- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Viswanathan Velai Venum
- Movie release year
- 1985
- Lyrics added on
- 21 Sept 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Naanoru Gnyaani' from the 1985 movie Viswanathan Velai Venum is a high-energy dance track composed by Shankar-Ganesh and rendered by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam with lyrics by Vaali. The protagonist humorously styles himself as a modern, Westernized 'gnani' (sage) who teaches the philosophy of letting go of past woes and embracing present happiness through song, rhythm, and romance. The song celebrates the boundless and transcendent power of music, portraying it as a divine gift that brings people together and reverberates across the universe. SPB's dynamic vocal delivery, interspersed with rhythmic scatting and playfulness, perfectly captures the infectious optimism and celebratory spirit of the track.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monorhyme & End Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“Naanoru gnyaani melai nattu paani / Raaniyaaga vaadi paaadum vaanam paadi”
Rhyming ending words such as 'gnyaani', 'paani', and 'vaanam paadi' create a bouncy, musical rhythm in the pallavi.
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Thaenaaga thithipathu paalaattrilae serudhu”
Comparing the harmony of singing and love to honey sweetening a flowing river of milk.
Hyperbole (Ushuyokthi)
“Imaiyathin melum en kural pattu edhiroli ketkkum raasiyaagum”
Exaggerating the vocal reach to say the voice hits the top of the Himalayas and echoes back.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Viswanathan Velai Venum' (1985) featured music by the hit duo Shankar-Ganesh. S. P. Balasubrahmanyam's inventive vocal improvisations, Western beat styling, and rhythm scatting ('Theemtha nagajoonnu') in this track highlighted his signature energetic performance style in 1980s Tamil commercial cinema.
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