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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan

From Time Illa · 2020

Lyricist
Manu Parthiban
Singers
Bamba Bakya, Ramya Nambeesan
Music director
L. G. Bala
Details
Time Illa2020

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Hey kanmaniHey darling
Anbodu kaadhalanWith affection, your lover
Naan yengurenadiI am yearning, my dear
Male
Hey ponmaniHey precious jewel
Unnaala dhaanadiIt is only because of you
Naa saagurenadiThat I am dying, my dear
Male
Heyy hey eh eh ehHeyy hey eh eh eh
Hey kanmaniHey darling
Anbodu kaadhalanWith affection, your lover
Naan yengurenadiI am yearning, my dear
Hey ponmaniHey precious jewel
Unnaala dhaanadiIt is only because of you
Naa saagurenadiThat I am dying, my dear
Male
Unnai enni paarkaiyilWhen I think of you
Thala suthuthadiMy head spins, my dear
Unnai marakka ninaikaiyilWhen I try to forget you
Vaazhkai muttudhadiLife hits a dead end, my dear
Male
Unnai enni paarkaiyilWhen I think of you
Thala suthuthadiMy head spins, my dear
Unnai marakka ninaikaiyilWhen I try to forget you
Vaazhkai muttudhadiLife hits a dead end, my dear
Male
Kanmani …kanmaniDarling... darling
Anbodu kaadhalanWith affection, your lover
Naan yengurenadiI am yearning, my dear
Ohohooo….ponmaniOhohooo... precious jewel
Unnaala dhaanadiIt is only because of you
Naa saagurenadiThat I am dying, my dear
Chorus
…………………..
Male
Abiraamiyae thaalattum saamiyae…Oh Abirami, goddess who sings a lullaby...
Naanthaanae theriyumaa…Do you know that it is me...
Sivagamiyae..Oh Sivagami..
Sivanil neeyum paadhiyae…You are the half of Shiva...
Adhuvum unakku puriyumaaaaa…Do you understand even that...
Female
Undaana kaadhal endrumThe love that was once born,
Thannalae maariponaWhat is the magic that caused it to change on its own?
Maayam ennaOh golden deer, golden deer
Ponmaanae ponmaanaeOhhhhh…
Ohhhhh…Even when my love was warm and pure
Enthan kaadhal anapodhumIt changes on its own
Thannalae maaripogumYour love
Undhan kaadhalWill not change, my sweet honey...
Maaradhu senthaenae…Unable to express what my love is,
Male
Endhan kaadhal ennavendruAs I yearned in silence,
Sollamal yenga yengaTears started to flow...
Azhugai vanthadhuRealizing my sorrow might hurt you,
Female
Endhan sogam unnai thakkumWhenever I thought of that,
Endrennum podhu vandhaMy tears suddenly stopped...
Alugai nindradhu…

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Time Illa' expresses the bittersweet pain of deep love, longing, and emotional anguish. The protagonist describes how thoughts of his beloved cause his mind to spin, while attempting to forget her makes life feel utterly directionless. He pours out his devotion, balancing intense heartbreak with a protective desire not to burden her with his grief.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Intertextual Allusion (Ainthu Thinai / Pop Culture Homage)

Abiraamiyae thaalattum saamiyae…

Directly quotes and echoes iconic lines from the legendary song 'Kanmani Anbodu' from the movie Gunaa (1991), utilizing classical tropes of divine love (Abirami, Sivagami).

Etukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

Hey kanmani ... Hey ponmani

Rhyming of the second letter 'n' in consecutive lines (Kanmani / Ponmani).

Anaphora / Repetition

Unnai enni paarkaiyil ... Unnai marakka ninaikaiyil

Repetition of conditional framing ('Unnai...') to emphasize the emotional dilemma of remembering vs forgetting.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics heavily paraphrase and reference Ilaiyaraaja's iconic track 'Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan' from the 1991 Kamal Haasan classic 'Gunaa', reimagining its classic romantic letter-reading sequence within a modern indie track context.

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