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Lyrics & meaning

Kokkarichu Koodu Paayum

From Vijayapuri Veeran · 1960

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
L. R. Eswari, S. C. Krishnan, T. V. Rathinam
Music director
T. R. Pappa
Details
Vijayapuri Veeran1960

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Haa..aaaa..aaa..aa..Haa..aaaa..aaa..aa..
Male
Kokkarichu koodu paayum killadingaWe are clever ones who can cluck and leap into nests!
Ingae vakkarikkum velai edhuvum selladhungaYour tricky tricks won't work here!
Kokkarichu koodu paayum killadingaWe are clever ones who can cluck and leap into nests!
Ingae vakkarikkum velai edhuvum selladhungaYour tricky tricks won't work here!
Female
Sakkalathi pechai kettu thullathingaDon't jump in joy listening to the words of the co-wife!
Indha sakkalathi pechai kettu thulladhingaDon't jump in joy listening to the words of this co-wife!
Indha sakkarai kasakudhunnu solladhingaDon't say that this sugar tastes bitter!
Indha sakkarai kasukudhunnu solladhingaDon't say that this sugar tastes bitter!
Female
Andha vakkanai kaariyaiThat cunning, articulate woman...
Kandu sokkathinga...don't get entranced by seeing her!
Ava pakkathila kooda neenga nikkathingaDon't even stand near her!
Female
Andha vakkanai kaariyaiThat cunning, articulate woman...
Kandu sokkathinga...don't get entranced by seeing her!
Ava pakkathila kooda neenga nikkathingaDon't even stand near her!
Male
Adi kannama ponnammaOh Kannamma, my golden woman!
ennama pannuvenWhat on earth can I do?
Kambathila rendu yaanai kattadhingaDon't tie two elephants to a single pole!
Oru kambathila rendu yaanai kattadhingaDon't tie two elephants to a single pole!
Ennai sandhiyila kondu vandhu vittalungaShe has brought me out to the crossroads and left me stranded!
Ennai sandhiyila kondu vandhu vittalungaShe has brought me out to the crossroads and left me stranded!
Male
Hmm adhu vakkarikkumHmm, that one acts tricky...
Idhu kokkarikkum vakkarikkumThis one clucks and acts tricky!
Kokkarichu koodu paayum killadingaWe are clever ones who can cluck and leap into nests!
Ingae vakkarikkum velai edhuvum selladhungaYour tricky tricks won't work here!
Female
Kaadhalichu thaali potta kanna kannaOh Kanna, who loved me and tied the sacred thali around my neck!
Ennai kaadhalichu thaali potta kanna kannaOh Kanna, who loved me and tied the sacred thali around my neck!
Ippo kavanikathiruppadhu enna ennaWhy are you ignoring me like this now?
Ippo kavanikathiruppadhu enna ennaWhy are you ignoring me like this now?
Female
En kattazhagil aasai vecha kanna kannaOh Kanna, who once desired my striking beauty!
Adhu kandavudan veruppadhu enna ennaWhy do you turn away with disgust the moment you see it now?
En kattazhagil aasai vecha kanna kannaOh Kanna, who once desired my striking beauty!
Adhu kandavudan veruppadhu enna ennaWhy do you turn away with disgust the moment you see it now?
Male
Adi kannama ponnammaOh Kannamma, my golden woman!
ennama pannuvenWhat on earth can I do?
Kambathila rendu yaanai kattadhingaDon't tie two elephants to a single pole!
Oru kambathila rendu yaanai kattadhingaDon't tie two elephants to a single pole!
Ennai sandhiyilae kondu vandhu vittalungaThey brought me out to the public crossroads and abandoned me!
Ennai sandhiyilae kondu vandhu vittalungaThey brought me out to the public crossroads and abandoned me!
Male
Kokkarikkum adhu vakkarikkumThat one clucks and acts tricky...
Idhu kokkarikkum vakkarikkumThis one clucks and acts tricky!
Kokkarichu koodu paayum killadingaWe are clever ones who can cluck and leap into nests!
Ingae vakkarikkum velai edhuvum selladhungaYour tricky tricks won't work here!
Kokkarichu koodu paayum killadingaWe are clever ones who can cluck and leap into nests!
Ingae vakkarikkum velai edhuvum selladhungaYour tricky tricks won't work here!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This humorous and lively dialogue song from the 1960 movie 'Vijayapuri Veeran' features a classic comedic trope: a husband caught between two competing wives or lovers. The women boast about their cleverness, warning him not to fall for the other's sweet-talking tricks, while calling each other 'sakkalathi' (co-wife). Meanwhile, the bewildered husband laments his predicament, comparing managing two wives to tying two elephants to a single pole, which leaves him stranded in embarrassing public dilemmas.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor / Analogy (உவமை/உருவகம்)

Oru kambathila rendu yaanai kattadhinga

Comparing managing two women in one's life to tying two giant elephants to a single pole ('Oru kambathila rendu yaanai kattadhinga').

Rhyme / Alliteration (எதுகை / மோனை)

Indha sakkalathi pechai kettu thulladhinga / Indha sakkarai kasukudhunnu solladhinga

Use of internal rhyming and rhythmic repetition between 'Kokkarichu' and 'vakkarikkum', as well as 'Sakkalathi' and 'sakkarai'.

Idiom / Colloquial Metaphor (வழக்குத் தொடர்)

Ennai sandhiyila kondu vandhu vittalunga

'Sandhiyila kondu vandhu vidudhal' is a traditional Tamil idiom meaning to expose someone's private troubles to public humiliation or bring them to the crossroads.

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Trivia

'Vijayapuri Veeran' (1960) was a popular swashbuckling Tamil action-adventure film based on Alexandre Dumas's 'The Three Musketeers'. The music was composed by T. R. Pappa, and lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass was widely celebrated for writing folk-flavored, catchy comedic songs like this one.

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