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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kaiyum Odale Kaalum Odale

From Adutha Veettu Penn · 1960

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
S. C. Krishnan, T. V. Rathnam
Music director
P. Adinarayana Rao
Details
Adutha Veettu Penn1960

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kaiyum odalae kaalum odalaeMy hands do not move, my legs do not move
Kannammaa adi en kannammaaOh Kannamma, hey my Kannamma
Kannammaa un aasaiyinaalaeKannamma, because of my desire for you
Kaaththu kaaththu kavalaiyaaguthuWaiting and waiting turns into anxiety
Kadhal baanam egiri paayuuthuThe arrow of love leaps and strikes
Kazhaniyil un roobam kaanuthuI see your image in the paddy field
Kannaattiyai naanum kaanaatti ponaaIf I do not see my sweet beloved girl
Male
Kaiyum odalae kaalum odalaeMy hands do not move, my legs do not move
Kannammaa adi en kannammaaOh Kannamma, hey my Kannamma
Kannammaa un aasaiyinaalaeKannamma, because of my desire for you
Kaiyum odalae kaalum odalaeMy hands do not move, my legs do not move
Female
Kannum urangalae kanjiyum irangalaeMy eyes get no sleep, and porridge does not go down my throat
Kadhalunaa kadhalunaaIf this is love, if this is love...
Male :AiyyeMale: Hey!
Female :Kadhalunaa enakku puriyalaeFemale: If this is love, I do not understand it
Kannum urangalae kanjiyum irangalaeMy eyes get no sleep, and porridge does not go down my throat
Kadhalunaa enakku puriyalaeIf this is love, I do not understand it
Kannum urangalae kanjiyum irangalaeMy eyes get no sleep, and porridge does not go down my throat
Female
Mannai nambum maraththaiyum polaeLike a tree that trusts the land
Maattai nambum vanidiyai polaLike a bullock cart that trusts the bull
Mannai nambum maraththaiyum polaeLike a tree that trusts the land
Maattai nambum vanidiyai polaLike a bullock cart that trusts the bull
Unnai nambi vanthathinaalaeBecause I came placing my trust in you
Ennaasai machchaanae unnaalaethaanOh my dear lover, it is all because of you
Female
Kannum urangalae kanjiyum irangalaeMy eyes get no sleep, and porridge does not go down my throat
Kadhalunaa…aaa….aa….If this is love... ah...
Kadhalunaa enakku puriyalaeIf this is love, I do not understand it
Kannum urangalae kanjiyum irangalaeMy eyes get no sleep, and porridge does not go down my throat
Male
Killaadi mavan killaadi naanaeI am a clever son of a clever father
Un killed velaiyai purinjukittaenaeI have understood your cunning trick
Kai valaiyal udainjathenna kaaranam solluTell me the reason why your glass bangle broke
Female
Ellaam therinja machchaan neeyumYou are my lover who knows everything
Ippadiyellaam pesalaamaaIs it right for you to speak like this?
Neeyum ippadiyellaam pesalaamaaShould you also talk to me like this?
Pallaavaraththu bussilae yeaerayilaeWhile boarding the Pallavaram bus
Naan pallaavaraththu bussilae yeaerayilaeWhen I got onto the Pallavaram bus
Valaiyal pattunnu udainju pochuthu machchaanaeThe bangle snapped and broke suddenly, my dear
Ippadiyae santhegapattaa eppadi porathuIf you doubt me like this, how can we carry on?
Male
Kannukazhagaana saanthu pottuThe beautiful tilak/santhu dot near your eyes
Kalainjathenna kaaranamo solludiTell me the reason why it got smudged, girl!
Female :Kannai moodikitu thoongayilaeFemale: When I was sleeping with my eyes closed
Thalaikaaniyaal kalainju pochchuthuIt got smudged against the pillow
Male :AdangippuraanaeMale: Oh shut up, you wild dove!
Male
Seevi mudichcha koondhal unakkuYour neatly combed hair
Sikkalaa yaendi pochchuthuWhy did it get all tangled up?
Female :Kannang karuththitta karuva maraththilFemale: On the dark black thorn tree
Maatti ippadi aachchuthuIt got caught and ended up like this
Male :AagumMale: Sure!
Female :AiyyoFemale: Oh my!
Male :AagumMale: Sure!
Female :AmmaFemale: Oh mother!
Female
Pennaaga piranthathum thappuBeing born as a woman was a mistake
Unnai purushanaa ninaichchathum thappuConsidering you as my husband was a mistake
Andru kannaalae paarththathum thappuLooking at you with my eyes back then was a mistake
Unnai kadhal seithathum thappuLoving you was a mistake
Female
ThappuIt was a mistake!
Male :IllaeMale: No!
Female :ThappuFemale: A mistake!
Male :Illae karaiyaanin veettukkullaeMale: No! Just like a black cobra inhabiting a termite mound
Karunaagam kudiyirukkum kaalaththai polavaeIn such times...
Nampa kadhalum maarumo endruFearing whether our love too would turn toxic or change
Naan santhega pattathum thappu idho thaadaiyilaeIt was my mistake to doubt you, see here on my chin
PottukkiraenI slap myself in repentance
Thappu thappu thappu…..Mistake, mistake, mistake...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic comedic duet from the 1960 movie 'Adutha Veettu Penn' captures a playful squabble between two lovers. The song opens with the male lover expressing his intense love-sickness and yearning, while the female lover laments the restlessness and confusion brought about by love, comparing her trust in him to a tree rooted in soil or a cart driven by a bullock.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kannammaa un aasaiyinaalae / Kadhal baanam egiri paayuuthu

The second consonant 'nn' repeats across initial lines, creating a pleasing rhythmic flow.

Upamai (Simile)

Mannai nambum maraththaiyum polae / Maattai nambum vanidiyai pola

The heroine compares her complete trust in her lover to a tree's reliance on soil and a cart's reliance on a bullock.

Metaphor & Imagery

Karaiyaanin veettukkullae / Karunaagam kudiyirukkum kaalaththai polavae

The hero uses the vivid metaphor of a venomous cobra taking refuge in a termite mound to describe how suspicion secretly entered his loving mind.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Adutha Veettu Penn' (1960) is a renowned Tamil comedy film starring T. R. Ramachandran and Anjali Devi. The song features comical folk-style banter written by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass and set to music by P. Adinarayana Rao, showcasing traditional rural folk idioms and humorous exaggeration.

Keep listening

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