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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kulebakavali

From Vallal · 1997

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Pushpavanam Kuppusamy, Anuradha Sriram
Music director
Deva
Details
Vallal1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kulukulu kulukulu kulukuluCool and soothing, cool and soothing...
Kulukulu kulukulu kulebagavaliCool and soothing... Kulebagavali!
HaaKodhikodhikkudhu kodi pudikkudhuAh, boiling hot! Holding up the flag!
Kuthaalathu puli ….The tiger of Coutrallam...
Male
Haang haahaa haangHaang haahaa haang
Haang haahaa haangHaang haahaa haang
Male
Naan podattumaa anjalaiShall I roll the dice, Anjalai?
Ponnukkuthaan anjalaAnjalai is not afraid for the girl!
Aadattumaa paramapadham nenjilaeShall I play snakes and ladders on your heart?
Female
Haang konda vecha sevalaeHaang, oh rooster with a crest!
Kalapuriyae aavalaArtistic girl, eagerly...
Enna neeyum jayichiputta thevalaIt would be great if you win over me!
Male
Yethu poothiri adi naanLight the sparkler, oh girl! I am...
Raathiri aattathil pokkiriA rogue in the night game!
Female :Ada thalli ninnu paadaiyaaFemale: Oh man, stand back and sing!
Thaayanghala podaiyaaCast the dice!
Edhukku nikkum yaeni melaeWhy are you standing on the ladder...
Yerikittu aadaiyaaClimbing up and dancing?
Male
Haa suruli mala sittu neeHa, you bird of Suruli hills!
Seeni sakkara puttuSugar and sweet flour pudding!
Naan unna ippo thokkadippenI will defeat you now,
Vechupoma bettuShall we place a bet?
Male
Naan jeyichiputtaaIf I win,
Paavam un gadhiPity your fate!
Naan thupparinjuI will investigate and...
Solliduven motha sangadhiExpose the whole matter!
Female
Naan jeyichiputtaIf I win,
Summa nikkanumYou must just stand quiet!
Naa solla pora jodiyaThe couple I am going to name,
Nee saethu veikkanum…You must bring them together...
Male
KulebagavaliKulebagavali!
Male
Adi vaadiyamma hawalaHey girl, come on, you money broker!
Uduriyae nee savaalaYou throw open a challenge!
Sikkikittaa nikkanumae thivaalaIf caught, you'll go bankrupt!
Female
Ada aambalaiya pombalaHey, a woman will bind a man...
Mudinju vaippaa madiyilaeAnd keep him in her lap fold,
Aaravalli sooravalli kadhaiyilaJust like in the story of Aaravalli and Sooravalli!
Male
Yemma ootura enna nee mooturaeHey girl, why do you fan the flames and stir me up?
Thambattam thatturaeBeating the drums!
Female
Naan poduren paar rendu thaanLook, I am rolling a two,
Edukkuren paaru bendu thaanWatch me break your pride!
Unnudaiya kaaya naanumYour game piece...
Vettiduven thundu thaanI will cut into pieces!
Male
Adi poduthu paar moonuHey look, rolling a three,
Naan roshamulla aanuI am a man with pride!
Ne neelamaana paambhu paathuSeeing a long snake,
Nadunga pora maanuYou are a deer about to tremble!
Female
Naalu pottu mela yeruvenRolling a four, I will climb up,
En machaanaeOh my cousin/man!
Nee nadula ninnaIf you stand in the middle,
Kaala vaaruvenI will trip your legs!
Male
Naan anju pottuuRolling a five, I will...
Unna ottuvenChase and stick to you!
En kaaiyil neeyum kaiya vechaaIf you put your hand in my hand,
Thanni kaattuvenI'll show you a tough time!
Male
KulebagavaliKulebagavali!
Female
Naan aaru yelu ettu thaanSix, seven, and eight for me,
Pottuputtaa vettu thaanIf I roll them, it's a strike!
Ombadhukku bayapadumaa sittu thaanWill a tiny bird fear a nine?
Male
Adi yegaadhasi night thaanHey, it's Ekadasi night!
Enakkum unakkaum fight thaanIt's a battle between you and me!
Raathiriyil edhu senjaalum rightu thaanWhatever done at night is right!
Male
Paaru veeratha poravu yethuppaeLook at my bravery, you will praise...
Maamanin soorathaYour uncle's valor later!
Female
Nenja vandu pola kudaiyuraeYou bore into my heart like a beetle,
Thayiru pola kadaiyuraChurning me like curd!
Naadi narambil murullu yethiRaising sparks in my veins and nerves,
Paaya pola mudaiyuraWeaving me like a mat!
Male
Naan podattum paayiShall I lay down the mat?
Nee saedhi sollu thaayiTell me the news, oh lady!
Un pera solli nithamum thaanSaying your name every day,
Paatedukkum vaayiMy mouth sings songs!
Female
Naan ettu mozham vaettiyaaganumI should become an eight-cubit doti...
En maama un idupulaOh my uncle, around your waist...
Naan otti aaganumI must cling!
Male
Naan unga veettu padukkai aganumI should become the bed in your house,
En melae neeyum eppovumaeOn me always...
Paduthu thoonganumYou must lie down and sleep!
Male
KulebagavaliKulebagavali!
Male
Adi eera kaathu veesudhuHey, a damp breeze blows,
En udambhu koosudhuMy body shivers!
Vennilaavum neruppa alli poosudhuEven the moonlight smears fire on me!
Female
Enna oorangatta paakkuraeYou try to sideline me,
Udhava solli kekkuraeAsking for help!
Oosiyilae naalu nalla kokkuraeThreading four good things through a needle!
Male
Sokkaa paadurae sogusaa aaduraeYou sing neatly, you dance stylishly!
Paadhi yen mooduraeWhy do you close up halfway?
Female :Ada summa avndhu thonappureFemale: Oh, you just talk uselessly!
Sonnadha olli sodhappuraeMessing up what was said!
Vethala pola en nenappaLike betel leaves, my thoughts...
Nenjula pottu kodhappuraYou crush and chew in your heart!
Male
Naan unnudan thaan saernthuJoining with you,
Vandhu ottikitta kondhuI became gum that sticks!
Naan vovonnaaga kodupadhaWhat I give one by one,
Unkannathula yendhuReceive on your cheek!
Female
Nee summaa kedantha sanga oodhuraeYou blow the conch that was lying still!
Naan velagi ninnaWhen I move away,
Vandhu vandhu melae modhuraeYou come and bump into me repeatedly!
Male
Naan roundu adichaa kuthamilladiIf I do my rounds, there is no fault, girl,
Adi endha payalumHey, no guy is...
Raapoludhil suthamilladiPure/sober during nighttime!
Male
KulebagavaliKulebagavali!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a playful, energetic folk duet framed as a battle of wits and flirtation around a traditional board game (Paramapadham / snakes and ladders or dice game). The male and female leads trade lighthearted taunts, challenging each other's romantic claims and dominance using game metaphors like rolling dice, cutting pieces, climbing ladders, and avoiding snakes.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Naan podattumaa anjalai / Aadattumaa paramapadham

Tamil poetic device where the second letter of consecutive lines or words rhyme (e.g., 'podattumaa' and 'aadattumaa', 'sittu' and 'puttu').

Metaphor / Simile (Uwamai)

Thayiru pola kadaiyura

Comparing heart churning to curd churning ('Thayiru pola kadaiyura') and thoughts to betel leaf ('Vethala pola en nenappa').

Refrain / Onomatopoeia

Kulukulu kulukulu kulebagavali

Rhythmic catchphrase 'Kulebagavali' used repeatedly to create a catchy folk motif.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Deva for the movie 'Vallal' (1997) starring Sathyaraj and Meena, the song features vibrant folk vocals by Pushpavanam Kuppusami and Anuradha Sriram, filled with colloquial Tamil slang and folk gaming references.

Keep listening

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