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Lyrics & meaning

Kannukku Nee Oru

From Ullathil Kuzhanthaiyadi · 1978

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Vani Jairam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Ullathil Kuzhanthaiyadi1978

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Kannukku neeyoru kanniponnuTo the eyes, you are a maiden girl,
En karuththukku nee verum pachai mannuTo my mind, you are just innocent raw clay.
Kannukku neeyoru kanniponnuTo the eyes, you are a maiden girl,
En karuththukku nee verum pachai mannuTo my mind, you are just innocent raw clay.
Female
Unnadiyo soru unnadiyoWon't you eat your food?
Ottaaram pannuvathennadiyoWhy are you throwing such a tantrum?
Nee ottaaram pannuvathennadiyoWhy are you throwing such a tantrum?
Female
Kannukku neeyoru kanniponnuTo the eyes, you are a maiden girl,
En karuththukku nee verum pachai mannuTo my mind, you are just innocent raw clay.
Female
Unnadiyo soru unnadiyoWon't you eat your food?
Ottaaram pannuvathennadiyoWhy are you throwing such a tantrum?
Nee ottaaram pannuvathennadiyoWhy are you throwing such a tantrum?
Male
Vannachampaa kuththi soraakkiPounding fine colorful Samba rice to cook rice,
Vaalai meen thundaththai saaraakkiMaking curry out of ribbonfish slices,
Vannachampaa kuththi soraakkiPounding fine colorful Samba rice to cook rice,
Vaalai meen thundaththai saaraakkiMaking curry out of ribbonfish slices,
Male
Vanjamariyaatha penn unakkuFor you, a girl who knows no deceit,
Vanjara meenum porichchirukkuDelicious kingfish has also been fried.
Nalla vanjara meenum porichchirukkuGood kingfish has also been fried.
Female
Unnadiyo soru unnadiyoWon't you eat your food?
Ottaaram pannuvathennadiyoWhy are you throwing such a tantrum?
Nee ottaaram pannuvathennadiyoWhy are you throwing such a tantrum?
Female
Uruvaththil neeyyoru sengarumbuIn physical appearance, you are like sweet sugarcane,
Ullaththil chinna chiru arumbuIn your heart, you are a tiny little flower bud.
Uruvaththil neeyyoru sengarumbuIn physical appearance, you are like sweet sugarcane,
Ullaththil chinna chiru arumbuIn your heart, you are a tiny little flower bud.
Nee odiyaadi pannum akkurumbuThe mischievous antics you run around and do,
Intha ulamariyaa pillai kurumbuThis is innocent, childlike prankish behavior.
Intha ulamariyaa pillai kurumbuThis is innocent, childlike prankish behavior.
Male
Kannukku neeyoru kanniponnuTo the eyes, you are a maiden girl,
En karuththukku nee verum pachai mannuTo my mind, you are just innocent raw clay.
Female
Unnadiyo soru unnadiyoWon't you eat your food?
Ottaaram pannuvathennadiyoWhy are you throwing such a tantrum?
Nee ottaaram pannuvathennadiyoWhy are you throwing such a tantrum?
Male
Pinjil pazhukkindra kaalamadiThis is an era where people ripen before their time,
Pathinanjil idhu enna kolamadiAt fifteen, what kind of state is this?
Pinjil pazhukkindra kaalamadiThis is an era where people ripen before their time,
Pathinanjil idhu enna kolamadiAt fifteen, what kind of state is this?
Ennai sanjalaththukku aalaakkuthadiIt plunges me into distress and anxiety.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Kannukku Neeyoru Kanniponnu' captures an affectionate dialogue coaxing a young girl to eat her food despite her stubborn tantrums. The speaker notes the contrast between her growing physical appearance—a young woman of fifteen—and her underlying childlike innocence. Comparing her to raw clay and an unopened flower bud, the singer highlights her pure heart devoid of deceit while lightheartedly worrying about her growing precociousness. To entice her, a sumptuous meal featuring pounded Samba rice, ribbonfish curry, and fried kingfish is prepared. The song beautifully blends paternal/guardian love, gentle teasing, and traditional rural Tamil domestic imagery through lyrical simplicity and melodic warmth.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

En karuththukku nee verum pachai mannu

Refers to the girl's pure, uncorrupted innocence using 'pachai mannu' (raw, unbaked clay).

Contrast / Antithesis

Uruvaththil neeyyoru sengarumbu / Ullaththil chinna chiru arumbu

Contrasts outward physical maturity ('sengarumbu' - sweet sugarcane) with internal childish innocence ('chinna chiru arumbu' - tiny flower bud).

Tamil Idiom (Pazhamozhi / Marabu)

Pinjil pazhukkindra kaalamadi

'Pinjil pazhukkindra' is a traditional Tamil idiom referring to precociousness or maturing before one's appropriate time.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme / Assonance)

Vanjamariyaatha penn unakku / Vanjara meenum porichchirukku

Wordplay pairing 'Vanjam' (deceit) with 'Vanjara' (Kingfish) for poetic rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by the dynamic duo Shankar-Ganesh for the 1978 movie 'Ullathil Kuzhanthaiyadi', this song features lyrics by legendary poet A. Maruthakasi. Sung by veteran singers Seerkazhi Govindarajan and Vani Jairam, the track is renowned for its charming rural flavor and authentic Tamil culinary references such as 'Vannachampaa' rice and 'Vanjaram' fish.

Keep listening

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