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Isaimozhi
Sathurangam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ada Abishtu Nekkum Nokkuma

From Sathurangam · 1978

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Swarnalatha, P. Susheela
Music director
V. Kumar
Movie name
Sathurangam
Movie release year
1978
Lyrics added on
16 Oct 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ada abishtu
Nekkum nokkuma kalyaanam
Nee oru ammaanji
Ada abhistu
Nekkum nokkuma kalyaanam
Nee oru ammaanji
Aathilae irukka kannadi
Paathukko un moonji
Unga aathilae irukka kannadi
Paathukko un moonji
Chorus :……………………….
Mookkenna ivar muzhiyenna
Ada kakka kettadhadi
Achu pichu pithukuli aasapattathadi
Mookkenna ivar muzhiyenna
Ada kakka kettadhadi
Achu pichu pithukuli aasapattathadi
Kaadhal ethuku ada ambhi unakku
Maalai ethukku ada mandhi unakku
Female :Kaadhal ethuku ada ambhi unakku
Maalai ethukku ada mandhi unakku
Female :Ettadha kombukku kottaavi vittaandi mutaalu
Ada abishtu
Nekkum nokkuma kalyaanam
Nee oru ammaanji
Aathilae irukka kannadi
Paathukko un moonji
Unga aathilae irukka kannadi
Paathukko un moonji
Achacho idhu muttikaal
Dhinam thattum kazhudhaiyadi
Achacho idhu muttikaal
Dhinam thattum kazhudhaiyadi
Athimberum athaiyammavum
Petha kuzhandhaiyadi
Ketti melathai idhu kotta solludhu
Pattu thaaliyai idhu katta solludhu
Ketti melathai idhu kotta solludhu
Pattu thaaliyai idhu katta solludhu
Sembulli karumbulli angangae kuthunga maapillaikku
Ada abishtu
Nekkum nokkuma kalyaanam
Nee oru ammaanji
Aathilae irukka kannadi
Paathukko un moonji
Unga aathilae irukka kannadi
Paathukko un moonji
……………………….
Hey, you good-for-nothing!
A wedding between you and me?
You are such a clueless fool!
Hey, you good-for-nothing!
A wedding between you and me?
You are such a clueless fool!
There is a mirror at home,
Go take a look at your face!
There is a mirror in your house,
Go take a look at your face!
Chorus: ...
Look at his nose and look at his eyes!
Oh dear, he looks worse than a crow!
This rambling, crazy fool has started desiring love!
Look at his nose and look at his eyes!
Oh dear, he looks worse than a crow!
This rambling, crazy fool has started desiring love!
Why do you need romance, Ambi?
Why do you need a wedding garland, you monkey?
Female: Why do you need romance, Ambi?
Why do you need a wedding garland, you monkey?
Female: This fool is yawning for a tree branch far out of his reach!
Hey, you good-for-nothing!
A wedding between you and me?
You are such a clueless fool!
There is a mirror at home,
Go take a look at your face!
There is a mirror in your house,
Go take a look at your face!
Oh dear, this knock-kneed fellow
Is a donkey bumping its own legs every day!
Oh dear, this knock-kneed fellow
Is a donkey bumping its own legs every day!
Look at the child born
To uncle and aunt!
He wants the wedding drums to be beaten,
He wants to tie the wedding knot!
He wants the wedding drums to be beaten,
He wants to tie the wedding knot!
Dot red and black spots all over this groom to mock him!
Hey, you good-for-nothing!
A wedding between you and me?
You are such a clueless fool!
There is a mirror at home,
Go take a look at your face!
There is a mirror in your house,
Go take a look at your face!
...
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful teasing song from the movie Sathurangam (1978) is written using classical Brahmin Tamil slang. The female singers mock an overly ambitious, foolish, and awkward young man ('Ambi') who aspires to get married to a woman beyond his league. They mock his looks, walk, and intellect, hilariously advising him to check his face in the mirror at home before dreaming of marriage. Throughout the song, lyricist Vaali uses colloquial Brahmin terms like 'Abishtu' (foolish/unclean person), 'Ammaanji' (innocent simpleton), and 'Athimber' (uncle) to build a humorous domestic banter setting.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Proverb / Idiom (Pazhamozhi)

Ettadha kombukku kottaavi vittaandi mutaalu

Uses the famous Tamil proverb about reaching far beyond one's capability ('Ettadha kombukku kottaavi vittan').

Rhyme / Iyaibu

Ketti melathai idhu kotta solludhu / Pattu thaaliyai idhu katta solludhu

End-rhyming words 'kotta' and 'katta' creating a rhythmic pattern.

Alliteration / Monai & Rhyme

Sembulli karumbulli angangae kuthunga maapillaikku

Internal rhyming and alliteration with 'Sembulli' and 'Karumbulli'.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track stands out for its heavy use of Tamil Brahmin dialect vocabulary ('Abishtu', 'Ammaanji', 'Aathilae') penned by Vaali and composed by V. Kumar. The song playfully depicts comic relief through domestic teasing in the film Sathurangam.

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