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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kozhi Mootta Kozhi

From Chakkalathi · 1980

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singers
S. P. Sailaja, B. S. Sasirekha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Chakkalathi1980

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Kukkukku kukkoo… kukkukku kukkoo…Ku-ku-ku ku-koo... ku-ku-ku ku-koo...
Female
Pidipidipidipidi pidipidipidipidiCatch it, catch it, catch it, catch it!
Female
Adiadiadiadi adiadiadiadiHit it, hit it, hit it, hit it!
Female
Pidipidipidipidi kozhiya nee pidiCatch, catch! You go catch the chicken!
Female
Adiadiadiadi thalaiyila nee adiHit, hit! Strike it right on its head!
Female
Kozhi mutta kozhiA chicken, an egg-laying chicken,
Adha pudichaandhu kozhambu veppom vaadiCome, let's catch it and make a rich curry!
Female
Biriyaanai senju vekka aasa romba irukkuI have a great desire to cook biryani,
Thaamarangaa eeralunnaa avangalukku kirukkuAnd he is crazy about liver dishes as big as star fruit!
Female
Elumbellaam thatti podadiCrush all the bones into pieces, girl,
Thakaali saethu soup vechu yerakki vaiyadiAdd tomatoes, brew a hot soup, and take it off the stove!
Kurumaavum senju vaiyadiPrepare a spicy kurma as well,
Un raasaa vandhaa kothu kari samachu vaiyadiWhen your king arrives, cook minced meat for him!
Female
Aattu kari anju vaga naan koottu kari pathu vagaFive varieties of mutton dishes, ten varieties of mixed curry dishes,
Female
Mundhiri kotta pushtikku muttaCashew nuts and eggs for strength and nourishment,
Paaludan pisthaa paruppum irukkumThere will also be pistachio nuts served with warm milk,
Pachadi kichadi paayasam appalamPachadi, khichdi, payasam, and crispy papadams,
Maambazham maadhulam vachirukkaendiI have arranged sweet mangoes and pomegranates too, girl!
Female
Aravandi satham kaekkudhuThe rattling sound of the cart's wheel is heard,
Mani maattu chatham maerkku pakkam mella kaekkudhuThe chime of the bullock's bell is softly heard from the west,
Verasaaga vaela saeiyadiDo your work quickly, girl,
Un aathaa kitta vaazha ilai vaangi vaiyadiGet banana leaves from your mother and lay them out!
Female
Padharaadhae di parakkaadhae diDon't panic, girl, don't flutter around in a rush,
Poo choodadi paai podadiAdorn your hair with flowers and spread the sleeping mat,
Akkara seema poravar ippa ikkara vandhu saeruvadhaalaeBecause the one who went across distant shores is now arriving back here,
Mogamum thaapamum aasaiyum vaegamumLust, longing, deep desire, and passionate rush,
Vaaliba vayasula yaerudhu thaandiAre rising high in this youthful age, my girl!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic folk-style track captures the frantic and joyful hustle of rural life as women prepare a lavish feast to welcome back a loved one returning from afar. The song opens with an upbeat hunt for a chicken, detailing a mouth-watering menu of traditional Tamil non-vegetarian delicacies including biryani, liver fry, bone soup, mutton kurma, minced meat, and sweet desserts like payasam, fruits, and pistachios in milk. As the distant sound of bullock cart bells signals the traveler's arrival, the focus transitions from culinary preparations to romantic anticipation. The lyrics urge the young woman to hurry with setting the banana leaves, adorning her hair with flowers, and preparing the bed, beautifully capturing the surge of youthful passion, desire, and emotional eagerness that accompanies a long-awaited reunion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Onomatopoeia (Oli-kkurippu / Sound Mimicry)

Kukkukku kukkoo… kukkukku kukkoo…

The song starts with sound mimicry of a rooster/chicken calling ('Kukkukku kukkoo'), setting an immediate rural, farmyard tone.

Adukku Thodar (Repetition for Emphasis)

Pidipidipidipidi pidipidipidipidi

Rapid repetition of fast action verbs ('Pidipidipidipidi', 'Adiadiadiadi') conveys urgency and chaotic energy in catching the bird.

Auditory Imagery (Olinala Uvamai)

Mani maattu chatham maerkku pakkam mella kaekkudhu

Detailed sensory description of distant cart wheels and bullock bells creating a vivid sense of spatial arrival from the west.

Eyaibu (End Rhyme)

Padharaadhae di parakkaadhae di

Matching ending rhyming sounds ('Padharaadhae di parakkaadhae di') adding musical rhythm to the folk dialogue.

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Trivia

Featured in the 1980 Tamil film 'Chakkalathi' directed by Devaraj-Mohan, this song showcases lyricist Pulamaipithan's versatility in capturing raw, authentic rural Tamil dialects and traditional culinary terminology. The music was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja.

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