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Isaimozhi
Iyarkai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Iyarkai Thaaye

From Iyarkai · 2003

Lyricist
Lyricist Not Known
Singers
Karthik, Srivardhini
Music director
Vidyasagar
Movie name
Iyarkai
Movie release year
2003
Lyrics added on
16 Aug 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oh yeah…
………………………………
Iyarkkai thaayae thaayae
Un kuzhanthaigal paadugirom
Thanneer thidalin melae
Dhinam sadu gudu aadugirom
Viraiyum padagae viraiga
Vinmeen nuniyai thoduga
Iyarkkai thaayae thaayae
Un kuzhanthaigal paadugirom
Thanneer thidalin melae
Dhinam sadu gudu aadugirom
Viraiyum padagae viraiga
Vinmeen nuniyai thoduga
Vaanam pakkamthaan
Nam vaazhkai pakkamthaan
Thozhil sakthi ullavanukku
Sorgam pakkamthaan
Vaazhvae yuththam thaan
Athil valimai tharmam thaan
Needhi iruthiyil vellum enbathu
Saandror sattam thaan
Aazha kadalai anjaatha manithan
Mattaiyai jeyikiraan
Poli pugazhil veezhaatha manithan
Thannaiyae jeyikkiraan
Hey vanna vanna
Chorus :Siragugal
Male :Vaanaththaiyae jeiyukkumae
Chinna chinna
Chorus :Thuduppugal
Male :Kadalaiyae jeiyukkumae
Iyarkkai thaayae thaayae
Un kuzhanthaigal paadugirom
Thanneer thidalin melae
Dhinam sadu gudu aadugirom
Viraiyum padagae viraiga
Vinmeen nuniyai thoduga
Uppu thaneeraa
Ithu uppu thaneeraa
Kaalam ellaam ezhai sindhiya
Karuppu thanneera
Mazhaiyum theernthuvidum
Ada mannum kaainthuvidum
Andru kadal neer kondu
Manithan vaazha
Kattrutharuveera
Thuli neer koottam
Ondraagithaanae
Kadalendru aanathu
Manithar koottam
Ondraagum pothu
Balam vanthu seruthu
Hey vanna vanna
Chorus :Siragugal
Male :Vaanaththaiyae jeiyukkumae
Chinna chinna
Chorus :Thuduppugal
Male :Kadalaiyae jeiyukkumae
Iyarkkai thaayae thaayae
Un kuzhanthaigal paadugirom
Thanneer thidalin melae
Dhinam sadu gudu aadugirom
Viraiyum padagae viraiga
Vinmeen nuniyai thoduga
Oh yeah…
...
Mother Nature, oh mother,
we, your children, are singing.
Over this vast field of water,
we play kabaddi every day.
Speed ahead, swift boat, speed on!
Reach out and touch the edge of the stars!
Mother Nature, oh mother,
we, your children, are singing.
Over this vast field of water,
we play kabaddi every day.
Speed ahead, swift boat, speed on!
Reach out and touch the edge of the stars!
The sky is close by,
our good life is close by,
for the one who puts power into his work,
heaven itself is close by.
Life is a battle,
and strength is its duty.
That justice will triumph in the end
is the law of the wise.
The man who does not fear the deep sea
conquers everything else.
The man who does not fall for fake praise
conquers himself.
Hey, colorful...
Chorus: ...wings...
Male: ...will conquer the sky itself!
Tiny, little...
Chorus: ...oars...
Male: ...will conquer the sea itself!
Mother Nature, oh mother,
we, your children, are singing.
Over this vast field of water,
we play kabaddi every day.
Speed ahead, swift boat, speed on!
Reach out and touch the edge of the stars!
Is this salt water?
Is this really salt water?
Or the tears shed by the poor through all time,
is it that dark water?
The rains will run out,
and the land will dry up.
On that day, using seawater,
to help mankind survive,
will you teach us how to live?
Only when clusters of water drops
come together as one
do they become an ocean.
When masses of people
unite together as one,
true strength is born.
Hey, colorful...
Chorus: ...wings...
Male: ...will conquer the sky itself!
Tiny, little...
Chorus: ...oars...
Male: ...will conquer the sea itself!
Mother Nature, oh mother,
we, your children, are singing.
Over this vast field of water,
we play kabaddi every day.
Speed ahead, swift boat, speed on!
Reach out and touch the edge of the stars!
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Iyarkkai Thaaye is an uplifting seafaring song from the 2003 National Award-winning Tamil film 'Iyarkai'. The song acts as an anthem of resilience and devotion to Mother Nature, sung by sailors and seafarers who treat the vast ocean as both their playground and workplace. It praises the spirit of hard labor, emphasizing that true heaven and self-mastery are accessible to those who work tirelessly and resist false flattery. The lyrics draw beautiful analogies between nature and humanity. Just as individual drops of water aggregate to form a vast ocean, individual humans coming together form an unstoppable force of collective strength. The song serves as a salute to perseverance, unity, and living harmoniously with nature.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification

“Iyarkkai thaayae thaayae / Un kuzhanthaigal paadugirom”

Nature is personified as a loving mother ('Iyarkkai thaayae'), and the seafarers refer to themselves as her children singing praises to her.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

“Thanneer thidalin melae / Dhinam sadu gudu aadugirom”

The open sea is poetically metaphorized as a sports ground ('Thanneer thidal') where sailors playfully navigate their daily struggles like a game of kabaddi.

Ending Rhyme / Monorhyme (Iyaibo)

“Vaanam pakkamthaan / Nam vaazhkai pakkamthaan / Sorgam pakkamthaan”

The repetitive use of the suffix 'pakkamthaan' creates a strong rhythmic cadence and emphasizes the accessibility of hope and effort.

Analogy

“Thuli neer koottam Ondraagithaanae Kadalendru aanathu / Manithar koottam Ondraagum pothu Balam vanthu seruthu”

The songwriter draws a direct parallel between droplets uniting to form an ocean and people uniting to build formidable strength.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Iyarkai' (2003), directed by S. P. Jananathan, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. The soundtrack was composed by Vidyasagar, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu.

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