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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

En Manadhil

From Samurai · 2002

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Vasundhara Das
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
Samurai2002

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
{Ding dong da ding dongDing dong da ding dong
En manadhil mani oliyaaIs that the sound of a bell ringing in my heart?
Jil jil jil jil jilJil jil jil jil jil
En nenjil pani mazhaiyaa} (2)Is it a snow shower inside my chest?
Female
Oru melliya poovin melaeUpon a soft flower
Minsaaram paaigiradhuElectricity is flowing
Ada vetkkam ennum kaththiAh, the knife called shyness
Ennai vetti thingiradhaeIs cutting me up and consuming me
Idhupola sugamaana vali illaiThere is no pleasurable pain like this
Endraalum vali solla mozhi illaiYet, there are no words to express this pain
Female
Manasukkul manasukkulDeep inside the heart
Saxophone vaasikkum aal ivanHe is the person playing the saxophone
Andha aal ivanHe is that very person
Unmaiyil pengalaiIn reality, the one who truly
Mudhal mudhal thirandhavanUnlocked women's hearts for the first time
Yaar avanWho is he?
Ada yaar avanAh, who is he?
Female
Idhayaththai killum ilainjanoIs he the youth who pinches the heart?
Yen imaigalai kollum thirudanoIs he the thief who kills my sleep?
Kanavukku varnangalAdding colors to dreams,
Serdhidum kalainjanooIs he the artist who paints them?
Female
Netri suttri yettu vekkumThe strict boundaries drawn around me
Vattangalum azhindhadhaeThose circles have vanished now
Ennai pattri yenni vandhaThe image I held about myself
Binbangalum odaiyudhaeThose perceptions are shattering away
Female
Tururru ruru turu ruru ru ru[Vocalizing/Scatting]
Tururru ruru turu ruru ru ru[Vocalizing/Scatting]
Tururru ruru turu ruru ru ru[Vocalizing/Scatting]
Turu rurur turu rurur tu ruuu[Vocalizing/Scatting]
Turu rurur turu rurur tu ruuu[Vocalizing/Scatting]

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful song captures the sweet turmoil and physiological excitement of a young woman falling in love for the first time. She compares her emotions to electricity coursing through a soft flower and shyness acting like a delightful knife. She wonders about the mysterious man who has played her heart like a saxophone, breaking down her long-held self-image and filling her inner world with vibrant dreamlike colors.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Onomatopoeia (Oli-kurippu)

Ding dong da ding dong

Use of sound words like 'Ding dong' and 'Jil jil' to represent the ringing of heart bells and the chilly sensation of romance.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Ada vetkkam ennum kaththi

Shyness is directly compared to a knife ('vetkkam ennum kaththi') that cuts through her.

Oxymoron

Idhupola sugamaana vali illai

The phrase 'sugamaana vali' joins contrasting words (pleasurable pain) to describe romantic angst.

Eynaip Monai / Rhyme

Idhayaththai killum ilainjano

Assonance and internal rhyming between 'ilainjano' (youth) and 'kalainjanoo' (artist).

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is composed by Harris Jayaraj for the 2002 film 'Samurai' starring Vikram and Anita Hassanandani. Sung by Tipu and Harini, the song stands out for its lively integration of Western saxophone motifs with catchy Tamil lyrical tropes written by Vairamuthu.

Keep listening

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