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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Naan Paarthalum

From Thaai · 1974

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Thaai1974

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Naan paarththaalum paarthendiEven though I saw it, I really saw it, girl
Madras pattanaththaiThe city of Madras
Paththu kannu podhaathammaaTen eyes aren't enough, my dear woman
Patti kaattammaaO village woman!
Male
Naan paarththaalum paarthendiEven though I saw it, I really saw it, girl
Madras pattanaththaiThe city of Madras
Paththu kannu podhaathammaaTen eyes aren't enough, my dear woman
Patti kaattammaaO village woman!
Male
Theruvengum pranthikadai thiranthirukkaangaThey have opened liquor shops all across the street
Thinanthorum kannkaatchi nadaththikkiraangaThey conduct visual spectacles and shows every day
Theruvengum pranthikadai thiranthirukkaangaThey have opened liquor shops all across the street
Thinanthorum kannkaatchi nadaththikkiraangaThey conduct visual spectacles and shows every day
Male
Paathi kaatti record dance aadikkiraangammaaExposing half their bodies, they perform record dances, my dear woman
Amma amma ammammaaOh dear, oh dear, oh mother!
Paathi kaatti record dance aadikkiraangammaaExposing half their bodies, they perform record dances, my dear woman
Angae panamirunthaaIf you have money there
Kottaiyai kooda vaangikkiraangammaThey can even buy the fort, my dear woman
Ammammaa ammammaa aamaammaaOh dear, oh dear, yes indeed!
Male
Naan paarththaalum paarthendiEven though I saw it, I really saw it, girl
Madras pattanaththaiThe city of Madras
Paththu kannu podhaathammaaTen eyes aren't enough, my dear woman
Patti kaattammaaO village woman!
Male
Naan oru naal saavaainuOne day I thought of Savoy (sounding like 'death')
Oru hotel-kku ponaenAnd went to a hotel
Hotel-kku perae saavaainu vachchirukkaanaeHe has named the hotel itself as 'Savoy' (death)!
Eppadi irukkumonnu ninaichenI wondered how it would be
Ullae poe paarththaaWhen I went inside and looked
Male
Aambalaiyum pombalaiyumMen and women
Kaalmaari thalaimaari aaduraanga adhu danceDancing intertwined legs and heads, that is dance
You and i danceYou and I dance
Mayakkamaa irukkuthaeIt feels dizzying and overwhelming
Anaikkavo edukkavoShould I embrace them or pick them up?
Male
Naan paarththaalum paarthendiEven though I saw it, I really saw it, girl
Madras pattanaththaiThe city of Madras
Paththu kannu podhaathammaaTen eyes aren't enough, my dear woman
Patti kaattammaaO village woman!
Male
Kuppaththilae kaasai alli pottirukkaangaThey have dumped money into the slums
Kooda oru mudhalaiyaiyum vittirukkaangaAlong with it, they have unleashed a crocodile as well
Thundu potta manshangaMen wearing towels around their shoulders
Ellaam suththigiraangammaaAre all roaming around, my dear
Intha naattai aala povathaaga ennikiraangammaaImagining that they are going to rule this nation, my dear
Male
Naan paarththaalum paarthendiEven though I saw it, I really saw it, girl
Madras pattanaththaiThe city of Madras
Paththu kannu podhaathammaaTen eyes aren't enough, my dear woman
Patti kaattammaaO village woman!
Male
Naan oru periya virunthukku ponaenI went to a grand party
Angae oru ponnu vanthaaA girl arrived there
Pakkaththilae ponathukappuramthaanOnly after getting close to her
Ponnunnu therinjuthuDid I realize she was a woman
Ava nadanthaa enna nadai vaathu nadaiWhen she walked, what a walk! A duck's waddle!
Male
Avalukku udhadae illa polirukkuIt seemed she didn't even have lips
Kayilaeyae udhattai vachchirunthaaShe was carrying her lipstick in her hand
Puruvamum illai polirukkuIt seemed she had no natural eyebrows either
Adhaiyum kaiyilaeyae vachirunthaaShe held those in her hands too (pencil/makeup)
Male
Aaradi koondhal araiyadithaan originalOut of six feet of hair, only half a foot is real!
Avvalavu alangaaraththaiyum paarthaenI witnessed all that heavy makeup and artificiality
Adhai paarththathum avaloda aadanum paadanumSeeing all that, I felt like singing and dancing with her
Ennennavo pannanum pola sabalam thonichchuI felt temped with all kinds of wild desires
Male
One and two and threeOne and two and three
Laarampam pam pamparam pamLaarampam pam pamparam pam
Pam pamparam pam pampampaamPam pamparam pam pampampaam
Laarampam pam pamparam pamLaarampam pam pamparam pam
Pam pamparam pam pampampaamPam pamparam pam pampampaam

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic track presents a humorous yet satirical observation of city life in Madras (Chennai) through the eyes of a naive villager speaking to a rural woman. The protagonist expresses utter astonishment at urban novelties, including Western-style hotel dances, artificial beauty practices, night life, and social inequality where money rules over everything. Through playful wordplay and sharp observational humor, lyricist Kannadasan and composer M. S. Viswanathan capture the rustic protagonist's awe, confusion, and subtle moral commentary on the fast-paced, dizzying spectacle of modern city culture.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Uvamanu/Adukyani)

Paththu kannu podhaathammaa

Exaggeration that ten eyes are not enough to take in the vast sights of Madras city.

Pun / Wordplay (Sledai)

Hotel-kku perae saavaainu vachchirukkaanae

Wordplay on the hotel name 'Savoy', connecting it humorously to the Tamil word 'Saavu' (death).

Satire / Humor (Nakai)

Aaradi koondhal araiyadithaan original

Witty visual satire mocking modern cosmetic trends like wigs and makeup.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Theruvengum pranthikadai thiranthirukkaanga

Repetition of the initial letter 'Th' across consecutive lines for rhythmic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

This satirical folk-pop track is from the 1974 film 'Thaai', featuring Sivaji Ganesan. T. M. Soundararajan delivered the vocals with a distinct rustic dialect and high energy, perfectly rendering Kannadasan's humorous commentary on urban modernization.

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