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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kannai Vittu

From Iru Mugan · 2016

Lyricist
Madhan Karky
Singers
Pravin, Saivu, Tippu, Srimathumitha
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
Iru Mugan2016

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaaiLeaving my eyes and touching my cheek, where did you go?
En kanneere en kanneereOh my tears, my tears!
Vaanam vittu ennai thottu neeye vanthaaiLeaving the sky and touching me, you came yourself,
En kanneere en kanneereOh my tears, my tears!
Male
Mazhaiyai andruAs refreshing rain back then,
Pizhaiyai indruAs a painful mistake today,
Nindrai nindrai penneYou stood, you stood, oh girl!
Isaiyai andruAs sweet music back then,
Kasaiyai indruAs a harsh whip today,
Kondraai kondraai pinne..You killed, you killed me later...
Female
Humming…[Humming]
Male
Innum innum ennai enna seivaai anbeWhat more and more will you do to me, my love?
Un vizhiyodu naan puthaivenoWill I remain buried within your eyes?
Kadhal indri eeram indri ponaai anbeYou left without love and without warmth, my love,
Un manadhodu naan muzhaipenoWill I ever sprout again inside your heart?
Male
Sedhilaai sedhilaai idhayam udhiraFlaking off like scales, my heart sheds,
Ulle ulle neeyeDeep inside, deep inside, it is still you.
Thugalai thugalai ninaivo sidharaShattering like tiny particles, my memories fragment,
Nenjam ellam nee keerinaayeYou scratched and scarred my entire heart.
Male
Thani ulaginil unakena naanumIn a solitary world, I existed for you,
Oor uravena enakena neeyumAs my sole relationship, you existed for me.
Azhagai poothidum en vaanamaiLike my sky blooming with beauty,
Neeye therinthaayeYou appeared to me.
Male
Kanavil initha neeYou who were so sweet in my dreams,
Yen nijathileWhy in my reality,
Kasanthaai pinbaeDid you turn bitter later?
Female
Humming…[Humming]
Male
Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaaiLeaving my eyes and touching my cheek, where did you go?
En kanneere en kanneereOh my tears, my tears!
Vaanam vittu ennai thottu neeye vanthaaiLeaving the sky and touching me, you came yourself,
En kanneere en kanneere…Oh my tears, my tears...
Male
Mazhaiyai andruAs refreshing rain back then,
Pizhaiyai indruAs a painful mistake today,
Nindrai nindrai penneYou stood, you stood, oh girl!
Isaiyai andruAs sweet music back then,
Kasaiyai indruAs a harsh whip today,
Kondraai kondraai pinne..pineeYou killed, you killed me later...
Female
humming…[Humming]
Female
Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaaiLeaving my eyes and touching my cheek, where did you go?
{Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaai{Leaving my eyes and touching my cheek, where did you go?
Vaanam vittu ennai thottu neeye vanthaai} (2)Leaving the sky and touching me, you came yourself} (2)

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Kannai Vittu' portrays the deep sorrow and yearning of a lover suffering from grief and heartbreak. The protagonist metaphorically compares his beloved to a tear—something born within the eye, tracing down the cheek, and slipping away. The lyrics reflect on how the beloved's presence once felt like soothing rain and divine music, but now feels like a tragic mistake and a painful whip. Through rich imagery of shedding scales, fragmented memories, and bitter reality, the protagonist grieves the lost affection and questions why a sweet dream transformed into such agony.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaai / En kanneere en kanneere

The lover is directly metaphorized as a tear ('En kanneere') falling from the eye to the cheek, symbolizing both deep affection and sorrow.

Antithesis / Juxtaposition (Maranbaatu Todar)

Isaiyai andru / Kasaiyai indru

Contrasts the joy of the past with the agony of the present using opposing imagery like rain vs. mistake ('Mazhaiyai' vs. 'Pizhaiyai') and music vs. whip ('Isaiyai' vs. 'Kasaiyai').

Second-letter Rhyme (Ethirayi)

Kannai vittu... / Vaanam vittu...

The second consonant sound 'nn' matches across the words 'Kannai' and 'Vaanam' in corresponding line structures.

Repetition (Anudhadhi / Epizeuxis)

Sedhilaai sedhilaai idhayam udhira

The repetition of words like 'Innum innum', 'Sedhilaai sedhilaai', and 'Ulle ulle' heightens the emotional intensity of the pain.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kannai Vittu' is a soulful track from the 2016 Tamil sci-fi action thriller 'Iru Mugan', composed by Harris Jayaraj and written by lyricist Madhan Karky. The song's wordplay uses linguistic contrasts to highlight the passage of time from sweet love to betrayal.

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