Naalai Ulagam
From Love Birds · 1996
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Unnikrishnan, Sujatha
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Love Birds1996
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Naalai ulagam illai endraanal | If there is no world tomorrow, |
| Azhagae enna seivai | My beautiful one, what will you do? |
| Naalai ulagam illai endraanal | If there is no world tomorrow, |
| Azhagae enna seivai | My beautiful one, what will you do? |
| Female | |
| Kangalai thirandhu | Opening my eyes, |
| Kaalangal marandhu | Forgetting time, |
| Kadasiyil vaanathai paarthu kolven | At last, I will look at the sky. |
| Mandiyittu amarndhu | Kneeling down, |
| Mannagam kunindhu | Bowing down to the earth, |
| Kadaisiyil boomikku mutham vaipen | At last, I will kiss the earth. |
| Female | |
| Un maarbinil vizhundhu | Falling onto your chest, |
| Maivizhi kasindhu | Tears weeping from my kohl-rimmed eyes, |
| Nee mattum vaazha thozhugai seiven | I will pray so that you alone may live. |
| Male | |
| Naalai ulagam illai endraanal | If there is no world tomorrow, |
| Azhagae enna seivai | My beautiful one, what will you do? |
| Female | |
| Naalai ulagam | Tomorrow's world... |
| Naalai ulagam illai endraanal | If there is no world tomorrow, |
| Anbae en seivai | My love, what will you do? |
| Male | |
| Oru nooraandu vaazhndhidum vaazhvai | A life meant to be lived for a hundred years, |
| Oru naalil vaazhndhu kolven | I will live it all in a single day. |
| Un idhazhgalin melae idhazhgalai cherthu | Placing my lips upon your lips, |
| Iru vizhi moodikkolven | I will close both my eyes. |
| Male | |
| Maranathai marakkum | Giving you a joy... |
| Magizhchiyai thandhu | That makes one forget death, |
| Maranathai marikka vaipen | I will make death step aside. |
| Male | |
| Naalai ulagam illai endraanal | If there is no world tomorrow, |
| Azhagae enna seivai | My beautiful one, what will you do? |
| Naalai ulagam illai endraanal | If there is no world tomorrow, |
| Azhagae enna seivai | My beautiful one, what will you do? |
| Male | |
| Kaadhalin thevai | As long as the need for love... |
| Irukkindra varaikkum | Continues to exist, |
| Boologam azhivadhillai | The world will never be destroyed. |
| Female : Aayiram minnal | Female: Even when a thousand lightnings, |
| Therikkindra podhum | Burst and strike, |
| Vaanam kizhivadhillai | The sky does not tear apart. |
| Male | |
| Kadal nilamaagum | The sea may become land, |
| Nilam kadalaagum. | The land may become sea, |
| Nam boomi maraivadhillai..ee… | Our earth will never vanish. |
| Female : Udalgalum pogum | Female: Bodies will fade, |
| Unarvugal pogum | Feelings will fade, |
| Uyir kaadhal azhivadhillai…ee.. | But the soul of love will never perish. |
| Female | |
| Naalai ulagam illai endraanal | If there is no world tomorrow, |
| Uyirae enna seivaai | My life, what will you do? |
| Male | |
| Vaanayum vanangi | Worshipping the sky, |
| Mannaiyum vanangi | Worshipping the earth, |
| Unai naan thazhuvikkolven | I will hold you in my embrace. |
| Aayiram poovil padukkayum amaithu | Creating a bed of a thousand flowers, |
| Unayum anaithu uyir tharippen | Embracing you, I will hold onto life. |
| Male | |
| En uyir mannil pirigira varaikkum | Until my life leaves this earth, |
| Un uyir kaathu uyir thurappen | Protecting your life, I will sacrifice mine. |
| Naalai ulagam illai endraanal | If there is no world tomorrow, |
| Azhagae enna seivai | My beautiful one, what will you do? |
நாளை உலகம் இல்லை என்றானால்
அழகே என்ன செய்வாய்
நாளை உலகம் இல்லை என்றானால்
அழகே என்ன செய்வாய்
If there is no world tomorrow,
My beautiful one, what will you do?
If there is no world tomorrow,
My beautiful one, what will you do?
கண்களை திறந்து
காலங்கள் மறந்து
கடைசியில் வானத்தை பார்த்துக் கொள்வேன்
மண்டியிட்டமர்ந்து
மண்ணகம் குனிந்து
கடைசியில் பூமிக்கு முத்தம் வைப்பேன்
Opening my eyes,
Forgetting time,
At last, I will look at the sky.
Kneeling down,
Bowing down to the earth,
At last, I will kiss the earth.
உன் மார்பினில் விழுந்து
மை விழி கசிந்து
நீ மட்டும் வாழ
தொழுகை செய்வேன்
Falling onto your chest,
Tears weeping from my kohl-rimmed eyes,
I will pray so that you alone may live.
நாளை உலகம் இல்லை என்றானால்
அழகே என்ன செய்வாய்
If there is no world tomorrow,
My beautiful one, what will you do?
நாளை உலகம்
நாளை உலகம் இல்லை என்றானால்
அன்பே என்ன் செய்வாய்
Tomorrow's world...
If there is no world tomorrow,
My love, what will you do?
ஒரு நூறாண்டு வாழ்ந்திடும் வாழ்வை
ஒரு நாளில் வாழ்ந்து கொள்வேன்
உன் இதழ்களின் மேலே இதழ்களை சேர்த்து
இரு விழி மூடிக் கொள்வேன்
A life meant to be lived for a hundred years,
I will live it all in a single day.
Placing my lips upon your lips,
I will close both my eyes.
மரணத்தை மறக்கும்
மகிழ்ச்சியை தந்து
மரணத்தை மறிக்க வைப்பேன்
Giving you a joy...
That makes one forget death,
I will make death step aside.
நாளை உலகம் இல்லை என்றானால்
அழகே என்ன செய்வாய்
நாளை உலகம் இல்லை என்றானால்
அழகே என்ன செய்வாய்
If there is no world tomorrow,
My beautiful one, what will you do?
If there is no world tomorrow,
My beautiful one, what will you do?
காதலின் தேவை இருக்கின்ற வரைக்கும்
பூ லோகம் அழிவதில்லை
ஆயிரம் மின்னல் தெரிக்கின்ற போதும்
வானம் கிழிவதில்லை
As long as the need for love...
Continues to exist,
The world will never be destroyed.
Female: Even when a thousand lightnings,
Burst and strike,
The sky does not tear apart.
கடல் நிலமாகும் நிலம் கடலாகும்
நம் பூமி மறைவதில்லை
உடல்களும் போகும் உணர்வுகள் போகும்
உயிர் காதல் அழிவதில்லை
The sea may become land,
The land may become sea,
Our earth will never vanish.
Female: Bodies will fade,
Feelings will fade,
But the soul of love will never perish.
நாளை உலகம் இல்லை என்றானால்
உயிரே என்ன செய்வாய்
If there is no world tomorrow,
My life, what will you do?
வானையும் வணங்கி
மண்ணையும் வணங்கி
உனை நான் தழுவிக் கொள்வேன்
ஆயிரம் பூவில் படுக்கையும் அமைத்து
உன்னையும் அனைத்து உயிர் தரிப்பேன்
Worshipping the sky,
Worshipping the earth,
I will hold you in my embrace.
Creating a bed of a thousand flowers,
Embracing you, I will hold onto life.
என் உயிர் மண்ணில்
பிரிகிற வரைக்கும்
உன் உயிர் காத்து உயிர் துறப்பேன்
நாளை உலகம் இல்லை என்றானால்
அழகே என்ன செய்வாய்
Until my life leaves this earth,
Protecting your life, I will sacrifice mine.
If there is no world tomorrow,
My beautiful one, what will you do?
Naalai ulagam illai endraanal
If there is no world tomorrow,
Azhagae enna seivai
My beautiful one, what will you do?
Naalai ulagam illai endraanal
If there is no world tomorrow,
Azhagae enna seivai
My beautiful one, what will you do?
Kangalai thirandhu
Opening my eyes,
Kaalangal marandhu
Forgetting time,
Kadasiyil vaanathai paarthu kolven
At last, I will look at the sky.
Mandiyittu amarndhu
Kneeling down,
Mannagam kunindhu
Bowing down to the earth,
Kadaisiyil boomikku mutham vaipen
At last, I will kiss the earth.
Un maarbinil vizhundhu
Falling onto your chest,
Maivizhi kasindhu
Tears weeping from my kohl-rimmed eyes,
Nee mattum vaazha thozhugai seiven
I will pray so that you alone may live.
Naalai ulagam illai endraanal
If there is no world tomorrow,
Azhagae enna seivai
My beautiful one, what will you do?
Naalai ulagam
Tomorrow's world...
Naalai ulagam illai endraanal
If there is no world tomorrow,
Anbae en seivai
My love, what will you do?
Oru nooraandu vaazhndhidum vaazhvai
A life meant to be lived for a hundred years,
Oru naalil vaazhndhu kolven
I will live it all in a single day.
Un idhazhgalin melae idhazhgalai cherthu
Placing my lips upon your lips,
Iru vizhi moodikkolven
I will close both my eyes.
Maranathai marakkum
Giving you a joy...
Magizhchiyai thandhu
That makes one forget death,
Maranathai marikka vaipen
I will make death step aside.
Naalai ulagam illai endraanal
If there is no world tomorrow,
Azhagae enna seivai
My beautiful one, what will you do?
Naalai ulagam illai endraanal
If there is no world tomorrow,
Azhagae enna seivai
My beautiful one, what will you do?
Kaadhalin thevai
As long as the need for love...
Irukkindra varaikkum
Continues to exist,
Boologam azhivadhillai
The world will never be destroyed.
Female : Aayiram minnal
Female: Even when a thousand lightnings,
Therikkindra podhum
Burst and strike,
Vaanam kizhivadhillai
The sky does not tear apart.
Kadal nilamaagum
The sea may become land,
Nilam kadalaagum.
The land may become sea,
Nam boomi maraivadhillai..ee…
Our earth will never vanish.
Female : Udalgalum pogum
Female: Bodies will fade,
Unarvugal pogum
Feelings will fade,
Uyir kaadhal azhivadhillai…ee..
But the soul of love will never perish.
Naalai ulagam illai endraanal
If there is no world tomorrow,
Uyirae enna seivaai
My life, what will you do?
Vaanayum vanangi
Worshipping the sky,
Mannaiyum vanangi
Worshipping the earth,
Unai naan thazhuvikkolven
I will hold you in my embrace.
Aayiram poovil padukkayum amaithu
Creating a bed of a thousand flowers,
Unayum anaithu uyir tharippen
Embracing you, I will hold onto life.
En uyir mannil pirigira varaikkum
Until my life leaves this earth,
Un uyir kaathu uyir thurappen
Protecting your life, I will sacrifice mine.
Naalai ulagam illai endraanal
If there is no world tomorrow,
Azhagae enna seivai
My beautiful one, what will you do?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Naalai Ulagam from Love Birds (1996) presents a deeply romantic and existential dialogue between two lovers contemplating the apocalypse. They ask each other what they would do if tomorrow were the last day of the earth. Their answers reveal an unconditional, immortal bond where love transcends physical destruction, time, and mortality itself. The lovers express their willingness to condense a century's worth of joy into a single day, pray for the other's survival over their own, and embrace until their final breath. The song beautifully asserts that as long as love exists in the human heart, the essence of the world and the soul will never truly perish.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Anaphora / Refrain
“Naalai ulagam illai endraanal / Azhagae enna seivai”
The central refrain 'Naalai ulagam illai endraanal / Azhagae enna seivai' is repeated throughout the song to anchor the thematic question of love under apocalyptic conditions.
Hyperbole (Exaggeration)
“Oru nooraandu vaazhndhidum vaazhvai / Oru naalil vaazhndhu kolven”
The lyrical idea of living a century's lifetime in a single day heightens the emotional intensity of their impending last moments.
Antithesis / Paradox
“Kadal nilamaagum / Nilam kadalaagum”
The contrasting idea of sea becoming land and land becoming sea emphasizes that even cosmic cataclysms cannot destroy true love.
Monorhyme / Medial Rhyme (Emonai & Edhugai)
“Udalgalum pogum / Unarvugal pogum”
Vairamuthu uses classical Tamil poetic meters with matching second consonant sounds ('-da-' in Udalgalum/Unarvugal).
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by A.R. Rahman for the 1996 Prabhu Deva and Nagma starrer 'Love Birds', this song features vocals by Unni Menon and Sujatha Mohan. Lyricist Vairamuthu crafted this unique apocalyptic love poem which stands out as one of the most inventive romantic concepts in 90s Tamil cinema soundtracks.
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