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Isaimozhi
Suryaganthi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Naan Endraal

From Suryaganthi · 1973

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, J. Jayalalitha
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Suryaganthi
Movie release year
1973
Lyrics added on
7 May 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Naan endraal adhu avalum naanum
Aval endraal adhu naanum avalum
Naan endraal adhu avalum naanum
Aval endraal adhu naanum avalum
Yeah the whole true
Naan sonnaal adhu avalin vedham
Aval sonnaal adhuthaan en ennam
And nothing but truth
Adhuthaan en ennam
Naan endraal adhu avalum naanum
Aval endraal adhu naanum avalum
Kattiya kanavan kattalaipadiyae
Kaariya maattrum gunamudaiyaal
In thought word and deed
Naan seith mudivai thaan seitha mudivaai
Ninaiththae paarkkum manamudaiyaal
Such a noble heart
Purushanukku arugae sarisamamaaga
Amarnthida thayangum panpudayaal….haa…
Ho there he goes again
Kadavulin melaai kanavanai mathiththu
Vanangidum iniya anbudayaal
Hmmm god bless me
Iniya anbudayaal
Naan sonnaal adhu avalin vedham
Aval sonnaal adhuthaan en ennam
Aanmagan vaguththa ellaiyai kadanthu
Nadanthaal ragavan thalaivi
Remember what happened to her
Kanavan kizhiththa kottai kadanthu
Ariyaal adiyaen manaivi
Yes always yours sincerely
Kondavan veedu kudisaiyendraalum
Maaligaipolae ninaippaalae
Oo…really sont make me blush
Avaloru paathi naanoru paathi
Enbathupolae nadappaalae
The betterhal and the bitterhalf
Enbathupolae nadappaalae
Naan endraal adhu avalum naanum
Aval endraal adhu naanum avalum
When I say "I", it means both her and me
When I say "she", it means both me and her
When I say "I", it means both her and me
When I say "she", it means both me and her
Yeah, the whole truth!
Whatever I say is sacred scripture to her
Whatever she says is my own thought too
And nothing but the truth!
That is my own thought too
When I say "I", it means both her and me
When I say "she", it means both me and her
Following the wishes of the husband she wed,
she carries out her duties with care
In thought, word, and deed!
Looking at every decision I make
as if it were her very own,
Such a noble heart!
To sit as an equal right beside her husband,
she hesitates with gentle modesty... ah...
Oh, there he goes again!
Revering her husband even above God,
she offers her sweet and gentle love
Mmm, God bless me!
With sweet and gentle love
Whatever I say is sacred scripture to her
Whatever she says is my own thought too
Crossing the boundary drawn by a man,
Lord Rama's wife once stepped across
Remember what happened to her!
Crossing the line drawn by her husband
is something my humble wife would never do
Yes, always yours sincerely!
Even if her husband's home is just a hut,
she regards it like a palace
Oh... really, don't make me blush!
She is one half and I am the other,
and in that very spirit she lives
The better half and the bitter half!
And in that very spirit she lives
When I say "I", it means both her and me
When I say "she", it means both me and her
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song from Suryaganthi (1973) portrays a unique, playful dialogue between a husband praising his devoted wife and the wife interjecting with witty, modern English commentary. The husband sings of her devotion, comparison to epic figures like Sita, and her selfless love, while she chimingly responds with humorous English remarks like 'In thought, word and deed' and 'The better half and the bitter half'. Composed by M. S. Viswanathan and penned by Kannadasan, the song beautifully balances traditional marital devotion with lighthearted modern banter. The track captures the harmonious oneness of the couple ('Avaloru paathi naanoru paathi') while offering an iconic blend of Tamil lyricism and English punchlines.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Repetition (Adukkut Thodar)

“Naan endraal adhu avalum naanum / Aval endraal adhu naanum avalum”

The opening lines repeat 'Naan endraal' and 'Aval endraal' in a reciprocal pattern to emphasize total oneness between husband and wife.

Simile (Upamai)

“Maaligaipolae ninaippaalae”

Comparing a modest hut to a majestic palace using the comparison suffix 'polae' to describe her content nature.

Alliteration (Monai)

“Kattiya kanavan kattalaipadiyae”

Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound in 'Kattiya' and 'Kattalai' across words in the line.

Allusion (Purana Kurippu)

“Aanmagan vaguththa ellaiyai kadanthu / Nadanthaal ragavan thalaivi”

Refers to the Ramayana episode where Sita (Ragavan thalaivi) crossed the Lakshmana Rekha (boundary) and faced captivity.

Code-Switching / Contrastive Humor

“The betterhal and the bitterhalf”

Juxtaposing traditional Tamil marital values sung by SPB with playful, fluent English interjections by Jayalalithaa.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is famous for featuring former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa, singing her own playback dialogue in English alongside S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. Jayalalithaa's natural English diction and witty retorts turned this track into an enduring classic in Tamil cinema history.

Keep listening

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Manmadha LeelaiMarriageDevotion
Oru Alayamagum Mangai Manadhu1971
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Pushpangal Paal1982
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From the same album

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