Kuyile Kuyile
From Kadhal Oviyam · 1982
- Lyricist
- Panchu Arunachalam
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Kadhal Oviyam1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kuyilae kuyilae | Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird, |
| Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho | Won't your sweet songs be heard again? |
| Female | |
| Kuyilae kuyilae | Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird, |
| Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho | Won't your sweet songs be heard again? |
| Kuyilae kuyilae | Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird, |
| Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho | Won't your sweet songs be heard again? |
| Male | |
| Uyirae uravae | Oh my life, my dearest kin, |
| Andha kaalangal vaaratho | Won't those cherished times return? |
| Female | |
| Kuyilae kuyilae | Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird, |
| Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho | Won't your sweet songs be heard again? |
| Female | |
| Aaaa….aaa….aaa… | Ah... ah... ah... |
| {Vaanaththu nilavai thannerilae | {To imprison the sky's moon in water, |
| Siraivaitha kadhai than | That tragic tale is indeed |
| Un kadhaiyae} (2) | Your very story} (2) |
| Male | |
| Vizhigal irundhum | Despite having eyes, |
| Unai kaanamal sugam yethu | What pleasure is there without seeing you? |
| Azagae malarae varuvaaiyaa | Oh beautiful one, oh blossom, will you come? |
| Female :Aaa….aaa…. | Female: Ah... ah... |
| Male | |
| Kuyilae kuyilae | Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird, |
| Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho | Won't your sweet songs be heard again? |
| Female | |
| Seerkonda kavithai | A well-structured poem |
| Kalaindhadhamma | Has fallen apart, my dear, |
| Naan kanda kanavum | And the dream that I had envisioned |
| Maranindhadhamma | Has faded into darkness, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Seerkonda kavithai | A well-structured poem |
| Kalaindhadhamma | Has fallen apart, my dear, |
| Naan kanda kanavum | And the dream that I had envisioned |
| Maranindhadhamma | Has faded into darkness, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Salangai isayai | The sweet music of dancing anklets, |
| Naan ketkindra kaalam yethu | When will come the time for me to hear it again? |
| Female :Ninaivil unai naan | Female: In my memories, would I ever |
| Marapena…aa… | Forget you... ah... |
| Male | |
| Aaa…..aaa…. | Ah... ah... |
| Kuyilae kuyilae | Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird, |
| Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho | Won't your sweet songs be heard again? |
| Female | |
| Uyirae uravae | Oh my life, my dearest kin, |
| Andha kaalangal vaaratho | Won't those cherished times return? |
| Male | |
| Kuyilae kuyilae | Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird, |
| Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho | Won't your sweet songs be heard again? |
மற்றும் எஸ். ஜானகி
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
குயிலே குயிலே
உந்தன் கீதங்கள் கேட்காதோ
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
குயிலே குயிலே
உந்தன் கீதங்கள் கேட்காதோ
குயிலே குயிலே
உந்தன் கீதங்கள் கேட்காதோ
Oh my life, my dearest kin,
Won't those cherished times return?
உயிரே உறவே
அந்த காலங்கள் வாராதோ
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
குயிலே குயிலே
உந்தன் கீதங்கள் கேட்காதோ
Ah... ah... ah...
{To imprison the sky's moon in water,
That tragic tale is indeed
Your very story} (2)
ஆஆ....ஆஅ....ஆஅ...
{வானத்து நிலவை தண்ணீரிலே
சிறைவைத்த கதை தான்
உன் கதையே} (2)
Despite having eyes,
What pleasure is there without seeing you?
Oh beautiful one, oh blossom, will you come?
Female: Ah... ah...
விழிகள் இருந்தும்
உன்னை காணாமல் சுகம் ஏது
அழகே மலரே வருவாயா
ஆஅ....ஆஅ....
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
குயிலே குயிலே
உந்தன் கீதங்கள் கேட்காதோ
A well-structured poem
Has fallen apart, my dear,
And the dream that I had envisioned
Has faded into darkness, my dear.
சீர்கொண்ட கவிதை
கலைந்ததம்மா
நான் கண்ட கனவும்
மறைந்ததம்மா
A well-structured poem
Has fallen apart, my dear,
And the dream that I had envisioned
Has faded into darkness, my dear.
சீர்கொண்ட கவிதை
கலைந்ததம்மா
நான் கண்ட கனவும்
மறைந்ததம்மா
The sweet music of dancing anklets,
When will come the time for me to hear it again?
Female: In my memories, would I ever
Forget you... ah...
சலங்கை இசையை
நான் கேட்கின்ற காலம் எது
நினைவில் உன்னை நான்
மறப்பேனா...ஆ...
Ah... ah...
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
ஆஅ....ஆஅ....
குயிலே குயிலே
உந்தன் கீதங்கள் கேட்காதோ
Oh my life, my dearest kin,
Won't those cherished times return?
உயிரே உறவே
அந்த காலங்கள் வாராதோ
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
குயிலே குயிலே
உந்தன் கீதங்கள் கேட்காதோ
Kuyilae kuyilae
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
Kuyilae kuyilae
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
Kuyilae kuyilae
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
Uyirae uravae
Oh my life, my dearest kin,
Andha kaalangal vaaratho
Won't those cherished times return?
Kuyilae kuyilae
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
Aaaa….aaa….aaa…
Ah... ah... ah...
{Vaanaththu nilavai thannerilae
{To imprison the sky's moon in water,
Siraivaitha kadhai than
That tragic tale is indeed
Un kadhaiyae} (2)
Your very story} (2)
Vizhigal irundhum
Despite having eyes,
Unai kaanamal sugam yethu
What pleasure is there without seeing you?
Azagae malarae varuvaaiyaa
Oh beautiful one, oh blossom, will you come?
Female :Aaa….aaa….
Female: Ah... ah...
Kuyilae kuyilae
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
Seerkonda kavithai
A well-structured poem
Kalaindhadhamma
Has fallen apart, my dear,
Naan kanda kanavum
And the dream that I had envisioned
Maranindhadhamma
Has faded into darkness, my dear.
Seerkonda kavithai
A well-structured poem
Kalaindhadhamma
Has fallen apart, my dear,
Naan kanda kanavum
And the dream that I had envisioned
Maranindhadhamma
Has faded into darkness, my dear.
Salangai isayai
The sweet music of dancing anklets,
Naan ketkindra kaalam yethu
When will come the time for me to hear it again?
Female :Ninaivil unai naan
Female: In my memories, would I ever
Marapena…aa…
Forget you... ah...
Aaa…..aaa….
Ah... ah...
Kuyilae kuyilae
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
Uyirae uravae
Oh my life, my dearest kin,
Andha kaalangal vaaratho
Won't those cherished times return?
Kuyilae kuyilae
Oh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird,
Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho
Won't your sweet songs be heard again?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Kuyilae Kuyilae' from the movie Kadhal Oviyam expresses deep grief, nostalgia, and yearning for a lost lover. The protagonist metaphorically addresses his beloved as a sweet cuckoo bird, pleading to hear her songs and see her return. He compares her elusive, tragic life to an impossible attempt to capture the moon's reflection in water. He laments how a beautifully structured poem of life has dissolved and how the bright dreams they once shared have vanished into thin air. He eagerly awaits the day he can hear her dancing anklets again, while she emotionally questions if she could ever forget him.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Apostrophe / Metaphor
“Kuyilae kuyilae Undhan geedhangal ketkaatho”
Addressing the beloved metaphorically as 'Kuyil' (cuckoo bird) to symbolize music, gentleness, and beauty.
Visual Imagery & Metaphor
“{Vaanaththu nilavai thannerilae Siraivaitha kadhai than Un kadhaiyae}”
Comparing the tragic futility of her situation to capturing the moon's reflection trapped inside water.
Ethukai (Tamil Second-Letter Rhyme)
“Seerkonda kavithai / Naan kanda kanavum”
Matching the second consonant sound across consecutive stanzas ('rk' sound in Seerkonda and 'nk' sound in Naan kanda).
Did you know?
Trivia
Kadhal Oviyam (1982) is a classic Tamil musical drama directed by Bharathiraja with a celebrated soundtrack composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. The story revolves around a blind singer and a dancer, making musical elements like cuckoo songs (geedhangal) and anklets (salangai) core thematic motifs throughout the film's lyrics.
Keep listening
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