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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

One And Two Chachachaa

From Nallathoru Kudumbam · 1979

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Nallathoru Kudumbam1979

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
One and two chachachaaOne and two, cha-cha-cha
Nee engae chachachaaWhere are you, cha-cha-cha?
Naan engae chachachaaWhere am I, cha-cha-cha?
Chacha chachachaaCha-cha, cha-cha-cha
One and two chachachaaOne and two, cha-cha-cha
Nee engae chachachaaWhere are you, cha-cha-cha?
Naan engae chachachaaWhere am I, cha-cha-cha?
Chacha chachachaaCha-cha, cha-cha-cha
Female
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Female
Thullum kaalgal ingu undaaAre there jumping feet here?
Kollum kangal ingu undaaAre there captivating, lethal eyes here?
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Vaarungal aadungalCome on, dance!
Who is that challenge meWho is that challenge me
Female
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Thullum kaalgal ingu undaaAre there jumping feet here?
Kollum kangal ingu undaaAre there captivating, lethal eyes here?
Female
Thaangaadhu raajaa naan enna laesaaYou won't be able to handle it, my king; am I a simple girl?
Naan aadum aattam rambaikku maelaeThe dance I perform surpasses even heavenly Rambha's!
Female
Thaangaadhu raajaa naan enna laesaaYou won't be able to handle it, my king; am I a simple girl?
Naan aadum aattam rambaikku maelaeThe dance I perform surpasses even heavenly Rambha's!
Pakkatthil vaarungal paarungalCome close and take a look,
Dhodho dhodho achanghalLook at these fears and shivers,
Jil jil jil jil jijjil jilJil jil jil jil jijjil jil
Female
Thullum kaalgal ingu undaaAre there jumping feet here?
Kollum kangal ingu undaaAre there captivating, lethal eyes here?
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Vaarungal aadungalCome on, dance!
Who is that challenge meWho is that challenge me
Female
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Male
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaenI will enter a thousand royal courts!
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaenI will enter a thousand royal courts!
Ezhundhadhundu vizhundhadhillaiI have risen before, but I have never fallen!
Ariyaamal ularaadhae odi podiDon't babble without knowing; run away, girl!
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaenI will enter a thousand royal courts!
Male
Alaigal aadumadi thaalatthukkuEven the ocean waves dance to this rhythm, girl!
Indha agangaaram indru unakkedharkkuWhy do you hold this arrogance today?
Alaigal aadumadi thaalatthukkuEven the ocean waves dance to this rhythm, girl!
Indha agangaaram indru unakkedharkkuWhy do you hold this arrogance today?
Jadhiiya nee enna radhiyaaAre you the rhythm itself, or are you Rathi, goddess of beauty?
Asaindhaal ulagam asaiyumIf it sways, the whole world sways with it!
Male
Paraman nadanam baradha kalaiLord Shiva's divine dance, the art of Bharatanatyam,
Ulaginil periyadhu allavoIs it not the greatest dance form in the world?
Yedhu nadanam… idhu nadanamWhich dance is supreme? This dance is supreme!
Yedhu nadanam idhu nadanamWhich dance is supreme? This dance is supreme!
Muraiyudan valaindhu nimirndhuBending and rising with disciplined form,
Ezhundhu thodarum kalai idhuThis is an art that elevates and endures!
Male
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaenI will enter a thousand royal courts!
Ezhundhadhundu vizhundhadhillaiI have risen before, but I have never fallen!
Ariyaamal ularaadhae odi podiDon't babble without knowing; run away, girl!
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaenI will enter a thousand royal courts!
Female
Ho doctor… this is baradha naattiyamHo doctor... this is Bharatanatyam
We want only chachachaaWe want only cha-cha-cha
Male
Ho… you want chachachaaHo... you want cha-cha-cha?
Female
Haa…Ha...
Male
Ready one two three fourReady, one two three four
Male
One and two chachachaaOne and two, cha-cha-cha
Naan engae achachaaWhere am I, achachaa!
Nee engae achacho chacha chachachaeWhere are you, achacho, cha-cha-cha!
One and two chachachaaOne and two, cha-cha-cha
Naan engae achachaaWhere am I, achachaa!
Nee engae achacho chacha chachachaeWhere are you, achacho, cha-cha-cha!
Male
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Thullum kaalgal ingu undaaAre there jumping feet here?
Kollum kangal ingu undaaAre there captivating, lethal eyes here?
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Male
Ennammo paarammaaLook at this, my girl,
Success often comes to meSuccess often comes to me
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Male
Magasa magasa magasa magasa magasanipaaMa-ga-sa ma-ga-sa ma-ga-sa ma-ga-sa ma-ga-sa-ni-pa
Dhanisadhaa padhanipaa paani dhaasa saama gaapaDha-ni-sa-dha pa-dha-ni-pa pa-ni dha-sa sa-ma ga-pa
Saanidhaapa maaga sagamapaaSaa-ni-dha-pa maa-ga sa-ga-ma-paa
Male
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Male
Paapapa panidhapa maamama madhapamaPaa-pa-pa pa-ni-dha-pa maa-ma-ma ma-dha-pa-ma
Gaagaga gapamaga samagapa madhapaaGaa-ga-ga ga-pa-ma-ga sa-ma-ga-pa ma-dha-paa
Padhanisaa mapadhaniPa-dha-ni-saa ma-pa-dha-ni
Padhanisaa mapadhani gamapanidhaPa-dha-ni-saa ma-pa-dha-ni ga-ma-pa-ni-dha
Sasasaa ninini chachachaa chechechaeSa-sa-saa ni-ni-ni cha-cha-chaa che-che-chee
Saasaanidha ninidhapa dhaadhaapamaSaa-saa-ni-dha ni-ni-dha-pa dhaа-dhaa-pa-ma
Saani needha dhaapa pamagasaSaa-ni needha dhaapa pamagasa
Male
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Male
Bumbum baaba bumbum babaaBumbum baaba bumbum babaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaaBumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumbumba bumbum babaa…Bumbum baaba bumbumba bumbum babaa...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a high-energy dance duel (jugalbandi) that pits modern Western dance forms like the Cha-Cha-Cha against classical Indian Bharatanatyam. The female singer initiates the challenge with upbeat Western scatting, asserting her skill and claiming her dance is superior even to the heavenly dancer Rambha. The male counterpart responds by invoking the sacred history of Bharatanatyam—the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva—admonishing her arrogance and celebrating classical tradition.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Thullum kaalgal ingu undaa / Kollum kangal ingu undaa

The second consonant sound 'll' (ள) in 'Thullum' and 'Kollum' creates a harmonious rhythmic repetition across consecutive lines.

Mythological Allusion (Uvamai / Purana Reference)

Naan aadum aattam rambaikku maelae

The lyricist references Rambha, the celestial dancer of Devaloka, to hyperbolically praise the dancer's extraordinary skill.

Contrast / Muran (Cultural Dichotomy)

Ho doctor… this is baradha naattiyam / We want only chachachaa

The lyrics intentionally contrast traditional classical Indian art (Bharatanatyam) with modern Western pop/dance culture (Cha-Cha-Cha) to drive the narrative challenge.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track from 'Nallathoru Kudumbam' (1979) features music composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics penned by Kannadasan. The song stands out for blending Carnatic solkattu (swara passages) seamlessly with Western beatbox-like scatting and Cha-Cha-Cha rhythms, a popular musical trope in 1970s Tamil cinema used to portray modern versus traditional dance duels.

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