flow like it will be never ended. There are a lot of songs composed this way but a small number of songs are still stand out from the crowd.

No doubt! This is one of the best.

* Western standards for musical notation often include the recommendation that when a piece of written music begins with an anacrusis, the composer should delete a corresponding number of beats from the written music's final bar in order to keep the number of bars in the entire piece at a whole number.

Download:
Full sheet music built-in audio samples [midi or mp3].

Note:  as you play the song in a string instrument [Guitar or Violin etc.] apply suitable techniques [such as sliding, hammer-on/off, vibrato, tremolo, bending etc.] on the notes whenever it’s possible to make the melody more humanize without distressing its anima.

I hope you will enjoy! And your comments are really welcome.