Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Thanga Pappa album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Berikkai Berikkai

From Thanga Pappa · 1993

Lyricist
Aravind Raj
Singer
Sabitha Selvam
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Thanga Pappa
Movie release year
1993
Lyrics added on
15 Jun 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Baerikkaai baerikkaai small baerikkaai
Chinna kaayi chinna kaayi seepaana kaayi
Paaradi neeyum vaangi paaradi
Paaradi neeyum vaangi paaradi
Baerikkaai baerikkaai small baerikkaai
Baerikkaai baerikkaai small baerikkaai
Mala melae baerikka baerikka
Maram melae yerikka yerikka
Mala melae baerikka maram melae yerikka
Parichi podu parichu podu maerikkaa
Azhagaana baerikka aruthaakkaa sothakkaa
Naanga yemaandhutom naanga yemaandhutom
Mala melae baerikka maram melae yerikka
Parichi podu parichu podu maerikkaa
Azhagaana baerikka aruthaakkaa sothakkaa
Naanga yemaandhutom naanga yemaandhutom
Ottagathila poguraaru sheakku shaekku
Kaiyilathaan emmaam periya kekku kekku
Thinna thinna kekku rombha shoku shokku
Thaagathula thavikkudhadi naakku naakku
Paalaivana solathaan paathuputtaa shaekkuthaan
Solaikkulla aaruthaan thulli varum neeru thaan
Poga poga thalli pogum aaru kaanal andha neer
Kalaichutaaru…papppppaa
Shaekku yemaandhutaar serndhadhu uttkaandhutaar
Mala melae baerikka maram melae yerikka
Parichi podu parichu podu maerikkaa
Azhagaana baerikka aruthaakkaa sothakkaa
Naanga yemaandhutom naanga yemaandhutom
Thagara dappa pola unga caaru caaru
Ootturadhu engalodu saaru saaru
Pottiduvaar naalavadhu keeru keeru
Potti pottu jeyikkiradhu yaaru yaaru
Medu palla roadu thaan kudhira pola aadunthaan
Pogum ooru nooruthaan poyi serum neranthaan
Kurunji malar poothirukkum kaadu kudagumala roadu
Nee thaalam thatti papapappapapapa
Naanga yemaandhittom nalla yemaandhittom
Mala melae baerikka maram melae yerikka
Parichi podu parichu podu maerikkaa
Azhagaana baerikka aruthaakkaa sothakkaa
Naanga yemaandhutom naanga yemaandhutom
Baerikkaai baerikkaai small baerikkaai
Chinna kaayi chinna kaayi seepaana kaayi
Paaradi neeyum vaangi paaradi
Paaradi neeyum vaangi paaradi
Lalalalalalalalala lalalalalalalalalala
Pear, pear, small pear!
A tiny fruit, tiny fruit, a cheap fruit!
Look, buy one and see for yourself!
Look, buy one and see for yourself!
Pear, pear, small pear!
Pear, pear, small pear!
Pears up on the mountain, pears!
Climb up the tree, climb up!
Pears on the mountain, climb up the tree!
Pluck and toss them down, Mary!
Such a pretty pear, but cut it open and it's rotten!
We got fooled, oh we got fooled!
Pears on the mountain, climb up the tree!
Pluck and toss them down, Mary!
Such a pretty pear, but cut it open and it's rotten!
We got fooled, oh we got fooled!
The Sheikh is riding along on a camel,
Holding such a giant cake in his hand!
Eating that cake brings so much delight,
Yet his tongue is parched with thirst!
The Sheikh spotted an oasis in the desert,
A river inside the oasis with splashing water!
As he went closer, the river vanished—that water was only a mirage!
He got completely exhausted... pa-pa-pa!
The Sheikh got fooled and sat right down!
Pears on the mountain, climb up the tree!
Pluck and toss them down, Mary!
Such a pretty pear, but cut it open and it's rotten!
We got fooled, oh we got fooled!
Your car looks just like a tin can,
And driving it is our very own Sir!
He shifts right into fourth gear,
In this race, who is going to win?
On this bumpy road, the car leaps like a horse!
A hundred towns to cross, and it's time to reach our stop!
Forests with Kurinji flowers in bloom, along the Kodagu mountain road,
Clap to the beat, pa-ba-pa-pa-ba-ba!
We got fooled, we got well and truly fooled!
Pears on the mountain, climb up the tree!
Pluck and toss them down, Mary!
Such a pretty pear, but cut it open and it's rotten!
We got fooled, oh we got fooled!
Pear, pear, small pear!
A tiny fruit, tiny fruit, a cheap fruit!
Look, buy one and see for yourself!
Look, buy one and see for yourself!
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful, high-energy song from 'Thanga Pappa' (1993) uses lively rhymes, metaphors, and fun fables to convey themes of high expectations ending in funny disappointments. The central chorus uses the metaphor of picking a seemingly beautiful pear from a high hill, only to slice it open and discover it is mushy and rotten inside, leaving everyone shouting 'we got tricked!' The verses narrate humorous short anecdotes to reinforce this theme: first, a Sheikh in a desert following a mirage expecting an oasis with cool water only to sit down disappointed, and second, a chaotic car race on bumpy Kudagu mountain roads driving an old tin-can car. Rendered with Deva's signature rhythmic folk style, the track is a catchy, lighthearted children's-style song filled with vocal percussion and expressive rhymes.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukku Thodar (Repetition for Emphasis)

Baerikkaai baerikkaai small baerikkaai

Words like 'baerikkaai baerikkaai', 'chinna kaayi chinna kaayi', and 'kekku kekku' are doubled sequentially to create rhythm and playful emphasis typical of folk songs.

Emona / Etukai (Monai and Ethirai Rhyme Scheme)

Mala melae baerikka maram melae yerikka

Matching consonants and vowel sounds across line pairs like 'baerikka' / 'yerikka' and 'caaru' / 'saaru' create internal rhythm and musical flow.

Simile (Uwamai)

Thagara dappa pola unga caaru caaru

The song compares the rickety car to a tin can ('Thagara dappa pola') and its bumpy ride to a galloping horse ('kudhira pola aadunthaan').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Deva, known as the 'Thenisai Thendral' of Tamil cinema, this track showcases his characteristic blend of Gaana-influenced rhythms and playful nursery-style melodic structures that became immensely popular in early 1990s Tamil film soundtracks.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Thanga Pappa

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.