- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- S. Vedhachalam
- Movie name
- Kathalithal Pothuma
- Movie release year
- 1967
- Lyrics added on
- 24 Sept 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Ammaa muzhikkira muzhiyai paaru is a playful, upbeat romantic teaser track from the 1967 Tamil film Kathalithal Pothuma, featuring music composed by S. Vedhachalam and lyrics penned by the legendary Kannadasan. Sung with high energy and expressive vocal modulations by T. M. Soundarajan, the hero teasingly mocks the heroine's flustered and wide-eyed reactions. He humorously compares her state to someone who willingly put a crawling insect on their head and is now jumping around in panic. The song blends lighthearted folk expressions with classic romantic banter. The lyrics draw vivid comparisons between her glowing eyes and bright hurricane lamps, while humorously noting how every creature in nature seeks a mate—from chickens to monkeys. It concludes with the traditional cultural motif that just as a nose rope tames a bull, the sacred yellow thread of marriage tames a young woman's wild heart.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Erikkindra kannu / Arikkann lightu..”
Compares her bright, intense eyes ('Erikkindra kannu') directly to a hurricane lamp ('Arikkann lightu').
Personification / Hyperbole
“Idaiyum nadaiyum / Seiyudhu fightu”
Describes her waist ('idai') and her graceful walk ('nadai') as fighting each other, personifying her bodily movements as opponents in conflict.
Analogy
“Kalaiyai adakkum mookku kayiru / Kanniyai adakkum manjal kaiyiru”
Draws a cultural parallel between a nose rope ('mookku kayiru') controlling a bull and the marriage thread ('manjal kayiru') binding a maiden.
Rhythm and Folk Vocables (Chantham)
“Jittaan jittaan jinukku kuthigudhaam”
Uses rhythmic folk sound syllables ('Jittaan jittaan jinukku', 'Dhinakka dhinnakkathakka') to establish an infectious beat.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kathalithal Pothuma (1967) featured music composed by S. Vedhachalam, a composer known for his work in mid-20th century Tamil cinema. Lyricist Kannadasan incorporated colloquial idioms and playful folk sayings (such as putting an insect on one's head) to render the song instantly memorable and relatable to rural as well as urban audiences.
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