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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Gum Gum Guma

From Aadi Velli · 1990

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Mano, S. P. Sailaja
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Aadi Velli1990

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Haei haei haei haaHey, hey, hey, ha!
Male
Gum gum gum gum gumaaGum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Female :Gum gum gum gum gumaaFemale: Gum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Male
Akka magalukku mukkaa mozhaththulaFor my sister's daughter, three-quarters of a cubit long...
Vachchaen poo vaangiI bought flowers and placed them on her hair.
Female :Machchaan vachchathu manamaa irukkuthuFemale: The flowers my beloved placed smell so sweet!
Virichchen paai vaangiI bought a mat and spread it out.
Male
Hei…..gum gum gum gum gumaaHey... gum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Female :Gum gum gum gum gumaaFemale: Gum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Male
Akka magalukku mukkaa mozhaththulaFor my sister's daughter, three-quarters of a cubit long...
Vachchaen poo vaangiI bought flowers and placed them on her hair.
Female :Machchaan vachchathu manamaa irukkuthuFemale: The flowers my beloved placed smell so sweet!
Virichchen paai vaangiI bought a mat and spread it out.
Female
Machchaan kaiyanaikkaFor my beloved cousin to embrace me,
Male :Maina kunjirukkuMale: Here is a young maina bird!
Female :Aththaan vaai kadikkaFemale: For my cousin to bite softly with his mouth,
Male :Halwa thundirukkuMale: Here is a sweet slice of halwa!
Female
Thinnu paakkanumYou must taste it and see,
Neethaan innum kekkanumAnd then you will ask for even more!
Male :Kallu dosaththaanMale: Is it a hard dosa?
Undaa rompa aasathaanDo you desire it so deeply?
Female :Aanai pasikkuFemale: For an elephant's massive hunger,
Chola poriya pottu ennaagumWhat good is feeding it just popped corn?
Male :Vittu paaradi naan viththakkaarandiMale: Just test me and see, girl, I am a master of skills!
Male
Gum gum gum gum gumaaGum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Female :Gum gum gum gum gumaaFemale: Gum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Male
Akka magalukku mukkaa mozhaththulaFor my sister's daughter, three-quarters of a cubit long...
Vachchaen poo vaangiI bought flowers and placed them on her hair.
Female :Machchaan vachchathu manamaa irukkuthuFemale: The flowers my beloved placed smell so sweet!
Virichchen paai vaangiI bought a mat and spread it out.
Male
Gum gum gum gum gumaaGum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Female :Gum gum gum gum gumaaFemale: Gum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Male
Kombu thaenedukkaTo extract honey from the high branch,
Female :Koodum odanjidanumFemale: The beehive must be broken.
Male :Venna thirandu varaMale: For the butter to gather together,
Female :Kanna muzhichchidanumFemale: One must stay awake and watch!
Male
Enna moganamWhat enchantment this is!
Needhaan anna vaaganam heiYou are the swan-vehicle goddess yourself, hey!
Female :ArchchanaikkuththaanFemale: For offering sacred prayers,
Neram arththajaamamthaanThe midnight hour is the true time!
Male
Poojai podaTo perform the worship,
Kaalam neram paakkakkoodaathuOne shouldn't wait or look for auspicious hours!
Female :Rocket-tu vegamthaanFemale: It has the speed of a rocket!
Male :HaanMale: Aha!
Female :En jacket mogamthaanFemale: My blouse holds such intense passion!
Male
Gum gum gum gum gumaaGum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Female :Gum gum gum gum gumaaFemale: Gum gum gum gum gumaa
Male :GumaaMale: Gumaa!
Female :Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaFemale: Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Male
Akka magalukku mukkaa mozhaththulaFor my sister's daughter, three-quarters of a cubit long...
Vachchaen poo vaangiI bought flowers and placed them on her hair.
Female :Machchaan vachchathu manamaa irukkuthuFemale: The flowers my beloved placed smell so sweet!
Virichchen paai vaangiI bought a mat and spread it out.
Male
HaeiHey!
Both :Gum gum gum gum gumaaBoth: Gum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaaYaei jam jam jam jam jamaa
Gum gum gum gum gumaaGum gum gum gum gumaa
Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaa…..Yaei jam jam jam jam jamaa...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from 'Aadi Velli' (1990) is a spirited folk duet between romantic partners (cross-cousins in traditional Tamil culture). Rich in rural charm and playful banter, the couple uses allegorical metaphors—such as buying fragrant flowers, offering sweet halwa, harvesting honey from high branches, and churning butter—to express their mutual affection, passion, and eagerness for romantic intimacy. The emotional tone of the track is joyful and cheeky. Written by Vaali, the lyrics capture classic Tamil colloquial idioms and rhythmic folk refrains ('Gum gum gumaa'), celebrating romantic chemistry with humor and energy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Akka magalukku mukkaa mozhaththula

Repetition of the 'm' sound across words ('magalukku', 'mukkaa', 'mozhaththula') creates a rhythmic, melodic flow standard in Tamil folk songs.

Metaphor / Proverbial Allegory

Aanai pasikku / Chola poriya pottu ennaagum

Compares immense romantic desire to an elephant's appetite, pointing out humorously that small gestures (popcorn) won't satisfy a huge hunger.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Thinnu paakkanum / Neethaan innum kekkanum

The second consonant sound 'n' ('Thinnu' and 'innum') rhymes across consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Aadi Velli' (1990) is a devotional drama film directed by Rama Narayanan, known for his signature style of combining rural folklore, spiritual elements, and lively music. Legendary lyricist Vaali composed these lyrics, utilizing playful rural dialects and double-entendre folk expressions.

Keep listening

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