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Jigarthanda album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kannamma

From Jigarthanda · 2016

Lyricist
Muthamil
Singers
Rita, Anthony Daasan
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Movie name
Jigarthanda
Movie release year
2016
Lyrics added on
13 Sept 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Amaaa….
Peb bab bae pae pae peb bab peb bae
Ohh….
Peb bab bae pae pae peb bab peb bae
Kannamma kannamma
Kadhalichaalaam
Kaalaikku kanna kattunaa
Chinnadhaa chinnadha
Poothichi poovaa
Poga poga jallikattuthaan
Othaikkiliyae…
Chorus :Sokki kichchu
Female :Viththa puliyae
Sikki kichchu
Ullathila vedhaiya pottutaan
Chorus :Aamaa
Female :Ivan uratha pottu
Vera valarthuttaan
Chorus :Aamaa
Kaalam podum
Indha kaadhal kolam
Idhu kaththadichaa
Saayum paalam
Chorus :Aamaa
Kannamma kannamma
Kadhalichaalaam
Kaalaikku kanna kattunaa
Chinnadhaa chinnadha
Poothichi poovaa
Poga poga jallikattuthaan
Chorus :Aamaa….
Paa paa paah paa paah
Pab bab pap baa
Paa paa paah paa paah paah
Pab bab pap baa
Paa paa pab bab pab bab paa paa
Pab bab paa paa paah paah paa paa
Oththikkaithaan paathukkuran
Uthama raasa
Chorus :Aamaa
Oththa kaalil ninnukuraa
Sevvandhi lesa
Chorus :Aamaa
Pakkuvathil naadagam
Nadakkudhu
Chorus :Aamaa
Female :Paduthukka kaathirukku
Sikkittaan sikkittaan
Selaikku noolaa
Serthula poova nattutaan
Kannamma kannamma
Kadhalichaalaam
Kaalaikku kanna kattunaa
Chinnadhaa chinnadha
Poothichi poovaa
Poga poga jallikattuthaan
Kannamma kannamma
Chorus :Aamaa
Sikkitten
{Nenjukulla parava
Parakkudhu
Chorus :Aamaa
Neruppu kooda
Vizhichi nadakkudhu
Chorus :Aamaa} (2)
Othaikkiliyae
Aamaa …sokki kichchu
Viththa puliyae
Aamaa… sikki kichchu
Kannamma..
Oh yes...
Pep pap pe pe pe pep pap pep pe
Oh...
Pep pap pe pe pe pep pap pep pe
Kannamma, Kannamma,
fell in love, they say!
She blindfolded the wild bull!
Little by little,
it bloomed like a flower,
and as it went on, it turned into Jallikattu (a fierce bull run)!
The lone parrot...
Chorus: ...is completely enchanted!
Female: The clever tiger...
...is trapped now!
He sowed a seed in her heart,
Chorus: Oh yes!
Female: He added fertilizer,
and made the roots grow deep!
Chorus: Oh yes!
Drawn by time,
this pattern of love,
when the strong winds blow,
becomes a shaking bridge!
Chorus: Oh yes!
Kannamma, Kannamma,
fell in love, they say!
She blindfolded the wild bull!
Little by little,
it bloomed like a flower,
and as it went on, it turned into Jallikattu (a fierce bull run)!
Chorus: Oh yes...!
Pa pa pah pa pah
Pap pap pap pa
Pa pa pah pa pah pah
Pap pap pap pa
Pa pa pap pap pap pap pa pa
Pap pap pa pa pah pah pa pa
'I am just doing a rehearsal,'
my noble prince!
Chorus: Oh yes!
Standing on one foot in anticipation,
is the gentle Sevanthi flower!
Chorus: Oh yes!
Right on cue, a drama
is playing out!
Chorus: Oh yes!
Female: Waiting to settle down,
he got caught, he got caught,
like thread woven into a saree,
he planted a flower in the mud!
Kannamma, Kannamma,
fell in love, they say!
She blindfolded the wild bull!
Little by little,
it bloomed like a flower,
and as it went on, it turned into Jallikattu (a fierce bull run)!
Kannamma, Kannamma!
Chorus: Oh yes!
I am trapped!
{Inside my heart, a bird
is taking flight,
Chorus: Oh yes!
and even the fire
wakes up and walks about!
Chorus: Oh yes!} (2)
The lone parrot...
Yes... was completely enchanted!
The clever tiger...
Yes... is trapped now!
Kannamma...
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Kannamma from the film Jigarthanda (2014) is a whimsical, lively track that describes the chaotic, unpredictable nature of love. The song begins with sweet imagery of romance blossoming gently like a flower, but rapidly escalates into a metaphor for Jallikattu—a high-stakes bull-taming sport—showing how intense, wild, and consuming love can become.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Poga poga jallikattuthaan

Compares the wild and uncontrollable nature of falling in love to the dangerous rural traditional bull-taming sport (Jallikattu).

Alliteration (Monaai)

Kaalaikku kanna kattunaa

Repetition of the 'Ka' sound across consecutive words creating rhythmic flow.

Juxtaposition / Antithesis

Poothichi poovaa / Poga poga jallikattuthaan

Contrasts the delicate blooming of a flower ('poothichi poovaa') with the aggression and chaos of bull taming ('jallikattuthaan').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Santhosh Narayanan and written by Muthamil, 'Kannamma' blends traditional Tamil folk imagery with modern jazz scatting and acoustic guitar. The song perfectly encapsulates the quirky, dark comedic mood of Karthik Subbaraj's critically acclaimed film Jigarthanda.

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