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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Adey Unakkum Enakkum

From Thunai · 1982

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Thunai1982

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Adei unakkum enakkum uravu varaHey, for a relationship to form between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.
Male
Unakkum enakkum pirivu varaFor a separation to occur between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.
Male
Adei unakkum enakkum uravu varaHey, for a relationship to form between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.
Male
Unakkum enakkum pirivu varaFor a separation to occur between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.
Male
Unakku aval thunai enakku yaar thunaiShe is companion to you, but who is companion to me?
Unakku aval thunai enakku yaar thunaiShe is companion to you, but who is companion to me?
Male
Bhoomiyilae en payarthaan dhasarathanOn this earth, my name is Dasaratha,
Aanaal raamanai pol illaiyadaa en maganBut my son is not like Rama, my friend.
Bhoomiyilae en payarthaan dhsarathanOn this earth, my name is Dasaratha,
Aanaal raamanai pol illaiyadaa en maganBut my son is not like Rama, my friend.
Male
Kadhai veru nijam veru indru therinthathaeToday I realised that story and reality are different.
Kadhai veru nijam veru indru therinthathaeToday I realised that story and reality are different.
Dhisai maariyae paravai paranthathuChanging its direction, the bird flew away.
Adhan koottaiyae adhu yaen maranthathuWhy did it forget its own nest?
Male
Adei unakkum enakkum uravu varaHey, for a relationship to form between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.
Male
Unakkum enakkum pirivu varaFor a separation to occur between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.
Male
Maanidarin aasaigalthaan madhi vasamHuman desires are governed by the mind,
Antha aasaigalin mudivu ellaam vidhi vasamBut the outcome of those desires is governed by fate.
Enna paasam enna pantham intha vayathilaeWhat affection, what bond remains at this age?
Siru thoondililae thavikkum meeninam adhaiLike a fish struggling on a small hook,
Pondrathadaa thudikkum en manamMy throbbing heart is just like that, my friend.
Male
Adei unakkum enakkum uravu varaHey, for a relationship to form between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.
Male
Unakkum enakkum pirivu varaFor a separation to occur between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.
Male
Thalaimaganaai eendreduththa pillaiyaeThe child born as my firstborn son,
Indru thalai kuniya vaiththuvittaan ennaiyaeHas made me hang my head in shame today.
Thalaimaganaai eendreduththa pillaiyaeThe child born as my firstborn son,
Indru thalai kuniya vaiththuvittaan ennaiyaeHas made me hang my head in shame today.
Male
Ada podaa maganthaandaa nandri maranthavanOh go away, he is my son who forgot gratitude.
Odhu purinthathaa nyaanam piranthathaa solliDid I understand this? Was wisdom born? Tell me,
Azhuvathaa ninaiththu siripathaaShould I cry thinking about it, or laugh?
Male
Adei unakkum enakkum uravu varaHey, for a relationship to form between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.
Male
Unakkum enakkum pirivu varaFor a separation to occur between you and me,
Pennaathaan kaaranamA woman alone is the reason.
Oru pennaathaan kaaranamOnly a woman is the reason.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This poignant track sung by T. M. Soundararajan from the 1982 film 'Thunai' expresses the sorrow and disillusionment of an aging father abandoned or betrayed by his son. The father meditates on the duality of human bonds, pointing out that a woman brings a son into existence and establishes the family bond, yet another marital bond often splits the son from his father. He contrasts his life with epic Ramayana lore, lamenting that while he feels as grieving as King Dasaratha, his son falls far short of being an ideal, obedient Rama. Throughout the song, Vaali highlights themes of fate, shattered expectations, and ungratefulness. The lyrics portray a heart caught like a helpless fish on a hook, torn between weeping over the loss of familial warmth and bitterly laughing at the inescapable harshness of worldly reality.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Mythological Allusion (Purana Uvamai)

Bhoomiyilae en payarthaan dhasarathan / Aanaal raamanai pol illaiyadaa en magan

The speaker invokes King Dasaratha and Lord Rama from the Ramayana to contrast ideal filial devotion with his real-life pain.

Simile (Uvamai)

Siru thoondililae thavikkum meeninam adhai / Pondrathadaa thudikkum en manam

Compares the speaker's agonized, throbbing heart to a fish trapped and squirming on a hook.

Metaphor / Allegory

Dhisai maariyae paravai paranthathu / Adhan koottaiyae adhu yaen maranthathu

Uses the metaphor of a bird altering its flight path and abandoning its nest to represent a son departing from his parental home.

Repetition (Anaphora)

Pennaathaan kaaranam / Oru pennaathaan kaaranam

Repeats the line emphasizing woman as the central pivot of both bonding and conflict.

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Trivia

The song showcases T. M. Soundararajan's trademark emotive rendition for dramatic film sequences. Tuned by the composer duo Shankar-Ganesh with lyrics by Vaali, the song echoes classical Ramayana motifs commonly utilized in 1980s Tamil cinema to depict intergenerational grief and familial breakdown.

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