Naan Oru Paadagan
From Kuzhanthaiyai Thedi · 1979
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chorus
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Kuzhanthaiyai Thedi1979
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan | I am a singer, a lover of good music |
| Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan | I am a singer, a lover of good music |
| Naan naadhamendra kaattril uyir | I am a poet living my life in the air |
| Vaazhugindra paavalan….paadagan | Which is filled with sound and melody... a singer |
| Hae hae hae paavalan | Hey hey hey, a poet |
| Male | |
| Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan | I am a singer, a lover of good music |
| Chorus | |
| …………….. | [Musical Interlude] |
| Male | |
| Intha swarangalil undaana inbam | The bliss created in these musical notes |
| Ennai izhukkindrathu | Is pulling me towards it |
| Inba rasangalai kaadhodu paadi | Singing sweet musical expressions into the ear |
| Engu azhaikkindrathu ha haha | Where is it inviting me to? Ha haha |
| Male | |
| Intha manathinil ennenna raagam | What varied melodies in this mind |
| Vanthu vizhugindrathu | Are coming and falling? |
| Santham pudhiyathu santhosa thaalam | The rhythm is new, a joyful beat |
| Nenjil ezhugindrathu | Is rising within my heart |
| Male | |
| Paavangal aayiram en vedhangal aayiram | A thousand expressions, my thousand scriptures |
| En paarvaiyinil thondruvathu | What appears before my vision |
| Paasamulla kodi manam | Is millions of affectionate hearts |
| Paadum paadalaagum | Becoming a song that is sung |
| Male | |
| Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan | I am a singer, a lover of good music |
| Naan naadhamendra kaattril uyir | I am a poet living my life in the air |
| Vaazhugindra paavalan….paadagan | Which is filled with sound and melody... a singer |
| Hae hae hae paavalan | Hey hey hey, a poet |
| Male | |
| Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan | I am a singer, a lover of good music |
| Chorus | |
| …………….. | [Musical Interlude] |
| Male | |
| Thangaratham ena thallaadum maeni | A body swaying like a golden chariot |
| Mangai paruvangalil | In a young woman's youthfulness |
| Pongi vazhinthidum ponnaana inbam | Golden bliss overflowing and spilling over |
| Kanni idhayangalil ha ha | In maiden hearts, ha ha |
| Male | |
| Mottu malargalil munnooru vannam | Three hundred colors in budding flowers |
| Sokkum azhagugalil | In mesmerizing forms of beauty |
| Pattu idhazhgalil paaloorum kinnam | A bowl dripping with milk on silky lips |
| Kattum uravugalil | In binding human relationships |
| Male | |
| Aayiram raagangal vanthu aadidum kaalangal | Times when a thousand ragas come and dance |
| Idhu vaalipaththu kaaviyangal | These are the epics of youth |
| Paadugindra oviyangal | Singing paintings |
| Paasam endru vendum | Desiring only pure love and affection |
| Male | |
| Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan | I am a singer, a lover of good music |
| Naan naadhamendra kaattril uyir | I am a poet living my life in the air |
| Vaazhugindra paavalan….paadagan | Which is filled with sound and melody... a singer |
| Hae hae hae paavalan | Hey hey hey, a poet |
| Male | |
| Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan | I am a singer, a lover of good music |
நான் ஒரு பாடகன் நல்லிசை காதலன்
நான் ஒரு பாடகன் நல்லிசை காதலன்
நான் நாதமென்ற காற்றில் உயிர்
வாழுகின்ற பாவலன்.....பாடகன்....
ஹே...ஹே...ஹே...பாவலன்....
I am a singer, a lover of good music
I am a singer, a lover of good music
I am a poet living my life in the air
Which is filled with sound and melody... a singer
Hey hey hey, a poet
நான் ஒரு பாடகன் நல்லிசை காதலன்
I am a singer, a lover of good music
............................
[Musical Interlude]
இந்த ஸ்வரங்களில் உண்டான இன்பம்
என்னை இழுக்கின்றது
இன்ப ரசங்களை காதோடு பாடி
எங்கும் அழைக்கின்றது ஹ ஹஹ
The bliss created in these musical notes
Is pulling me towards it
Singing sweet musical expressions into the ear
Where is it inviting me to? Ha haha
இந்த மனதினில் என்னென்ன ராகம்
வந்து விழுகின்றது
சந்தம் புதியது சந்தோசத் தாளம்
நெஞ்சில் எழுகின்றது
What varied melodies in this mind
Are coming and falling?
The rhythm is new, a joyful beat
Is rising within my heart
பாவங்கள் ஆயிரம் என் வேதங்கள் ஆயிரம்
என் பார்வையினில் தோன்றுவது
பாசமுள்ள கோடி மனம்
பாடும் பாடலாகும்
A thousand expressions, my thousand scriptures
What appears before my vision
Is millions of affectionate hearts
Becoming a song that is sung
நான் ஒரு பாடகன் நல்லிசை காதலன்
நான் நாதமென்ற காற்றில் உயிர்
வாழுகின்ற பாவலன்.....பாடகன்....
ஹே...ஹே...ஹே...பாவலன்....
I am a singer, a lover of good music
I am a poet living my life in the air
Which is filled with sound and melody... a singer
Hey hey hey, a poet
நான் ஒரு பாடகன் நல்லிசை காதலன்
I am a singer, a lover of good music
..........................
[Musical Interlude]
தங்கரதம் என தள்ளாடும் மேனி
மங்கை பருவங்களில்
பொங்கி வழிந்திடும் பொன்னான இன்பம்
கன்னி இதயங்களில் ஹ ஹ
A body swaying like a golden chariot
In a young woman's youthfulness
Golden bliss overflowing and spilling over
In maiden hearts, ha ha
மொட்டு மலர்களில் முந்நூறு வண்ணம்
சொக்கும் அழகுகளில்
பட்டு இதழ்களில் பாலூறும் கிண்ணம்
கட்டும் உறவுகளில்
Three hundred colors in budding flowers
In mesmerizing forms of beauty
A bowl dripping with milk on silky lips
In binding human relationships
ஆயிரம் ராகங்கள் வந்து ஆடிடும் காலங்கள்
இது வாலிபத்து காவியங்கள்
பாடுகின்ற ஓவியங்கள்
பாசம் என்று வேண்டும்
Times when a thousand ragas come and dance
These are the epics of youth
Singing paintings
Desiring only pure love and affection
நான் ஒரு பாடகன் நல்லிசை காதலன்
நான் நாதமென்ற காற்றில் உயிர்
வாழுகின்ற பாவலன்.....பாடகன்....
ஹே...ஹே...ஹே...பாவலன்....
I am a singer, a lover of good music
I am a poet living my life in the air
Which is filled with sound and melody... a singer
Hey hey hey, a poet
நான் ஒரு பாடகன் நல்லிசை காதலன்
I am a singer, a lover of good music
Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan
I am a singer, a lover of good music
Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan
I am a singer, a lover of good music
Naan naadhamendra kaattril uyir
I am a poet living my life in the air
Vaazhugindra paavalan….paadagan
Which is filled with sound and melody... a singer
Hae hae hae paavalan
Hey hey hey, a poet
Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan
I am a singer, a lover of good music
……………..
[Musical Interlude]
Intha swarangalil undaana inbam
The bliss created in these musical notes
Ennai izhukkindrathu
Is pulling me towards it
Inba rasangalai kaadhodu paadi
Singing sweet musical expressions into the ear
Engu azhaikkindrathu ha haha
Where is it inviting me to? Ha haha
Intha manathinil ennenna raagam
What varied melodies in this mind
Vanthu vizhugindrathu
Are coming and falling?
Santham pudhiyathu santhosa thaalam
The rhythm is new, a joyful beat
Nenjil ezhugindrathu
Is rising within my heart
Paavangal aayiram en vedhangal aayiram
A thousand expressions, my thousand scriptures
En paarvaiyinil thondruvathu
What appears before my vision
Paasamulla kodi manam
Is millions of affectionate hearts
Paadum paadalaagum
Becoming a song that is sung
Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan
I am a singer, a lover of good music
Naan naadhamendra kaattril uyir
I am a poet living my life in the air
Vaazhugindra paavalan….paadagan
Which is filled with sound and melody... a singer
Hae hae hae paavalan
Hey hey hey, a poet
Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan
I am a singer, a lover of good music
……………..
[Musical Interlude]
Thangaratham ena thallaadum maeni
A body swaying like a golden chariot
Mangai paruvangalil
In a young woman's youthfulness
Pongi vazhinthidum ponnaana inbam
Golden bliss overflowing and spilling over
Kanni idhayangalil ha ha
In maiden hearts, ha ha
Mottu malargalil munnooru vannam
Three hundred colors in budding flowers
Sokkum azhagugalil
In mesmerizing forms of beauty
Pattu idhazhgalil paaloorum kinnam
A bowl dripping with milk on silky lips
Kattum uravugalil
In binding human relationships
Aayiram raagangal vanthu aadidum kaalangal
Times when a thousand ragas come and dance
Idhu vaalipaththu kaaviyangal
These are the epics of youth
Paadugindra oviyangal
Singing paintings
Paasam endru vendum
Desiring only pure love and affection
Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan
I am a singer, a lover of good music
Naan naadhamendra kaattril uyir
I am a poet living my life in the air
Vaazhugindra paavalan….paadagan
Which is filled with sound and melody... a singer
Hae hae hae paavalan
Hey hey hey, a poet
Naan oru paadagan nallisai kadhalan
I am a singer, a lover of good music
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Naan Oru Paadagan' from the 1979 film 'Kuzhanthaiyai Thedi' expresses the soulful identity of a passionate singer and poet. The protagonist describes himself as someone who breathes music as his vital air. The lyrics evoke how swaras (musical notes), beats, and ragas continuously awaken inside his heart, converting every human emotion and affectionate soul he observes into living melodies. The second stanza delves into the poetic appreciation of youth, beauty, and human connection, describing graceful maidens, budding flowers, and love as 'singing paintings' and 'epics of youth'. Through SPB's vibrant vocals and Gangai Amaran's evocative words and composition, the track celebrates the divine, intoxicating nature of artistic creation.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Naan naadhamendra kaattril uyir Vaazhugindra paavalan”
Compares sound/melody to the very air required to live.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Thangaratham ena thallaadum maeni”
Compares a young woman's swaying physique to a golden chariot.
Initial Alliteration (Moonaai)
“Paasamulla kodi manam Paadum paadalaagum”
Repetition of the 'P' sound across adjacent words in Tamil verse.
Personification
“Paadugindra oviyangal”
Attributes the human activity of singing to visual art forms (paintings).
Did you know?
Trivia
'Kuzhanthaiyai Thedi' (1979) was one of the early films where Gangai Amaran took on the mantle of sole composer alongside writing the lyrics. Sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, this song serves as an iconic example of Gangai Amaran's versatility as both a lyricist and music director during an era dominated by his brother, Ilaiyaraaja.
Keep listening
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