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Annai Or Aalayam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Appane Appane

From Annai Or Aalayam · 1979

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Annai Or Aalayam
Movie release year
1979
Lyrics added on
16 Oct 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Appanae appanae
Pullaiyaar appanae
Adangappanae appanae
Pullaiyaar appanae
Podava thoppu karnam podava
Naan paadava paattu paadi aadavaa
Anbu enakku romba irukku
Vambu vazhakku innum yethukku
Adangappanae appanae
Pullaiyaar appanae
Podava thoppu karnam podava
Naan paadava paattu paadi aadavaa
Vaathiyangal ennenna sol vaasikiren
Vaathiyaru endru unnai nesikkiren
Vedikkai viththai ellaam kathukkuren
Verenna seiya venum othukkuren
Ishtapadi sollu nadakkiren
Ennai naanae vittu kodukkuren
Suttithanam aththanaiyum
Vittuvidu raaja
Adangappanae appanae
Pullaiyaar appanae
Podava thoppu karnam podava
Paarvathi petrueduthaal
Rendu pillai
Baalagan murugano nalla pillai
Nee mattum romba romba chutti pillai
Thaanga villai nee seiyum anbu thollai
Kaatil unnai kandu eduthavan
Kaadhal vaithu unnai valarthavan
Unnai pola ullam ulla nalla pillai raaja
Appanae appanae
Pullaiyaar appanae
Podava thoppu karnam podava
Aarattum nenjil ulla thazhumbugal
Pogattum munnam seitha thavarugal
Thaai indri intha pillai thavikkiren
Nee indri unthan annai thudikkiraal
Petha manam pithu pidithathu
Pillai nalam enni kidakkuthu
Annai vasam unnai vaithen
Ennai nambu raaja
Appanae appanae
Pullaiyaar appanae
Podava thoppu karnam podava
Naan paadava paattu paadi aadavaa
Anbu enakku romba irukku
Vambu vazhakku innum yethukku
Adangappanae appanae
Pullaiyaar appanae
Podava thoppu karnam podava
Naan paadava paattu paadi aadavaa
O my dear boy, my dear one!
O little Pillaiyar!
O stubborn little one, my dear boy!
O little Pillaiyar!
Shall I hold my ears and do squats for you?
Shall I sing? Shall I sing a song and dance?
I have so much love in my heart,
Why do we still need fights and quarrels?
O stubborn little one, my dear boy!
O little Pillaiyar!
Shall I hold my ears and do squats for you?
Shall I sing? Shall I sing a song and dance?
Tell me which instruments to play, and I will play them,
I look up to you as my teacher and love you,
I will learn all the playful tricks you teach,
Whatever else I need to do, I agree to it all!
Tell me what you wish, and I will obey,
I give in to you completely,
All this mischief of yours,
Let it go, my little prince!
O stubborn little one, my dear boy!
O little Pillaiyar!
Shall I hold my ears and do squats for you?
Goddess Parvati gave birth
To two children;
Young Murugan is such a good boy,
Only you are a very, very naughty child!
I cannot bear the loving trouble you give me,
The one who found you in the forest,
The one who raised you with so much love,
Is a good boy with a heart just like yours, my prince!
O my dear boy, my dear one!
O little Pillaiyar!
Shall I hold my ears and do squats for you?
Let the scars in the heart heal,
Let the mistakes of the past be gone,
Without a mother, I suffer in pain,
Without you, your mother's heart aches,
A mother's heart has gone crazy with grief,
Lying restless, worried only for her child's well-being!
I will place you back in your mother's care,
Trust me, my prince!
O my dear boy, my dear one!
O little Pillaiyar!
Shall I hold my ears and do squats for you?
Shall I sing? Shall I sing a song and dance?
I have so much love in my heart,
Why do we still need fights and quarrels?
O stubborn little one, my dear boy!
O little Pillaiyar!
Shall I hold my ears and do squats for you?
Shall I sing? Shall I sing a song and dance?
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Appanae Appanae' is an emotionally rich and playful song from the 1979 film 'Annai Or Aalayam'. In the movie's narrative, the protagonist (played by Rajinikanth) affectionately sings to a baby elephant, equating its playful mischief to Lord Ganesha (Pillaiyar). He uses coaxing, playful gestures, and rhythmic pleas to pacify the spirited young elephant, expressing how much love he holds for it while coaxing it to return to its mother. As the song progresses, the tone shifts from lighthearted cajoling to deep emotional resonant pleading. The singer highlights the agony of separation between a mother and her child, drawing parallels to divine relationships and maternal longing. Through poetic verses by Vaali, the song explores themes of filial bond, human-animal affection, and redemptive maternal warmth.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

“Pullaiyaar appanae”

Comparing the baby elephant to Lord Ganesha (Pillaiyar / Adangappanae) due to its elephant visage and playful, unyielding nature.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Anbu enakku romba irukku / Vambu vazhakku innum yethukku”

Rhyming of the second consonant character across adjacent lines ('Anbu' / 'Vambu').

Rhyme / Repetitive Refrain

“Podava thoppu karnam podava / Naan paadava paattu paadi aadavaa”

Rhythmic repetition of 'Podava' and 'paadava' creating a musical, persuasive cadence typical of nursery/coaxing songs.

Alliteration (Monaai)

“Petha manam pithu pidithathu / Pillai nalam enni kidakkuthu”

Repetition of the initial consonant sound 'P' in words ('Petha', 'Pithu', 'Pillai').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Annai Or Aalayam' (1979) was a blockbuster Tamil-Telugu bilingual film directed by R. Thyagarajan and produced by Devar Films, famous for featuring trained wild animals. The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with vocals by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. The song was filmed with Rajinikanth interacting closely with a real baby elephant, making it one of the most iconic human-animal bond songs in Tamil cinema history.

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