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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Egypt Nattu Cleopatra

From Sivan · 1999

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Adithyan, Swarnalatha
Music director
Adithyan
Details
Sivan1999

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Egypt naattu cleopatraCleopatra of Egypt,
Azhage needhaanaaAre you beauty personified?
Antha minnal idhuthaanaaIs this that very lightning?
Ulagil irukkum kavingan evanumEvery poet existing in the world
Solla thaviththathu unathu moganamYearned to capture your allure in words.
Female
Egypt naattu cleopatraCleopatra of Egypt,
Anbe naanthaanaeMy love, it is indeed me!
Enthan antony needhaanaeAnd aren't you my Antony?
Ulagil irukkum avingan evanumEvery scholar existing in the world
Solla thudippathu namathu kaaviyamIs eager to recite our grand epic.
Female
……………….
Male
Ulagam paaraattum umarkayanOmar Khayyam, praised by the world,
Unnai paadamal ponaanMissed singing about you.
Poovai un vannam paaramalthaanBecause he didn't witness your flower-like beauty,
Puththi piththaaga aanaanHis mind turned crazy!
Female
Kallai vaarkkum kannaadi koppaiA glass cup pouring wine,
Kannil irukkum kannaalanaeOh lover who has it in his eyes!
Paarvai ennum madhuvai arunthuDrink the wine of my gaze,
Aadal pirakkum thaanaeAnd dance will automatically be born!
Male
Kadhal mazhaiyil nanaivomaaShall we get drenched in the rain of love?
Kattil kavithai punaivomaaShall we compose poetry on the bed?
Edhugai needhaan monai naanthaanYou are the second-letter rhyme, I am the first-letter rhyme,
Mattra ilakkanam idharkku yaedhadiWhy do we need any other grammar for this, my dear?
Female
Egypt naattu cleopatraCleopatra of Egypt,
Anbe naanthaanaeMy love, it is indeed me!
Enthan antony needhaanaeAnd aren't you my Antony?
Ulagil irukkum avingan evanumEvery scholar existing in the world
Solla thudippathu namathu kaaviyamIs eager to recite our grand epic.
Female
Mounam kondaadum monalisaMona Lisa, who celebrates silence,
Mannan muththaada nerilFor the king to kiss her in person,
Paris vittinu vanthaalaiyaaDid she leave Paris and arrive here
Eera kaattrennum perilIn the guise of a cool moist breeze?
Male
Pakkam varuthu pallaakku nadaiyilShe approaches with a palanquin-like stride,
Sekka sevantha cherry pazhamA bright red cherry fruit!
Vetkkam konjam oiveduththuIf shyness takes a little break
Vilagi ponaal pothumAnd steps aside, that is enough!
Female
Unathan nilaimai puriyaathaaDon't I understand your state?
Adhan valimai theriyaathaaDon't I know its strength?
Thalaivaa thalaivaa medhuvaa medhuvaaMy leader, my leader, slowly, gently...
Puyal pugunthathum kulungum poovanamAs the storm enters, the flower garden quivers!
Male
Egypt naattu cleopatraCleopatra of Egypt,
Azhage needhaanaaAre you beauty personified?
Antha minnal idhuthaanaaIs this that very lightning?
Ulagil irukkum kavingan evanumEvery poet existing in the world
Solla thaviththathu unathu moganamYearned to capture your allure in words.
Female
Egypt naattu cleopatraCleopatra of Egypt,
Anbe naanthaanaeMy love, it is indeed me!
Enthan antony needhaanaeAnd aren't you my Antony?
Ulagil irukkum avingan evanumEvery scholar existing in the world
Solla thudippathu namathu kaaviyamIs eager to recite our grand epic.
Female
……………….

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Egypt Naattu Cleopatra is a grand romantic duet where two lovers affectionately elevate their passion and attraction to the scale of historical epics. The male lover praises his partner's breathtaking beauty, comparing her to Cleopatra and Mona Lisa while playfully claiming that famous poets like Omar Khayyam missed the chance to capture her beauty in verse.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Allusion (Aalumaai Kurippu)

Egypt naattu cleopatra

References iconic global figures such as Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Persian poet Omar Khayyam, and Da Vinci's Mona Lisa to elevate the grand scale of the lovers' beauty and romance.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Edhugai needhaan monai naanthaan

The lyricist compares the lovers directly to Tamil prosody elements—'Edhugai' (second-letter rhyme) and 'Monai' (first-letter rhyme)—symbolizing how perfectly matched they are without needing any other rules.

Initial Rhyme (Monai)

Mounam kondaadum monalisa

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across adjacent words, such as 'Mounam' and 'Monalisa'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Lyricist Vaali cleverly weaves classical Tamil poetic grammar terms ('Monai' and 'Edhugai') alongside world-famous historical icons like Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Omar Khayyam, and Mona Lisa, creating a fascinating synthesis of global art history and traditional Tamil prosody.

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