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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Lokku Lokku Irumalu

From Therku Theru Machan · 1992

Lyricist
Kalidasan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Deva
Details
Therku Theru Machan1992

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Lokku lokku lokku lokku irumaluCough cough cough cough, the hackling cough!
Unna mukki mukki thudikka veikkum urumaluIt makes you strain, struggle, and throb in pain!
Lokku lokku lokku lokku irumaluCough cough cough cough, the hackling cough!
Unna mukki mukki thudikka veikkum urumaluIt makes you strain, struggle, and throb in pain!
Male
Pudikaathinga poga pudikaathingaDon't inhale smoke, don't inhale!
Unga poovaana idhayatha kedukaathingaDon't ruin your delicate, flower-like heart!
Adikaathinga dum adikaathingaDon't puff cigarettes, don't puff!
Ada adhichu adichu nenju noga thudikaathingaOh, don't keep smoking until your chest throbs in pain!
Male
Lokku lokku lokku lokku irumaluCough cough cough cough, the hackling cough!
Unna mukki mukki thudikka veikkum urumalu hoiIt makes you strain, struggle, and throb in pain, hey!
Male
Sindhanaikkum cigarettukkum samandham illaThere is no connection between deep thinking and smoking cigarettes!
Namma thirukkuralu porandha naalil cigarettu illaOn the day our Thirukkural was born, there were no cigarettes!
Kambana pol paattezhudha yaarumae illaThere is no one who can write poetry like Kamban!
Avan kattaayam beedi suruttu pudichadhae illaHe certainly never smoked beedis or cigars!
English kaaran avan kathu thandha pazhakkamThis is a habit introduced and taught by the British!
Indhiyaavil rombha rombha kettu pochu ozhukkamBecause of it, discipline in India has gone terribly bad!
Aala kollum pogai idhu aasthumaava valakkudhuThis life-killing smoke breeds severe asthma!
Aala kollum pogai idhu aasthumaava valakkudhuThis life-killing smoke breeds severe asthma!
Male
Lokku lokku lokku lokku lokku irumaluCough cough cough cough cough, the hackling cough!
Unna mukki mukki thudikka veikkum urumalu….It makes you strain, struggle, and throb in pain...
Male
Konjam konjamaa beedi pasiya koraikkumBit by bit, smoking a beedi suppresses your appetite!
Adhu nenjumuzhukka pogai adichu moocha izhukkumIt fills the entire chest with smoke and suffocates your breath!
Katti kattiya dhenamum saliya valakkumIt creates thick clumps of phlegm every single day!
Oru kattathukku mela poyi ratham vadikkumBeyond a certain stage, it leads to coughing up blood!
Aanmaiyaiyum veerathaiyum adakki madakki odukkumIt suppresses, bends, and crushes vitality and strength!
Aayulilae paadhiyathaan thavana muraiyil edukkumIt takes away half of your lifespan in installment payments!
Kaaramaana pogai idhu kaasa kariyaakkudhuThis harsh smoke turns your hard-earned money into ash!
Kaaramaana pogai idhu kaasa kariyaakkudhuThis harsh smoke turns your hard-earned money into ash!
Male
Lokku lokku lokku lokku irumaluCough cough cough cough, the hackling cough!
Unna mukki mukki thudikka veikkum urumaluIt makes you strain, struggle, and throb in pain!
Male
Pudikaathinga poga pudikaathingaDon't inhale smoke, don't inhale!
Unga poovaana idhayatha kedukaathingaDon't ruin your delicate, flower-like heart!
Adikaathinga dummu adikaathingaDon't puff cigarettes, don't puff!
Ada adhichu adichu nenju noga thudikaathingaOh, don't keep smoking until your chest throbs in pain!
Male
Hahun hahun hahun hahun irumaluCough cough cough cough, the hackling cough!
Unna mukki mukki huhhh….urumaluIt makes you strain, struggle, huhhh... and groan!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from 'Therku Theru Machan' is an energetic anti-smoking awareness track written by lyricist Kalidasan. It highlights the severe medical, financial, and physical harms caused by smoking cigarettes, beedis, and cigars. Through catchy folk rhythms and vivid descriptions, the song portrays health consequences such as chronic coughing, loss of appetite, phlegm accumulation, asthma, loss of vitality, and reduced lifespan.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Onomatopoeia (Oliyakkurippu)

Lokku lokku lokku lokku irumalu

The phrase 'Lokku lokku' imitates the sound of violent coughing to vividly portray the physical toll of smoking.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Unga poovaana idhayatha kedukaathinga

The human heart is compared to a soft, delicate flower ('poovaana idhayam') to emphasize how fragile health is when exposed to toxic smoke.

Iterative Repetition (Adukku Thodar)

Unna mukki mukki thudikka veikkum urumalu

The continuous repetition of 'mukki mukki' and 'adhichu adhichu' reinforces the intense physical strain and persistent pain caused by addiction.

Alliteration & Rhyme (Monnai and Ethirai)

Sindhanaikkum cigarettukkum samandham illa

Matching phonetic sounds in 'Sindhanaikkum' and 'cigarettukkum' add rhythmic momentum while debunking the myth that creative thinking requires smoking.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Therku Theru Machan' (1992) features music composed by Deva and stars Sathyaraj and Bhanupriya. The movie incorporated this social awareness song about the perils of smoking, creatively invoking Tamil historical figures like Thiruvalluvar and Kamban to preach public health messages through mainstream entertainment.

Keep listening

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