first list

A Chennai recontextualized version of The Doors' Riders on the Storm, with lyrics by Gurunarayana Ravi (https://twitter.com/raghuthaatha). This song is about the Auto drivers on the Chennai storm, wreaking havoc on the roads but they too have their side of the story to tell, a story of poverty and exploitative usury. 

It also features a Carnatic violin lead in the Raga Karaharapriya (Dorian mode) and the quintessential sound of a Chennai auto recorded by @mdeii 

Guitar - Fender Stratocaster recorded through a Boss ME-25 with a vibrato effect
Violin - Electric violin through Boss Me-25 with a delay
Percussion, bass and Wurlitzer organ - programmed on Logic Pro X

Lyrics (with translation)

Autokaran naan (I am an auto driver)
Chennai Autokaran naan (A Chennai autodriver I am)
MGR peran naan (I'm MGR's grandson)
Baasha machaan naan (I'm the Badshah's brother-in-law)
Auto tune thaan (the pitch perfect sound of the autotune)
Enga engine sattham thaan (is the sound of our engine)

I'm a terror on the road 
Vaanga come aboard (Please come aboard)
Anna Salayil (On Anna road in Chennai)
Seerum morattu kaalai naan (I'm the rampaging wild bull)
Police paathaakka (If the police happen to see me)
padhugum paambu naan (I'm the slithering snake that evades them)

Rendu pullakutteenga (I have 2 young children)
Saettu vaddi thollainga (the local pawn broker bleeds me with high interest loans)
Petrol velai thaan (The price of petrol)
eri pochunga (has risen skyward)
Meter pottaakka (if you insist on metered fare)
Vootla patnithaanunga (my family will starve)

Manja colouril (Of yellow hue...)
senja thanga therunga (is my golden chariot)
Ulagam pooraga (all over the world)
namma vandi odumga (my auto will run)
Ella oorilum (in every town)
namakku nalla perunga (I have a good reputation)
Nambi erunga (believe me and let's go for a ride)

Riders On The Auto

An operatic duet arrangement of the Yo Yo Honey Singh classic "Aaj blue hai paani" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=830PhCOHeB0&feature=kp), with Italian lyrics by @ramaaramesh

Baritone vocals: @madmanweb
Tenor vocals, violins, cellos, piano, harp and celesta : @krishashok

La acqua e azzura oggi /  L'acqua acqua acqua 
La giornata è splendente / Splendente assolato
Venga con me alla spiaggia / amore mio...amore mio
Prendi la mia foto tu / prendi la mia foto
Se non lo fai tuo destino / sara-a sfortunato  

Aha Aha..Amore mio x 2
E tempo per il tramonto / la sab-bia è fredda
Andiamo alla festa, non pos piu aspettare
Avviare la musica avvia/re la festa
Sarò brillo, e dimen/tico tutti il resto

Solo tu e solo me / e il suono delle onde
Vieni vicino a me/ cosa stai aspettando?
Allora io porterà, un bel giro in nave
E noi ubriacarsi su/ Malibu mi amore

Aha..Aha...Amore mio...

Translation

The water is blue today 
The water water water water 
The day is bright 
Shining resplendently sunny 
Come with me to the beach, my love! 
Take my photo / take my photo
Your destiny will be unfortunate 
If you do not agree ... 

It's time for the sunset, the sand is cold 
Let's go to the party, I cannot wait 
Start the music, start the party, it's already too late 
I'll be drunk, and after that I'm not interested friend

L'Acqua e azzura oggi

An adaptation of Leonard Cohen's mournful classic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Fkuq5Lf0Q) about a crisis of faith 

Recorded on: Acoustic guitar, violin, cello and um...my voice

The interlude is in Raga Bilahari (alahiya bilAval)

Hallelujah

A Sanskrit adaptation of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" with lyrics by Vaishnavi S (http://twitter.com/utprekshaa) & SP Suresh (https://twitter.com/vajrabhrt)

The guitar parts were recorded in 6 separate layers and panned left and right. In the interlude, there is a key change from A to G and the raga playing there is Hemavathi. 

And oh, the wife did some of the backing vocals

Lyrics

All our times have come आगता अस्माकं कालाः 
Here but now they're gone आगम्य गता अधुना
Seasons don't fear the reaper ऋतवो मरणान्न त्रस्यन्ति  
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain नापि वायुस्सूर्यो वर्षाणि च

Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper आगच्छ प्रिये ... मृत्युम् मा भैषीः 
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper करमादत्स्व... मृत्युम् मा भैषीः
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper उद्गच्छाव ... मृत्युम् मा भैषीः
Baby I'm your man अहं तवास्मि 

Valentine is done  मन्मथोत्सवस्तु नः 
Here but now they're gone परंतु तौ दूरं गतौ
Romeo and Juliet प्रेमलोकं प्राप्य
Are together in eternity... अनन्तसहवासः

Repeat chorus

Artwork credits: http://heylookadistraction.deviantart.com/art/Yama-jii-84521336

Mrityum Ma

A Sanskrit adaptation of Black Sabbath's Iron Man

Lyrics: SP Suresh (https://twitter.com/vajrabhrt) & Vaishnavi S (https://twitter.com/utprekshaa)
Vocals, Guitars, Violin, Bass, Drum programming, Mixing & Mastering: @krishashok

किं सः उन्मत्तः? Is he mad?
द्रष्टुं समर्थो न वा? Can he see or not?
(पद्भ्यां) चलितुं शक्तः ? Can he walk?
उत चलन् पतति ? If he walks will he fall?
जीवति उत मृतः ?  Is he alive or dead?
चिन्तयितुं समर्थः?  Is he capable of thought?
तं न गणयामो वयम् We will ignore him
तेन किमस्माकम्? What does he do for us? 

चित्रायसम् अभवत्  He became steel
महायस्कान्तक्षेत्रे In the great magnetic field
कालम् अतीत्य गच्छति सति He traveled time
मनुकुलस्य भविष्यार्थम् For the future of mankind

कस्यापि न इष्टः  Nobody wants him
भुवनं प्रेक्षते  He just stares at the world
प्रतीकारं चिन्तयन् Planning his vengeance
प्रतीकारं चिन्तयन् Planning his vengeance

अयं मुहूर्तः This is the time
भीतिं प्रसारयितुम् For him to spread fear
परलोकात् परवैरम् Vengeance from the other world
ये तेन मुक्तास्तान् हन्ति Kills the people once saved by him

कस्यापि न इष्टः Nobody wants him
प्रतिमुखीकुर्वन्ति तम् They just turn away from him
कोपि न उपकरोति Nobody helps him
अथ तस्य प्रतिक्रिया Now his revenge

बहुमलपादरक्षाः Boots of lead
भयेन पूरयति तेषां हृदयम् Fill their hearts full of dread
धावन्ति यथावेगम् They run as fast as they can
अयोनरः पुनर्जीवति Iron man lives again

Lohapurusha

A minimalist acoustic Tamil adaptation of Edith Piaf's La Vie En Rose with lyrics with Subhashini Vinay (https://twitter.com/neelavanam) and me on the acoustic guitar, strings & piano

Lyrics

நிலவிலே உன்னை நான்
கண்ட நாள் முதலாய்
இரு காதல் பூக்கள்.

நெஞ்சிலே நிறைந்துவிட்டாய்
பூவென மலர்ந்துவிட்டாய்
பாரிது காதல்  பூக்கள்.  

கண்கள் மயங்குதிங்கே
நேரம் போவதெங்கே?
காலம் ஓய்வெடுக்கும்.

உன்னைப் பார்க்காமல் போனால்
துயர் பெருகும்,
உன் குரலைக் கேட்டவுடன்
கண்ணீர் பெருகும்.

நம் கரங்கள் இணையுதிங்கே
வாழ்கை வாழ்வதற்கே,
இரு காதல் பூக்கள்.

Kadhal Pookkal

A Sanskrit adaptation of Eric Clapton's acoustic version of Layla (as लीला - Leela) with lyrics by SP Suresh (https://twitter.com/vajrabhrt) & Vaishnavi S

Vocals, Guitars (Ovation acoustic) , Violin (Yamaha), Piano, Bass, Drum programming, mixing & mastering by @krishashok 

Lyrics

त्वयि एकाकिन्यां किं करिष्यसि  (What will you do for your loneliness)
Tvayi ēkākin'yāṁ kiṁ kariṣyasi 
यदा सहचरः कोऽपि नास्ति  (When for companionship there is no one)
yadā sahacaraḥ kō̕pi nāsti 
चिरम् धावन्ती गुप्ता असि त्वम्  (Time has past, you have been hiding)
ciram dhāvantī guptā asi tvam
जानास्येव तत् गर्व इति  	(You must know that it is your pride)
 jānāsyēva tat garva iti 

लीले, साष्टाङ्गं प्रणमामि  (Leela, I fall at your feet)
līlē, sāṣṭāṅgaṁ praṇamāmi     
लीले, प्रिये, त्वम् याचेऽहम्  (Leela, my love, I implore thee)
līlē, priyē, tvam yācē̕ham 
लीले, चित्तव्याकुलम् शमय  (Leela, pacify my troubled mind)
līlē, cittavyākulam śamaya 

तव शोकम् अपहर्तुम् अयते  (I tried to remove your sorrow)
tava śōkam apahartum ayatē  
त्वत्पिता यदा निराशाम् (अजनयत्)  (When your father let you down)
tvatpitā yadā nirāśām (ajanayat) 
मूढोऽहम्! त्वयि अनुरागो जातः!  (Fool that I am, love for you was born)
mūḍhō̕ham! Tvayi anurāgō jātaḥ! 
लोक एव अधोमुखीकृतः!  (My whole world was turned upside down)
 Lōka ēva adhōmukhīkr̥taḥ! 

उन्मादात् प्राक् मम (Before I become mad)
Unmādāt prāk mama  
मां पुनरुद्धर (Bring me back to normalcy)
māṁ punarud'dhara 
गतिर्नास्तीति मा वद (Don't tell me that there's no hope / way)
gatirnāstīti mā vada 
व्यर्थमिदम् प्रेम मा ब्रूहि  (Don't tell me that my love is in vain)
vyarthamidam prēma mā brūhi 

thanks to Kenneth Adair for the romanized version of the lyrics

Picture credits: Raja Ravi Varma's Urvashi & Pururavas

Leela

A Sanskrit adaptation of Iron Maiden's Fear of the Dark, titled तमोभयः with lyrics by SP Suresh (https://twitter/com/vajrabhrt)and Vaishnavi S

Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TF_0v8KMjo

Vocals: @ranjani-shanker and @krishashok 
Flutes - @indian_music_fan (Vijay Kannan)
Guitars, Bass, Violin, Drum programming, Mixing & Mastering - @krishashok

Lyrics

स्वमात्रं गच्छन् पुरुषोऽहम्
तामसे मार्गे गच्छति सति 
अथवा उपवने चलति सति
सन्ध्या आगच्छति सति  
वैचित्र्यम् अनुभवामि  
तमसि उद्विग्नो भवामि  

तिमिरात् भीतिः तिमिरात् भीतिः  
सदा भीतिः, जानासि त्वम्?  
तिमिरात् भीतिः नितरां भीतिः    
कोऽयम् माम् अनुवर्तते इति  

अन्धे दीपम् अन्विष्यन्    
किं नखेन भित्तिम् स्पृशसि?  
तदा रोमान्चम् अनुभवसि?  
कोष्ठस्य कोणे द्रष्टुम्  
बिभेषि किम् कदाचित्  
कश्चन अस्तीति भ्रमात्?   

रात्रौ (एकाकी) असि कदाचित्?  
भ्रमात् कश्चन शृणोषि  
यद्यपि न कोऽपि तत्र  
त्वरेण ततो गच्छसि  
पुनरवलोकनम् विना  
कश्चन अस्तीति भयात्  

रात्रौ भीषणम् अन्वीक्ष्य  
प्रेतपिशाचान् वितर्क्य  
अज्ञातं मनः पीडयति  
मनोः वञ्चयति स्यात् त्वम्  
पृष्ठतः चलत् तमः  
अकस्मात् वीक्षसे त्वम्  

Artwork: Eddie from Fear of the Dark + King Vikramaditya (from Vikram & Vetal)

Thamobhayaha

A Malayalam adaptation of The Beatles' Yellow Submarine that turns out to be a nice tongue twister "Manjha Munghi Kappal"

Original Lyrics: @HariRamNarayanan
Modified Lyrics: Mythili Menon (https://twitter.com/mythmenon) & Vipin Nair (@vip-nair)
Vocals: @ashwinvinayan
Guitars, Bass, Backing Vocals, Arrangement, Mixing & Mastering: @krishashok


Manjha Munghi Kappal

Kishore Kumar & Louis Armstrong share birthdays, so it's about time they collaborated on a song too. 

This is a mashup of "When the Saints go marching in" and "Eena Meena Teeka" with the Trumpet solo from "Hello Dolly" thrown in for good measure. 

Mashup consultant: @maidenofrohan



first list

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