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Petra Maganai Vitra Annai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Mamma Mamma

From Petra Maganai Vitra Annai · 1958

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
K. Jikki, Chorus
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Petra Maganai Vitra Annai
Movie release year
1958
Lyrics added on
13 Jun 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aahaa..haehae…oohoo
Mama mama pannadhae
Vaanga vaayen ponnadae
Varavu mattum ponnodu
Selavu ellam onnodu
Mama maama
Mama maama
Mama mama pannadhae
Vaanga vaayen ponnadae
Varavu mattum ponnodu
Selavu ellam onnodu
Aamaang saami kaariyam mudichi
Anuppi vaikkirom kaiyodae
Aamaang saami kaariyam mudichi
Anuppi vaikkirom kaiyodae
Seeman unakku varisaivammae
Saamaan tharom paiyodae
Seeman unakku varisaivammae
Saamaan tharom paiyodae
Komaalikkum komali
Kuluki minukkum yemaali
Varavu mattum ponnodu
Selavu mattum onnodu
Mama maama
Mama maama
Mama mama pannadhae
Vaanga vaayen ponnadae
Varavu mattum ponnodu
Selavu ellam onnodu
Hoo oo ooo
Hoo oo oo ooo
Kathi eduthaalae sathamillamalae
Chorus :Pathu pathanainju kathiri pinjugalae
Paanju paanju veeran neeyum
Padhungi odhungi narukkabvae
Aanju oonju asanthu poiyi
Vizhunthu ezhunthu porukkavae
Sethu kedakkura kattu viriyanai
Etti irundhu norukkavae
Buthi irundhu kooja thooku
Buthi irundhu kooja thooku
Pithu irukkudhu raajavaaga
Varavu mattum ponnodu
Selavu ellam onnodu
Mama maama
Mama maama
Mama mama pannadhae
Vaanga vaayen ponnadae
Varavu mattum ponnodu
Selavu ellam onnodu
Hoo oo ooo
Hoo oo oo ooo
Maapillaiyinna mappillai thaan
Mannangatti maappillae
Chorus : Huhumm huhumm huhumm
Huhumm huhumm huhumm humm
Saapittu vittu yaeppam vittu
Nalla thoonguvae thoppilae
Chorus :Huhumm huhumm huhumm
Huhumm huhumm huhumm humm
Maapillaiyinna mappillai thaan
Mannangatti maappillae
Saapittu vittu yaeppam vittu
Nalla thoonguvae thoppilae
Unna koopidum pothu korattai viduvae
Ponnu koopidum pothu korattai viduvae
Aapittu kittu avadhi paduvae
Mama mama pannadhae
Vaanga vaayen ponnadae
Varavu mattum ponnodu
Selavu ellam onnodu
Mama mama
Mama mama
Mama mama pannadhae
Vaanga vaayen ponnadae
Varavu mattum ponnodu
Selavu ellam onnodu
Mama mama
Aha... hehe... oohu
Don't act like a big shot, Uncle!
Come on over, golden boy!
All the income belongs to the bride,
And all the expenses are on you!
Uncle, Uncle!
Uncle, Uncle!
Don't act like a big shot, Uncle!
Come on over, golden boy!
All the income belongs to the bride,
And all the expenses are on you!
Yes, sir, once the wedding work is done,
We'll send you packing right away!
Yes, sir, once the wedding work is done,
We'll send you packing right away!
O wealthy lord, we'll present your wedding gifts,
We'll hand you your things in a bag!
O wealthy lord, we'll present your wedding gifts,
We'll hand you your things in a bag!
A clown among clowns,
A strutting fool who puts on a show!
All the income belongs to the bride,
And all the expenses are on you!
Uncle, Uncle!
Uncle, Uncle!
Don't act like a big shot, Uncle!
Come on over, golden boy!
All the income belongs to the bride,
And all the expenses are on you!
Hoo oo ooo
Hoo oo oo ooo
Just picking up a knife without a sound,
Chorus: For ten or fifteen tender eggplants!
You brave hero, leaping all about,
Ducking and dodging just to slice them!
Panting and sweating until totally drained,
Tripping and falling as you pick them up!
A krait (venomous snake) that is already dead,
You smash it from safely far away!
If you have any sense, go flatter a master,
If you have any sense, go flatter a master,
Yet you are crazy enough to dream of being a king!
All the income belongs to the bride,
And all the expenses are on you!
Uncle, Uncle!
Uncle, Uncle!
Don't act like a big shot, Uncle!
Come on over, golden boy!
All the income belongs to the bride,
And all the expenses are on you!
Hoo oo ooo
Hoo oo oo ooo
What a bridegroom you turn out to be,
A useless lump-of-clay groom!
Chorus: Huhum huhum huhum
Huhum huhum huhum hum
You'll stuff yourself, let out a burp,
And sleep soundly out in the grove!
Chorus: Huhum huhum huhum
Huhum huhum huhum hum
What a bridegroom you turn out to be,
A useless lump-of-clay groom!
You'll stuff yourself, let out a burp,
And sleep soundly out in the grove!
When they call you, you'll just snore away,
When the bride calls you, you'll just snore away,
You'll get trapped and suffer the trouble!
Don't act like a big shot, Uncle!
Come on over, golden boy!
All the income belongs to the bride,
And all the expenses are on you!
Uncle, Uncle!
Uncle, Uncle!
Don't act like a big shot, Uncle!
Come on over, golden boy!
All the income belongs to the bride,
And all the expenses are on you!
Uncle, Uncle!
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Mama Mama Pannadhae is a playful and satirical song from the 1958 Tamil film 'Petra Maganai Vitra Annai', penned by A. Maruthakasi. The lyrics tease an incompetent, lazy, and boasting man who pretends to be grand and heroic. The speaker lightheartedly ridicules his fake bravery—mocking how he acts like a warrior while merely chopping eggplants or striking an already dead snake from a distance. The song humorously critiques his greed and sloth, describing how he expects all profits and gifts while dumping all expenses on others, only to spend his time eating, belching, and snoring in orchards. It captures classic Tamil folk humor and comic banter surrounding prospective grooms and local pretenders.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Satire / Mockery

Paanju paanju veeran neeyum / Padhungi odhungi narukkabvae

The lyricist uses playful exaggeration to mock the subject's pretend heroism in chopping eggplants and hitting dead snakes.

Monaai (Alliteration)

Komaalikkum komali

Repetition of the initial sound 'Ko' creating a bouncy, rhythmic quality in comic delivery.

Edhugai (Rhyming Scheme)

Varavu mattum ponnodu / Selavu ellam onnodu

Rhyming endings using 'ponnodu' and 'onnodu' to establish a catchy folk refrain.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song from 'Petra Maganai Vitra Annai' (1958) features music composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy. Lyricist A. Maruthakasi was renowned for weaving authentic rural Tamil colloquialisms, humor, and social commentary into popular film melodies during the 1950s.

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