அந்த நாள் ஞாபகம் நெஞ்சிலே வந்ததே நண்பனே நண்பனே

Nostalgia kindled by Tamil Film Songs

Is Nostalgia overrated? Do film songs romanticise the past? அந்த நாள் ஞாபகம் நெஞ்சிலே வந்ததே நண்பனே நண்பனே is simply Nostalgia which is a recurring theme in music and Priya Parthasarathy discusses about memories that songs recreate in us.

Music triggers memories is a concept that is widely understood. Music that we heard during our childhood days forever remain in our hearts and bring back joyous memories from the past. This is true even when the childhood was not so joyous. It makes one wonder if Nostalgia is a fuzzy memory recall of only the good things.

It certainly seems so going by the many songs in Tamil Films that romanticise the past. Many songs reminisce about the old and hail the past as the golden days! The most memorable song in that category would be Andha Naal Gnaabagam Nenjile Vandhadhe Nanbane Nanbane Nanbane from the movie Uyarntha Manithan. This song has Sivaji Ganesan and Major Sunderrajan talk and sing about their childhood days that were carefree and lament the responsibility laden adult years. The song penned by Vaali and composed by M S Viswanathan is perhaps the most memorable in the category of Nostalgia songs.

அந்த நாள் ஞாபகம்

நெஞ்சிலே வந்ததே நண்பனே

நண்பனே நண்பனே (3)

இந்த நாள் அன்று

போல் இன்பமாய் இல்லையே

அது ஏன் ஏன் ஏன் நண்பனே

பாடம் படிப்பு ஆட்டம் பாட்டம்

இதை தவிர வேரு எதை கண்டோம்

புத்தகம் பையிலே புத்தியோ பாட்டிலே

புத்தகம் பையிலே புத்தியோ பாட்டிலே

பள்ளியை பார்த்ததும் ஒதுங்குவோம் மழையிலே...

I remember that day,

my friend, my friend,

I remember that day,

my friend, my friend, this day is not as pleasant as that day

School, studies, dance and songs - Apart from this, what else have we found ?

Books in the bag, mind on a tune

Books in the bag, mind on a tune

We only went to school to take shelter from rain.

Andha Naal Gnaabagam of Music Director Bharadwaj

Music Director Bharadwaj has delivered some memorable Nostalgia songs. He had composed and crooned for "avaravar vaazhkkaiyil aayiram aayiram maatrangal" in Pandavar Bhoomi. This song penned by Snehan had Bharadwaj recall the golden childhood years.

Bharadwaj also composed music for the movie Autograph which featured the song "Gnaabagam varudhe" also in the voice of Bharadwaj. This song, penned by Director Cheran, also recalls the many 'firsts' in the life of the protagonist with each occurrence laced with fond memory recall.

Both these songs glorify the past and proclaim it to be the golden days.

Why do people glorify Andha Naal Gnaabagam?

Every generation thinks that they grew up in the golden period and aver that those were the days! This only goes to show that when we enter adulthood and take on the weight of responsibilities, our carefree childhood become a rosy picture in our minds. This is true for every generation and soon we shall see Music Director Anirudh's music also being recalled fondly when Gen Z enters adulthood.