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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kannukku Azhaga

From Aval Yaar · 1959

Lyricist
V. Seetharaman
Singers
Jikki, T. V. Rathinam
Music director
S. Rajeswara Rao
Movie name
Aval Yaar
Movie release year
1959
Lyrics added on
18 Mar 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aa….aa….aa….aa…
Kannukkazhakaaga pengalai padaiththuvittaan
Kadavul endroru kai thaerntha sirpiyavan
Enni parththaalo kanniyargal azhagaalae
Eththanaiyo thunbangal irukkuthu adhanaalae
Veedhiyil povathu kidaiyaathu
Entha velaiyum seithida mudiyaathu
Aaa….aa….aa…
Kollum vizhiyaal endrae
Sollugindraar ellorum
Lesaaga en paarvai pattu aasaami
Close aagi vittaalo
Adhanaalae
Veedhiyil povathu kidaiyaathu
Entha velaiyum seithida mudiyaathu
Muththukkalaam En parkalendru
Eththanaiyo per sonnaargal
Paarththavargal maalai katta
En pallai thatti vittaalo
Adhanaalae
Veedhiyil povathu kidaiyaathu
Entha velaiyum seithida mudiyaathu
Maan vizhiyaal kili mozhiyaal
Vannadanaiya koondhaludaiyaal
Kuyilaaga paaduvaal mayilaaga aaduvaal
Pidiyaanai nadaiyaal
Endrae pesugiraar emai kandae
Vishayamariyaathavar kankaatchi saalaiyilae
Emmai adaiththuvittaalo adhanaalaethan
Veedhiyil povathu kidaiyaathu
Entha velaiyum seithida mudiyaathu
Veedhiyil povathu kidaiyaathu
Entha velaiyum seithida mudiyaathu
Aa... aa... aa... aa...
He created women to be pleasing to the eyes—
God, that master sculptor.
Yet when you think about it, because of a woman's beauty,
so many troubles arise...
I don't go out into the street,
I can't do any work at all!
Aa... aa... aa...
"She has killer eyes,"
is what everyone says.
What if just a slight glance from me hits a fellow,
and he drops dead on the spot?
That is why...
I don't go out into the street,
I can't do any work at all!
"Her teeth are like pearls,"
so many people have said.
What if someone who sees them tries to string a necklace
and knocks out my teeth?
That is why...
I don't go out into the street,
I can't do any work at all!
"Eyes like a deer, voice like a parrot,
hair as dark as a bee,
singing like a cuckoo, dancing like a peacock,
walking with the grace of an elephant"—
that is how they talk whenever they see me!
What if clueless fools at an exhibition
lock me up inside? That is why,
I don't go out into the street,
I can't do any work at all!
I don't go out into the street,
I can't do any work at all!
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This humorous and playful Tamil song from the 1959 movie 'Aval Yaar' features women lightheartedly lamenting the exaggerated compliments they receive regarding their beauty. They joke about the extreme consequences of poetically hyperbolic praise—such as their 'killer eyes' literally ending someone's life, onlookers knocking out their 'pearl-like teeth' to make jewelry, or being locked in an exhibition due to their rare beauty. As a result, they comically claim they cannot even step onto the street or do any daily work. Through witty lyrics and lively music composed by S. Rajeswararao, the song satirizes poetic cliches about female beauty in Tamil literature and film music.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor / Simile (Upamai)

Muththukkalaam En parkalendru

The lyricist uses poetic comparisons standard in classical literature (pearls for teeth, deer for eyes, parrot for voice, peacock for dance, clouds for hair) in a satirical context.

Hyperbole (Uyirvu Navirtchi Ani)

Close aagi vittaalo

Exaggerated comic anxiety about poetic compliments causing dramatic real-world consequences like being put in an exhibition or causing someone to drop dead.

Refrain / Anaphora

Veedhiyil povathu kidaiyaathu / Entha velaiyum seithida mudiyaathu

Repetition of the core complaint throughout the song after each comical scenario to reinforce the thematic humor.

Did you know?

Trivia

An early example of Tanglish (Tamil-English blend) in 1950s cinema lyrics, using the English word 'close' in a Tamil lyric for comedic effect ('close aagi vittaalo').

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