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Lyrics & meaning

Pottadhu Pathala

From Saguni · 2012

Lyricist
Annamalai
Singers
Velmurugan, Chorus
Music director
G. V. Prakash Kumar
Details
Saguni2012

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Pottadhu pathala mappullaWhat I drank wasn't enough, my friend!
Innoru quateru solludaOrder another quarter bottle!
Appadiyae matteru keludaListen to what happened while you're at it!
Male
Pottadhu pathala mappullaWhat I drank wasn't enough, my friend!
Innoru quateru solludaOrder another quarter bottle!
Appadiyae matteru keludaListen to what happened while you're at it!
Male
Kannula rum jinnuWith rum and gin in her eyes,
Oothuna atha ponnuMy cousin poured it for me,
Bothaiya ethikittu aada porendaI am going to dance getting high!
Venanda vettu kuthuNo need for fights or violence,
Poduda dappan kuthuPlay a folk street beat!
Enaku ellarumae sontha kaaran daEveryone is my relative, man!
Male
Pottadhu pathala mappullaWhat I drank wasn't enough, my friend!
Innoru quateru solludaOrder another quarter bottle!
Appadiyae matteru keludaListen to what happened while you're at it!
Chorus
Hei hei hei hei hei heiHei hei hei hei hei hei
{Thana na na na naa hei{Thana na na na naa hei
Thana na na na naa heiThana na na na naa hei
Thana na na na naa heiThana na na na naa hei
Hei hei hei hei hei} (2)Hei hei hei hei hei} (2)
Male
Venam machan sooruI don't want food, friend,
Nee sollu rendu beeruJust order two beers!
Ada koppathotti kudaEven a trash can,
Namakku panju metha daFeels like a cotton bed to us!
Male
Hey kudikaaran pechuHey, a drunkard's word,
Athu vidinju putta pochuIs gone once morning comes!
Ada senja thappa maranthuAh, we are gods who forget,
Pogum deivam naanga daThe mistakes that were made!
Male
Namma kavaliyellam virattaTo chase away all our worries,
Nee manasu vittu pesuSpeak straight from your heart!
Nee pesalana pottadhellamIf you don't speak up, all we drank,
Loss-u dhana daIs completely wasted!
Male
Ada vaanam boomi sirisuAh, the sky and earth are small,
Intha bar-u thaanda perusuOnly this bar is big!
Ithu kudika porantha manushanukuFor a man born to drink,
Sorgam thaana daThis is paradise itself!
Chorus
{Adra sakka{Hit it right!
Adida rendu peguDown two pegs!
Adhichu yethu kickuGet the kick going,
Apathaan nee king-u da} (2)Only then you are the king, man!} (2)
Male
Pottadhu pathala mappullaWhat I drank wasn't enough, my friend!
Innoru quateru solludaOrder another quarter bottle!
Appadiyae matteru keludaListen to what happened while you're at it!
Male
Pottadhu pathala mappullaWhat I drank wasn't enough, my friend!
Innoru quateru solludaOrder another quarter bottle!
Appadiyae matteru keludaListen to what happened while you're at it!
Chorus
Hei hei hei hei hei heiHei hei hei hei hei hei
Male
Enaku nu dhan porandhaShe was born just for me,
Ava yen da enna marandhaWhy did she forget me, man?
En nenjil koodu katti puttuAfter nesting in my heart,
Parandhu putta daShe just flew away!
Male
Angae intha madiyaThere, on her lap,
Ava vacha athil vediyaShe set a bomb,
Na thulu thulu sukku nooraAnd I shattered into tiny pieces,
Sithari putten daBlew apart completely, man!
Male
Ada thallaaduthu kaaluAh, my legs are stumbling,
Ena thaangi kolla yaaruWho is there to hold me up?
Na polamburatha kekkaTo hear my rambling,
Oru kuttam venumdaI need a crowd, man!
Male
En ethanaiyo sogamMy so many sorrows,
Athu enna kooru podumThey hack me into pieces!
Ada ennanamo ninaikuren daAh, I think of so many things,
Vaartha varala daWords don't come out, man!
Male
Pottadhu pathala mappullaWhat I drank wasn't enough, my friend!
Innoru quateru sollendaOrder another quarter bottle, guys!
Appadiyae matteru keludaListen to what happened while you're at it!
Male
Pottadhu pathala mappullaWhat I drank wasn't enough, my friend!
Innoru quateru sollendaOrder another quarter bottle, guys!
Appadiyae matteru keludaListen to what happened while you're at it!
Male
Kannula rum kinnuWith rum and gin in her eyes,
Oothuna atha ponnuMy cousin poured it for me,
Bothaiya ethikittu aada porendaI am going to dance getting high!
Venanda vettu kuthuNo need for fights or violence,
Poduda dappan kuthuPlay a folk street beat!
Enaku ellarumae sontha kaaran daEveryone is my relative, man!
Male
Pottadhu pathala mappullaWhat I drank wasn't enough, my friend!
Innoru quateru sollendaOrder another quarter bottle, guys!
Appadiyae matteru keludaListen to what happened while you're at it!
Chorus
{Adra sakka{Hit it right!
Adida rendu peguDown two pegs!
Adhichu yethu kickuGet the kick going,
Apathaan nee king-u da} (2)Only then you are the king, man!} (2)

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Pottadhu Pathala is an energetic local Tamil 'Kuthu' song set in a bar where the protagonist drowns his heartbreak in alcohol alongside his companions. Beneath the infectious dance rhythm and celebratory street culture lies a story of romantic betrayal, where the protagonist mourns how his beloved built a nest in his heart only to fly away and leave him emotionally shattered.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Pottadhu pathala mappulla

Repetition of the 'P' sound at the beginning of words ('Pottadhu', 'pathala') creates rhythmic flow.

Metaphor

En nenjil koodu katti puttu / Parandhu putta da

Compares love to a bird building a nest in his heart and suddenly flying away.

Hyperbole

Ada vaanam boomi sirisu / Intha bar-u thaanda perusu

Exaggerates the size of the bar, declaring it larger than the sky and the earth to emphasize the drunkard's worldview.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Venanda vettu kuthu / Poduda dappan kuthu

Rhyming ending words ('vettu kuthu' and 'dappan kuthu') providing rhythmic symmetry.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by lyricist Annamalai for the political comedy film Saguni (2012), this fast-paced track composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar became a hugely popular dance number and bar anthem in Tamil Nadu.

Keep listening

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