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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Dididi Saathukudi

From Pattikaattu Ponnaiya · 1973

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
L. R. Eswari
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Pattikaattu Ponnaiya1973

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Di di di diDi di di di
Di di di di saathukudiDi di di di sweet lime
Ahaa kudi kudi kudi kudiAha, drink, drink, drink, drink!
Kudi kudi kudi kudi saathukudiDrink, drink, drink, drink sweet lime juice!
Paniyil oori velanjadhuGrown soaked in dew,
Indha saathukudithis sweet lime.
Paruvam paarthu kaninjadhu indha saathukudiIt ripened watching the right season, this sweet lime.
Manjal poosi kulichadhuIt bathed applying turmeric,
Female
Manjal poosi kulichadhuit bathed applying turmeric,
Manasa sundi izhukkudhuit pulls and entices the heart.
Male
Di di di di … di di di di saathukudiDi di di di... di di di di sweet lime
Ahaa kudi kudi kudi kudiAha, drink, drink, drink, drink!
Kudi kudi kudi kudi saathukudiDrink, drink, drink, drink sweet lime juice!
Female
{Madhuvai thaedi dhinamum odiRunning daily in search of alcohol,
Thavikkirae thavikkiraeyou suffer and yearn.
Andha mayakkathodu panatha kaasaiIn that stupor, your money and coins,
Tholaikkirae tholaikkirae} (2)you lose and waste.
Female
Idhu enna pazhakkamWhat kind of habit is this?
Romba romba ketta pazhakamA very, very bad habit!
Idhu enna pazhakkamWhat kind of habit is this?
Romba romba ketta pazhakamA very, very bad habit!
Indha pazhathil irukkum saaruThe juice inside this fruit,
Unakku palanai kodukkum paarulook, it will give you health benefits!
Male
Di di di di … di di di di saathukudiDi di di di... di di di di sweet lime
Ahaa kudi kudi kudi kudiAha, drink, drink, drink, drink!
Kudi kudi kudi kudi saathukudiDrink, drink, drink, drink sweet lime juice!
Female
Yae summaa pottu kasakkaadhaeHey, don't just crush it roughly,
Thottu paaru naisaatouch and feel how nice it is.
Female
Sogamillaennu therinjaakkaaIf you find it lacks quality,
Thiruppi kaelu paisaaask for your money back!
Female
Aa summaa pottu kasakkaadhaeAh, don't just crush it roughly,
Thottu paaru naisaatouch and feel how nice it is.
Sogamillaennu therinjaakkaaIf you find it lacks quality,
Thiruppi kaelu paisaaask for your money back!
Idhu nalla sarakku namma naattu charakkuThis is good stuff, our native stuff,
Idhu nalla sarakku namma naattu charakkuthis is good stuff, our native stuff.
Tholu romba laesuThe skin is very thin,
Vangi puzhinju paaru juicebuy it and squeeze out the juice!
Saathukkudi saathukkudi saathukkudiSweet lime, sweet lime, sweet lime!
Male
Indhaammaa engae maamooluHey lady, where is my bribe or commission?
Female
Vaaiyaa somaariCome on, you lazy fellow!
Maamoolaa venum maamooluDo you want a bribe? A bribe?
Moonjiyai paaruLook at your face!
Female
Di di di di ..di di di di saathukudiDi di di di... di di di di sweet lime
Ahaa kudi kudi kudi kudiAha, drink, drink, drink, drink!
Kudi kudi kudi kudi saathukudiDrink, drink, drink, drink sweet lime juice!
Female
Commission vaangi oorai yaeichuTaking commissions and cheating the town,
Pozhaikkiraeyou make a living.
Andha kanakkai konjam kaatta chonnaaWhen asked to show those accounts,
Moraikkirae moraikkiraeyou glare and scowl.
Idhu enna pazhakkamWhat kind of habit is this?
Romba romba ketta pazhakamA very, very bad habit!
Neeyaa thirundhu vazhiyai paaruMend your ways on your own,
Illae thirutthuvaaru vaathiyaaruotherwise the Master will reform you!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song is a lively dance and satirical commentary performed by a female vendor selling sweet lime juice (saathukudi). On the surface, she entices customers with the sweetness and health benefits of her fruit juice, but subtly uses double entendre and direct social commentary to condemn alcoholism and corruption.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Double Entendre (Sliledai)

Kudi kudi kudi kudi saathukudi

The word 'kudi' functions as both a verb meaning 'to drink' and a noun/pun referring to alcohol drinking, subtly contrasting healthy fruit juice with ruinous liquor.

Personification (Uruvagandhal)

Manjal poosi kulichadhu

The sweet lime is personified as a young woman bathing in turmeric and ripening with age.

Adukkuthodar (Repetition for Emphasis)

Thavikkirae thavikkirae

Repetition of words like 'kudi', 'thavikkirae', and 'tholaikkirae' enhances the rhythmic momentum of the song.

Meta-reference

Illae thirutthuvaaru vaathiyaaru

The line 'Vaathiyaaru' (Master/Teacher) directly references M. G. Ramachandran (MGR), who was affectionately called 'Vaathiyar' by the masses.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Pattikaattu Ponnaiya' (1973) stars M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. The song serves as a typical political and moral messaging tool frequent in MGR films, promoting temperance against alcohol while embedding a direct nod to MGR as 'Vaathiyaaru'.

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