Nee Sigappu
From Soolam · 1980
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Soolam1980
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Nee sigappu naan karuppu | You are fair, I am dark, |
| Oorellam oomalippu | The whole town is filled with gossip. |
| Nee sigappu naan karuppu | You are fair, I am dark, |
| Oorellam oomalippu | The whole town is filled with gossip. |
| Female | |
| Oomalippu theerum munnae | Before the gossip comes to an end, |
| Odipovaai rangoonukku | You will run away to Rangoon. |
| Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae | Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king! |
| Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae | Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king! |
| Female | |
| Nee sigappu naan karuppu | You are fair, I am dark, |
| Oorellam oomalippu | The whole town is filled with gossip. |
| Female | |
| Seemaikku pora machchaan | Oh dear cousin traveling abroad, |
| Moolaiya engae vachchae | Where did you leave your common sense? |
| Pattanam suththi suththi | Roaming around the big city, |
| Kettatho aiyyaa puththi | Did your mind turn bad, dear sir? |
| Female | |
| Engae nee ponaa enna | No matter where you go, |
| Anga naan vaaraen kannaa | I will follow you there, my darling. |
| Maamathurai pakkam | Around the region of grand Madurai, |
| Ada namma paththithaanae pechchu | Hey, talk is all about the two of us. |
| Maargazhi aagum munnae | Before the month of Margazhi arrives, |
| Maalaiyitaa kettaa pochchu | Would it be bad if you married me with a garland? |
| Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae | Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king! |
| Female | |
| Nee sigappu naan karuppu | You are fair, I am dark, |
| Oorellam oomalippu | The whole town is filled with gossip. |
| Female | |
| Neeyumthaan pathuthu maasam | You were carried for ten months in the womb, |
| Naanunthaan paththu maasam | I too was carried for ten months. |
| Aanath neeyae paaru | Look at what you have become, |
| Naan athula thoththaa kelu | Listen to how I fell behind in that. |
| Female | |
| Kottuna kaayaa thelu | Did a unripened scorpion sting you? |
| Vuttudaa pulla poochchi | Leave it, you little insect! |
| Neerizhikka thanni | In the trickling water stream, |
| Adhil neeyae vanthu maattikittaa | You came and trapped yourself. |
| Ponnunaa ennayinnu | What a woman truly is, |
| Nanae ippa kaatta porean | I am going to show you right now. |
| Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae | Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king! |
| Female | |
| Nee sigappu naan karuppu | You are fair, I am dark, |
| Oorellam oomalippu | The whole town is filled with gossip. |
| Female | |
| Vaenuminnaa thottu kolla | Am I just a pickle, my king, |
| Oorukaai naanaa raasaa | For you to touch and taste whenever you want? |
| Killura keeraiyinnu | Thinking of me lightly, |
| Ennina ennai laesaa | Like spinach that can be easily plucked? |
| Female | |
| Unna naan vittu vachchaa | If I let you go unpunished, |
| Ponnu naan illa machchaan | I am not a true woman, my cousin! |
| Vaadippatti santhai | To the weekly market at Vadipatti, |
| Oru vandikkatti naanum vaaraen | I will arrive riding in a cart. |
| Mappulla maanam ellam | All of the groom's pride and honor, |
| Koorukatti vikkapporaen | I will divide into shares and sell off! |
| Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae | Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king! |
| Female | |
| Nee sigappu naan karuppu | You are fair, I am dark, |
| Oorellam oomalippu | The whole town is filled with gossip. |
| Female | |
| Oomalippu theerum munnae | Before the gossip comes to an end, |
| Odi povaai rangoonukku | You will run away to Rangoon. |
| Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae | Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king! |
| Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae | Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king! |
நீ சிகப்பு நான் கருப்பு
ஊரெல்லாம் ஓமலிப்பு
நீ சிகப்பு நான் கருப்பு
ஊரெல்லாம் ஓமலிப்பு
You are fair, I am dark,
The whole town is filled with gossip.
You are fair, I am dark,
The whole town is filled with gossip.
ஓமலிப்பு தீரும் முன்னே
ஓடிப்போவாய் ரங்கூனுக்கு......
இன்னாரு மவனே அட மன்னாரு மவனே
இன்னாரு மவனே அட மன்னாரு மவனே
Before the gossip comes to an end,
You will run away to Rangoon.
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
நீ சிகப்பு நான் கருப்பு
ஊரெல்லாம் ஓமலிப்பு
You are fair, I am dark,
The whole town is filled with gossip.
சீமைக்கு போற மச்சான்
மூளைய எங்கே வச்சே
பட்டணம் சுத்தி சுத்தி
கெட்டதோ ஐயா புத்தி
Oh dear cousin traveling abroad,
Where did you leave your common sense?
Roaming around the big city,
Did your mind turn bad, dear sir?
எங்கே நீ போனா என்ன
அங்க நான் வாரேன் கண்ணா
மாமதுரை பக்கம்
அட நம்மப் பத்திதானே பேச்சு
மார்கழி ஆகும் முன்னே
மாலையிட்டா கெட்டாப் போச்சு
இன்னாரு மவனே அட மன்னாரு மவனே
No matter where you go,
I will follow you there, my darling.
Around the region of grand Madurai,
Hey, talk is all about the two of us.
Before the month of Margazhi arrives,
Would it be bad if you married me with a garland?
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
நீ சிகப்பு நான் கருப்பு
ஊரெல்லாம் ஓமலிப்பு
You are fair, I am dark,
The whole town is filled with gossip.
நீயும்தான் பத்து மாசம்
நானுந்தான் பத்து மாசம்
ஆனத நீயே பாரு
நான் அதுல தோத்தா கேளு
You were carried for ten months in the womb,
I too was carried for ten months.
Look at what you have become,
Listen to how I fell behind in that.
கொட்டுன காய தேளு
வுட்டுடா புள்ளப் பூச்சி
நீரிழிக்க தண்ணி
அதில் நீயே வந்து மாட்டிக்கிட்ட
பொண்ணுனா என்னயின்னு
நானே இப்ப காட்டப் போறேன்
இன்னாரு மவனே அட மன்னாரு மவனே
Did a unripened scorpion sting you?
Leave it, you little insect!
In the trickling water stream,
You came and trapped yourself.
What a woman truly is,
I am going to show you right now.
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
நீ சிகப்பு நான் கருப்பு
ஊரெல்லாம் ஓமலிப்பு
You are fair, I am dark,
The whole town is filled with gossip.
வேணுமின்னா தொட்டுக் கொள்ள
ஊறுகாய் நானா ராசா
கிள்ளுற கீரையின்னு
எண்ணின என்னை லேசா
Am I just a pickle, my king,
For you to touch and taste whenever you want?
Thinking of me lightly,
Like spinach that can be easily plucked?
உன்ன நான் விட்டு வச்சா
பொண்ணு நான் இல்ல மச்சான்
வாடிப்பட்டி சந்தை
ஒரு வண்டிக் கட்டி நானும் வாரேன்
மாப்புள்ள மானம் எல்லாம்
கூறுக்கட்டி விக்கப்போறேன்
இன்னாரு மவனே அட மன்னாரு மவனே (நீ)
If I let you go unpunished,
I am not a true woman, my cousin!
To the weekly market at Vadipatti,
I will arrive riding in a cart.
All of the groom's pride and honor,
I will divide into shares and sell off!
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
நீ சிகப்பு நான் கருப்பு
ஊரெல்லாம் ஓமலிப்பு
You are fair, I am dark,
The whole town is filled with gossip.
ஓமலிப்பு தீரும் முன்னே
ஓடிப்போவாய் ரங்கூனுக்கு......
இன்னாரு மவனே அட மன்னாரு மவனே
இன்னாரு மவனே அட மன்னாரு மவனே
Before the gossip comes to an end,
You will run away to Rangoon.
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Nee sigappu naan karuppu
You are fair, I am dark,
Oorellam oomalippu
The whole town is filled with gossip.
Nee sigappu naan karuppu
You are fair, I am dark,
Oorellam oomalippu
The whole town is filled with gossip.
Oomalippu theerum munnae
Before the gossip comes to an end,
Odipovaai rangoonukku
You will run away to Rangoon.
Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Nee sigappu naan karuppu
You are fair, I am dark,
Oorellam oomalippu
The whole town is filled with gossip.
Seemaikku pora machchaan
Oh dear cousin traveling abroad,
Moolaiya engae vachchae
Where did you leave your common sense?
Pattanam suththi suththi
Roaming around the big city,
Kettatho aiyyaa puththi
Did your mind turn bad, dear sir?
Engae nee ponaa enna
No matter where you go,
Anga naan vaaraen kannaa
I will follow you there, my darling.
Maamathurai pakkam
Around the region of grand Madurai,
Ada namma paththithaanae pechchu
Hey, talk is all about the two of us.
Maargazhi aagum munnae
Before the month of Margazhi arrives,
Maalaiyitaa kettaa pochchu
Would it be bad if you married me with a garland?
Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Nee sigappu naan karuppu
You are fair, I am dark,
Oorellam oomalippu
The whole town is filled with gossip.
Neeyumthaan pathuthu maasam
You were carried for ten months in the womb,
Naanunthaan paththu maasam
I too was carried for ten months.
Aanath neeyae paaru
Look at what you have become,
Naan athula thoththaa kelu
Listen to how I fell behind in that.
Kottuna kaayaa thelu
Did a unripened scorpion sting you?
Vuttudaa pulla poochchi
Leave it, you little insect!
Neerizhikka thanni
In the trickling water stream,
Adhil neeyae vanthu maattikittaa
You came and trapped yourself.
Ponnunaa ennayinnu
What a woman truly is,
Nanae ippa kaatta porean
I am going to show you right now.
Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Nee sigappu naan karuppu
You are fair, I am dark,
Oorellam oomalippu
The whole town is filled with gossip.
Vaenuminnaa thottu kolla
Am I just a pickle, my king,
Oorukaai naanaa raasaa
For you to touch and taste whenever you want?
Killura keeraiyinnu
Thinking of me lightly,
Ennina ennai laesaa
Like spinach that can be easily plucked?
Unna naan vittu vachchaa
If I let you go unpunished,
Ponnu naan illa machchaan
I am not a true woman, my cousin!
Vaadippatti santhai
To the weekly market at Vadipatti,
Oru vandikkatti naanum vaaraen
I will arrive riding in a cart.
Mappulla maanam ellam
All of the groom's pride and honor,
Koorukatti vikkapporaen
I will divide into shares and sell off!
Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Nee sigappu naan karuppu
You are fair, I am dark,
Oorellam oomalippu
The whole town is filled with gossip.
Oomalippu theerum munnae
Before the gossip comes to an end,
Odi povaai rangoonukku
You will run away to Rangoon.
Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Innaaru mavanae ada mannaru mavanae
Hey son of whoever, oh son of a king!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This folk-style duet/soliloquy captures a playful, teasing, yet assertive confrontation between a rural woman and her partner. She contrasts his fair complexion with her dark skin and addresses the town's persistent gossip about their relationship. She warns him against abandoning her or trying to escape to far-off places like Rangoon, declaring that she will pursue him wherever he goes.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Antithesis (Contrast)
“Nee sigappu naan karuppu”
The contrast between fair complexion ('sigappu') and dark complexion ('karuppu') is used repeatedly to highlight perceived social differences and town gossip.
Metaphor
“Oorukaai naanaa raasaa / Killura keeraiyinnu”
Comparing herself to 'oorukaai' (pickle) or 'killura keerai' (pluckable spinach) highlights how she refuses to be treated as a trivial side dish or easily taken for granted.
Rhyme / Alliteration (Ethukai)
“Nee sigappu naan karuppu / Oorellam oomalippu”
The second letter rhyme ('sigappu' / 'oomalippu') provides a rhythmic folk cadence typical of rural Tamil songs.
Did you know?
Trivia
The mention of 'Rangoon' (Yangon, Myanmar) reflects the historic migration of Tamil laborers and traders to Burma during the 19th and mid-20th centuries, which frequently featured in traditional South Tamil folk songs as a symbol of far-off exile.
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