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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Maadi Eri Vama

From Per Sollum Pillai · 1987

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Per Sollum Pillai1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Maadi yeri vaammaa tv paakkalaam…Come upstairs girl, let us watch TV...
Female :Adi aathi nesamaavaaFemale: Oh my goodness, is it true?
Male :AamaaMale: Yes
Female :Anga vera yaaraachum iruppaangalaaFemale: Will anyone else be there?
Male :Illa nee naan namma rendu per thaanMale: No, just you and me, the two of us
Female :Appadiyaa appa vaarenFemale: Is that so? Then I am coming!
Male
Hmm maadi yaeri vaammaaHmm, come upstairs girl
TV paakkalaam…Let us watch TV...
Jodi serndhu naamum pottu paakkalaamTogether as a pair, let us put on a tape and watch
Dhenam raathiri oru maadhiriEvery night, a peculiar kind
Padam kaatturen vaadeeOf movie I will show you, come girl!
Female
Tv kaara maamaa padatha kaattungaTV uncle, show the movie!
Male :Kaaturen…Male: I will show...
Female :Irundhu paakka porenFemale: I will stay and watch
Edatha kaattungaShow me the place
Male :Hum…Male: Hum...
Female
Enga oorula idhu pola naanIn my village, like this
Padam paakkala nesamaa…I haven't watched movies, truly...
Tv kaara maamaa padatha kaattungaTV uncle, show the movie!
Irundhu paakka poren edatha kaattungaI will stay and watch, show me the place!
Female
Ippodhellaam idhalaa thaanaeNowadays, because of all this
Thappu romba undaagi pochuSo many wrongdoings have come about
Engaeyumae paakkaadhadhellaamThings that were never seen anywhere before
Veettukkullae vandhaadalaachuHave now entered and played inside the house
Female
Ippodhellaam idhu idhalaa thaanaeNowadays, because of all this stuff
Thappu romba adhu undaagi pochuSo many wrongdoings have come about
Engaeyumae paakkaadhadhellaamThings that were never seen anywhere before
Veettukkullae vandhaadalaachuHave now entered and played inside the house
Video va paathu veedum maaralaachuBy watching videos, households have changed
Vera vera paathu moodu maaralaachu ha hahakBy watching various things, moods have changed, ha ha!
Male
Kattuppadu pottu kaaval kaakka venumWe must enforce discipline and keep guard
Ettip poga venum nejamaa…aaanWe must stay far away from this, truly...
Tvkaara maamaa padatha kaattungaTV uncle, show the movie!
Male
Ennadhu koral oru maadhiriyaa irukkuWhy is your voice sounding so strange?
Female
Tv kaara maamaa padatha kaattungaTV uncle, show the movie!
Irundhu paakka poren edatha kaattungaI will stay and watch, show me the place!
Female
Haaa…Haaa...
Male :Haiyo ennaachuMale: Oh no, what happened?
Female :Haaa…Female: Haaa...
Male :Ennaachunguraenlla…Male: I am asking what happened...
Female :Irukkura oru thuniyum kizhinju pochaeFemale: The only piece of cloth I have got torn!
Male :Idhukku poyi ha kaduvulaeMale: For this? Oh God!
Female
Haa… haa… haa… haa…Haa... haa... haa... haa...
Em maeniyo punnaagi pochuMy body has become sore and wounded
Ennaathukku soodaachu moochuWhy has my breath become so hot?
Onnaala thaan vambaagi pochuBecause of you, it all turned into trouble
Em maamanae thembenna aachuMy uncle, what happened to your stamina?
Female
Em maeniyo punnaagi pochuMy body has become sore and wounded
Ennaathukku soodaachu moochuWhy has my breath become so hot?
Onnaala thaan vambaagi pochuBecause of you, it all turned into trouble
Em maamanae thembenna aachuMy uncle, what happened to your stamina?
Maela naattu naattam neelamagi pochuThe obsession with Western culture has grown deep
Neelam aanadhaalae kolam maaralaachuBecause it turned into adult content, traditions changed
Male
Uchathilae yaethamTaking things to the extreme
Oorai ellaam maathumIt alters the entire society
Vekkam ketta koothu edhukku haan haan haanWhy perform this shameless drama? Haan haan haan
Female
Tv kaara maamaaTV uncle
Male :EnnaMale: What?
Female :Padatha kaattungaFemale: Show the movie
Male :KaatrenMale: I will show
Female :Irundhu paakka porenFemale: I will stay and watch
Male :HaanMale: Yes
Female :Edatha kaattungaFemale: Show the place
Male :KaatrenMale: I will show
Female
Enga oorula idhu pola naanIn my village, like this
Padam paakkala nejamaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…I haven't watched movies, truly...
Tvkaara maamaa padatha kaattungaTV uncle, show the movie!
Irundhu paakka poren edatha kaattungaI will stay and watch, show me the place!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful and satirical duet from the 1987 film 'Per Sollum Pillai' explores the social impact of the introduction of television and video cassette recorders (VCRs) in Tamil households during the 1980s. A man tempts a woman to come upstairs to watch TV alone with him, blending humor, double entendres, and romantic banter. As the song progresses, the lyrics critique how modern media, adult/western content ('blue' movies), and video culture bring privacy concerns, alter household moods, and challenge traditional cultural values.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Emoni / Monai (Initial Rhyme / Assonance)

Maadi yeri vaammaa tv paakkalaam / Jodi serndhu naamum pottu paakkalaam

Matching starting letters across lines, such as 'Maadi' and 'Jodi' or 'Padu' and 'Etti', creating rhythmic consistency.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Video va paathu veedum maaralaachu / Vera vera paathu moodu maaralaachu

Rhyming line endings across verses, such as 'kaattunga', 'pochu', 'maaralaachu', and 'aachu'.

Double Entendre / Pun

Maela naattu naattam neelamagi pochu / Neelam aanadhaalae kolam maaralaachu

Wordplay on 'neelam' (blue) referencing both Westernization/infinity and 'blue films' (adult cinema), juxtaposed with changing traditional lifestyle ('kolam').

Did you know?

Trivia

Though the context lists the composer and singers as unknown, this popular track from 'Per Sollum Pillai' (1987) was actually composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung by Malaysia Vasudevan and S. Janaki. Written by Gangai Amaran, the song serves as a comical commentary on the VCR culture boom in late 80s Tamil Nadu.

Keep listening

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