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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Once A Pappa

From Anbe Vaa · 1966

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
A. L. Raghavan, Chorus
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Anbe Vaa1966

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics↻ English translation
Male
O…ho… o…ho…Oh… ho… oh… ho…
Chorus
Lallaa lallaa lallaa lallaaLa la la la la la la la
Lallaa LallaaLa la la la
Male :O…ho… o…ho…Male: Oh… ho… oh… ho…
Chorus :Lallaa lallaa lallaa lallaaChorus: La la la la la la la la
Lallaa LallaaLa la la la
Male :O…ho… o…ho…Male: Oh… ho… oh… ho…
Male
Aa once a paappaaAh, once a young girl
Met a maamaaMet a gentleman
In a little tourist busIn a little tourist bus
Ennadi paappaa sonnadhu dooppaaHey girl, was what you said a lie?
Kannam sivandhadhuYour cheeks turned red
What is this haeiWhat is this, hey!
Chorus
Lallaa lallaa lallaa lallaaLa la la la la la la la
Lallaa LallaaLa la la la
Lallaa lallaa lallaa lallaaLa la la la la la la la
Lallaa LallaaLa la la la
Male
Aa… my dear paappaaAh… my dear girl
Thalaiyil toppaaWearing a hat on your head
What about the hair oilWhat about the hair oil?
Evening beauty ennadi dutyHey evening beauty, what is your plan?
Meet me in the boat mailMeet me on the Boat Mail train
Chorus
Lallaa lallaa lallaa lallaaLa la la la la la la la
Lallaa LallaaLa la la la
Lallaa lallaa lallaa lallaaLa la la la la la la la
Lallaa LallaaLa la la la
Male
Aa once a paappaaAh, once a young girl
Met a maamaaMet a gentleman
In a little tourist busIn a little tourist bus
Ennadi paappaa sonnadhu dooppaaHey girl, was what you said a lie?
Kannam sivandhadhuYour cheeks turned red
What is thisWhat is this?
Bum bum bumBum bum bum
Bum bum bumBum bum bum
Bum bum bum…………………..Bum bum bum…………………

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a cheerful, playful Tanglish track from the classic 1966 romantic comedy 'Anbe Vaa'. Designed like a nursery rhyme, it features lighthearted banter where the hero playfully teases the heroine during a trip on a tourist bus. Using a humorous mix of English and Tamil slang, the hero comments on her shyness, her blushing cheeks, her stylish hat, and proposes a rendezvous on the famous Boat Mail train. The overall tone is bright, affectionate, and carefree. It highlights the playful dynamic between the lovers at the beginning of their romantic connection, combining whimsical rhyming words with upbeat music to convey flirtatious joy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

“Aa once a paappaa / Met a maamaa / Ennadi paappaa sonnadhu dooppaa”

The words 'paappaa', 'maamaa', 'dooppaa', and 'toppaa' create a rhythmic end-rhyme scheme typical of nursery rhymes.

Macaronic Verse (Tanglish Code-Switching)

“Evening beauty ennadi duty / Meet me in the boat mail”

Seamlessly blends English vocabulary ('Evening beauty', 'duty', 'boat mail') with Tamil colloquialisms ('ennadi') for playful poetic effect.

Onomatopoeia

“Bum bum bum / Lallaa lallaa”

Use of vocalized sound words to give the song a lighthearted, nursery-rhyme musical beat.

Did you know?

Trivia

From the film 'Anbe Vaa' (1966) starring M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) and B. Saroja Devi, directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar and produced by AVM Productions. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Vaali, and the song was sung by T. M. Soundararajan (TMS). The line 'Meet me in the boat mail' refers to the historic 'Boat Mail' express train that connected Madras (Chennai) to Dhanushkodi for Ceylon (Sri Lanka) boat ferry connections.

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