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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Butterfly Pattu Poo

From Kumbakonam Gopalu · 1998

Lyricist
Vasan
Singers
Swarnalatha, Unnikrishnan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Kumbakonam Gopalu1998

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Haa haa haeiiiHaa haa haeiii
Haa haa haeiiiHaa haa haeiii
Female
Butterfly… pattu pooButterfly... silken flower
Nenjukkul ..labdabbuInside the heart... lub-dub
Enakku vendum unadhu companyI need your company
Idhayam inikkum ilamai koottaniA heart-sweetening youthful coalition
Kaadhal kodi yetriHoist the flag of love
Pudhu arasu amaikka vaaCome, form a new government
Male
Butterfly pattu pooButterfly, silken flower
Othi po adi yetti poMove away, girl, stay far away
Bachelor enakku company edhukkammaaWhy does a bachelor like me need company, girl?
Lookla touchula koottani edhukkammaaWhy do I need a coalition of looks and touch, girl?
Melae parakkum kodiyaeOh flag flying up high
Konjam keezha irangi vaaCome down a little bit
Female
Nenjukkul… labdabbuInside the heart... lub-dub
Male :Othi po adi yetti poMale: Move away, girl, stay far away
Female
Manjathil nadakkudhaiyaaIs it happening on the bed?
Kanavukkullae pudhiya kaadhal showA new love show inside dreams
Ticket yedhuvum indriWithout any ticket
Azhaithu chellu dhinamum matinee showTake me every day to a matinee show
Male
Voltage four fortyFour forty volts
On odambil yerudhuIs surging in your body
Penmaiyae fuse aanaaOh womanhood, if the fuse blows
Ammaadi thaeraadhuOh dear, it won't recover
Female
Okay ah sollu neeSay okay to me
Vaattudhu maargazhi maasamThe cold month of Margazhi is tormenting me
Male
Butterfly… pattu pooButterfly... silken flower
Female :Nenjukkul ..labdabbuFemale: Inside the heart... lub-dub
Male
Bachelor enakkuFor a bachelor like me
Company edhukkammaaWhy company, girl?
Lookla touchula koottani edhukkammaaWhy a coalition of looks and touch, girl?
Female :Kaadhal kodi yetriFemale: Hoist the flag of love
Pudhu arasu amaikka vaaCome, form a new government
Male
Butterfly… pattu pooButterfly... silken flower
Female :Nenjukkul ..labdabbuFemale: Inside the heart... lub-dub
Chorus
Aaa….a.aa…..aaa…..aaa…..Aaa....a.aa.....aaa.....aaa.....
Aaa….a.aa…..aaa…..aaa…..Aaa....a.aa.....aaa.....aaa.....
Male
Manasa adakki vechuControl your mind
Izhutthu katti irukki pudichukkoPull it, tie it, and hold it tight
Vayasa nee vittu puttaaIf you let your youth go wild
Thavikka vaikkum thangamae therinjukkoIt will make you suffer, my dear gold, understand this
Female
Ilamaikku inimai thevaiYouth needs sweetness
Nee enna thuraviyaaAre you an ascetic monk?
Iravukku uravu thevaiThe night needs togetherness
Uravaada varuviyaaWill you come to share intimacy?
Male
Pennmanam enakkadhu puriyudhuI understand a woman's heart
Aahaa kanmani avasaram yenoAh darling, why the hurry?
Female
Nenjukkul… labdabbuInside the heart... lub-dub
Male :Othi po adi yetti poMale: Move away, girl, stay far away
Female :Enakku vaendum unadhu companyFemale: I need your company
Idhayam inikkum ilamai koottaniA heart-sweetening youthful coalition
Male :Melae parakkum kodiyaeMale: Oh flag flying up high
Konjam keezha irangi vaaCome down a little bit
Female
Nenjukkul…Inside the heart...
Male :Pattu pooMale: Silken flower
Female :LabdabbuFemale: Lub-dub
Male :Adi yetti poMale: Hey, stay far away
Female :Haaaa…..Female: Haaaa.....

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Butterfly Pattu Poo is a playful, upbeat duet from the 1998 Tamil film Kumbakonam Gopalu. The song portrays a playful romantic banter between a woman eager for intimacy and a hesitant bachelor trying to maintain self-control. The female protagonist uses fun political and modern metaphors—such as forming a political coalition (koottani) and hoisting a flag of love—to invite him into a romance, expressing how the cold Margazhi season makes her yearn for warmth.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Onomatopoeia

Nenjukkul ..labdabbu

The term 'labdabbu' phonetically imitates the biological sound of a beating heart.

Extended Metaphor

Kaadhal kodi yetri Pudhu arasu amaikka vaa

Love and romance are compared to political processes like forming a coalition government ('koottani') and hoisting a flag ('kodi').

Hyperbole / Modern Imagery

Voltage four forty On odambil yerudhu

Romantic excitement and body heat are exaggeratedly compared to 440 volts of electricity blowing a circuit fuse.

Emonai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Iravukku uravu thevai / Uravaada varuviyaa

In Tamil poetry, matching second consonants in consecutive lines creates rhythm, seen here with 'ram' sound patterns in 'Iravukku' and 'Uravaada'.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Kumbakonam Gopalu' stars Pandiarajan, who is well known in Tamil cinema for his lighthearted comedy roles and humorous, rhythmic romantic duets that blend everyday spoken Tamil with modern slang.

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