Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Oora Yaechu Onnaaga

From Pozhuthu Vidinchachu · 1984

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Pozhuthu Vidinchachu1984

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Oora yaechchu onnaaga maeikkumDeceiving the whole town and herding them together,
Mama maruthu pullaUncle Maruthu's son,
Unna pola yaarumillaThere is no one quite like you!
Male
Oora yaechchu onnaaga maeikkumDeceiving the whole town and herding them together,
Mama maruthu pullaUncle Maruthu's son,
Unna pola yaarumillaThere is no one quite like you!
Male
Onnoda maappillaAlong with you, my son-in-law,
potten vaeppilaI have placed neem leaves to ward off evil,
Um puththi maaranum yaengaYour mindset really needs to change, sir!
Male
Yaeraatha maraththula thaanaathu marakkilaiLike a branch swaying on an unclimbed tree,
Ennoda paadhaikku vaangaCome follow my path!
Male
Paal karakkum pasumaaduA cow that gives milk,
En maamanukku chinna veeduA second home for my uncle,
Paal karakkum pasumaaduA cow that gives milk,
En maamanukku chinna veeduA second home for my uncle,
Male
Thaaliyilla maelamillaWithout a sacred thread, without wedding drums,
Thaanaa vanthava potta poduThe woman who came on her own made quite a splash!
Male
Thagathimithagathimi poduthadaaDancing rhythmically to the 'thagathimi' beat,
Male :Thalaivali oorukku kooduthadaaMale: The headache for the town is growing, man!
Both :Vazhi maaruthadaa shuruthi yaeruthadaaBoth: The direction is changing and the tempo is rising!
Male
Oora yaechchu onnaaga maeikkumDeceiving the whole town and herding them together,
Mama maruthu pullaUncle Maruthu's son,
Hoi unna pola yaarumilla hey hey heyHey, there is no one quite like you, hey hey hey!
Male
Onnoda maappillaAlong with you, my son-in-law,
Pottenae vaeppilaI have placed neem leaves,
Um puththi maaranum yaengaYour mindset really needs to change, sir!
Male
Yaeraatha maraththula thaanaathu marakkilaiLike a branch swaying on an unclimbed tree,
Ennoda paadhaikku vaangaCome follow my path!
Male
Jaathagaththa paaththukungaLook at the horoscope,
Sariththiranga maaruthungaHistory is changing!
Jaathagaththa paaththukungaLook at the horoscope,
Sariththiranga maaruthungaHistory is changing!
Male
Kodi panam selvam ellaamCrores of money and all the wealth,
Kudisaikku maarida poguthungaAre all going to shift into the huts!
Male :Varumaiyin kodumaiyum oduthungaMale: The cruelty of poverty is running away,
Vasathinga yaezhaikku kooduthungaComforts for the poor are increasing!
Both :Vazhi maaruthunga shuruthi yaeruthungaBoth: The direction is changing and the tempo is rising!
Male
Oora yaechchu onnaaga maeikkumDeceiving the whole town and herding them together,
Mama maruthu pullaUncle Maruthu's son,
Male :Hoi hoiMale: Hoi hoi!
Male :Unna pola yaarumillaMale: There is no one quite like you,
Male :Hoi hoi hoiMale: Hoi hoi hoi!
Male
Onnoda maappillaAlong with you, my son-in-law,
Pottenae vaeppilaI have placed neem leaves,
Um puththi maaranum yaengaYour mindset really needs to change, sir!
Male
Yaeraatha maraththula thaanaathu marakkilaiLike a branch swaying on an unclimbed tree,
Ennoda paadhaikku vaangaCome follow my path!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic Tamil folk duet uses sharp satire and rural humor to address personal eccentricities and social transformation. The singers poke fun at 'Uncle Maruthu's son,' a cunning character who fools the whole village. By symbolically placing neem leaves ('vaeppila'), a traditional ritual used for healing and warding off evil spirits or madness, the song playfully calls for a change in his foolish mindset.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (Rhyming Couplet/End Rhyme)

Male :Varumaiyin kodumaiyum oduthunga / Vasathinga yaezhaikku kooduthunga

The lines end with similar sounding words ('oduthunga' and 'kooduthunga'), creating a musical flow characteristic of Tamil folk poetry.

Cultural Symbolism / Metaphor

potten vaeppila / Um puththi maaranum yaenga

Neem leaves ('vaeppila') are culturally associated with exorcism, warding off bad luck, or treating madness, metaphorically used here to demand a reform in character.

Onomatopoeia

Thagathimithagathimi poduthadaa

'Thagathimi' imitates rhythmic dance sounds (Jathi) in Tamil traditional performing arts.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Pozhuthu Vidinchachu' (1984) is a Tamil rural drama film directed by Gangai Amaran, who also wrote the lyrics for this track. Although the composer is listed as unknown in the prompt context, the film's soundtrack was actually composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, featuring his signature 1980s folk-percussion arrangements.

Keep listening

More from Pozhuthu Vidinchachu