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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Aadi Paru Mangatha

From May Madham · 1994

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Suneeta Rao, T. K. Kala, G. V. Prakash Kumar
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
May Madham1994

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Oouuuu…..uuuu….ohoo….aaa…Oouuuu…..uuuu….ohoo….aaa…
Uuuuhuuu….uuuuu…….Uuuuhuuu….uuuuu…….
Male
Jackie eduthu vai raja eduthu vaiPlace the Jack, place the King,
Rani eduthu vai ace eduthu vaiPlace the Queen, place the Ace.
Vai raja vai vai raja vai vai raja vaiPlace the King, place, place the King, place, place the King, place,
Vai raja vai vai raja vai vai raja vaiPlace the King, place, place the King, place, place the King, place.
Female
Aadi paru mangathaTry playing Mangatha (a card game),
Enai vandhu ada sonnadhu calcuttaCalcutta invited me to come and play.
Heart-in aaru jeyichachaDid six of hearts win?
Jeyikkira spade yezhu engathaWhere is the winning seven of spades?
Female
Ettu madi veedu kattaTo build an eight-story house,
Kotta pogudhadi nottuMoney bills are going to pour down.
Nan thottadhellam vettri agumEverything I touch turns into victory,
Vandhupodu vottuCome and cast your vote for me!
Female
Aadi paru mangathaTry playing Mangatha,
Enai vandhu ada sonnadhu calcuttaCalcutta invited me to come and play.
Heart-in aaru jeyichachaDid six of hearts win?
Jeyikkira spade yezhu engatha..aa…Where is the winning seven of spades?
Chorus
{Huserae huseraeHuserae huserae,
Huserae huseraeHuserae huserae,
Huserae huseraerae husserae} (2)Huserae huseraerae husserae.
Male
Jackie eduthu vai raja eduthu vaiPlace the Jack, place the King,
Rani eduthu vaiPlace the Queen,
Jackie eduthu vai raja eduthu vaiPlace the Jack, place the King,
Ace eduthu vaiPlace the Ace.
Female
Ennenna number venumWhat numbers do you need?
Enna keladi summaJust ask me, my dear.
Edhuvum tharuven ammaI will give you anything, my girl.
Onbadham number mattumOnly the number nine,
Ingae otta dhammaIs not worth a single penny here.
Vivaram kelu summaJust ask for details.
Female
Ennattam vilaiyaduPlay according to my game,
Thappattam koodadhuFoul play is not allowed.
Numbergal sadhi senjaIf the numbers conspire against you,
Nanbarmel thappedhuHow can you blame your friend?
Female
Idhu pola attam adiBy playing a game like this,
India-vin kadan therppenI will pay off India's national debt.
Sondhathil rocket vangiI will buy a rocket with my own earnings,
Sorgam sendru vilai ketpenGo to heaven, and ask for its price!
Female
Ponn koondai vittuLeaving behind the golden cage,
Naan vanam vandha patchiI am a bird that has flown into the sky.
Vaanathai thaandiCrossing far beyond the heavens,
Pudhu vazhkkai vazhum katchiI am a spectacle living a brand-new life.
Female
Ettu madi veedu kattaTo build an eight-story house,
Kotta pogudhadi nottuMoney bills are going to pour down.
Naan thottadhellam vettri agumEverything I touch turns into victory,
Vandhu podu vottuCome and cast your vote for me!
Female
Aadi paru mangathaTry playing Mangatha,
Enai vandhu ada sonnadhu calcuttaCalcutta invited me to come and play.
Oh heart-in aaru jeyichachaOh, did six of hearts win?
Jeyikkira spade yezhu engatha…aaa…Where is the winning seven of spades?
Female
Ettu madi veedu kattaTo build an eight-story house,
Kotta pogudhadi nottuMoney bills are going to pour down.
Naan thottadhellam vettri agumEverything I touch turns into victory,
Vandhu podu vottuCome and cast your vote for me!
Female
Huuu…uu….huuu…ooo…..ooo….Huuu…uu….huuu…ooo…..ooo….
Male
Jackie eduthu vai raja eduthu vaiPlace the Jack, place the King,
Rani eduthu vaiPlace the Queen,
Jackie eduthu vai raja eduthu vaiPlace the Jack, place the King,
Ace eduthu vaiPlace the Ace.
Female
Pirikkaadha seettukkattaLike an unopened deck of cards,
Minnum bodhai vannamShining with intoxicated colors,
Achu vella kannamCheeks like molded jaggery.
Female
Unnodu endha aanumAny man who comes around you,
Thokka thanae venumIs destined to lose.
Ahhah enna gnyanamAh, what brilliant wisdom!
Female
Idhu varai ennachuWhat happened until now?
En vazhkkai veenachuMy life was completely wasted.
Sondhathil swasichuBreathing on my own terms,
Ada romba naalachuAh, it has been a very long time.
Female
En kalgal engum pogumMy feet will go wherever they want,
Thatti ketkka koodadhuNo one should dare stop or question me.
En vergal engum pogumMy roots will spread wherever they want,
Katti poda koodadhuNo one should attempt to tie me down.
Female
Varthaigal karkkaTo learn mere words,
Naan pallikkoodam sendrenI went to school.
Vazhkkaiyai karkkaTo learn actual life,
Naan vaasal thandi vandhenI stepped outside my doorstep.
Female
Ettu madi veedu kattaTo build an eight-story house,
Kotta pogudhadi nottuMoney bills are going to pour down.
Naan thottadhellam vettri agumEverything I touch turns into victory,
Vandhu podu vottuCome and cast your vote for me!
Female
Huuu…uu….huuu…ooo…..ooo….Huuu…uu….huuu…ooo…..ooo….
Ooooo…….ooooo……..Ooooo…….ooooo……..
Female
Aadi paru mangathaTry playing Mangatha,
Enai vandhu ada sonnadhu calcuttaCalcutta invited me to come and play.
Oh heart-in aaru jeyichachaOh, did six of hearts win?
Jeyikkira spade yezhu engatha…aaa…Where is the winning seven of spades?
Female
Ettu madi veedu kattaTo build an eight-story house,
Kotta pogudhadi nottuMoney bills are going to pour down.
Naan thottadhellam vettri agumEverything I touch turns into victory,
Vandhu podu vottuCome and cast your vote for me!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Aadi Paru Mangatha' (Jackie Eduthu Vai) from the film May Madham is a high-energy, playful anthem celebrating liberation, confidence, and self-reliance. Using playing cards and gambling terminology like Mangatha, Jack, King, Queen, Ace, Hearts, and Spades as an extended metaphor, the protagonist expresses an unstoppable spirit of freedom and ambitious desire. She boasts about overcoming limitations, earning her own way, and charting her own destiny without societal constraints.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Extended Metaphor

Aadi paru mangatha / Enai vandhu ada sonnadhu calcutta

Card games (Mangatha) and specific cards (Jack, King, Queen, Ace, Spade, Heart-in) are used throughout the song to symbolize risk-taking, freedom, strategy, and triumph in life.

Metaphor

Ponn koondai vittu / Naan vanam vandha patchi

The protagonist compares herself to a bird escaping a golden cage to represent escaping rigid social or familial restrictions.

Eukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Ettu madi veedu katta / Kotta pogudhadi nottu

Classic Tamil poetic device where the second letter of consecutive lines rhymes.

Hyperbole

India-vin kadan therppen / Sondhathil rocket vangi / Sorgam sendru vilai ketpen

Exaggerated claims used to demonstrate supreme confidence, such as paying off India's national debt or buying a personal rocket to inquire about the price of heaven.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A. R. Rahman for the 1994 film May Madham directed by Venus Balu, the song features vibrant vocals by Sunandha and Malgudi Subha with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The energetic rhythm and use of casino and card-table slang made it a unique and iconic youth track in 1990s Tamil cinema.

Keep listening

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