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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Hey Maama

From Enkitta Mothathe · 1990

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Enkitta Mothathe1990

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Ye maamaa onna thaanHey uncle, only you...
Ninnaa aagaadhaaCan't you stop for a moment?
Eppa thaan kannaalamWhen will our wedding be?
Sonnaa aagaadhaaCan't you just tell me?
Oru thaekkula senjadhu polaAs if carved out of sturdy teakwood,
On dhaegam ammaadiOh my, look at your body!
On tholula saanjadhu polaJust to lean on your shoulders,
Oru ennam aathaadiOh goodness, what a desire I feel!
Female
Ye maamaa onna thaanHey uncle, only you...
Ninnaa aagaadhaaCan't you stop for a moment?
Eppa thaan kannaalamWhen will our wedding be?
Sonnaa aagaadhaaCan't you just tell me?
Female
En maarbilae nee saayanumYou should lean against my chest,
Mundhaanaiyaal naan moodanumI should cover you with my saree pallu,
Thaai pola naan thaalaattanumI should sing you a lullaby like a mother,
Kan moodiyae nee thoonganumYou should close your eyes and sleep.
Female
Naan mattum paakka thaanJust for me to look at,
Neeyum neeyaanaeYou became the man you are.
Nee mattum paakka thaanJust for you to look at,
Naanum aalaanenI grew up into a woman.
Maamaa un kaal pattaUncle, wherever your feet touched,
Mannellaam ponnaachuAll the soil turned to gold.
Onnoda naan vandhaaIf I walk alongside you,
Nenjellaam poovaachaeMy whole heart turns into flowers.
Female
Dhenam raathiri naan padum paattaThe plight I endure every night,
Oru paattaa kelaiyaaPlease listen to it as a song, my love.
Dhenam raathiri naan padum paattaThe plight I endure every night,
Oru paattaa kelaiyaaPlease listen to it as a song, my love.
Female
Ye maamaa onna thaanHey uncle, only you...
Ninnaa aagaadhaaCan't you stop for a moment?
Eppa thaan kannaalamWhen will our wedding be?
Sonnaa aagaadhaaCan't you just tell me?
Oru thaekkula senjadhu polaAs if carved out of sturdy teakwood,
On dhaegam ammaadiOh my, look at your body!
On tholula saanjadhu polaJust to lean on your shoulders,
Oru ennam aathaadiOh goodness, what a desire I feel!
Female
Thanneerilae neeraadinaaWhen I bathe in the water,
Angaeyum nee poraaduraYou stir trouble even there in my thoughts.
Em paattuku naan paadinaaWhen I sing my own song,
Pinpaattu nee yen paaduraWhy do you sing back in harmony?
Female
Kannaala paathaalaeJust a glance from your eyes,
Kaayam undaagumLeaves a deep wound in me.
Kaiyaala nee thottaaIf you touch me with your hands,
Dhaegam ennaagumWhat will happen to my body?
Kaathodu naathaagaLike music riding on the breeze,
Em mela veesaadhaeDo not blow over me.
Aathaadi maaraappaOh goodness, do not pull,
Kaiyaala vaangaadhaeMy saree pallu with your hands.
Female
Dhenam raathiri naan padum paattaThe plight I endure every night,
Oru paattaa kelaiyaaPlease listen to it as a song, my love.
Dhenam raathiri naan padum paattaThe plight I endure every night,
Oru paattaa kelaiyaaPlease listen to it as a song, my love.
Female
Ye maamaa onna thaanHey uncle, only you...
Ninnaa aagaadhaaCan't you stop for a moment?
Eppa thaan kannaalamWhen will our wedding be?
Sonnaa aagaadhaaCan't you just tell me?
Oru thaekkula senjadhu polaAs if carved out of sturdy teakwood,
On dhaegam ammaadiOh my, look at your body!
On tholula saanjadhu polaJust to lean on your shoulders,
Oru ennam aathaadiOh goodness, what a desire I feel!
Female
Ye maamaa onna thaanHey uncle, only you...
Ninnaa aagaadhaaCan't you stop for a moment?
Eppa thaan kannaalamWhen will our wedding be?
Sonnaa aagaadhaaCan't you just tell me?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Ye Maamaa Onna Thaan' is a vibrant and romantic folk-style song from the 1990 Tamil movie 'Enkitta Mothathe'. The song captures the playful banter, intense yearning, and affectionate devotion of a village woman towards her beloved suitor ('Maama'). She expresses her impatience for their upcoming marriage, admiring his strong physique and imagining intimate moments where she nurtures him with motherly tenderness. As the lyrics progress, the tone deepens into sensory romanticism. She describes how his gaze and touch overwhelm her emotions, turning everyday moments and sleepless nights into poetic longing. Penned by Pulamaipithan, the song beautifully blends earthy Tamil colloquialisms with tender expressions of love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai Ani (Simile)

Oru thaekkula senjadhu pola / On dhaegam ammaadi

Compares the sturdy physique of the beloved directly to a structure crafted from teakwood using the explicit comparative word 'pola'.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

En maarbilae nee saayanum / Mundhaanaiyaal naan moodanum / Thaai pola naan thaalaattanum / Kan moodiyae nee thoonganum

Consecutive lines end with the rhyming suffix '-num' (saayanum, moodanum, thaalaattanum, thoonganum), creating a lyrical flow.

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

Maamaa un kaal patta / Mannellaam ponnaachu

Metaphorically describes how the earth touched by his feet turns to gold, symbolizing the auspiciousness and joy his presence brings.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi Ani)

Kannaala paathaalae / Kaayam undaagum

An exaggeration where a mere look from the lover's eyes is said to inflict a physical wound.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song 'Ye Maamaa Onna Thaan' features in the 1990 Tamil action-drama film 'Enkitta Mothathe', directed by R. Sundarrajan, starring Vijayakanth, Shobana, and Kushboo. The film's soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by veteran poet Pulamaipithan, known for his rich folk and classical Tamil vocabulary.

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