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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Chancey Illa

From Anirudh Album · 2017

Lyricist
Vignesh Shivan
Singer
Anirudh Ravichander
Music director
Anirudh Ravichander
Movie name
Anirudh Album
Movie release year
2017
Lyrics added on
5 Oct 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nee endha ooroda
Uyira irundhaalum
Unna sondham aakkum da
Adhudhaan indha ooru da
Chorus :Indha ooru da
Enga beach kaaththu
Mela patta podhum da
Unakku nalla raasida
Ini nee chennai vaasi da
Chorus :Chennai vaasi da
Va va vaa vandhu autola
Yeri paathiya
Annan solla namma ooroda
Varalaara kettiya
Mylapore filter cofee
Vaasam thookkudhaa
Mount roadu traffic oda
Isai thaan ketkkudhaa
Machaan chancey illa illa
Chancey illa
Namma chennai pola
Vera oorae illa…
Maammu chancey illa illa
Chancey illa
Namma chennai pola
Vera oorae illa…
Oh ho ho
Kodambakkam ulla poi
Shootinga thaan paakka vaa
Illa t-nagar ulla poi
Pudichadha vaangavaa
Andha bodyguard muneersvaran
Blessinga thaan ketkka vaa
Yettu ECR OMR
Speeda vandi ottava
(Speeda vandi ottava
Speeda vandi ottava)
Super star oda
First day first show vaa
Illa chennai super kingukku
Whistle-ah podavaa
Namma love-ah valarththu
Vazha vaikkira
Besent nagar beach-oda
Pugala paadavaa
Machaan chancey illa illa
Chancey illa..chancey illa
Namma chennai pola
Vera oorae illa…
Maammu chancey illa illa
Chancey illa
Namma chennai pola
Vera oorae illa…
Vaa nanbaa vaa
Vaa aada vaa
Chorus :Vaa vaa
Male :Vaa onna serndhu
Aada vaa
Chorus :Vaada vaa
Male :Chennai life-ah
Nalla kondaada vaa
Idhu namma
Oo ooru da
Chorus :Vaa da vaa
Male :Innum kaththi
Kaththi solluda
Chorus :Vaa da vaa
Male :Indha vazhkka
Engum amayaadhadaa
Machaan chancey illa illa
Chancey illa..chancey illa
Namma chennai pola
Vera oorae illa…
Maammu chancey illa illa
Chancey illa
Namma chennai pola
Vera oorae illa…
{Lallaalaa lalalallaa
Lalaala laalaalallaa
Lalaala laalaalallaa
Lalaala laalaalallaa} (2)
No matter which town
you truly belong to,
it will embrace you as its own, dude—
that's what this city is all about, dude!
Chorus: That's this city, dude!
Once the breeze from our beach
touches you, that's all it takes, dude,
good fortune will be yours, dude,
from now on, you're a Chennaiite, dude!
Chorus: A Chennaiite, dude!
Come, come, come, hop into an auto,
have you taken a ride and seen?
As the driver brother narrates,
have you heard our city's history?
Doesn't the rich aroma of Mylapore filter coffee
lift your spirits?
Can you hear the music
of the Mount Road traffic?
Dude, there's simply no match, no,
no match at all!
There is no other city
quite like our Chennai...
Buddy, there's simply no match, no,
no match at all!
There is no other city
quite like our Chennai...
Oh ho ho!
Shall we head into Kodambakkam
and watch a film shooting?
Or shall we go into T. Nagar
and buy whatever we love?
From the Bodyguard Muneeswaran temple,
shall we go seek blessings?
Hitting ECR and OMR,
shall we go for a speedy drive?
(Shall we go for a speedy drive,
shall we go for a speedy drive?)
Shall we catch Superstar's
first-day first-show?
Or for Chennai Super Kings,
shall we blow our whistles loud?
Nurturing our romances
and making them flourish,
shall I sing the praises
of Besant Nagar beach?
Dude, there's simply no match, no,
no match at all... no match at all!
There is no other city
quite like our Chennai...
Buddy, there's simply no match, no,
no match at all!
There is no other city
quite like our Chennai...
Come, my friend, come!
Come, let's dance!
Chorus: Come, come!
Male: Come, let's join together
and dance!
Chorus: Come on, friend, come!
Male: Come, let's celebrate
this Chennai life to the fullest!
This is our
very own city, dude!
Chorus: Come on, friend, come!
Male: Shout it out
louder and louder, dude!
Chorus: Come on, friend, come!
Male: A life like this
you will never find anywhere else, dude!
Dude, there's simply no match, no,
no match at all... no match at all!
There is no other city
quite like our Chennai...
Buddy, there's simply no match, no,
no match at all!
There is no other city
quite like our Chennai...
{La la la lalalalla
Lalaala laalalalla
Lalaala laalalalla
Lalaala laalalalla} (x2)
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Chancey Illai is an energetic musical tribute celebrating the vibrant culture, spirit, and life of Chennai city. The lyrics warmly declare that regardless of where a person originates from, Chennai welcomes everyone with open arms and transforms them into true 'Chennai vaasis' (residents). The song takes the listener on a sensory tour of the city, highlighting iconic daily experiences and landmarks that define the quintessential Chennai experience. From sipping Mylapore filter coffee and navigating Mount Road traffic to shopping in T-Nagar, watching movie shoots in Kodambakkam, seeking blessings at Bodyguard Muneeswaran temple, and speeding down ECR/OMR roads, the track captures the city's pulse. It also honors Chennai's major passions—Superstar Rajinikanth's cinema, the Chennai Super Kings IPL cricket team, and relaxing evenings at Besant Nagar beach—declaring emphatically that no other city in the world can match Chennai.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Refrain / Catchphrase

“Machaan chancey illa illa / Chancey illa / Namma chennai pola / Vera oorae illa…”

The colloquial phrase 'Chancey illa' (Meaning 'Unmatched / No chance') is used repeatedly as a rhythmic chorus to emphasize Chennai's unmatched uniqueness.

Sensory Imagery (Olfactory & Auditory)

“Mylapore filter cofee / Vaasam thookkudhaa / Mount roadu traffic oda / Isai thaan ketkkudhaa”

Evokes smell through Mylapore filter coffee aroma and sound through Mount Road traffic music to create vivid sensory associations with Chennai.

Metaphor / Irony

“Mount roadu traffic oda / Isai thaan ketkkudhaa”

Describing chaotic traffic noises on Mount Road as 'music' (isai), affectionately recraming urban noise as urban harmony.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Chancey Illai' was released as a promotional single in 2014 composed and sung by Anirudh Ravichander with lyrics by Vignesh Shivan, commissioned as part of a brand campaign celebrating Madras Day and the spirit of Chennai.

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