- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Sankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Neeya
- Movie release year
- 1979
- Lyrics added on
- 27 Feb 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Ore Jeevan Ondre Ullam' is an iconic romantic duet from the 1979 movie 'Neeya'. The song eloquently expresses the profound oneness of two lovers who share a single soul ('ore jeevan') and one unified heart ('ondrae ullam'). Set against romantic, nature-filled imagery, the lovers invite each other into a deep emotional and physical union, comparing their bond to a unique gentle breeze intended for a single blossoming flower. The lyrics weave divine metaphors involving Krishna, stars watching over them as cosmic eyes, and rain clouds dancing over them. The song moves through a sensory journey of devotion and passion, concluding that being together brings ultimate paradise, leaving no room for anything else in their world.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Ore jeevan ondrae ullam / Orae poovil ondrae thendral..”
The second letter 'r' ('ர') rhymes between 'Ore' and 'Orae'.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Vaaraai kannaa… / Vaaraai kannae…”
The refrain ends with matching melodic structures ('Vaaraai') across verses.
Metaphor (Uruvagamm / Kan-meen)
“Unthan kanmeengal / En meethu vilaiyaadattum”
Eyes are metaphorically referred to as 'kanmeengal' (fish-like eyes / sparkling star-like eyes).
Personification / Metaphor
“Male :Intha mazhai megam / Un meethu aadum”
The rain cloud is personified as dancing over the beloved, symbolizing passionate love showering down.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Neeya' (1979) is a famous Tamil horror-thriller film centered on a vengeful shape-shifting snake woman (Ichchadhari Nagin), starring Kamal Haasan, Sripriya, Latha, and Vijayakumar. The music for the film was composed by the duo Sankar-Ganesh, and this classic track penned by Kavinar Kannadasan remains one of the most famous duet melodies in Tamil cinema, sung across multi-version tracks by legendary singers including S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela, K. J. Yesudas, and Vani Jairam.
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