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Iyarkai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kaadhal Vandhaal

From Iyarkai · 2003

Lyricists
Not listed
Singers
Tippu, Manikka Vinayagam
Music director
Vidyasagar
Movie name
Iyarkai
Movie release year
2003
Lyrics added on
27 Feb 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Babe tell me you love me
I hope i hear it when i’m in love
Kaadhal vandhaal solli anupu
Uyirodirundhaal varugiren
En kanneer vazhiyae uyirum vazhiya
Karaiyil karaindhu kidakiren
{ Sutta mannilae meenaaga
Manam vetta veliyilae vaadudhadi } (2)
Kanneer kalandhu kanneer kalandhu
Kadal neer mattam koodudhadi … iiiiiii
Kaadhal vandhaal solli anupu
Uyirodirundhaal varugiren
Uyirai thavira sondham illaiyae kaadhalikum munbu
Indha ulagae endhan sondham aanadhae kaadhal vandha pinbu
Babe tell me you love me
It’s never late don’t hesitate
Saavai azhaithu kaditham potten kaadhalikum munbu
Oru saavai pudhaika sakthi ketkiren kaadhal vandha pinbu
Unnaal en kadal azhai urangavae illai
Unnaal en nilavuku udal nalam illai
Kadal thuyil kolvadhum nila gunam kolvadhum
Naan uyir vaazhvadhum un sollil ulladhadi
Un irukam thaan en uyirai kolludhadi kolludhadi
Kaadhal vandhaal solli anupu
Uyirodirundhaal varugiren en kannil
{ Yeleyley lo yeleleley lo } (2)
Aaaa aaa aaaa aaaa aaaa
Pirandha mannai alli thindren unnai kaanum munbu
Nee nadantha mannai alli thindren unnai kanda pinbu
Annai thandhai kandadhillai naan kan thirandha pinbu
En athanai uravum motham kanden unnai kanda pinbu
Pennae en payanamo thodangavae illai
Adharkul adhu mudivadhaa vilangavae illai
Naan karaiyaavadhum illai nuraiyaavadhum
Valar piraiyaavadhum un sollil ulladhadi
Un irukam thaan en uyirai kolludhadi kolludhadi
{ Kaadhal vandhaal solli anupu } (2)
Solli anupu solli anupu
Babe, tell me you love me
I hope I hear it when I'm in love
If love comes to you, send word to me,
and if I'm still alive, I will come.
As my life ebbs away with my tears,
I lie dissolving upon the shore.
Like a fish stranded on scorching sand,
my heart withers in the open emptiness.
Mingling with my falling tears,
the sea level keeps rising, oh...
If love comes to you, send word to me,
and if I'm still alive, I will come.
Before falling in love, I had no kin except my own life.
After love arrived, this entire world became my family.
Babe, tell me you love me
It's never late, don't hesitate
Before falling in love, I wrote letters inviting death.
After love arrived, I pray for the strength to bury that death.
Because of you, my ocean waves never sleep.
Because of you, my moon has fallen ill.
Whether the sea rests, whether the moon heals,
and whether I stay alive, all rests on your word.
Your cold silence is killing my soul, killing me.
If love comes to you, send word to me,
and if I'm still alive, I will come...
Elele lo, elelele lo
Aaa aa aaa aaa aaa
Before I met you, I gathered and tasted the soil of my birth.
After I saw you, I gathered and tasted the soil where you walked.
Since opening my eyes, I never knew a mother or a father.
After seeing you, I found every relationship in you.
Girl, my journey hasn't even begun yet.
How can it end already? I cannot understand.
Whether I become the shore, or fade away like sea foam,
or grow like the waxing moon, all depends on your word.
Your cold silence is killing my soul, killing me.
If love comes to you, send word to me.
Send word to me... send word to me...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This soulful track from the movie 'Iyarkai' depicts a protagonist deeply consumed by love, yearning for acceptance and a single word of confirmation from his beloved. The lyrics weave intense nautical and oceanic metaphors with emotional vulnerability, comparing his heart to a fish stranded on hot sand and his tears to the rising sea level. Before falling in love, he felt completely orphaned and welcoming of death; however, finding love transformed the world into his home and gave him a newfound desire to live and overcome mortality.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uwamai)

“{ Sutta mannilae meenaaga”

Compares the protagonist's suffering heart directly to a fish stranded on burning soil ('Sutta mannilae meenaaga').

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)

“Kanneer kalandhu kanneer kalandhu Kadal neer mattam koodudhadi”

An exaggerated expression claiming that the rising sea level is caused by the protagonist's endless tears.

Personification

“Unnaal en kadal azhai urangavae illai Unnaal en nilavuku udal nalam illai”

Attributes human conditions like sleeping and suffering ill-health to the sea waves and the moon.

Contrast / Antithesis (Muran)

“Pirandha mannai alli thindren unnai kaanum munbu / Nee nadantha mannai alli thindren unnai kanda pinbu”

Contrasts the orphan state of eating birth soil prior to love against revering the earth walked upon after finding love.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kaadhal Vandhaal' is composed by Vidyasagar for the 2003 Tamil period drama film 'Iyarkai', directed by S. P. Jananathan. The lyrics were penned by Vairamuthu and sung by Tippu and Manikka Vinayagam. Set against the backdrop of a port city, the song beautifully blends mariner motifs with deep romantic longing, mirroring the protagonist's life as a sailor.

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