- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- Jayachandran, S. P. Sailaja
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Illam
- Movie release year
- 1988
- Lyrics added on
- 21 Mar 2020
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kaadhalilae tholviyutraan kaalai oruvan
Aamaa kaalai oruvan aiyo kaalai oruvan
Vaazhkkaiyilae thotthu vittaan annan oruvan
Aamaa annan oruvan enga annan oruvan
Aamaa periya thaerdhalu…
Idhula thotthupputtaennu varutha padu…
Yaaraavadhu pombala yaemaathiruppaa
Adhu thaan polamburaan
Daei yaemaathunavala summaa vida koodaadhu paa
Adhanaala thaan naangalum yaethikkittirukkom
Neeyum yaethikko
Aadum paambirukkudhu
Adhu aadaama paduthirukkudhu
Veeram ullirukkudhu
Adhu neram paathirukkudhu
Vittaennaa ooru rendaagum paaru
Kuduthaennaa kuthaalam kodaikkaanal onnaagum
Aadum paambirukkudhu
Adhu aadaama paduthirukkudhu
Mel iruppavan kekka marandhaa
Ul iruppavan vittiduvaanaa
Mel iruppavan kekka marandhaa
Ul iruppavan vittiduvaanaa
Thembu ingirukku ingirukku ingirukku
Vambu angirukku angirukku angirukku
Thembu ingirukku ingirukku ingirukku
Vambu angirukku angirukku angirukku
Adutha veettu neiyae en pondaatti kaiyae
Aasa pattaa nikkaadhadaa
Irukka edam koduthaa padukka edam kaeppae
Vera edam nee paaradaa
Paambirukkum puthukkullae
Kaiya vittu kaala vittu paakka venaa
Kadikkum kadikkum
Aadum paambirukkudhu
Adhu aadaama paduthirukkudhu
Veeram ullirukkudhu
Adhu neram paathirukkudhu
Buthi irundhaa pozhachukkalaam
Unakku buthi illaiyae kathi edunga
Buthi irundhaa pozhachukkalaam
Unakku buthi illaiyae kathi edunga
Veeram vandhuruchu nethi adi nethi adi
Vegam vandhuruchu suthi adi suthi adi
Veeram vandhuruchu
Nethi adi nethi adi
Vegam vandhuruchu
Suthi adi suthi adi
Podu idhu thaanaa ullae idhu ponaa
Kozhaigalum kattabommanga
Paaru ini melae panna pora dhoolu
Appuramaa ucha kattanga
Thoongura paamba konjam
Sundi ippa vittu puttaen
Odi pudikkum thaedi kadikkum
Aadum paambirukkudhu
Aamaamaa
Adhu aadaama paduthirukkudhu
Yen maamaa
Veeram ullirukkudhu
Aamaamaa
Adhu neram paathirukkudhu
Aamaamaa
Vittaennaa ooru rendaagum paaru
Kuduthaennaa kuthaalam kodaikkaanal onnaagum
Aadum paambirukkudhu
Aamaamaa
Adhu aadaama paduthirukkudhu
Yen maamaa
Veeram ullirukkudhu
Aamaamaa
Adhu neram paathirukkudhu
Aamaamaa
A young man has failed in love.
Yes, a young man, oh poor young man!
An elder brother has lost in life.
Yes, an elder brother, our very own brother!
Yeah, as if it was a big election...
and you are moping over losing it!
Some woman must have cheated him,
that is why he is whining.
Hey, do not let the one who cheated you get away with it!
That is why even we are knocking drinks back,
you drink up too!
There is a dancing snake inside,
but it lies still without moving.
Courage is stored within,
it is just waiting for the right time.
If I let loose, watch the whole town split in two!
If I strike, Courtallam and Kodaikanal will collide into one!
There is a dancing snake inside,
but it lies still without moving.
If the One up above forgets to question,
will the one inside just let it go?
If the One up above forgets to question,
will the one inside just let it go?
The strength is right here, right here, right here!
The trouble is over there, over there, over there!
The strength is right here, right here, right here!
The trouble is over there, over there, over there!
Eyeing the neighbor's ghee served by my wife's hand?
If you desire that, you will not stand a chance!
Give you room to sit, and you ask for a place to sleep!
Go look for somewhere else!
Inside an anthill where a snake lives,
do not stick your hand and foot in to test it!
It will bite, it will bite!
There is a dancing snake inside,
but it lies still without moving.
Courage is stored within,
it is waiting for the right time.
If you have brains, you can survive,
you have no brains, so pull out the knives!
If you have brains, you can survive,
you have no brains, so pull out the knives!
Courage has kicked in, strike straight on the forehead!
Speed has kicked in, swing and strike all around!
Courage has kicked in,
strike straight on the forehead!
Speed has kicked in,
swing and strike all around!
Pour it! Once this drink goes inside,
even cowards turn into brave Kattabommans (legendary warrior kings)!
Just watch the havoc I am going to raise from now on,
and after that comes the grand climax!
The sleeping snake,
I have just flicked and provoked it!
It will chase and catch you, it will hunt you down and bite!
There is a dancing snake inside,
Yes, yes!
but it lies still without moving.
Why, uncle?
Courage is stored within,
Yes, yes!
it is waiting for the right time.
Yes, yes!
If I let loose, watch the whole town split in two!
If I strike, Courtallam and Kodaikanal will collide into one!
There is a dancing snake inside,
Yes, yes!
but it lies still without moving.
Why, uncle?
Courage is stored within,
Yes, yes!
it is waiting for the right time.
Yes, yes!
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This energetic folk/kuthu song portrays a group of friends cheering up a heartbroken man who has suffered a defeat in love and feels like a failure in life. Through lively metaphors, local proverbs, and comical banter, the lyrics encourage him to unleash his latent strength and courage instead of wallowing in self-pity.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Aadum paambirukkudhu”
The dormant courage inside a person is metaphorically compared to a dancing snake lying still inside an anthill ('Aadum paambirukkudhu adhu aadaama paduthirukkudhu').
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Vittaennaa ooru rendaagum paaru”
Exaggerated claims of power, asserting that letting loose will split the town in two and bring distant places together.
Edhai (Second letter rhyming)
“Irukka edam koduthaa padukka edam kaeppae”
The second consonant 'ru' rhymes across lines ('Irukka edam' / 'Vera edam').
Alliteration (Monaai)
“Thembu ingirukku ingirukku ingirukku”
Repetition of initial consonants like 'Th' in 'Thembu' and 'V' in 'Vambu'.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Gangai Amaran for the 1988 Tamil movie 'Illam' starring Sivakumar and Amala, this track serves as a classic comic-relief tavern song utilizing rustic Tamil proverbs and street slang.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Illam
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.