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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ammadi Idhu Enna

From Sigappu Thali · 1988

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Sigappu Thali1988

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ammaadi idhu enna kooththuOh my goodness, what kind of drama is this?
Adi aaththaadi nadaiya nee maaththuOh dear girl, change your walk and style!
Ammaadi idhu enna kooththuOh my goodness, what kind of drama is this?
Adi aaththaadi nadaiya nee maaththuOh dear girl, change your walk and style!
Male
Ammaadi idhu enna kooththuOh my goodness, what kind of drama is this?
Adi aaththaadi nadaiya nee maaththuOh dear girl, change your walk and style!
Unnoda aattamo mettu kudikkuYour dance belongs to the high-class elite,
Ennoda aattamo naattu kudikkuWhile my dance belongs to the native folk.
Piththalai aaduthaan ponnaattam minukkiA brass goat shines pretending to be gold.
Male
Ammaadi idhu enna kooththuOh my goodness, what kind of drama is this?
Adi aaththaadi nadaiya nee maaththuOh dear girl, change your walk and style!
Unnoda aattamo mettu kudikkuYour dance belongs to the high-class elite,
Ennoda aattamo naattu kudikkuWhile my dance belongs to the native folk.
Piththalai aaduthaan ponnaattam minukkiA brass goat shines pretending to be gold.
Male
Hae naaththoda kaaththu kooththadum pothuHey, when the wind dances with the young sapling,
Adhu nalla aattamadiThat indeed is a beautiful dance!
Singaara ponnae adha paththi paattu padipadipadiOh beautiful girl, sing a song about it repeatedly!
Kudikaara vandu poovukkul nindru sangeetham paadumadiAn intoxicated beetle stands inside a flower and sings music,
Nee kettu kondae sathiraada vendumadiListening to it, you ought to dance gracefully!
Male
Pennae un aattam thappilla maanaeOh girl, there is nothing wrong with your dance, my deer,
Puriyaama ponaa pollaapputhaanaeIf people fail to understand, it causes trouble!
Ullooril ullathu eppothum nallathuWhatever is local and rooted is always the best.
Male
Ammaadi idhu enna kooththuOh my goodness, what kind of drama is this?
Adi aaththaadi nadaiya nee maaththuOh dear girl, change your walk and style!
Unnoda aattamo mettu kudikkuYour dance belongs to the high-class elite,
Ennoda aattamo naattu kudikkuWhile my dance belongs to the native folk.
Piththalai aaduthaan ponnaattam minukki hae…A brass goat shines pretending to be gold, hey...
Male
Madikku veram saerikku veraOne style for the rich and another for the slums,
Aattaththa maaththi vachchaanHe altered the dance for everyone!
Theruvoram thanae koottaththa saeththu vachchaanBy the roadside, he gathered a whole crowd,
Ada vachchaan vachchaanAh, he gathered them, he did!
Sakkarai ellaam paalukkuththaanaeAll the sugar is meant only for milk,
Koozhukku thevaiyillai adi aattakkaariIt is not needed for simple porridge, oh dancer girl,
Uppukku panjamillaiThere is certainly no shortage of salt!
Male
Aadaatha ooru ippothu adumThe town that never danced will dance now,
Kattantharaiyilae katcheri paadumA musical concert will play on the bare ground,
Kallaatha jaadhikku kaiththaalam pothumFor the uneducated folk, clapping hands is more than enough!
Male
Ammaadi idhu enna kooththuOh my goodness, what kind of drama is this?
Adi aaththaadi nadaiya nee maaththuOh dear girl, change your walk and style!
Unnoda aattamo mettu kudikkuYour dance belongs to the high-class elite,
Ennoda aattamo naattu kudikkuWhile my dance belongs to the native folk.
Piththalai aaduthaan ponnaattam minukki…..A brass goat shines pretending to be gold...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Ammaadi Idhu Enna Kooththu is a lively folk song from the 1988 film Sigappu Thali, penned by lyricist Vairamuthu. The song explores the cultural divide between high-brow, modern dance styles and traditional, earthy folk traditions. The speaker encourages a dancer to embrace native rhythms over superficial pretension, metaphorically describing fake sophistication as brass shining like gold, while celebrating the authentic beauty of simple folk music.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Ammaadi idhu enna kooththu / Adi aaththaadi nadaiya nee maaththu

Rhyming of the second character across consecutive lines, such as 'Ammaadi' and 'Aaththaadi'.

Contrast / Anthesis

Unnoda aattamo mettu kudikku / Ennoda aattamo naattu kudikku

Juxtaposition of high-class elite culture with working-class native culture using 'Mettu kudi' and 'Naattu kudi'.

Metaphor

Piththalai aaduthaan ponnaattam minukki

Comparing superficial or artificial high-society trends to brass painted or polished to look like gold.

Personification

Kudikaara vandu poovukkul nindru sangeetham paadumadi

Attributing human qualities of singing and dancing to natural elements like wind, saplings, and beetles.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song lyrics were written by legendary poet Vairamuthu for the 1988 Tamil film Sigappu Thali, using folk metaphors to comment on cultural authenticities.

Keep listening

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