Kanna Kanna Nee
From Thalaiyatti Bommaigal · 1986
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Thalaiyatti Bommaigal1986
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kannaa kannaa nee yaarada | Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you? |
| Unna peththa thaai yaaradaa | Who is the mother that gave birth to you? |
| Nee yaar veettil pooththa rosappoovey | In whose house did you blossom, oh rose flower? |
| Male | |
| Uthama paththini peththeduththa | Are you a son of truth born to a virtuous woman, |
| Saththiya puththirano illa | Or are you someone |
| Thappitham panniya perkalukku | Born by mistake to people |
| Thappi poranthavano | Who committed a wrongdoing? |
| Female | |
| Kanna kannaa nee yaaradaa | Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you? |
| Unna peththa thaai yaaradaa | Who is the mother that gave birth to you? |
| Female | |
| MGR pol rikshaw oottum | Like MGR driving a rickshaw, |
| Ivar irukka unakkaenyaa vaattam | When this man is here, why are you sad? |
| Enna venum ellaam kelu | Ask for whatever you need, |
| Unakku vaangi koduppaar nalla aalu | He is a good person who will buy it for you. |
| Male | |
| Saeriyilae vaazhnthirukka vanthathu saamithaan | It is God himself who has come to live in this slum, |
| Sorkkamunnu maaridanum yaezhainga bhoomithaan | The land of the poor must now turn into heaven. |
| Female | |
| Kannaa un kaal pattaa oorae maarum | Oh Kanna, if your feet touch this land, the whole town will transform, |
| Mannavan neeyintha dhesaththukku manthiriyaayidanum | You are a king, you should become the leader of this country. |
| Male :Antha ponmala selvana polaveththaan | Male: Just like that child of the golden mountain, |
| Nanmaigal pannidanum | You must do good deeds. |
| Female | |
| Kanna kannaa nee yaaradaa | Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you? |
| Unna peththa thaai yaaradaa | Who is the mother that gave birth to you? |
| Nee yaar veettil pooththa rosappoovo | In whose house did you blossom, oh rose flower? |
| Male | |
| Uthama paththini peththeduththa | Are you a son of truth born to a virtuous woman, |
| Saththiya puththirano illa | Or are you someone |
| Thappitham panniya perkalukku | Born by mistake to people |
| Thappi poranthavano | Who committed a wrongdoing? |
| Male | |
| Neeyum naanum yaezhai saathi unakku | You and I belong to the community of the poor, |
| Enna vittaa yaarthaan naathi | Who else is your support besides me? |
| Kaalum kaiyum pothum kannaa | Having hands and legs is enough, my dear child, |
| Ozhaichchu paappom vaadaa naama onnaa | Come, let us work hard together. |
| Female | |
| Paadupattaa nallavannu peraiyum vaangalaam | If we toil hard, we can earn a good name, |
| Perai kondu neeyirukkum oorai vaangalaam | And with that reputation, we can buy the town you live in. |
| Male | |
| Nee vaazha naan vaazha kaalm undu | There is time ahead for both you and me to live well, |
| Kuppaiyil naanunthan kandeduththa | You are a garland of precious red beads |
| Kundumani saramae | That I found discarded in the trash! |
| Female :Intha kuppaththu mannavan thatheduththa | Female: You are a wonderful portrait adopted |
| Arputha chiththiramae | By this king of the slum! |
| Female | |
| Kanna kannaa nee yaaradaa | Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you? |
| Unna peththa thaai yaaradaa | Who is the mother that gave birth to you? |
| Nee yaar veettil pooththa rosappoovo | In whose house did you blossom, oh rose flower? |
| Male | |
| Uthama paththini peththeduththa | Are you a son of truth born to a virtuous woman, |
| Saththiya puththirano illa | Or are you someone |
| Thappitham panniya perkalukku | Born by mistake to people |
| Thappi poranthavano | Who committed a wrongdoing? |
| Female | |
| Aariraaro……aaraariro aariraaro….aaraariro…. | Lullaby lullaby, aaraariro aariraaro... |
| Aariraaro……aaraariro aariraaro….aaraariro…. | Lullaby lullaby, aaraariro aariraaro... |
கண்ணா கண்ணா நீ யாரடா
உன்ன பெத்த தாய் யாரடா
நீ யார் வீட்டில் பூத்த ரோசாப்பூவோ
Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you?
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
In whose house did you blossom, oh rose flower?
உத்தம பத்தினி பெத்தெடுத்த
சத்திய புத்திரனோ இல்ல
தப்பிதம் பண்ணிய பேர்களுக்கு
தப்பி பொறந்தவனோ
Are you a son of truth born to a virtuous woman,
Or are you someone
Born by mistake to people
Who committed a wrongdoing?
கண்ணா கண்ணா நீ யாரடா
உன்ன பெத்த தாய் யாரடா....
Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you?
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
எம்.ஜி.ஆர். போல் ரிக்க்ஷா ஓட்டும்
இவர் இருக்க உனக்கேன்யா வாட்டம்
என்ன வேணும் எல்லாம் கேளு
உனக்கு வாங்கி கொடுப்பார் நல்ல ஆளு
Like MGR driving a rickshaw,
When this man is here, why are you sad?
Ask for whatever you need,
He is a good person who will buy it for you.
சேரியிலே வாழ்ந்திருக்க வந்தது சாமிதான்
சொர்க்கமுன்னு மாறிடனும் ஏழைங்க பூமிதான்
It is God himself who has come to live in this slum,
The land of the poor must now turn into heaven.
கண்ணா உன் கால் பட்டா ஊரே மாறும்
மன்னவன் நீயிந்த தேசத்துக்கு மந்திரியாயிடனும்
அந்த பொன்மலச் செல்வன போலவேத்தான்
நன்மைகள் பண்ணிடணும்
Oh Kanna, if your feet touch this land, the whole town will transform,
You are a king, you should become the leader of this country.
Male: Just like that child of the golden mountain,
You must do good deeds.
கண்ணா கண்ணா நீ யாரடா
உன்ன பெத்த தாய் யாரடா
நீ யார் வீட்டில் பூத்த ரோசாப்பூவோ
Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you?
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
In whose house did you blossom, oh rose flower?
உத்தம பத்தினி பெத்தெடுத்த
சத்திய புத்திரனோ இல்ல
தப்பிதம் பண்ணிய பேர்களுக்கு
தப்பி பொறந்தவனோ
Are you a son of truth born to a virtuous woman,
Or are you someone
Born by mistake to people
Who committed a wrongdoing?
நீயும் நானும் ஏழை சாதி உனக்கு
என்ன விட்டா யார்தான் நாதி
காலும் கையும் போதும் கண்ணா
ஒழைச்சு பாப்போம் வாடா நாம ஒண்ணா
You and I belong to the community of the poor,
Who else is your support besides me?
Having hands and legs is enough, my dear child,
Come, let us work hard together.
பாடுபட்டா நல்லவன்னு பேரையும் வாங்கலாம்
பேரைக் கொண்டு நீயிருக்கும் ஊரை வாங்கலாம்
If we toil hard, we can earn a good name,
And with that reputation, we can buy the town you live in.
நீ வாழ நான் வாழ காலம் உண்டு
குப்பையில் நானுந்தான் கண்டெடுத்த
குண்டுமணி சரமே
இந்த குப்பத்து மன்னவன் தத்தெடுத்த
அற்புத சித்திரமே
There is time ahead for both you and me to live well,
You are a garland of precious red beads
That I found discarded in the trash!
Female: You are a wonderful portrait adopted
By this king of the slum!
கண்ணா கண்ணா நீ யாரடா
உன்ன பெத்த தாய் யாரடா
நீ யார் வீட்டில் பூத்த ரோசாப்பூவோ
Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you?
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
In whose house did you blossom, oh rose flower?
உத்தம பத்தினி பெத்தெடுத்த
சத்திய புத்திரனோ இல்ல
தப்பிதம் பண்ணிய பேர்களுக்கு
தப்பி பொறந்தவனோ
Are you a son of truth born to a virtuous woman,
Or are you someone
Born by mistake to people
Who committed a wrongdoing?
ஆரிராரோ...ஆராரிரோ ஆரிராரோ...ஆராரிரோ
ஆரிராரோ...ஆராரிரோ ஆரிராரோ...ஆராரிரோ
Lullaby lullaby, aaraariro aariraaro...
Lullaby lullaby, aaraariro aariraaro...
Kannaa kannaa nee yaarada
Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you?
Unna peththa thaai yaaradaa
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
Nee yaar veettil pooththa rosappoovey
In whose house did you blossom, oh rose flower?
Uthama paththini peththeduththa
Are you a son of truth born to a virtuous woman,
Saththiya puththirano illa
Or are you someone
Thappitham panniya perkalukku
Born by mistake to people
Thappi poranthavano
Who committed a wrongdoing?
Kanna kannaa nee yaaradaa
Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you?
Unna peththa thaai yaaradaa
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
MGR pol rikshaw oottum
Like MGR driving a rickshaw,
Ivar irukka unakkaenyaa vaattam
When this man is here, why are you sad?
Enna venum ellaam kelu
Ask for whatever you need,
Unakku vaangi koduppaar nalla aalu
He is a good person who will buy it for you.
Saeriyilae vaazhnthirukka vanthathu saamithaan
It is God himself who has come to live in this slum,
Sorkkamunnu maaridanum yaezhainga bhoomithaan
The land of the poor must now turn into heaven.
Kannaa un kaal pattaa oorae maarum
Oh Kanna, if your feet touch this land, the whole town will transform,
Mannavan neeyintha dhesaththukku manthiriyaayidanum
You are a king, you should become the leader of this country.
Male :Antha ponmala selvana polaveththaan
Male: Just like that child of the golden mountain,
Nanmaigal pannidanum
You must do good deeds.
Kanna kannaa nee yaaradaa
Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you?
Unna peththa thaai yaaradaa
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
Nee yaar veettil pooththa rosappoovo
In whose house did you blossom, oh rose flower?
Uthama paththini peththeduththa
Are you a son of truth born to a virtuous woman,
Saththiya puththirano illa
Or are you someone
Thappitham panniya perkalukku
Born by mistake to people
Thappi poranthavano
Who committed a wrongdoing?
Neeyum naanum yaezhai saathi unakku
You and I belong to the community of the poor,
Enna vittaa yaarthaan naathi
Who else is your support besides me?
Kaalum kaiyum pothum kannaa
Having hands and legs is enough, my dear child,
Ozhaichchu paappom vaadaa naama onnaa
Come, let us work hard together.
Paadupattaa nallavannu peraiyum vaangalaam
If we toil hard, we can earn a good name,
Perai kondu neeyirukkum oorai vaangalaam
And with that reputation, we can buy the town you live in.
Nee vaazha naan vaazha kaalm undu
There is time ahead for both you and me to live well,
Kuppaiyil naanunthan kandeduththa
You are a garland of precious red beads
Kundumani saramae
That I found discarded in the trash!
Female :Intha kuppaththu mannavan thatheduththa
Female: You are a wonderful portrait adopted
Arputha chiththiramae
By this king of the slum!
Kanna kannaa nee yaaradaa
Oh Kanna, Kanna, who are you?
Unna peththa thaai yaaradaa
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
Nee yaar veettil pooththa rosappoovo
In whose house did you blossom, oh rose flower?
Uthama paththini peththeduththa
Are you a son of truth born to a virtuous woman,
Saththiya puththirano illa
Or are you someone
Thappitham panniya perkalukku
Born by mistake to people
Thappi poranthavano
Who committed a wrongdoing?
Aariraaro……aaraariro aariraaro….aaraariro….
Lullaby lullaby, aaraariro aariraaro...
Aariraaro……aaraariro aariraaro….aaraariro….
Lullaby lullaby, aaraariro aariraaro...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Thalaiyatti Bommaigal' depicts a poignant lullaby and affectionate dialogue sung to an abandoned infant found in a slum. The caretakers question the child's origin, wondering whether he was born to a virtuous mother or abandoned due to an unfortunate mistake, while showering him with unconditional love and hope for a bright future.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvuamai)
“Nee yaar veettil pooththa rosappoovey”
The abandoned infant is metaphorically compared to a rose blossom and a garland of red beads ('Kundumani sarame') found in garbage.
Cultural/Pop Reference
“MGR pol rikshaw oottum”
Reference to M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) driving a rickshaw (a famous trope from MGR's iconic movie 'Rikshawkaran') symbolizing hope and protection for the poor.
Rhyme / Alliteration (Edhugai / Monai)
“Kuppaiyil naanunthan kandeduththa / Kundumani saramae”
Use of matching sounds across consecutive words such as 'Saeriyilae' and 'Sorkkamunnu', as well as 'Kuppaiyil' and 'Kundumani'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is composed by Gangai Amaran with lyrics written by the legendary Vaali for the 1986 movie 'Thalaiyatti Bommaigal'. It highlights themes of urban poverty, social empathy, and adoption.
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