Jyothi Jyothi - Popular CHRISTIAN BHAJAN by Deccan Records

DCS-016 Jyothi Jyothi - Christian Bhajans

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Song Tracks

Call Number : DCS-016

 

Jyothi Jyothi
(ജ്യോതി ജ്യോതി)

CHRISTIAN BHAJANS

(1979)

By

Fr. Joseph J. Palackal, CMI

  • Lyrics: Dr. Francis Vineeth, CMI.
  • Music: Fr. Anto Amarnad, CMI.

Call Number : DCS-016

CHRISTIAN BHAJANS, the first LP Record in Malayalam by Deccan Records, Bengaluru. LDEC 102 (1979)

  • Lyrics: Dr. Francis Vineeth, CMI. (Based on the Prologue of St. John's Gospel)
  • Music: Fr. Anto Amarnad, CMI (Based on the Prologue of St. John's Gospel)
  • Lead singers: Joseph J. Palackal, Sunny Mampilly, Molly Madathiparampil, Jacintha Jose.
  • Music Arrangement: Pratapkumar J. Tolya, Bengaluru
  • Recorded at H. M. V. Studios, Gemini, Chennai. April 1978.
  • Directory of Christian Songs (Call Number) - MA-MAL-02-DCS-016

Special Thanks to George Thangiah, Deccan Records, Bengaluru

Note:

This chant is a tribute to the remarkable talent of Dr. Francis Vineeth, CMI, who combined poetry with theology. The text is based on the prologue to the fourth gospel. For that reason, this bhajan text may have a special place in the history of Christian music in India. Dr. Anto Amarnad, CMI, a young seminarian at Dharmaram College, composed a catchy melody in the popular ¾ rhythm. The song text blended smoothly into that rhythmic frame and joyful, singable melody. Thus, Joyothi Jyothi, became the most popular track in the Long Play record. Most of the words in the text were familiar to Hindi speakers and other Sanskrit-based languages in India. Dr. Vineth and Dr. Amarnad made profound theology intimate to an Indian audience. Many Catholic schools used the bhajan for prayer dance for public functions. These factors led to the popularity of the LP record, which became a commercial success to the surprise of many.

Mr. George Thangiah, the Managing Director of Deccan Records, took a risk in producing a Bhajan record, the first of its kind in Malayalam. There was no precedence and no guarantee that the Keralites would welcome an LP record of semi-classical music. Contrary to all expectations, the LP became popular in Kerala, too. Mr. Thangiah traveled to Kerala and attended the releasing function at Town Hall in Ernakulam. The commercial success of the LP prompted Mr. Thangiah to produce another unique work in Sanskrit, Kristu Sahasra Namam, a few years later. Both these releases put Deccan Records into the history of Christian music in India. We are grateful to Deccan Records for transferring the copyright of the tracks to the Christian Musicological Society of India in 2006.

Joseph J. Palackal, CMI
New York
12 April 2021

Keywords

Christian Bhajans​, Bhajans​, Christian Music​, Indian Christian Music​, Indian Christian Bhajans​, Christianity​ & India, Deccan Records, Joseph Palackal, Dr. Francis Vineeth, CMI


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