Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Aadatha Aattamellam Aaduranga

From Manamulla Marutharam · 1958

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Jikki
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Manamulla Marutharam1958

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Odiyaadi paadupattu aambalaingaMen toil and run around with hard work,
Ozhungaaga panam kaasu theduraangaTo properly earn money and wealth.
Avanga thedi vecha panathukku ethiriyaagaAs an enemy to the money earned by them,
Thanda selavugalum seiyuraanga pombalaingaWomen make wasteful expenses.
Male
Aadaatha aattamellaam aaduraanga paaduraangaThey dance all sorts of unprecedented dances and sing,
Aniyaayam pannuraangaThey commit injustice,
Kaasaiyum alli alli veesuraangaAnd fling away money lavishly!
Aadaatha aattamellaam aaduraanga paaduraangaThey dance all sorts of unprecedented dances and sing,
Aniyaayam pannuraangaThey commit injustice,
Kaasaiyum alli alli veesuraangaAnd fling away money lavishly!
Female
Sikkanamaa selavu panniBy spending economically,
Pakkuvamaa kudumbam panniAnd managing the household smoothly,
Semithu vaikiraanga pombalaingaWomen save and store up money.
Adhai thettai pottu kandapadi selavu panniStealing that and spending recklessly,
Minor pol singaaram pannuranga aambalaingaMen dress up stylishly like wealthy playboys!
Female
Aadaatha aattamellaam aaduraanga paaduraangaThey dance all sorts of unprecedented dances and sing,
Aniyaayam pannuraangaThey commit injustice,
Kaasaiyum alli alli veesuraangaAnd fling away money lavishly!
Aadaatha aattamellaam aaduraanga paaduraangaThey dance all sorts of unprecedented dances and sing,
Aniyaayam pannuraangaThey commit injustice,
Kaasaiyum alli alli veesuraangaAnd fling away money lavishly!
Male
Azhagaaga pettiyilae vaangi vaangiBuying beautifully and storing inside boxes,
Adukkuraanga jaarjettu..They stack Georgette sarees..
Adharkaana billai kandaaSeeing the bill for all that,
Aiyaavum all out outThe gentleman goes 'all out' out!
Male
Vazhavazhapaana kaalgalukkuFor their soft and smooth feet,
Vaanguraanga slipperThey buy stylish slippers,
Thangal manam polae selavazhichuSpending money just as their heart desires,
Kanavanai aakkuraanga popparThey turn the husband into a pauper!
Male
Aadaatha aattamellaam aaduraanga paaduraangaThey dance all sorts of unprecedented dances and sing,
Aniyaayam pannuraangaThey commit injustice,
Kaasaiyum alli alli veesuraangaAnd fling away money lavishly!
Aadaatha aattamellaam aaduraanga paaduraangaThey dance all sorts of unprecedented dances and sing,
Aniyaayam pannuraangaThey commit injustice,
Kaasaiyum alli alli veesuraangaAnd fling away money lavishly!
Female
Office kku leave pottuTaking leave from the office,
Matni show paathu vittu haahaha haaaaaWatching matinee movie shows, haahaha haaaaa,
Taxiyile oorellaam suthi vittuRoaming around the whole town in taxis,
Seettaadum idangalilaeIn gambling dens,
Thuttaiyellaam thothu vittuLosing all their hard-earned money,
Sothukku varaanga sondha veettai thedikittuThey come back home searching for food!
Sothukku varaanga sondha veettai thedikittuThey come back home searching for food!
Female
Aadaatha aattamellaam aaduraanga paaduraangaThey dance all sorts of unprecedented dances and sing,
Aniyaayam pannuraangaThey commit injustice,
Kaasaiyum alli alli veesuraangaAnd fling away money lavishly!
Aadaatha aattamellaam aaduraanga paaduraangaThey dance all sorts of unprecedented dances and sing,
Aniyaayam pannuraangaThey commit injustice,
Kaasaiyum alli alli veesuraangaAnd fling away money lavishly!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic lighthearted duet song features a playful argument between men and women regarding financial discipline and domestic life. The male perspective accuses women of squandering the hard-earned money of men on luxurious clothing, stylish accessories, and unnecessary extravagances that bankrupt husbands. Conversely, the female perspective counters that women are the thrifty savers who manage the family budget prudently, while men steal savings to dress up like wealthy playboys, skip work for matinee shows, take taxis, gamble away their earnings, and return home empty-handed looking for food.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Emonai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Aadaatha aattamellaam aaduraanga paaduraanga

Repetition of initial consonant sound 'Aa' in words like 'Aadaatha' and 'Aattamellaam' across lines.

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Sikkanamaa selavu panni / Pakkuvamaa kudumbam panni

Matching of the second consonant 'k' sound in 'Sikkanamaa' and 'Pakkuvamaa'.

Repetition / Anaphora

Kaasaiyum alli alli veesuraanga

Repetition of 'alli' to emphasize the act of throwing away money continuously and lavishly.

Code-mixing / Loan Words

Office kku leave pottu / Kanavanai aakkuraanga poppar

Use of English terms like 'slipper', 'popper' (pauper), 'leave', 'matni' (matinee), and 'office' adapted into Tamil rhythmic folk style.

Did you know?

Trivia

This playful gender-war duet was composed by legendary music director K. V. Mahadevan for the 1958 film Manamulla Marutharam, featuring iconic playback singers Seerkazhi Govindarajan and Jikki. The lyricist A. Maruthakasi effectively captured 1950s urban middle-class social commentary using accessible colloquial Tamil blended with contemporary English terms like 'matnee', 'georgette', and 'pauper'.

Keep listening

More from Manamulla Marutharam