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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ah Aah Eee

From Sathanai · 2006

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singers
K. S. Chithra, Manikka Vinayagam
Music director
Premkumar S
Details
Sathanai2006

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Ah aah e ee uh oooAh, Aah, E, Ee, Uh, Ooo (Tamil vowel sounds).
Male
Hey padikkalanna makkuHey, if you don't study, you are a fool!
Aana kashtamthaanda ezhutha padikirathuIt is indeed difficult to learn reading and writing,
Aana padicha pinne romba pudikirathuBut once you learn it, you love it immensely.
Female
Aa nna amma da aah nna aadadaa'Aa' stands for mother, 'Aah' stands for goat!
Male
E nna ilaikelu ee nna eelana da'E' stands for leaf, listen; 'Ee' stands for fly!
Female
Konda konda slate kondaaBring it, bring the slate here!
Male
Palbathaale ezhuthuvandaaHe will write with a slate pencil!
Female
Ah aah e ee uh oooAh, Aah, E, Ee, Uh, Ooo...
Male
Hey padikkalanna makku.. aah..Hey, if you don't study, you are a fool... ah!
Female
Pallikkoodam kasantha pinne sambu poraaneSambu goes behind the school building that felt bitter to him.
Male
Abcd solla solli thiruppi solraaneWhen asked to say ABCD, he repeats it back.
Female
Kaalaila enthirichi paper porukkuraaneHe wakes up in the morning and picks up waste paper.
Male
Convent pasangala ellaam friend ah maathraaneHe turns all the convent school kids into his friends.
Onnaanglass parichai indri paasu aanaaneHe passed first grade without even taking an exam!
Rendaanglass paadam kooda padichi mudichaaneHe even completed studying the second-grade lessons!
Female
Kutties ellaam guruvaagaWith all the little children becoming his teachers,
Kalviyum inga eruvaagaAnd education acting as fertilizer here,
Male
Hey ellorum kelunga yegalaivan ivananaanHey everyone listen, he has become like Ekalavya!
Konjoondu kaalathile guruvukke guruvanaanIn a short period, he became a master to the teachers!
Female
Naalai ivan kaiyileTomorrow is in his hands,
Naatkal ivan paiyileThe coming days are in his pocket!
Female
Ah aah e ee uh oooAh, Aah, E, Ee, Uh, Ooo...
Male
Hey padikkalanna makku.. aah..Hey, if you don't study, you are a fool... ah!
Female
Antha kaala theruvilakkil anna padicharuIn those days, Anna studied under streetlights,
Male
America collegaye arivaal adichaaruAnd amazed even American colleges with his intelligence!
Female
Rameswaram platforathil paper vithaaruHe sold newspapers on the Rameswaram platform,
Male
Raapagal padichu abdul kalaamu president aanaaruStudying day and night, Abdul Kalam became the President!
Paper porukki palliku veliye sambu padichaaneBy collecting waste paper, Sambu studied outside the school,
Moonanglasa naalaanglasayum karachi kudichaaneHe thoroughly mastered third and fourth grade lessons!
Female
Oh doctor aaga povaanoOh, will he become a doctor?
Avan engineer aavaanoWill he become an engineer?
Vakkeela ivan maari vaathamthaan seivaanoWill he argue brilliantly like a lawyer?
Varalaaraa ivan maari velichangal tharuvaanoWill he illuminate like history itself?
Naalai ivan kaiyileTomorrow is in his hands,
Naatkal ivan paiyileThe coming days are in his pocket!
Female
Ah aah e ee uh oooAh, Aah, E, Ee, Uh, Ooo...
Male
Hey padikkalanna makku.. aah..Hey, if you don't study, you are a fool... ah!
Aana kashtamthaanda ezhutha padikirathuIt is indeed difficult to learn reading and writing,
Aana padicha pinne romba pudikirathuBut once you learn it, you love it immensely.
Female
Aa nna amma da aah nna aadadaa'Aa' stands for mother, 'Aah' stands for goat!
Male
E nna ilaikelu ee nna eelana da'E' stands for leaf, listen; 'Ee' stands for fly!
Female
Konda konda slate kondaaBring it, bring the slate here!
Male
Palbathaale ezhuthuvandaaHe will write with a slate pencil!
Male
Ah aah e ee uh oooAh, Aah, E, Ee, Uh, Ooo...
Hey padikkalanna makkuHey, if you don't study, you are a fool!
Female
Aa aahh..Aa aahh..

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Padikkalanna Makku from the film Sathanai is an uplifting educational anthem that emphasizes the joy and power of learning. It tells the story of Sambu, an underprivileged child who collects waste paper to make a living, yet possesses an insatiable thirst for knowledge. By befriending convent school students and learning from them outside the classroom, Sambu self-educates and rapidly masters primary school levels.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Mythological Allusion

Hey ellorum kelunga yegalaivan ivananaan

Compares the self-taught young protagonist to Ekalavya, the legendary Mahabharata character who mastered archery without formal instruction from a master.

Historical Exemplum

Antha kaala theruvilakkil anna padicharu... Raapagal padichu abdul kalaamu president aanaaru

References former Chief Minister C. N. Annadurai and President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam as real-life inspirations who rose from poverty and humble beginnings through dedication to education.

Idiomatic Hyperbole / Metaphor

Moonanglasa naalaanglasayum karachi kudichaane

The phrase 'karachi kudichaane' literally translates to 'dissolved and drank', an idiom meaning mastering concepts entirely and effortlessly.

End Rhyming / Iyaippu

Naalai ivan kaiyile / Naatkal ivan paiyile

Uses matching rhyming suffixes ('kaiyile' and 'paiyile') to create a rhythmic, catchy cadence suitable for children.

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Trivia

Lyricist Na. Muthukumar was renowned for writing evocative songs about childhood, education, and social upliftment. This song playfully weaves basic Tamil alphabetic mnemonics (Aa for Amma, Aah for Aadu) with inspiring life stories of icons like Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam to motivate young listeners.

Keep listening

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