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Love Today album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Aalai Ethikinu Ooru Suthum Pallavan

From Love Today · 1997

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Mano, Kalpana
Music director
Shiva
Movie name
Love Today
Movie release year
1997
Lyrics added on
10 Dec 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Machi come on come on
Hey hey hey pudra dei
Haa haa haa haa
Hey aala yethikinnu
Oora suthum pallavan
Roattu mela joraagathaan
Roundu varum vallavan
Naama nenacha idam
Irakki vidum nallavan
Sudden break aduchi
Orasa help seibavan
Pala kaadhalarukku
Kaalai maalai aandavan
Engha manasa vattum
Pengal kootam pogum
Bus jannalil naanga vavaazhu
…………………………….
Specs potta karuvaadu
Powder poosu oru loadu
Female :Pothikinnu po machi
Naan kiran bedi thangachi
Hey un lover naan thanae
Heart killer nee thaanae
Female :Unakku inimel thaadi thaan
Enakku vera jodi thaan
Adiyae gilmaa aadharimaa
Isthukinnu odattumaa
Yelae paarty machaan
Kujaala keedhudaa
Male :Ticket vaangum saakil
Ticketta veezhthuda
Aala yethikinnu
Oora suthum pallavan
Roattu mela joraagathaan
Roundu varum vallavan
Vallavan vallavan vallavan
………………………..
{Set me free
Here we goo…} (2)
Altoppu maharani
Aaru vaati fail-ah nee
Female :Padippil konjam weak aiyaa
Iduppu madippa nokkaiyaa
En vote-u sushmitha
Win pannum vinnai thaan
Female :Bodhai moota vandhiraa
Un paarvai enna cheater-ah
Pehle pyaar kaa
Pehle hum
Bhoomiyellam pudhusaagum
Kaivalai break adicha
Manasil orr thelada
Lover aapadicha
Innonnu thedudaa
Naama nenacha idam
Irakki vidum nallavan
Sudden break aduchi
Orasa help seibavan
Pala kaadhalarukku
Kaalai maalai aandavan
Engha manasa vattum
Pengal kootam pogum
Bus jannalil naanga vavaazhu
Buddy, come on, come on!
Hey hey hey, step on the gas, man!
Ha ha ha ha!
Hey, picking up passengers,
The Pallavan (Chennai city bus) roams the town!
Cruising in style on the road,
It's a champion making its rounds!
Right where we want to go,
It's the good friend that drops us off!
Slamming on the sudden brakes,
It helps us brush against our crush!
For countless young lovers,
It is God, morning and evening!
Tormenting our hearts,
As crowds of girls travel by,
We hang from the bus windows like bats!
...
Hey skinny girl with glasses,
Go apply a whole truckload of powder!
Female: Shut your mouth and walk away, buddy!
I am the sister of Kiran Bedi (famed tough police officer)!
Hey, aren't I your lover?
Aren't you my heart-killer?
Female: For you, it's only a heartbroken beard from now on,
And for me, a whole new match!
Hey gorgeous, show me some love,
Shall I sweep you away and run?
Hey buddy, this girl...
...is full of cheeky attitude, man!
Male: Under the excuse of buying a ticket,
Go ahead and win her heart, man!
Picking up passengers,
The Pallavan (Chennai city bus) roams the town!
Cruising in style on the road,
It's a champion making its rounds!
A champion, champion, champion!
...
{Set me free,
Here we go...} (2)
Hey queen in modern halter-tops,
Have you failed your exams six times?
Female: I am a little weak in studies, mister,
Why don't you look at the curves of my waist instead?
My vote is for Sushmita Sen,
She will conquer the entire universe!
Female: Look at you, arriving like a bag of intoxication!
Why does your gaze look so sly and crafty?
With the dawn of first love,
And its very first sweet tune,
The whole world feels brand new!
If her bangles slam the brakes on you,
Your mind will finally clear up, man!
If your lover dumps you and walks away,
Just go find another girl, man!
Right where we want to go,
It's the good friend that drops us off!
Slamming on the sudden brakes,
It helps us brush against our crush!
For countless young lovers,
It is God, morning and evening!
Tormenting our hearts,
As crowds of girls travel by,
We hang from the bus windows like bats!
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This energetic youth anthem celebrates Chennai's bus culture, college life, and youthful romance. The lyrics treat the city bus (Pallavan Transport Corporation) as a divine matchmaker that facilitates romantic encounters, casual flirting, and daily adventures for young lovers. Through witty back-and-forth exchanges featuring popular Madras slang, the song playfully touches upon themes of college crushes, exam failures, moving on from heartbreak, and living life lightheartedly.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

Bus jannalil naanga vavaazhu

Compares youth hanging onto bus footboards and windows to bats clinging to trees.

Rhyme / Assonance (Iyaibu)

Roundu varum vallavan

Use of matching rhythmic sound endings across consecutive lines (Pallavan / vallavan / nallavan).

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Specs potta karuvaadu

A humorous metaphor comparing someone wearing spectacles to dried fish.

Code-Mixing & Slang (Madras Baashai)

Pehle pyaar kaa / Pehle hum

Blend of local Chennai street slang (pudra, gilmaa, kujaala, aapadicha) with English and Hindi expressions.

Did you know?

Trivia

Music for 'Love Today' (1997) was composed by 'Gaana King' Deva. The movie starred Vijay and Suvalakshmi and became a massive blockbuster, cementing Vijay's popularity among youth and college students during the late 90s.

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