Kanavugale Kanavugale
From Uthaman · 1976
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Uthaman1976
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kanavugalae kanavugalae | Oh dreams, oh dreams, |
| Kaalamellaam vaareero | Will you keep coming forever? |
| Ninaivugalae ninaivugalae | Oh memories, oh memories, |
| Nindru poga maatteero | Won't you ever stop and go away? |
| Nimmadhiyai thaareero | Won't you give me peace of mind? |
| Male | |
| Kanavugalae kanavugalae | Oh dreams, oh dreams, |
| Kaalamellaam vaareero | Will you keep coming forever? |
| Ninaivugalae ninaivugalae | Oh memories, oh memories, |
| Nindru poga maatteero | Won't you ever stop and go away? |
| Nimmadhiyai thaareero | Won't you give me peace of mind? |
| Male | |
| Kanavugalae kanavugalae | Oh dreams, oh dreams, |
| Kaalamellaam vaareero | Will you keep coming forever? |
| Chorus | |
| Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo…(4) | Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo... |
| Male | |
| {Kaviyuraitha karpanai pol | Like a poetic imagination, |
| Kai piditha poongodiyaal | The flowery vine-like woman whose hand I held, |
| Poiyuraitha kavidhaiyai pol | Like a poem that uttered lies, |
| Pona kadhai enna solven} (2) | How can I describe the story that has passed? |
| Male | |
| Silai vadikka kalleduthen | Like a poetic imagination, |
| Sittruliyaal sedhukki vaithen | The flowery vine-like woman whose hand I held, |
| Silai vadithu mudiyum munnae | Like a poem that uttered lies, |
| Thalai vedithu ponadhammaa | How can I describe the story that has passed? |
| Male | |
| Kanavugalae kanavugalae | I picked up a stone to carve a statue, |
| Kaalamellaam vaareero | I sculpted it carefully with a small chisel, |
| Ninaivugalae ninaivugalae | Before I could finish sculpting the statue, |
| Nindru poga maatteero | Alas, my head burst with grief. |
| Nimmadhiyai thaareero | Oh dreams, oh dreams, |
| Male | |
| {Aadiyilae kaattradithaal | Will you keep coming forever? |
| Aayiramaai ilaiyudhirum | Oh memories, oh memories, |
| Aippasiyil mazhai pozhindhaal | Won't you ever stop and go away? |
| Athanaiyum thazhaithu varum} (2) | Won't you give me peace of mind? |
| Male | |
| Aval aadi vara paarthirundhen | If the wind blows in the month of Aadi, |
| Aadi vandhu serndhadhammaa | Thousands of leaves fall off, |
| Aippasikku kaathirundhen | If it rains in the month of Aippasi, |
| Eppasiyum theeravillai | Everything flourishes back to life. |
| Male | |
| Kanavugalae kanavugalae | If the wind blows in the month of Aadi, |
| Kaalamellaam vaareero | Thousands of leaves fall off, |
| Chorus | |
| Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo…(4) | If it rains in the month of Aippasi, |
| Male | |
| {Kaayamondru nee koduthaai | Everything flourishes back to life. |
| Kaaindha vadu neengavillai | I was watching for her to come dancing, |
| Kaaindha vadu aarudharkko | Alas, the month of Aadi came instead! |
| Kai thavazhum saei koduthaai} (2) | I waited for the comforting Aippasi, |
| Male | |
| Un kadhaiyai naan ezhudha | But my hunger and sorrow never ended. |
| Uyirai vaithu kaathirundhen | Oh dreams, oh dreams, |
| En kadhaiyai nee ezhudhi | Will you keep coming forever? |
| Yaedugalai maraithu vittaai | Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo... |
| Male | |
| Kanavugalae kanavugalae | You gave me a deep wound, |
| Kaalamellaam vaareero | The dried scar has not gone away, |
| Ninaivugalae ninaivugalae | To heal that dried scar, |
| Nindru poga maatteero | You gave me an infant crawling in my arms. |
| Nimmadhiyai thaareero | You gave me a deep wound, |
கனவுகளே கனவுகளே
காலமெல்லாம் வாரீரோ
நினைவுகளே நினைவுகளே
நின்று போக மாட்டீரோ
நிம்மதியை தாரீரோ
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
Will you keep coming forever?
Oh memories, oh memories,
Won't you ever stop and go away?
Won't you give me peace of mind?
கனவுகளே கனவுகளே
காலமெல்லாம் வாரீரோ
நினைவுகளே நினைவுகளே
நின்று போக மாட்டீரோ
நிம்மதியை தாரீரோ
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
Will you keep coming forever?
Oh memories, oh memories,
Won't you ever stop and go away?
Won't you give me peace of mind?
கனவுகளே கனவுகளே
காலமெல்லாம் வாரீரோ
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
Will you keep coming forever?
ஹோ ஓஒ ஓஒ ஓஒ ஓஒ.....(4)
Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo...
{கவியுரைத்த கற்பனைபோல்
கைப்பிடித்த பூங்கொடியாள்
பொய்யுரைத்த கவிதையை போல்
போன கதை என்ன சொல்வேன்} (2)
Like a poetic imagination,
The flowery vine-like woman whose hand I held,
Like a poem that uttered lies,
How can I describe the story that has passed?
சிலை வடிக்க கல்லெடுத்தேன்
சிற்றுளியால் செதுக்கி வைத்தேன்
சிலை வடித்து முடியும் முன்னே
தலை வெடித்து போனதம்மா
Like a poetic imagination,
The flowery vine-like woman whose hand I held,
Like a poem that uttered lies,
How can I describe the story that has passed?
கனவுகளே கனவுகளே
காலமெல்லாம் வாரீரோ
நினைவுகளே நினைவுகளே
நின்று போக மாட்டீரோ
நிம்மதியை தாரீரோ
I picked up a stone to carve a statue,
I sculpted it carefully with a small chisel,
Before I could finish sculpting the statue,
Alas, my head burst with grief.
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
{ஆடியிலே காற்றடித்தால்
ஆயிரமாய் இலை உதிரும்
ஐப்பசியில் மழை பொழிந்தால்
அத்தனையும் தழைத்து வரும்} (2)
Will you keep coming forever?
Oh memories, oh memories,
Won't you ever stop and go away?
Won't you give me peace of mind?
அவள் ஆடிவரப் பார்த்திருந்தேன்
ஆடி வந்து சேர்ந்ததம்மா
ஐப்பசிக்கும் காத்திருந்தேன்
எப்பசியும் தீரவில்லை
If the wind blows in the month of Aadi,
Thousands of leaves fall off,
If it rains in the month of Aippasi,
Everything flourishes back to life.
கனவுகளே கனவுகளே
காலமெல்லாம் வாரீரோ
If the wind blows in the month of Aadi,
Thousands of leaves fall off,
ஹோ ஓஒ ஓஒ ஓஒ ஓஒ.....(4)
If it rains in the month of Aippasi,
{காயமொன்று நீ கொடுத்தாய்
காய்ந்த வடு நீங்கவில்லை
காய்ந்த வடு ஆறுதற்கோ
கைதவழும் சேய் கொடுத்தாய்} (2)
Everything flourishes back to life.
I was watching for her to come dancing,
Alas, the month of Aadi came instead!
I waited for the comforting Aippasi,
உன் கதையை நான் எழுத
உயிரை வைத்து காத்திருந்தேன்
என் கதையை நீ எழுதி
ஏடுகளை மறைத்து விட்டாய்
But my hunger and sorrow never ended.
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
Will you keep coming forever?
Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo...
கனவுகளே கனவுகளே
காலமெல்லாம் வாரீரோ
நினைவுகளே நினைவுகளே
நின்று போக மாட்டீரோ
நிம்மதியை தாரீரோ
You gave me a deep wound,
The dried scar has not gone away,
To heal that dried scar,
You gave me an infant crawling in my arms.
You gave me a deep wound,
Kanavugalae kanavugalae
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
Kaalamellaam vaareero
Will you keep coming forever?
Ninaivugalae ninaivugalae
Oh memories, oh memories,
Nindru poga maatteero
Won't you ever stop and go away?
Nimmadhiyai thaareero
Won't you give me peace of mind?
Kanavugalae kanavugalae
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
Kaalamellaam vaareero
Will you keep coming forever?
Ninaivugalae ninaivugalae
Oh memories, oh memories,
Nindru poga maatteero
Won't you ever stop and go away?
Nimmadhiyai thaareero
Won't you give me peace of mind?
Kanavugalae kanavugalae
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
Kaalamellaam vaareero
Will you keep coming forever?
Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo…(4)
Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo...
{Kaviyuraitha karpanai pol
Like a poetic imagination,
Kai piditha poongodiyaal
The flowery vine-like woman whose hand I held,
Poiyuraitha kavidhaiyai pol
Like a poem that uttered lies,
Pona kadhai enna solven} (2)
How can I describe the story that has passed?
Silai vadikka kalleduthen
Like a poetic imagination,
Sittruliyaal sedhukki vaithen
The flowery vine-like woman whose hand I held,
Silai vadithu mudiyum munnae
Like a poem that uttered lies,
Thalai vedithu ponadhammaa
How can I describe the story that has passed?
Kanavugalae kanavugalae
I picked up a stone to carve a statue,
Kaalamellaam vaareero
I sculpted it carefully with a small chisel,
Ninaivugalae ninaivugalae
Before I could finish sculpting the statue,
Nindru poga maatteero
Alas, my head burst with grief.
Nimmadhiyai thaareero
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
{Aadiyilae kaattradithaal
Will you keep coming forever?
Aayiramaai ilaiyudhirum
Oh memories, oh memories,
Aippasiyil mazhai pozhindhaal
Won't you ever stop and go away?
Athanaiyum thazhaithu varum} (2)
Won't you give me peace of mind?
Aval aadi vara paarthirundhen
If the wind blows in the month of Aadi,
Aadi vandhu serndhadhammaa
Thousands of leaves fall off,
Aippasikku kaathirundhen
If it rains in the month of Aippasi,
Eppasiyum theeravillai
Everything flourishes back to life.
Kanavugalae kanavugalae
If the wind blows in the month of Aadi,
Kaalamellaam vaareero
Thousands of leaves fall off,
Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo…(4)
If it rains in the month of Aippasi,
{Kaayamondru nee koduthaai
Everything flourishes back to life.
Kaaindha vadu neengavillai
I was watching for her to come dancing,
Kaaindha vadu aarudharkko
Alas, the month of Aadi came instead!
Kai thavazhum saei koduthaai} (2)
I waited for the comforting Aippasi,
Un kadhaiyai naan ezhudha
But my hunger and sorrow never ended.
Uyirai vaithu kaathirundhen
Oh dreams, oh dreams,
En kadhaiyai nee ezhudhi
Will you keep coming forever?
Yaedugalai maraithu vittaai
Hoo oo oo oo oo oo ooo...
Kanavugalae kanavugalae
You gave me a deep wound,
Kaalamellaam vaareero
The dried scar has not gone away,
Ninaivugalae ninaivugalae
To heal that dried scar,
Nindru poga maatteero
You gave me an infant crawling in my arms.
Nimmadhiyai thaareero
You gave me a deep wound,
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Kanavugalae Kanavugalae is a poignant lament from the 1976 Tamil film Uthaman, featuring lyrics by Kannadasan. The protagonist addresses his relentless dreams and sorrowful memories directly, questioning why they refuse to give him peace. He compares his tragic love affair to a beautiful piece of poetry that ultimately turned out to be false, and to an incomplete sculpture destroyed before completion. Using seasonal metaphors of harsh winds in Aadi and life-giving rains in Aippasi, the lyrics express deep sorrow over broken promises and lost happiness, leaving behind enduring scars and an unresolved life narrative.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Apostrophe and Anaphora
“Kanavugalae kanavugalae / Ninaivugalae ninaivugalae”
Directly addressing abstract entities (dreams and memories) with repeated words to emphasize distress.
Simile (Upamai)
“Kaviyuraitha karpanai pol / Poiyuraitha kavidhaiyai pol”
Comparing the relationship and beloved to poetic imagination and an untrue poem using the comparative marker 'pol'.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kai piditha poongodiyaal”
Describing the woman metaphorically as a delicate flowering vine ('poongodi').
Initial Rhyme and Assonance (Moonaai)
“Aadiyilae kaattradithaal / Aayiramaai ilaiyudhirum / Aippasiyil mazhai pozhindhaal”
Rhythmic repetition of starting vowel sounds across lines to heighten poetic flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the 1976 movie Uthaman starring Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa, directed by V. Srinivasan. The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, with vocals rendered by T. M. Soundararajan.
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