Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ale Ale

From Boys · 2003

Lyricist
Kabilan
Singers
Karthik, Chitra Sivaraman
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Boys2003

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Hoo oooh oooh … hoo ooh ooohHoo oooh oooh … hoo ooh oooh
Male
Egiri kudhithen vaanam idithadhuI jumped high, and the sky thundered
Paadhangal irandum paravaiyanadhuBoth my feet became birds
Viralgalin kaambil pookal muzhaithadhuFlowers sprouted from the tips of my fingers
Puruvangal irangi meesai aanadhuEyebrows descended and became a mustache
Male
Ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale
Ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale
Male
Hey aanandha thanneer mondu kuzhithenHey, I drew water of bliss and bathed
Female
Ovvoru parkalilum sirithenI smiled through every single tooth
Male
Karkandai thooki kondu nadandhenI carried rock candy and walked
Oru erumbaaiLike an ant
Female
Naan thanneeril mella mella nadandhenI walked gently upon the water
Oru ilaiyaaiLike a leaf
Male
Ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale
Female
Ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale
Male
Ale ale ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale ale ale
Kaadhal sonna kanamaeThe moment love was expressed
Adhu kadavulai kanda kanamaeWas the moment of beholding God
Kaatraai parakudhu manamae oh oh oooohThe mind flies like the wind, oh oh ooooh
Male
Kaatraai parakudhu manamae oh oh oooohThe mind flies like the wind, oh oh ooooh
Male
Narambugalil minnal nuzhaigiradhaeLightning enters through my veins
Udal muzhudhum nila udhikiradhaeMoons shed all over my body
Female
Vennilavai ivan varudiyadhumWhen he caressed the full moon
Vinmeenaai naan sidharivittenI scattered as stars
Male
Oru vidhai idhayathil vizhundhadhuA seed fell into my heart
Adhu thalai varai kilaigalaai mulaikiradhaeIt sprouts branches all the way to my head
Female
Ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale
Male
Ale ale ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale ale ale
Female
Kalangaadha kulam ena irundhavalI who was like an undisturbed pond
Oru thavalai dhan kudhithadhum vatri vittenDried up completely as soon as a frog jumped in
Male
Kaadhal sonna kanamaeThe moment love was expressed
Adhu kadavulai kanda kanamaeWas the moment of beholding God
Kaatraai parakudhu manamae oh oh oooohThe mind flies like the wind, oh oh ooooh
Male
Kaatraai parakudhu manamae oh oh oooohThe mind flies like the wind, oh oh ooooh
Male
Egiri kudhithenI jumped high
Female
Vaanam idithadhuThe sky thundered
Male
Paadhangal irandumBoth feet
Female
ParavaiyanadhuBecame birds
Male
Viralgalin kaambilAt the tips of my fingers
Female
Pookal mulaithadhuFlowers sprouted
Male
Puruvangal irangiEyebrows descended
Female
Meesai aanadhuAnd became a mustache
Male
Ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale
Ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale ale
Female
Manal muzhudhum indru sarkaraiyaaIs all the sand turned into sugar today?
Kadal muzhudhum indru kudineeraaIs the entire sea turned into drinking water today?
Male
Karai muzhudhum undhan suvadugalaaIs the whole shore filled with your footprints?
Azhai muzhudhum undhan punnagaiyaaAre all the ocean waves your smile?
Female
Aaa kaagidham en mel parandhadhumAh, when a paper flew over me
Adhu kavidhai nool ena maariyadhaeIt transformed into a book of poetry
Male
Ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale
Female
Ale ale ale ale ale aleAle ale ale ale ale ale
Male
Vaanavil urasiyae parandhadhumBrushing against a rainbow as it flew
Indha kaakaiyum mayil ena maariyadhaeEven this crow transformed into a peacock
Male : Kaadhal sonna kanamaeMale : The moment love was expressed
Adhu kadavulai kanda kanamaeWas the moment of beholding God
Kaatraai parakudhu manamae oh oh oooohThe mind flies like the wind, oh oh ooooh
Female
………………………………………...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Ale Ale is an energetic duet from the 2003 Tamil movie Boys, capturing the euphoric, surreal feeling of adolescent love and confession. Through wild hyperbole and whimsical imagery—such as feet turning into birds, sand turning into sugar, and crows turning into peacocks—the lyrics convey how love transforms an ordinary world into a magical, divine experience. Both the male and female perspectives express the psychological and physical thrill of hearing 'I love you', equating the experience of love to encountering divinity itself.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi Ani)

Egiri kudhithen vaanam idithadhu / Paadhangal irandum paravaiyanadhu

Exaggerated surreal imagery used to express overwhelming romantic excitement, such as feet turning into birds and the sky thundering upon jumping.

Simile (Uvamaani)

Karkandai thooki kondu nadandhen / Oru erumbaai

Explicit comparisons using 'oru erumbaai' (like an ant) and 'oru ilaiyaai' (like a leaf) to describe lightness and innocence.

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Kaadhal sonna kanamae / Adhu kadavulai kanda kanamae

Tamil poetic rhyme where the second letter of consecutive lines match ('dha' in Kaadhal / Adhu).

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Indha kaakaiyum mayil ena maariyadhae

Comparing a paper turning directly into a poetry book and a crow becoming a peacock upon touching a rainbow.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics by Kabilan for Director Shankar's hit film 'Boys' (2003), this track featured youthful, experimental visuals matching Rahman's electronic pop-rock arrangements and vocal renditions by Karthik and Chitra Sivaraman.

Keep listening

More from Boys