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Lyrics & meaning

Ettuthikkum Oorum

From Aelay · 2021

Lyricist
M. K. Kadal Vendhan
Singer
M. K. Kadal Vendhan
Music director
Aruldev
Details
Aelay2021

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ettuthikkum oorumTowns in all eight directions,
Ivan per ucharikum paaruLook, they all speak his name!
Pakkathula paathaBut if you see him up close,
Ivaro pacha pulla aaluHe is just an innocent, tender-hearted soul.
Kavadu soothu theriya paya pullaHe is a man who knows no cunning or deceit,
Irunthum kuduppan thinamum ivan thollaYet he causes trouble every single day.
Kodukum settai endrum inai illaThe mischief he makes has no equal,
Kanaka valaka aiyo alavillaiOh my, there is no end to his endless arguments and antics!
Male
Ettuthikkum oorumTowns in all eight directions,
Ivan per ucharikum paaruLook, they all speak his name!
Pakkathula paathaBut if you see him up close,
Ivaro pacha pulla aaluHe is just an innocent, tender-hearted soul.
Male
Aluku vetti colouru sattaWearing a stained veshti and a colorful shirt,
Aluthi ootum bedalu kattaHe pedals hard on his heavy bicycle frame.
Kudippan bodha mooku muttaHe drinks until he is completely intoxicated,
Ulaippan rasa viyarva sottaYet he works like a king, dripping with sweat.
Oor pillai yavum thaan pillaiEvery child in the village is like his own child,
Onnaga pappa mappilaHe treats everyone warmly like close family.
Elaikum ivan mel illaHe does not consider himself superior to the poor,
Yarukum aiya keel illaNor does he consider himself inferior to anyone.
Male
Pinju manasa kolla adippanHe will captivate and steal young hearts,
aana veliya ivan nadippanBut on the outside, he pretends to act tough.
Pinju manasa kolla adippanHe will captivate and steal young hearts,
Aana veliya ivan nadippanBut on the outside, he pretends to act tough.
Male
Ettuthikkum oorumTowns in all eight directions,
Ivan per ucharikum paaruLook, they all speak his name!
Pakkathula paathaBut if you see him up close,
Ivaro pacha pulla aaluHe is just an innocent, tender-hearted soul.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Ettuthikkum Oorum' from the film 'Aelay' (2021) serves as a vibrant character sketch for the protagonist, an eccentric rural ice-cream seller named Muthu (played by Samuthirakani). The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a hard-working village man whose fame extends across all eight directions. Despite his unkempt appearance, daily drinking habits, and habit of causing playful trouble, he is devoid of malice, cunning, or pretense. Thematically, the song celebrates his egalitarian spirit and tender interior hidden beneath a rough exterior. He treats all village children as his own family, holds no pride or inferiority complex, and works tirelessly with immense dignity. The track balances rustic folk energy with warmth, capturing the essence of a lovable, flawed, yet pure-hearted father figure.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Kavadu soothu theriya paya pulla / Irunthum kuduppan thinamum ivan tholla / Kodukum settai endrum inai illa

The lines end with rhyming sounds ('pulla', 'tholla', 'illa') creating a rhythmic folk flow.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Aluku vetti colouru satta / Aluthi ootum bedalu katta

End words 'satta' and 'katta' rhyme, adding musicality to the description of his appearance and bicycle.

Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Aluku vetti colouru satta / Aluthi ootum bedalu katta

The second consonant 'l' (ள/ல) rhymes between 'Aluku' and 'Aluthi'.

Muran (Antithesis / Contrast)

Pinju manasa kolla adippan / aana veliya ivan nadippan

Contrasts his tender, loving inner heart ('Pinju manasu') with his tough external acting/behavior ('veliya ivan nadippan').

Monai (Alliteration)

Kudippan bodha mooku mutta

Repetition of the 'm' sound in 'mooku' and 'mutta' at the end of the phrase.

Did you know?

Trivia

The movie 'Aelay' (2021) was directed by Halitha Shameem and starred Samuthirakani alongside Manikandan. The film explores the complex dynamics of a father-son relationship in a rural Tamil Nadu setting. M.K. Kadal Vendhan not only wrote the lyrics for this energetic character-introduction song but also sang it himself under Aruldev's musical direction, giving it an authentic folk voice.

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