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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Adida Melathai

From Kannukkul Nilavu · 2000

Lyricist
Pazhani Bharathi
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Kannukkul Nilavu2000

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ye…ennadaa nada…Hey... what kind of walk is this...
Thaalam thappudhu…The rhythm is missing...
Hei thaalaththula nadaraannaa…(Dialogue)Hey, walk to the beat, I say... (Dialogue)
Chorus
{Yammaa yammaa…Oh my, oh my...
Yamma thamma thamma thamma…} (2)Oh my brother brother brother... (2)
Male
Adidaa melaththaBeat the drum
Naan paadum paattukkuFor the song I sing
Izhukkaadhae enna un roottukkuDon't pull me into your route
Chorus :Ahhhh hoiiiChorus : Ahhhh hoiii
Male
Pididaa raagaththaCatch the tune
Ilavatta beettukkuFor the youthful beat
Odhungaadhae indha vilaiyaattukkuDon't step aside from this game
Chorus :Ahhhh hoiiiChorus : Ahhhh hoiii
Male
Adidaa melaththaBeat the drum
Naan paadum paattukkuFor the song I sing
Izhukkaadhae enna un roottukkuDon't pull me into your route
Male
Pididaa raagaththaCatch the tune
Ilavatta beettukkuFor the youthful beat
Odhungaadhae indha vilaiyaattukkuDon't step aside from this game
Chorus
Saambaarae ketkaadhaDoesn't even ask for sambar
Machchaan machchaanBrother-in-law, brother-in-law
Vidinjaalae ada koovaadhaOnce dawn breaks, doesn't crow
Jikkaan jikkaanCock-a-doodle-doo
Maanjaavae thadavaamaWithout applying glass-powder thread (manja)
Kittaan kittaanCloser, closer
Kaaththaadi ada neelaavaeOh kite, in the blue sky
Kettaan kettaanRuined, ruined
Male
Adidaa melaththaBeat the drum
Naan paadum paattukkuFor the song I sing
Izhukkaadhae enna un roottukkuDon't pull me into your route
Male
Pididaa raagaththaCatch the tune
Ilavatta beettukkuFor the youthful beat
Odhungaadhae indha vilaiyaattukkuDon't step aside from this game
Chorus
Kattu kattaa panaththaMoney in bundles and stacks
Ada serththu vechchavanThe one who accumulated it
Kotta kotta muzhippaanStares wide awake endlessly
Kanna kolu maraikkumArrogance blinds his eyes
Ada manushandhaandaaOh, he is just a human being
Thookkam kettu thavippaanSuffers having lost his sleep
Male
Kadanai adhigam vaangi thavichavanThe one who suffered by taking too many loans
Urakkam varalaSleep doesn't come
Naal muzhudhum vizhikiraanHe stays awake all day long
Male :Thiruttu thanamaa kaadhal valarththavanMale: The one who nurtured love in secret
Dhenamum iravilEvery night
Kan muzhichu kedakkuraanLies awake with eyes open
Chorus
Naamellaam yoggiyandhaanWe are all honest people
Machchaan machchaanBrother-in-law, brother-in-law
Aanaalum kan muzhikkaEven so, he made us keep our eyes open
Vechchaan vechchaanHe made us, he made us
Male
Aasaiyila bambaramaaLike a spinning top in desires
Aatti vechchaanHe made us spin around
Ellaamae yandhiramaaEverything into a machine
Maaththi vechchaanHe transformed and kept it
Male
Adidaa melaththaBeat the drum
Naan paadum paattukkuFor the song I sing
Izhukkaadhae enna un roottukkuDon't pull me into your route
Male
Pididaa raagaththaCatch the tune
Ilavatta beettukkuFor the youthful beat
Odhungaadhae indha vilaiyaattukkuDon't step aside from this game
Chorus
Saambaarae ketkaadhaDoesn't even ask for sambar
Machchaan machchaanBrother-in-law, brother-in-law
Vidinjaalae ada koovaadhaOnce dawn breaks, doesn't crow
Jikkaan jikkaanCock-a-doodle-doo
Maanjaavae thadavaamaWithout applying glass-powder thread
Kittaan kittaanCloser, closer
Kaaththaadi ada neelaavaeOh kite, in the blue sky
Kettaan kettaanRuined, ruined
Male
Adidaa melaththaBeat the drum
Naan paadum paattukkuFor the song I sing
Izhukkaadhae enna un roottukkuDon't pull me into your route
Male
Pididaa raagaththaCatch the tune
Ilavatta beettukkuFor the youthful beat
Odhungaadhae indha vilaiyaattukkuDon't step aside from this game
Chorus
Sangeedhathin sangadhi sarigamapaThe nuances of music, Sa-Ri-Ga-Ma-Pa
Thambikku cholli koduTeach it to the younger brother
Thambi suruthi pidichchaaIf the younger brother catches the pitch
Adhigamappa dhammaarae dhammu koduGive him a bigger beat/puff!
Male
Laallaa laallalalaLaallaa laallalala
Laallaa laallalalaLaallaa laallalala
Laallaa laallalala laallaalallaaLaallaa laallalala laallaalallaa
Male
Koratta koratta jadhi podudhuSnoring sets the rhythmic beats
Urundu porandu oorulagam orangudhuTossing and turning, the whole world sleeps
Male :Urangum kiligal ippa veettulaMale: The sleeping parrots are at home now
Ezhuppu ezhuppu ada namma paattulaWake them up, wake them up with our song
Chorus
Sayyaarae sikkimukki sikkikichchuOh lover, the flint stone struck fire
Oyyaarae vekkappattu ottikichchuOh stylish lady, feeling shy she clung close
Kannaalae kichchu muchchu vachchikichchuSet ticklish gestures through eyes
Thannaalae thottu thottu paththikichchuOn its own, touching and touching, it caught fire
Male
Adidaa melaththaBeat the drum
Naan paadum paattukkuFor the song I sing
Izhukkaadhae enna un roottukkuDon't pull me into your route
Male
Pididaa raagaththaCatch the tune
Ilavatta beettukkuFor the youthful beat
Odhungaadhae indha vilaiyaattukkuDon't step aside from this game
Chorus
Heiiii saambaarae ketkaadhaHey, doesn't even ask for sambar
Machchaan machchaanBrother-in-law, brother-in-law
Vidinjaalae ada koovaadhaOnce dawn breaks, doesn't crow
Jikkaan jikkaanCock-a-doodle-doo
Maanjaavae thadavaamaWithout applying glass-powder thread
Kittaan kittaanCloser, closer
Kaaththaadi ada neelaavaeOh kite, in the blue sky
Kettaan kettaanRuined, ruined
Male
Adidaa melaththaBeat the drum
Naan paadum paattukkuFor the song I sing
Izhukkaadhae enna un roottukkuDon't pull me into your route
Male
Pididaa raagaththaCatch the tune
Ilavatta beettukkuFor the youthful beat
Odhungaadhae indha vilaiyaattukkuDon't step aside from this game

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Adida Melaththa from the film Kannukkul Nilavu (2000) is a lively folk-pop song that explores the ironies of human life and sleeplessness. Through humorous folk expressions, lyricist Pazhani Bharathi points out how different people lose sleep—whether it is a miser guarding bundles of money, a debtor anxious over loans, or secret lovers spending nights wide awake. Despite these everyday struggles, the song urges everyone to break free from mechanical routines, dance to the rhythm, and celebrate life through music.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Adidaa melaththa ... / Pididaa raagaththa ...

The second consonant 'di' matches in 'Adidaa' and 'Pididaa', creating a smooth rhythmic flow.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Sayyaarae sikkimukki sikkikichchu / Oyyaarae vekkappattu ottikichchu

Lines end with the matching suffix '-ichchu', giving a fast-paced folk cadence.

Oli-kkurippu (Onomatopoeia)

Jikkaan jikkaan

Use of imitation sounds like 'Jikkaan jikkaan' to mimic rooster crowing and rhythmic play.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kannukkul Nilavu (2000) was directed by Fazil and featured music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. The track 'Adida Melaththa' is sung primarily by Hariharan, showcasing a rare, high-energy folk style from him alongside playful spoken dialogue intros.

Keep listening

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