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Vannakili album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Chinna Pappa Enga Chella

From Vannakili · 1959

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Vannakili
Movie release year
1959
Lyrics added on
15 Nov 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Chinna paapa enga chella paapa
Chinna paapa enga chella paapa
Sonna pecha ketaadhaan nalla paapa
Chinna paapa enga chella paapa
Sonna pecha ketaadhaan nalla paapa
Chinna paapa enga chella paapa
Thinna unakku seeni mitaai vaangi tharanumaa
Siluku sattai cheena bommai baloon venumaa
Thinna unakku seeni mitaai vaangi tharanumaa
Siluku sattai cheena bommai baloon venumaa
Kannaamoochi aatam unakku solli tharanumaa
Kannaamoochi aatam unakku solli tharanumaa
Appo kalakalanu sirichikitu enna paaramaa..aa
Chinna paapa enga chella paapa
Sonna pecha ketaadhaan nalla paapa
Chinna paapa enga chella paapa
Kovam theerndhu appa unnai koopiduvaaru
Nee konji konji pesinaadhaan saapdiuvaaru
Kovam theerndhu appa unnai koopiduvaaru
Nee konji konji pesinaadhaan saapdiuvaaru
Kozhi midhichi kunji mudam aagividaadhu
Kozhi midhichi kunji mudam aagividaadhu
Unaku koiyaa pazham parichi thaaren
Azhugai koodaadhu
Chinna paapa enga chella paapa
Sonna pecha ketaadhaan nalla paapa
Chinna paapa enga chella paapa
Little baby, our sweet darling baby,
Little baby, our sweet darling baby,
You are a good baby only if you listen to what you're told!
Little baby, our sweet darling baby,
You are a good baby only if you listen to what you're told!
Little baby, our sweet darling baby,
Should I buy you sugar candy to eat?
Do you want a silk dress, a china doll, or a balloon?
Should I buy you sugar candy to eat?
Do you want a silk dress, a china doll, or a balloon?
Should I teach you how to play hide-and-seek?
Should I teach you how to play hide-and-seek?
Then laugh cheerfully and look at me!
Little baby, our sweet darling baby,
You are a good baby only if you listen to what you're told!
Little baby, our sweet darling baby,
Once his anger cools down, Father will call for you,
He will eat only if you babble to him with sweet words!
Once his anger cools down, Father will call for you,
He will eat only if you babble to him with sweet words!
A chick does not become crippled when a mother hen steps on it,
A chick does not become crippled when a mother hen steps on it,
I will pluck a guava for you,
So you must not cry!
Little baby, our sweet darling baby,
You are a good baby only if you listen to what you're told!
Little baby, our sweet darling baby.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Chinna Paapa Enga Chella Paapa is a soothing and affectionate lullaby-style song from the 1959 movie Vannakili. In this song, the speaker comforts a crying child by offering tempting delights such as sugar candies, a silk dress, toys, balloons, guavas, and games like hide-and-seek. The song emphasizes obedience and gentleness in a gentle parental tone. Furthermore, it reassures the child about her father's temporary anger by referencing the classic Tamil proverb that a hen stepping on its chick never truly harms it, highlighting that parental discipline comes from a place of deep love and protection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Proverb (Pazhamozhi)

Kozhi midhichi kunji mudam aagividaadhu

Uses the traditional Tamil adage 'Kozhi midhichi kunji mudam aagividaadhu' to convey that parental reprimand is harmless and born out of care.

Onomatopoeia (Erattai Kilavi)

Appo kalakalanu sirichikitu enna paaramaa..aa

'Kalakalanu' mimics the sound of vibrant, bright, uninterrupted sound of child laughter.

Repetition (Adukkuthodar)

Nee konji konji pesinaadhaan saapdiuvaaru

'Konji konji' repeats the word for emotional emphasis on pampering and affectionate speech.

Alliteration (Monai)

Siluku sattai cheena bommai baloon venumaa

Repetition of the 'S' sound in 'Siluku sattai cheena bommai' gives a pleasing rhythmic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by K. V. Mahadevan and written by A. Maruthakasi for the movie Vannakili (1959), this song remains one of the most famous Tamil lullabies. The line 'Kozhi midhichi kunji mudam aagividaadhu' popularised the ancient Tamil proverb in mainstream pop culture and film literature.

Keep listening

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