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Nallavanukku Nallavan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Muthaduthey

From Nallavanukku Nallavan · 1984

Lyricist
Muthulingam
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Nallavanukku Nallavan
Movie release year
1984
Lyrics added on
11 Jan 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Muththaaduthae muththaduthae
Raagam
Pithanathae pithanathae dhegam
Poovaai neeyum paarvai veesu
Anbae neeyum kannaal pesu
Kani idhazh
Muththaaduthae muththaaduthae raagam
Pithaanathae pithaanathae dhegam
Poovaai neeyum paarvai veesu
Anbae neeyum kannaal pesu
Kani idhazh
Muthaaduthae muthaaduthae raagam
……………………………….
Paavai un meni kaadhal veenai
Kaalai en kaigal meetum velai
Female :Ennenna raagangal nee meetuvaai
Adhil ennenna vannangal nee kaatuvaai
Yedhetho raagangal naan paadalaam
Adhu thaangaamal un meni poraadalaam
Female :Sandhosham thaangaamal thallaadum nerathil
En meni saayamal nee thaangalaam anbae
Lalallaa……
Muththaaduthae muththaaduthae
Raagam
Female :Pithaanathae pithaanathae
Dhegam
Dhegam thanneril neenthum podhu
Nenjil yedhetho inbam nooru
Male :Meen pola naan maari vilayadavaa
Alai neer pola un meedhu naan modhavaa
En meni nogamal vilayadalaam
Indha idaiyodu thaalangal nee podalaam
Male :Thaalangal naan poda naanangal paranthoda
Dhegangal ilaipaara idam thedalaam amudhae
Rapa rapapaa
Muththaaduthae muththaaduthae
Raagam
Pithaanathae pithaanathae
Dhegam
Poovaai neeyum paarvai veesu
Anbae neeyum kannaal pesu
Kissing playfully, kissing playfully,
a melody rises...
This body has gone mad with desire.
Cast your tender gaze like a blossoming flower,
My love, speak to me with your eyes.
Sweet ripe lips...
A melody is dancing in sweet kisses,
This body has gone mad with desire.
Cast your tender gaze like a blossoming flower,
My love, speak to me with your eyes.
Sweet ripe lips...
A melody is dancing in sweet kisses.
...
My girl, your body is a veena (Indian lute) of love,
When my hands pluck your strings in the morning...
Female: What melodies will you play on me?
What shades of joy will you show in them?
I might sing all kinds of melodies,
And unable to bear the bliss, your body may struggle with longing.
Female: When I sway, overwhelmed by joy,
You can hold me close so I do not fall, my love.
La la la...
Kissing playfully, kissing playfully,
a melody rises...
Female: It has gone mad, gone mad,
this body of mine.
When the body swims in the cool water,
A hundred sweet pleasures stir in the heart.
Male: Shall I turn into a fish and play with you?
Shall I rush against you like rolling waves?
You can play gently without hurting my body,
You can set a rhythm against my slender waist.
Male: As I beat the rhythm and your shyness flies away,
We can search for a place for our bodies to rest, my sweet love.
Rapa rapappa...
Kissing playfully, kissing playfully,
a melody rises...
It has gone mad, gone mad,
this body of mine.
Cast your tender gaze like a blossoming flower,
My love, speak to me with your eyes.
Male
Female
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Muththaaduthae is a romantic duet from the 1984 Tamil film Nallavanukku Nallavan. The song expresses the intimate and playful romance between two lovers using musical and natural metaphors such as playing the veena, swimming like fish, and rhythm creation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamaani (Simile)

Poovaai neeyum paarvai veesu

Comparing the gaze to a flower ('Poovaai neeyum paarvai veesu') and comparing oneself to a fish ('Meen pola naan maari').

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Paavai un meni kaadhal veenai

Comparing the female lover's body to a musical instrument ('kaadhal veenai').

Monal / Rhyme (Edhukai)

Thaalangal naan poda naanangal paranthoda

Use of matching second letters in lines, creating rhythmic cadence in Tamil lyric writing.

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Trivia

The song features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja with iconic renditions by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki for Rajinikanth and Radhika.

Keep listening

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