Birthday special: Top 10 Tamil songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja

Ilaiyaraaja has composed music for 1,000 films and over 8,000 songs. Ilayaraja has left his imprint on not just Tamil but in Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam languages.

Ilayaraja, also spelt as Ilaiyaraaja, is turning a year older on Friday, June 2, as he celebrates his 73rd birthday. 

The Music Maestro started his career with Annakili in the year 1976. He has since then composed the music for 1,000 films and over 8,000 songs. Ilayaraja has left his imprint on not just Tamil but in Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam languages. Here we have selected his top 10 Tamil songs for you guys.

1) Muththu Muththa

Film: Annakili 
Singers: S.Janaki
Lyrics: Panchu Arunachalam
Music: Ilaiyaraaja

2) Metti Oli Kaatrodu

Film: Metti
Singers: Janaki
Music: Ilaiyaraja

3) Kannil Enna Kaar Kaalam 

Film: Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthaal
Singers: S.Janaki and S.P.Balasubramaniam
Music: Ilayaraja
Lyrics:  Vairamuthu

4) Nee Oru Kadhal Sangeetham

Film: Nayagan
Singers: Mano and K. S. Chitra
Music: Ilayaraja
Lyrics: Pulamaipithan

5)  Sundari Kannaal Oru Sethi

Film: Thalapathi
Singers: S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music: Ilayaraja
Lyrics: Pulamaipithan

6) Nee Partha Parvaikkoru Nandri

Film: Hey Ram
Singers: Hariharan & Asha Bhosle
Music: Ilayaraja
Lyrics: Jibanananda Das, Kamal Haasan

7) Uravugal Thodarkathai

Film: Aval Appadithan
Singers: K J Yesudas
Music: Ilayaraja
Lyrics: Jibanananda Das

8) Ilaya Nila

Film: Payanangal Mudivathillai
Singers: S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music: Ilayaraja
Lyrics: Vairamuthu

9) Moondram Pirai

Film: Kanne Kalaimane
Singers: K J Yesudas
Music: Ilayaraja

10) Attukutti Muttayittu

Film: 16 Vayathinile
Singers: Malaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki
Music: Ilayaraja
Lyrics: Kannadasan