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Kattu Roja album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Chinna Chinna Kannakukku

From Kattu Roja · 1963

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
Jamuna Rani, T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Kattu Roja
Movie release year
1963
Lyrics added on
15 Sept 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Chinna chinna kannanukku
Enna vendum
Male :Singaara mozhi sollum ponnu vendum
Chinna chinna kannanukku
Enna vendum
Male :Singaara mozhi sollum ponnu vendum
Vanna vanna kannanukku
Enna vendum
Male :Vattamittu paadidum kanni vendum
Vanna vanna kannanukku
Enna vendum
Male :Vattamittu paadidum kanni vendum
Chinna chinna kannanukku
Enna vendum
Male :Singaara mozhi sollum ponnu vendum
Panjavarna kili enna naan illaiyaa
Male :Pasum paal thiratti poosi vaitha
Mugam illaiyaa
Panjavarna kili enna naan illaiyaa
Male :Pasum paal thiratti poosi vaitha
Mugam illaiyaa
Nenjuruga paadi varum kural illaiyaa
Nenjuruga paadi varum kural illaiyaa
Naru nei vaasam thaangi varum
Kuzhal illaiyaa
Naru nei vaasam thaangi varum kuzhal illaiyaa
Illaiyaa illaiyaa illaiyaa
Chinna chinna kannanukku
Enna vendum
Male :Singaara mozhi sollum ponnu vendum
Pacharisi pol sirikkum sirippillaiyaa
Female :Panai vellam pol inikkum
Mozhi illaiyaa
Pacharisi pol sirikkum sirippillaiyaa
Female :Panai vellam pol inikkum
Mozhi illaiyaa
Hmmm…
Chinna chinna kannanukku
Enna vendum
Male :Singaara mozhi sollum ponnu vendum
Female :Vanna vanna kannanukku
Enna vendum
Male :Vattamittu paadidum kanni vendum
Female :Chinna chinna kannanukku
Enna vendum
Male :Singaara mozhi sollum ponnu vendum
For sweet little Kannan,
what does he want?
Male: He wants a girl who speaks charming words!
For sweet little Kannan,
what does he want?
Male: He wants a girl who speaks charming words!
For the vibrant, lovely Kannan,
what does he want?
Male: He wants a young girl who dances around and sings!
For the vibrant, lovely Kannan,
what does he want?
Male: He wants a young girl who dances around and sings!
For sweet little Kannan,
what does he want?
Male: He wants a girl who speaks charming words!
Am I not your five-coloured parrot?
Male: With the richness of thick cow's milk cream,
don't you have a glowing face?
Am I not your five-coloured parrot?
Male: With the richness of thick cow's milk cream,
don't you have a glowing face?
Don't I have a heart-melting voice that sings?
Don't I have a heart-melting voice that sings?
Carrying the scent of fragrant ghee,
don't you have lovely hair?
Don't you have lovely hair carrying the scent of fragrant ghee?
Isn't it so? Isn't it so? Isn't it so?
For sweet little Kannan,
what does he want?
Male: He wants a girl who speaks charming words!
Don't you have a smile bright as white rice grains?
Female: As sweet as palm jaggery,
don't I speak gentle words?
Don't you have a smile bright as white rice grains?
Female: As sweet as palm jaggery,
don't I speak gentle words?
Mmm...
For sweet little Kannan,
what does he want?
Male: He wants a girl who speaks charming words!
Female: For the vibrant, lovely Kannan,
what does he want?
Male: He wants a young girl who dances around and sings!
Female: For sweet little Kannan,
what does he want?
Male: He wants a girl who speaks charming words!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful duet features a loving exchange between a man (referred to playfully as Kannan) and a woman. The female singer asks what her 'Kannan' desires, to which he playfully answers that he wants a girl who speaks charming words and dances around him. She then flirtatiously asks whether she herself fits this ideal description, citing her parrot-like charm, heart-melting voice, and fragrant hair. The male suitor enthusiastically agrees, praising her fair complexion like condensed milk and sweet nature. Together, they celebrate their mutual romantic admiration through poetic similes comparing beauty to raw rice, palm jaggery, and fragrant ghee, concluding with an affectionate reaffirmation of their love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moni / Repetition (Sol Noki)

“Chinna chinna kannanukku”

Repetition of 'Chinna chinna' and 'Vanna vanna' adds a playful, rhythmic, and childlike melodic charm to the opening refrain.

Simile (Upamanam)

“Pacharisi pol sirikkum sirippillaiyaa”

Compares her bright, glistening smile to raw white rice grains ('Pacharisi pol sirikkum sirippillaiyaa').

Simile (Upamanam)

“Female :Panai vellam pol inikkum”

Compares her sweet speech to natural palm jaggery ('Panai vellam pol inikkum').

Metaphor / Imagery

“Male :Pasum paal thiratti poosi vaitha”

Uses rich visual imagery comparing smooth skin to condensed cow's milk ('Pasum paal thiratti poosi vaitha mugam').

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Kattu Roja' (1963) featured music composed by K. V. Mahadevan and lyrics by Kavinar Kannadasan. This playful romantic track stands out for its traditional village-style banter and rich rustic metaphors.

Keep listening

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From the same album

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View album
Chinna Chinna Kanni1963
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Vandondru Vanthathu1963
Kattu RojaPlayful
Ennai Paaru Paaru1963
Kattu RojaCelebratory
Kathavu Thiranthatha1963
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Entha Oor Endravane1963
Kattu RojaMelancholic
Yenadi Roja1963
Kattu RojaContemplative

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