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En Bommakutty Ammavukku album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kuyile Kuyile Male

From En Bommakutty Ammavukku · 1988

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singer
K. J. Yesudas
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
En Bommakutty Ammavukku
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
12 May 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kuyilae kuyilae kuyilakkaa
Koottukkullae yaarakkaa
Kuyilae kuyilae kuyilakkaa
Koottukkullae yaarakkaa
Solladi solladi munnae
En sundhara senthamizh pennae
Mellisai paadadi kannae
En muthu muthu pasum ponnae
Kuyilae kuyilae kuyilakkaa
Koottukkullae yaarakkaa
Kuyilae kuyilae…
{Kaatru vandhu meetti vidum
Aatril pala nooru swaram
Kettu ilam kaadhal manam
Vaanam varai yeri varum} (2)
Onnaa rendaa sangeetham
Kandaal sugam undaagum
Undhan isai poovaagum
Endhan manam vandaagum
Kanmani pennae
Vandhidu munnae
Kanmani pennae paaradiyo
En nilai konjam keladiyo
Indru varai unnai vittaal
En thunai yaaradiyo
Kuyilae kuyilae kuyilakkaa
Koottukkullae yaarakkaa
Kuyilae kuyilae…
{Raagam thottu maalai katti
Thollil dhinam pottu vaippen
Thaalam thatti nenjukkullae
Naanum unnai pootti vaippen} (2)
Paadum kuyil paattellaam
Paavai kural pol yedhu
Naalum isai kettaalae
Dhaagam pasi thonaadhu
Kukkukku kukkoo
Mettu kalandhu
Sonnadhu enna raagathilae
Sokki vizhundhen mogathilae
Kan maniyae pon maniyae
En ullam sorgatthilae
Kuyilae kuyilae kuyilakkaa
Koottukkullae yaarakkaa
Solladi solladi munnae
En sundhara senthamizh pennae
Mellisai paadadi kannae
En muthu muthu pasum ponnae
Kuyilae kuyilae kuyilakkaa
Koottukkullae yaarakkaa
Kuyilae kuyilae…
O cuckoo, dear sister cuckoo,
Who is inside that nest?
O cuckoo, dear sister cuckoo,
Who is inside that nest?
Tell me, oh tell me first,
My beautiful girl of sweet Tamil!
Sing a gentle melody, my darling,
My precious pearl, my pure gold!
O cuckoo, dear sister cuckoo,
Who is inside that nest?
O cuckoo, O cuckoo...
When the breeze comes and strums
Hundreds of notes upon the river,
Hearing them, the young loving heart
Soars all the way to the sky.
Is music just one or two notes?
Experiencing it brings pure joy.
Your music becomes a flower,
And my heart becomes a honeybee.
My precious darling girl,
Come here before me.
My precious darling, look at me,
Listen to my heart's plight.
To this day, apart from you,
Who else is my companion?
O cuckoo, dear sister cuckoo,
Who is inside that nest?
O cuckoo, O cuckoo...
Weaving a garland out of musical notes,
I will place it on your shoulders every day.
Keeping time to the beat inside my chest,
I will lock you safely in my heart.
Among all the songs that cuckoos sing,
What could ever match this young girl's voice?
If I can listen to this music each day,
I will never feel hunger or thirst.
Kuk-ku-ku, kuk-koo...
Blending with the melody,
What did you say in that tune?
I fell completely spellbound in love!
My precious gem, my golden treasure,
My heart is truly in heaven!
O cuckoo, dear sister cuckoo,
Who is inside that nest?
Tell me, oh tell me first,
My beautiful girl of sweet Tamil!
Sing a gentle melody, my darling,
My precious pearl, my pure gold!
O cuckoo, dear sister cuckoo,
Who is inside that nest?
O cuckoo, O cuckoo...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Kuyilae Kuyilae' from the 1988 film 'En Bommakutty Ammavukku' is a joyous and romantic melody expressed through nature-filled metaphors. The protagonist addresses a cuckoo bird, using it as a messenger or symbolic metaphor to call out to his beloved, praising her pure Tamil beauty and sweet voice. He compares her voice to music that transcends worldly hunger and thirst, creating an ethereal paradise for his heart. Throughout the track, nature and musical elements—wind, river currents, ragas, swaras, and honeybees—intertwine to portray the blissful depth of young love. The song highlights how music elevates love to heavenly heights, celebrating devotion and tender affection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Apostrophe & Personification

“Kuyilae kuyilae kuyilakkaa”

Addressing the cuckoo bird ('Kuyilae kuyilakkaa') as a person/sister to convey love messages.

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Urvagathal)

“Undhan isai poovaagum / Endhan manam vandaagum”

Comparing the song to a flower ('poovaagum') and the lover's heart to a bee ('vandaagum').

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“En sundhara senthamizh pennae / Mellisai paadadi kannae”

Matching second consonants in Tamil poetic structure across consecutive lines ('sundhara' / 'mellisai' / 'muthu').

Alliteration (Monaai)

“Kukkukku kukkoo”

Repetition of initial consonants like 'k' in 'Kukkukku kukkoo'.

Did you know?

Trivia

'En Bommakutty Ammavukku' (1988) was directed by Fazil and featured music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Gangai Amaran. The film was a remake of Fazil's own acclaimed Malayalam movie 'Ente Sooryaputhrikku' / 'Nokkethadhoothu Kannum Nattu'. The song features vocals by K. S. Chithra and Malaysia Vasudevan.

Keep listening

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Kuyile Kuyile Duet1988
En Bommakutty AmmavukkuAttractionRomantic
Oru Iniya Manadhu Isaiyai1980
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Siru Kootula Ulla Kuyilukku1989
Paandi Nattu ThangamMusic And DanceNature
Ezhisai Geethame Male1986
Rasigan Oru RasigaiMusic And DanceBeauty
Kanavil Midhakkum1982
Eera Vizhi KaaviyangalMusic And DanceBeauty
Mama Nee Mama1996
Ullathai AllithaMusic And DanceDevotion

From the same album

More songs from En Bommakutty Ammavukku

View album
Kuyile Kuyile Duet1988
En Bommakutty AmmavukkuRomantic
Uyire Uyirin1988
En Bommakutty AmmavukkuTender
Chitra Chittugal1988
En Bommakutty AmmavukkuTender
En Patharamathu1988
En Bommakutty AmmavukkuPlayful
Kanne Navamaniye1988
En Bommakutty AmmavukkuSorrowful
En Bommu Kutti Ammavukku1988
En Bommakutty AmmavukkuTender

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