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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Baby

From Jigarthanda · 2016

Lyricist
Muthamil
Singer
Santhosh Narayanan
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Details
Jigarthanda2016

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Oh aasa vandhuOh, once desire arrives,
Chorus :Yaara vittuchu babyChorus: Whom has it spared, baby?
Male :Aahaa ippoMale: Aahaa, now,
Chorus :Polappu kettuchu babyChorus: The livelihood/life is ruined, baby!
Male
Satti kulla soruOnly if there is rice inside the pot,
Irundhaa thaanaisn't that so,
Chorus :Agappaiyum allumdaChorus: even the ladle will scoop it up, friend!
Chorus
Kaalam aanaalum ponaalumWhether time arrives or passes by,
Maaraadhu theeraadhu mogamdesire/infatuation neither changes nor ends;
Vandhadhum pogaadhuonce it enters, it never leaves.
Yaarum kaanaadha maayangalUnseen illusions that no one has witnessed,
Prabala ulagam dhinamumin this famous/glamorous world daily,
Kanavu thevai endru thediyaein search of the need for dreams,
Kaalgal sellum….feet keep marching on...
Male
PallakkaattiBaring his teeth,
Chorus :Vettiyaa elikkuraanChorus: he grins uselessly!
Male :Kalla erinjiMale: Throwing stones,
Chorus :Kuttaya kulappuraanChorus: he muddies the pond!
Male :Naayaa nariyaaMale: Like a dog or a fox,
Koraikkiraan paarulook at him barking away!
Chorus :Kaasa kariyaa karaikkiraanChorus: He squanders money away like charring coal!
Chorus
Kaalam aanaalum ponaalumWhether time arrives or passes by,
Maaraadhu theeraadhu mogamdesire/infatuation neither changes nor ends;
Vandhadhum pogaadhuonce it enters, it never leaves.
Yaarum kaanaadha maayangalUnseen illusions that no one has witnessed,
Prabala ulagam dhinamumin this famous/glamorous world daily,
Kanavu thevai endru thediyaein search of the need for dreams,
Kaalgal sellum….feet keep marching on...
Male
RaajaavaagaEven if you live as a king,
Chorus :Nee irundhaa ennaChorus: so what, brother?
Male :Koojaa thookkiMale: Carrying the water-jug/playing the sycophant,
Chorus :Aaganumda thambiChorus: you still have to serve, younger brother!
Male :Korangu viththaMale: If you wish to perform,
Kaatta aasa pattaamonkey tricks,
Chorus :Kutti karrnam podanumdaa..Chorus: you must do somersaults, man!
Male
………………………………....
Chorus
Kaalam aanaalum ponaalumWhether time arrives or passes by,
Maaraadhu theeraadhu mogamdesire/infatuation neither changes nor ends;
Vandhadhum pogaadhuonce it enters, it never leaves.
Yaarum kaanaadha maayangalUnseen illusions that no one has witnessed,
Prabala ulagam dhinamumin this famous/glamorous world daily,
Kanavu thevai endru thediyaein search of the need for dreams,
Kaalgal sellum….feet keep marching on...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from the film Jigarthanda explores the relentless, deceptive nature of ambition, fame, and desire in the world of cinema and life. It portrays how people are driven by unseen illusions and dreams, often forcing them to compromise their dignity, perform tricks like monkeys, and flatter others to survive or succeed in a dog-eat-dog environment.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Maaraadhu theeraadhu mogam / Vandhadhum pogaadhu

Matching second consonants across lines ('aasa' / 'pola', 'Maaraadhu' / 'Vandhadhum').

Monaul / Alliteration

Kanavu thevai endru thediyae / Kaalgal sellum

Repetition of initial consonant sound 'K' in words like 'Kaalam', 'Kanavu', 'Kaalgal'.

Proverbial Metaphor (Pazhamozhi)

Satti kulla soru Irundhaa thaana / Agappaiyum allumda

Using the classic Tamil idiom 'Satti kulla soru irundhaa agappai allum' (If there is rice in the pot, the ladle can scoop it out) as a metaphor for capability and resources.

Idiomatic Simile / Metaphor

Korangu viththa Kaatta aasa pattaa / Kutti karrnam podanumdaa

Comparing humiliating effort in competitive industries to 'Korangu viththa' (monkey tricks) and doing 'Kutti karrnam' (somersaults).

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Santhosh Narayanan for Karthik Subbaraj's critically acclaimed meta-cinema film Jigarthanda (2014), the song captures the satirical, dark-comedy tone of aspiring filmmakers navigating Madurai's gangster underworld to make a movie.

Keep listening

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