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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Adithadi Appatha

From Samurai · 2002

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Suneeta Rao, Vadivukkarasi
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
Samurai2002

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Adithadi appatthaaFeisty grandmother,
Adithadi appatthaaFeisty grandmother,
Viduthalai eppathaanWhen will we get freedom,
Kelavi vittuthaanWhen will this old woman leave us?
Female
Ha ah aha haHa ah aha ha
Female
Adithadi appatthaaFeisty grandmother,
Adithadi appatthaaFeisty grandmother,
Viduthalai eppathaanWhen will we get freedom,
Kelavi vittuthaanWhen will this old woman leave us?
Female
Kadu kaduFierce and stern,
Kadugaaga ninaikkaatheengaDon't think of us like tiny mustard seeds,
Pori porikkaatheengaDon't fry us like puffed rice,
Vedi vedikkumbodhuWhen it explodes,
Vedigundaaga paarppeengaYou will see us as a bomb blast!
Female
Black-and-white-uYou belong to
Kaalam neengathe black-and-white era,
Romba colorful naangaWe are very colorful!
Kannaadiyoda kannaiyum serthuAlong with your glasses, change your vision
Maathungaand mindset too!
Female
Kaanju pona karuvaaduA dried up fish,
Kadalil vittaa neenthaadhuWill not swim if thrown into the sea!
Female
Kaanju pona karuvaaduA dried up fish,
Kadalil vittaa neenthaadhuWill not swim if thrown into the sea!
Silanthi noolai eppidi neithumNo matter how you weave spider silk,
Aadai aagaathuIt cannot become a dress!
Thaathaa ottiya kuthirai indruThe horse that grandpa rode back then,
VellaikkaagaathuIs useless for winning today's race!
Female
Kadu kaduFierce and stern,
Kadugaaga ninaikkaatheengaDon't think of us like tiny mustard seeds,
Pori porikkaatheengaDon't fry us like puffed rice,
Vedi vedikkumbodhuWhen it explodes,
Vedigundaaga paarppeengaYou will see us as a bomb blast!
Female
Black-and-white-uYou belong to
Kaalam neengathe black-and-white era,
Romba colorful naangaWe are very colorful!
Kannaadiyoda kannaiyum serthuAlong with your glasses, change your vision
Maathungaand mindset too!
Female
Ungal kaalamthaanYour era is over,
Mudinjaachu po paattiMove along, grandma!
Engal kaasukkuFor our money,
Ini vendaam thanvettiWe don't need your interference anymore!
Female
Appappaa engal aasai meedhuOh dear, over our desires,
Ammammaa unngal advice veenuOh my, your unnecessary advice,
Chitraadai puyalgal naangalWe are the storms clad in colourful silk,
Chorus :Chitraadai puyalgal naangalChorus: We are the storms clad in colourful silk,
Female
Chitraadai puyalgal naangalWe are the storms clad in colourful silk,
Saraivugalae ada vazhai vittu pongalAll you obstacles, clear out of our way!
Female
Kadu kaduFierce and stern,
Kadugaaga ninaikkaatheengaDon't think of us like tiny mustard seeds,
Pori porikkaatheengaDon't fry us like puffed rice,
Vedi vedikkumbodhuWhen it explodes,
Vedigundaaga paarppeengaYou will see us as a bomb blast!
Female
Black-and-white-uYou belong to
Kaalam neengathe black-and-white era,
Romba colorful naangaWe are very colorful!
Kannaadiyoda kannaiyum serthuAlong with your glasses, change your vision
Maathungaand mindset too!
Chorus
Adi thadi…adi thadiBrawling... brawling...
Adi thadi aaah aaah adi thadiBrawling... aaah aaah brawling...
Female
Konna konna maariyaakkaaOh Mariamma of the field who slays,
Kola kaattu maariyaakkaaOh Mariamma of the murderous forest,
Chorus
Ko-ko-kolla kolla maariyaakkaaOh Mariamma who slays again and again,
Kolla kaattu maariyaakkaaOh Mariamma of the murderous forest,
Female
Yena sonna… yena sonnaWhat did you say... what did you say?
Edhutthu pesa vaareegalaaAre you daring to talk back to me?
Chorus
Yena sonnaWhat did you say?
Yenna thitta edhutthu pesa vaareegalaaAre you daring to talk back to scold me?
Female
Katti mutthu ratthanamaeA precious gem,
Kai neranja kunjaramaeA prized child filling our hands,
Chorus
Katti mutthu ratthanamaeA precious gem,
Kai neranja kunjaramaeA prized child filling our hands,
Podi podi brahmanukkuGo, go, you are the blessed fortune
Kuduthu veitha bakiyamaeGiven to Lord Brahma himself!
Female
Baakkiyumae..ae…A grand blessing indeed...
Female
Engal noottraanduOur century is
Ithu sodhanai saalaiyadia testing laboratory, dear girl!
Ungal noottraandoYour century was
Moottha makkal thaalaiyadithe burden laid down by elders, dear girl!
Female
Pallakku ungal kaalam kaalamThe palanquin was the slow pace of your time,
Jet flightu engal vegam vegamThe jet flight is the speed of our time!
Innum naan siru miyum illaiI am no longer a small girl,
Innum naan sirumiyum illaiI am no longer a little girl,
Valaigalilae vizhum kooruviyum illaiNor am I a little bird falling into traps!
Female
Kadu kaduFierce and stern,
Kadugaaga ninaikkaatheengaDon't think of us like tiny mustard seeds,
Pori porikkaatheengaDon't fry us like puffed rice,
Vedi vedikkumbodhuWhen it explodes,
Vedigundaaga paarppeengaYou will see us as a bomb blast!
Whistling :…………………….Whistling sound...
Female
Black-and-white-uYou belong to
Kaalam neengathe black-and-white era,
Romba colorful naangaWe are very colorful!
Kannaadiyoda kannaiyum serthuAlong with your glasses, change your vision
Maathungaand mindset too!
Female
Kaanju pona karuvaaduA dried up fish,
Kadalil vittaa neenthaadhuWill not swim if thrown into the sea!
Silanthi noolai eppidi neithumNo matter how you weave spider silk,
Aadai aagaathuIt cannot become a dress!
Thaathaa ottiya kuthirai indruThe horse that grandpa rode back then,
VellaikkaagaathuIs useless for winning today's race!
Female
Kadu kaduFierce and stern,
Kadugaaga ninaikkaatheengaDon't think of us like tiny mustard seeds,
Pori porikkaatheengaDon't fry us like puffed rice,
Vedi vedikkumbodhuWhen it explodes,
Vedigundaaga paarppeengaYou will see us as a bomb blast!
Female
Black-and-white-uYou belong to
Kaalam neengathe black-and-white era,
Romba colorful naangaWe are very colorful!
Kannaadiyoda kannaiyum serthuAlong with your glasses, change your vision
Maathungaand mindset too!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic song captures a humorous and fiery generational clash between an conservative older generation (represented by the grandmother/elders) and the vibrant, modern younger generation. The youth argue that the elders belong to a 'black-and-white' bygone era dominated by outdated rules, while today's youth are fast, dynamic, and full of color like jet flights.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Black-and-white-u Kaalam neenga Romba colorful naanga

Comparing the elders' era to 'black-and-white' and the youth to 'colorful' and 'jet flight'.

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Kadu kadu Kadugaaga ninaikkaatheenga

The second letter 'du' rhymes across 'Kadu' and 'Kadugaaga'.

Simile / Analogy

Kaanju pona karuvaadu Kadalil vittaa neenthaadhu

Using analogies like dried fish in the sea and spider silk to highlight uselessness of obsolete ideas.

Did you know?

Trivia

Though listed as unknown in some song metadata sheets, 'Adithadi Appatthaa' from Samurai (2002) was composed by Harris Jayaraj, with lyrics written by Vairamuthu. The film starred Vikram and Anita Hassanandani.

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