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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Elay Makka

From Coke Studio Tamil · 2024

Lyricist
Mohan Rajan
Singers
Sanjay Subrahmanyan, Sathya Prakash, Andrea Jeremiah, Navz-47, Girish
Music director
Girish
Details
Coke Studio Tamil2024

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Oru oyyaaramoIs it an elegance?
Viyo….viyo…..Viyo....viyo.....
Viyo….viyo…..Viyo....viyo.....
Male
Yaelae makka kalavaani kokkaaHey folks, you crafty sly bird!
Nelaikkaatha vaazhkka ekkaaLife is transient, sister!
Anaikkatti vachchaalumEven if you dam it up,
Nikkaama odum neranthaanTime runs without stopping.
Male
Podu dandanakkaaPlay the beat dandanakkaa!
Velukkaathu andankaakkaaA dark crow will never wash white.
Kalakatti kondaaduGather together and celebrate,
Kooththaadu aasa theeraththaanDance to your heart's content!
Male
Vidha nella polaLike a seed paddy,
Unna moottakatti pottaalumEven if they tie you in a sack and throw you,
Mannoda mothiClashing with the soil,
Nee enthiri enthiri enthirilaYou rise up, rise up, rise up!
Male
Thadakallu nooraHundreds of stumbling stones,
Ada koottangkootti vachchaalumAh, even if they pile them up together,
Padikkallaa maaththiTurning them into stepping stones,
Nee enthiri enthiri enthirilaYou rise up, rise up, rise up!
Female
Oru pakkam inippagaSweet on one side,
Marupakkam pulippaagaSour on the other side,
Irupakkam irunthaalumEven if it has two sides,
Oru vaazhkkaithaanThere is only one life.
Chorus
Ola quepaashaHola, ¿qué pasa? (Hello, what's up?)
Ola quepaashaHola, ¿qué pasa?
Ola quepaashaHola, ¿qué pasa?
Male
Yaela yaelae makkaaHey, hey folks!
Chorus :Ola quepaashaChorus: Hola, ¿qué pasa?
Male :Yaela yaelae makkaaMale: Hey, hey folks!
Chorus
Oru oiyaaramoSuch an elegance!
Oh….viyo….viyo….Oh....viyo....viyo....
Oh….viyo….viyo….Oh....viyo....viyo....
Oh….viyo….viyo….Oh....viyo....viyo....
Chorus
Ola quepaashaHola, ¿qué pasa?
Chorus
Aattam paattam kondaattamDance, song, celebration!
Aattam paattam kondaattamDance, song, celebration!
Aattam paattam kondaattamDance, song, celebration!
Kondaattam kondaattam kondaattamCelebration, celebration, celebration!
Female
Inbam thunbam kaala nilai polaJoy and sorrow are like seasons,
Mazhai varum veyil varumRain will come, sunshine will come,
Suzhalum bhoomi melaUpon the spinning earth.
Varumai enbathu irulai polaPoverty is like darkness,
Velicham vanthathum paathaigal maaraWhen light comes, paths change.
Vaazhnthu paar vaazhkkai verum seattaLive and see, life is like a deck of cards!
Kadhaikkalaam isaikkalaam intha paattaWe can chat, we can play music with this song.
Female
Ivalthaan yaar naveeniWho is she, modern girl Naveeni?
Naan ennathaan sonnaalum kavaniListen to whatever I say!
Chorus :QuepaashaChorus: ¿Qué pasa?
Female
Yaarumaa nee pesumaa nee kelumaa nee vilanguthaaWho are you girl? Speak up, listen, do you understand?
Yaarenna sonnaalum nee odu munnaadiWhatever anyone says, run forward!
Pinnaadi paakkaama vittuttu poWithout looking back, leave it and go!
Female
Oru pakkam inipaagaSweet on one side,
Marupakkam pulippagaSour on the other side,
Irupakkam irunthaalum oru vaazhkkaithaanEven with two sides, there is only one life.
Oru neram kasappaga maruneram orappagaBitter at one time, spicy at another time,
Nodiyodu nodiyaathiruLive in harmony with every single moment!
Chorus
Ola quepaashaHola, ¿qué pasa?
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaaMale: Hey, hey folks!
Chorus :Ola quepaashaChorus: Hola, ¿qué pasa?
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaaMale: Hey, hey folks!
Nee enthiri enthiri enthirilaYou rise up, rise up, rise up!
Chorus :Oru ottaaramoChorus: Such a grace!
Viyo….viyoViyo....viyo
Oh….viyo….viyo….Oh....viyo....viyo....
Oh….viyo….viyo….oo….Oh....viyo....viyo....oo....
Male
Vidha nella polaLike a seed paddy,
Unna moottakatti pottaalumEven if they tie you in a sack,
Mannoda modhiClashing with the soil,
Male
Thadakallu nooraHundreds of stumbling stones,
Ada koottangkootti vachchaalumAh, even if they pile them up together,
Padikkallaa maaththiTurning them into stepping stones,
Nee enthiri enthiri enthirilaYou rise up, rise up, rise up!
Female
Ohho oru pakkam inipaagaOh, sweet on one side,
Marupakkam pulippaagaSour on the other side,
Irupakkam irunthaalum oru vaazhkkaithaanEven with two sides, there is only one life.
Oru neram kasappaga maruneram orappagaBitter at one time, spicy at another time,
Nodiyodu nodiyaathiruLive in harmony with every single moment!
Chorus
Ola quepaashaHola, ¿qué pasa?
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaaMale: Hey, hey folks!
Female :Oru neram kasappagaFemale: Bitter at one time,
Chorus :Ola quepaashaChorus: Hola, ¿qué pasa?
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaaMale: Hey, hey folks!
Female :Maruneram orappagaFemale: Spicy at another time,
Chorus :Ola quepaashaChorus: Hola, ¿qué pasa?
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaaMale: Hey, hey folks!
Female :Nodiyodu nodiyaathiruFemale: Live in harmony with every single moment,
Chorus :Ola quepaashaChorus: Hola, ¿qué pasa?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Oru Oyyaaramo' (popularly known for its chorus 'Ola Quepaasha') from Coke Studio Tamil (2024) is an uplifting fusion anthem that celebrates resilience, positivity, and the joy of life amidst changing fortunes. Blending Carnatic vocals, Tamil folk energy, and contemporary hip-hop/pop elements, the song addresses the unpredictable nature of human existence, urging listeners not to yield to hardships. Using vivid rural metaphors—such as seed paddy sprouting through thick soil and converting stumbling blocks into stepping stones—the song highlights that life contains a mix of sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy experiences. Rather than dwelling on past sorrows or external criticism, it inspires people to keep moving forward, embrace each passing moment, and celebrate living with uninhibited dance and music.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

Vidha nella pola / Unna moottakatti pottaalum

Compares human perseverance to seed paddy ('Vidha nellu') that sprouts through the dirt even after being tied up in a sack.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Thadakallu noora... Padikkallaa maaththi

Uses the metaphor of converting 'Thadakallu' (stumbling stones) into 'Padikkallu' (stepping stones) to represent triumph over obstacles.

Contrast / Juxtaposition (Maranilai)

Oru pakkam inippaga / Marupakkam pulippaaga

Juxtaposes different tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, spicy) and weather conditions (rain, sun) to represent life's duality.

Multilingual Refrain / Code-switching

Ola quepaasha / Yaela yaelae makkaa

Combines the Spanish greeting 'Hola, ¿qué pasa?' with traditional Tamil folk chants ('Yaelae makkaa').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Oru Oyyaaramo' brought together Carnatic maestro Sanjay Subrahmanyan and Tamil-Canadian hip-hop artist NAVZ-47 in a groundbreaking genre crossover for Coke Studio Tamil 2024, combining traditional classical sangatis with urban rap and folk beats.

Keep listening

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