1.Maddy maddy and theme from Minnale [Film: Minnale]
Harris Jeyaraj's debut film Minnale (Tamil, 2001) had a predominant theme playing in the background, 'Maddy maddy'. This was also converted into a song later and added to the subsequent audio releases. This song along with the background music that plays in the music seems highly inspired by Joan Jett's 1982 hit 'I love rock and roll'. I traced a copy of the 'Maddy' song from the net but couldn't get the background music that plays in the movie. That background piece is a much more direct lift of Joan Jett's number!
2.Andangaakka [Film: Anniyan (2005)
Partly inspired from 1956 track 'Chinnanchiru chitte' from the MGR-Bhanumathi starrer 'Alibaba & 40 thieves'.
Harris, being a the smartie he is, has used the original merely as an inspiration and has created his own unique tune around it!
3.Stranger in Black theme [Film: Anniyan (2005)]
Inspired by John Debney's 'Resurrection' from the OST of The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Even though Harris has used enough elements to make his theme unique the similarities are glaring!
4.Unnale Unnale - 2007
Ilalai Ullasam's prominent, repetitive hook towards the end is inspired by 'Here comes the hotstepper', last covered by Ini Kamoze.
June pona seems to be a very clever take off from Blue's All Rise.
5.Karu karu vizhigalal [Film: Pachaikili Muthucharam (2006)]
Bears uncanny similarity to the structure of Westlife's 2005 hit, 'Hit you with the real thing' from the album Face to face.The opening 4 lines make way for a similar sound thereafter - but all with an entirely different tune!
6.Yedho ondru [Film: Laysa Laysa (2002)]
Inspired by the Christmas carol, 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen'.This one is a fabulous find since it shows the composer's intelligence in adapting a source. The composer of the carol is unknown and there are multiple versions of this carol...but it is supposedly first published in 1833, in 'Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern', a collection of seasonal carols gathered by William B. Sandys. The post in Yahoo Group had a YouTube link of the carol, beautifully sung by teen pop duo, Aly & AJ. Harris' version is clever - it uses a very similar structure with some dead giveaways ('To save us all from Satan's power' will definitely make you smile :-) but steers considerably away as it progresses to the hook, Ullaahi.
7.aval ulaga azhagiye [lesa lesa 2003]
Beats were copied from "Soniya soniya" (ratchagan) from A.R.Rahman's track.
8.Veppa maram puliya maram [saamy 2003]
beats are copied from "madrasa suthi parka poren"(may madham) from A.R.Rahman's track
(to be continued)