I get my love for singing from my parents. My dad had a grand collection of MGR and Sivaji songs along with Osibisa and Boney M. on cassette tape that he used to make us listen and he would sing along. We also listened to 'Ungal Viruppam' on the radio every morning. Oliyum Oliyum on Fridays and later Chitrahaar and Superhit Muqabula used to be our most favorite shows on DD. My mom had her own favorite songs from when she was younger and would hum those songs every now and then although she was generally disappointed with the practice of film songs blaring in the morning instead of 'Subrabhatham'. With this kind of influence, I had numerous film songs committed to memory that helped me win many rounds of anthankshari.
When my first one was born, I put all my singing talent to use. I sang her to sleep every single time. I got bored with 'Rock a bye baby' and 'Hush little baby' very soon and looked up my vast film song database for baby soothing songs. I ended up with 'Thenpaandi Cheemaiyile' (Nayagan), 'Kanne Kalaimaane' (Moondram Pirai) and 'So Gaya Yeh Jahaan' (Tezaab). My little one took a great liking to these songs and I used the same songs for my second one too.
It has been almost four years since i sang my girls to sleep when last week, one night, out of the blue, my little one asked me - 'Amma, can you sing me to sleep?' The girls and me were reading in my room, as do every night for about fifteen minutes before they go to their rooms. I was thrilled and I started with 'So Gaya'. As i finished that song, my older one, who i thought was reading and not paying attention said, 'Can you sing the 'Kanne Kalaimaane' song?' I did and with great pleasure, noticed her tapping her hand to the beat of the song. Before the song was done, my little one was fast asleep. I would like to think it was my singing.... not the fact that she was super tired from a 40 minute swimming lesson earlier that evening that lulled her to sleep.
