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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Matta

From Goat – The Greatest of All Time · 2024

Lyricist
Vivek
Singers
Yuvan Shankar Raja, Shenbagaraj, Velu, Sam, Narayanan Ravishankar
Music director
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Details
Goat – The Greatest of All Time2024

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
MattaKnocked out
MattaKnocked out
Male
Enna nadaWhat a graceful walk
Enna nadaWhat a graceful walk
Yeri varaa jillukkaHere comes a stylish girl walking up
Kannadaasan sona ponnuIs this the girl praised by poet Kannadasan?
Kannu muuna irukkaaWait, does she have three eyes?
Male
Enna nadaWhat a graceful walk
Enna idaiWhat a slender waist
Yeri varaa jillukkaHere comes a stylish girl walking up
Manmadhaane ambu eduthuEven Lord Kamadeva took his arrow
Kanna kuthi kedakanAnd lies poked in his own eyes by her beauty
Chorus
MattaKnocked out
MattaKnocked out
Adi mattaOh, knocked out
Adi adi matta mattaHey, totally knocked out
Chorus
Matta matta mattaKnocked out, knocked out, knocked out
Raaja mattaThe King is completely knocked out
Enga vanthuWhere did you come from
YaarukittaTo challenge whom?
Chorus
Matta matta mattaKnocked out, knocked out, knocked out
Raaja mattaThe King is completely knocked out
Enga vanthuWhere did you come from
YaarukittaTo challenge whom?
Chorus
Atta attaAttack, attack
Adchaa mattaHit and knocked out
Machi kedaHey friend, look
Manja sattaYellow shirt
Mamti varranI am coming with a spade
Pallam vettaTo dig a trench
Poyiruva kitta thattaYou will almost be finished
Chorus
Border keri vacha sattaA rule set at the border
Pambuku nee koli muttaYou are just a chicken egg to a snake
Yeri vanthu mattikittaYou walked right into the trap
Enga vanthuWhere did you come from
YaarukittaTo challenge whom?
Chorus
YaarukittaTo challenge whom?
YaarukittaTo challenge whom?
Chorus
Enna nadaWhat a graceful walk
Enna nadaWhat a graceful walk
Yeri varaa jillukkaHere comes a stylish girl walking up
Thekka ninnaStanding in the south
Ekka chakkamIn huge abundance
Pora idam vadakkaThe path leads to the north
Chorus
Ora vitta theru kadaLeaving the roadside shop aside
Maradapu kudukaaGiving full confidence and pride
Manmadhaane ambu eduthuEven Lord Kamadeva took his arrow
Kanna kuthi kedakanAnd lies poked in his own eyes by her beauty
Chorus
Tha tha dowlathaaGive me wealth and power
Tha tha dowlathaaGive me wealth and power
Tha tha dowlathaaGive me wealth and power
Tha tha dowlathaaGive me wealth and power
Chorus
MattaKnocked out
MattaKnocked out
Adi mattaOh, knocked out
Adi adi matta mattaHey, totally knocked out

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Matta' from 'GOAT (The Greatest of All Time)' is a high-energy dance track celebrating swagger, beauty, and dominance. The song uses local colloquial slang and metaphors to describe a stunning woman who mesmerizes everyone, so much so that even Kamadeva (the god of love) is blinded by her charm. Simultaneously, the song projects mass hero swagger, warning rivals who dare to step into the protagonist's domain that they will end up 'matta' (completely knocked out). Combined with Yuvan Shankar Raja's signature folk-beat fusion, the lyrics craft a festive and energetic mood filled with bravado, rhythm, and pop-culture references.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Alliteration)

Kannadaasan sona ponnu / Kannu muuna irukkaa

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across words in a line, such as 'Kannadaasan' and 'Kannu' or 'Manja' and 'Mamti'.

Edhukai (Rhyming)

Border keri vacha satta / Pambuku nee koli mutta

Second-letter rhyming pattern classic to Tamil poetry, seen in 'nada' and 'idai' or 'satta' and 'vetta'.

Hyperbole

Manmadhaane ambu eduthu / Kanna kuthi kedakan

Exaggerating the girl's beauty to the point where even Kamadeva pokes his own eyes out in awe.

Metaphor

Pambuku nee koli mutta

Comparing the opponent to a chicken egg in front of a snake ('Pambuku nee koli mutta'), signifying extreme helplessness.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Matta' is a popular North Chennai slang word meaning 'completely knocked out', 'passed out', or 'flattened'. The song features vocals by Yuvan Shankar Raja himself alongside dynamic chorus singers, and the lyrics pay tribute to legendary lyricist Kannadasan.

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