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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kanne Unnaal Naan Adaiyum

From Ambikapathy (Old) · 1957

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. A. Mathuram, N. S. Krishnan
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Ambikapathy (Old)1957

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kannae kannae…Oh my eye, my eye…
Kannae unnaal naan adaiyumOh eye, because of you, the sorrow I endure
Kavalai konjamaaIs it small?
En kavalai konjamaaIs my sorrow small?
Adhai kandu summaa irukkaSeeing that and staying quiet
Unakku kallu nenjamaaDo you have a heart of stone?
Kandu summaa irukkaSeeing that and staying quiet
Unakku kallu nenjamaaDo you have a heart of stone?
Female
Yaei…Hey…
Male
Yae oo yaeiYae oo yaei
Aaha yae yaeiAaha yae yaei
Aa yaeiAa yaei
Aa yaei yaei yaei yae OAa yaei yaei yaei yae O
Female
Yaenyaa ennadhuWhy, sir, what is this?
Kannae kinnae sollureenghaYou are calling me 'Kannae' (Darling/Eye) and all that...
Male
Ada unna illammaaOh, it's not about you, ma'am!
En kanna patthi paadurenI am singing about my actual eye!
Rendu naalaa thookkamae illaI haven't slept for two days
Sadhaa arikkudhu venneeraa kottudhuIt constantly itches and pours warm water (tears)
Adhu thaan vera onnum illaThat is all, nothing else!
Female
Oho appa paaduOho! Then sing!
Male
Thangamae thangamae…Oh my gold, my gold…
Thangamae un dhayavai naan peruvenoOh gold, will I receive your grace?
Endru thaan peruvenoWhen will I ever receive it?
En angam kulira vaari anaithuEmbracing me closely to cool my body
Agam maghizhvenoWill my heart rejoice?
En angham kulira vaari anaithuEmbracing me closely to cool my body
Agam maghizhvenoWill my heart rejoice?
Female
Dhaa…Dhaa…
Male
Thaa… nthaa…Thaa… nthaa…
Aiyo nthaa… ada nthaaAiyo nthaa… ada nthaa
Aiyo inthaa inthaa tha…Aiyo inthaa inthaa tha…
Madha thaa va dhaaMadha thaa va dhaa
Female
IndhaanghaiyaaLook here, sir!
Ippo thangamennuNow you called 'Thangam' (Gold/Darling)
Sonnadhu enna thaanaeThat was definitely referring to me, right?
Male
Aiyaiyo aiyaiyo aiyaiyoAiyaiyo aiyaiyo aiyaiyo!
Idhu ennada idhu idha paarummaaWhat is this nonsense! Look here, ma'am!
Idha indha paattu paadren paaruI am singing a song, look...
Adhula pithala kaasuIn that song, brass coins
Velli kaasu varaikkum vandhirukkuUp to silver coins have been mentioned
Thangam kidaikkalaI haven't gotten gold yet!
Appadi thangam vandhuruchinnaaIf gold comes up next like that
Thangamae adhaanThat's 'Thangam'!
Female
Mmmm…paadungha paadunghaMmmm... sing, sing!
Male
Thaenae thaenae…aeHoney, honey… ae
Thaenae unnai thaedi thaediOh honey, searching and searching for you
Naan alaindhenaeI wandered about...
Naan alaindhenaeI wandered about...
Nee theriyum vazhiyilEven though you were visible on the path right ahead
Edhiril irundhumI was afraid to touch you!
Thoda bayandhenaeEven though you were visible on the path right ahead
Nee theriyum vazhiyilI was afraid to touch you!
Edhiril irundhumLook at that face!
Thoda bayandhenaeAiyaiyo, look at that face!
Female
Mogaraiya paaruLook at that face, aahaa look at that face!
Male
Aiyaiyo mogaraiya paaraaOho, look at that face!
Mogaraiya paaru aahaa mogaraiya paaruLook at that face!
Oho mogaraiya paaruAlright, oh alright!
Mogha moga mogaraiya paaruLook here, sir!
Sari o sariYou cannot change anything anymore!
Female
IndhaanghaiyaaTell me truthfully,
Innamae onnum maatha mudiyaadhuNow when you said 'Thaenae' (Honey/Sweetheart)
Sathiyamaa sollunghaYou meant me, didn't you?
Ippa thaenaennuThat wasn't you, ma'am! Look,
Enna thaanae sonneenghaI am not feeling well,
Male
Adhu unnaillammaa indhaThe doctor gave me an Ayurvedic powder (basmam),
Enakku odambu sariyillaTo mix and consume it, I need honey!
Vaithiyaru oru basmam kuduthirukkaaruAlright, but you said 'even though it was ahead,
Adha kolachi saapdaradhukku thaen vaenumI was afraid to touch',
Female
Adhu sari edhiril irundhumWhat does that mean then?
Thoda bayandhennuIt's right in front, but I can't touch it, that's why!
Sonneengalae adhukku enna arthamaamWhat?
Male
Edhirla irukku thoda mudiyala adhaanNot here,
Female
EnnadhuIn the garden, on a tree,
Male
Inga illaAt the very top, there is a honeycomb!
Thottathula oru marathulaIf I go to touch it, will it sting,
Ucheela irukku thaen kooduOr will the bees attack me?
Adhu thoda ponaa adikkumoThat is what I'm afraid of!
Illalla kothumoAahaa aahaa aahaa aahaa!
Appadinnu bayamaa irukkuWhat a brilliant brain!
Female
Aahaa aahaa aahaa aahaa
Ennaa moolai

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This humorous comedic track features a playful exchange between a male character and a female character. The male character sings poetic lines using terms of endearment like 'Kannae' (Eye/Darling), 'Thangam' (Gold/Darling), and 'Thaenae' (Honey/Sweetheart). The female character repeatedly interrupts him, accusing him of flirting with her and addressing her with romantic terms. To escape her accusations, the man clever creates literal and absurd excuses for each term—claiming 'Kannae' refers to an eye infection, 'Thangam' refers to currency coins in a song, and 'Thaenae' refers to actual honey needed for medicine from a honeycomb he fears touching. The song ends with sarcastic praise for his witty evasions.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Sleshhai (Double Entendre / Pun)

Kannae unnaal naan adaiyum / Thangamae un dhayavai / Thaenae unnai thaedi

The entire song hinges on double meanings where romantic terms of endearment ('Kannae', 'Thangam', 'Thaenae') are cleverly re-interpreted literally (eye condition, gold coins, edible honey).

Anaphora (Edhugai / Rhyming Alliteration)

Kannae unnaal naan adaiyum / Kavalai konjamaa

Repetition of initial word sound patterns across contiguous lines (e.g., Kannae, Kavalai).

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is a classic comedic musical dialogue from the 1957 Tamil film Ambikapathy, showcasing traditional Tamil comedic songwriting where wordplay and literal interpretations of poetic tropes are used to create humor.

Keep listening

More from Ambikapathy (Old)