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Ore Oru Gramathiley album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ore Oru Gramathiley

From Ore Oru Gramathiley · 1989

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, Chorus
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Ore Oru Gramathiley
Movie release year
1989
Lyrics added on
23 Aug 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Orae oru gramathilae
Orae oru kallukadai
Orae oru kadaiyila thaan
Orae oru keera vadai
Orae oru gramathilae
Orae oru kallukadai
Orae oru kadaiyila thaan
Orae oru keera vadai
Andha orae oru vadaikku thaan
Onbadhu per potti
Ada onbathu perum potti pottadhil
Avundhu pochu vaetti adadada
Avundhu pochu vaetti
Chorus :Avundhu pochu vaetti adadada
Avundhu pochu vaetti
Orae oru gramathilae
Orae oru kallukadai
Orae oru kadaiyila thaan
Orae oru keera vadai
Enga oorla paattukaaran nee
Unakkae mudhal mariyaadha
Nee vadaiya kadichaakka thanae porakkum
Kadalorathu kalutha
Kalutha illada kaludhai…kavidhai
…………………..
Enga oorula paattukaaran nee
Unakkae mudhal mariyaadha
Nee vadaiya kadichaakka thanae porakkum
Kadalorathu kavithai
Chinna thambhi periya thambhi
Anbukku thaan naan adimai
Kadamai kanniyam kattupaadu
Kaapathu thaan namm perumai
Kaali kazhugu
Andha kombaeri mookann
Inga kaali kazhugu
Andha kombaeri mookann
Malaiyur mambattiyaan thaan
Orae oru gramathilae
Orae oru kallukadai
Orae oru kadaiyila thaan
Orae oru keera vadai
Tharigida thaga dhimi thagathimithom
Male :Porichaa vaasam varum karuvaadu
Male :Tharigida thaga dhimi thagathimithom
Male :Naan sirichaa ullae pogum idha paaru
Tharigida thaga dhimi thom
Male :Varukkura vaathu mutta
Male :Tharigida thaga dhimi thom
Male :Suda suda kaara vadai
Males :Kaara vadai keera vadai
Pathu mada ulundhu vadai
Edukattuma pikkattuma thingattuma
Sindhu bairavi paadu nilavae
Ketkattum karuvaiyan
Adi ennai kaatilum azhaga andha
Super subbarayyan
Sindhu bairavi paadu nilavae
Ketkattum karuvaiyan
Adi ennai kaatilum azhaga andha
Super subbarayyan
Chinna veedu set up seiya
Poovae nee poochoodavaa
Maaveeran punnagai mannan
Vaelai kaaran allava
Aan paavandhaan …unnai thoranthida venaam
Indha aan paavandhaan …unnai thoranthida venaam
Alaigal ooindhu payanangal mudivadhillai
Pongada porukki pasangala
Annae annae poo ondru puyal aanadhu
Orae oru gramathilae
Orae oru kallukadai
Orae oru kadaiyila thaan
Orae oru keera vadai
Andha orae oru vadaikku thaan
Onbadhu per potti
Ada onbathu perum potti pottadhil
Avundhu pochu vaetti adadada
Avundhu pochu vaetti
Avundhu pochu vaetti adadada
Avundhu pochu vaetti
In just a single village,
There is only one toddy shop.
In that very one shop,
There is only one spinach vadai.
In just a single village,
There is only one toddy shop.
In that very one shop,
There is only one spinach vadai.
For that single vadai,
Nine people are competing.
Ah, when all nine fought over it,
Their dhotis came undone, oh my!
Their dhotis came undone!
Chorus: Their dhotis came undone, oh my!
Their dhotis came undone!
In just a single village,
There is only one toddy shop.
In that very one shop,
There is only one spinach vadai.
You are the singer of our village,
The first honor belongs to you.
Only if you take a bite of the vadai will there be born...
A seaside donkey!
Not a donkey, man! Donkey... poetry!
...
You are the singer of our village,
The first honor belongs to you.
Only if you take a bite of the vadai will there be born...
A seaside poem!
Little brother, big brother,
I am a slave only to love.
Duty, dignity, and discipline—
Upholding them is our pride.
Kaali and Kazhugu,
That Komberi Mookkan snake,
Here Kaali and Kazhugu,
That Komberi Mookkan snake,
Is none other than Malayoor Mambattiyan!
In just a single village,
There is only one toddy shop.
In that very one shop,
There is only one spinach vadai.
Tharikida thaka thimi thakathimithom,
Male: Dried fish smells so good when fried,
Male: Tharikida thaka thimi thakathimithom,
Male: Look, when I laugh, it slips right in!
Tharikida thaka thimi thom,
Male: A roasted duck egg,
Male: Tharikida thaka thimi thom,
Male: Piping hot spicy vadai,
Males: Spicy vadai, spinach vadai,
Ten times more lentil vadai,
Shall I grab them, stuff them, and devour them?
Sindhu Bhairavi, sing oh moon,
Let Karuvaiyan listen!
Hey, is that Super Subbarayan
Handsomer than me?
Sindhu Bhairavi, sing oh moon,
Let Karuvaiyan listen!
Hey, is that Super Subbarayan
Handsomer than me?
To set up a second home,
Oh flower, will you come wear blossoms?
The great hero, the smiling king,
Isn't he just a working man after all?
It is male folly... no need to chase after you,
This is male folly... no need to chase after you,
Waves may settle, but journeys never end!
Get lost, you rascals!
Brother, brother! A flower has turned into a storm!
In just a single village,
There is only one toddy shop.
In that very one shop,
There is only one spinach vadai.
For that single vadai,
Nine people are competing.
Ah, when all nine fought over it,
Their dhotis came undone, oh my!
Their dhotis came undone!
Their dhotis came undone, oh my!
Their dhotis came undone!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a comedic, folk-inspired satirical track from the movie 'Ore Oru Gramathiley' (1989). The narrative centers around a humorous premise set in a quiet village toddy shop where only a single 'keerai vadai' (spinach fritter) remains. Nine local villagers greedily brawl over this sole snack to the point where their traditional dhotis slip off in the commotion, serving as a funny metaphor for ego and absurd petty rivalries.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Repetition (Sol Madakku)

“Orae oru gramathilae / Orae oru kallukadai / Orae oru kadaiyila thaan / Orae oru keera vadai”

The repeating phrase 'Orae oru' (Only one single) at the start of consecutive lines creates a rhythmic cadence and emphasizes the rarity of the item causing the conflict.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

“Kadamai kanniyam kattupaadu”

Alliteration of the initial Tamil consonant 'Ka' (க) across three consecutive words creates a strong rhetorical and rhythmic punch.

Wordplay / Pun (Slesai)

“Kadalorathu kalutha... Kalutha illada kaludhai…kavidhai”

A humorous play on words slurring 'Kavidhai' (poem) into 'Kaludhai' (donkey), poking fun at bad amateur poetry.

Pop-Culture Allusions (Film Titles Intertextuality)

“Sindhu bairavi paadu nilavae / Maaveeran punnagai mannan / Vaelai kaaran allava / Aan paavandhaan”

Vaali cleverly embeds titles of famous 1980s Tamil blockbusters (Sindhu Bhairavi, Paadum Nilave, Maaveeran, Punnagai Mannan, Velaikkaran, Aan Paavam) into the song's conversation as comedic wordplay.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Ore Oru Gramathiley' (1989) features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and lyrics penned by the veteran poet Vaali. The song is famous for its clever meta-humor, as Vaali seamlessly incorporated the names of popular 1980s Tamil hit films (such as 'Sindhu Bhairavi', 'Aan Paavam', 'Punnagai Mannan', 'Kazhugu', 'Mambattiyaan', and 'Velaikkaran') into the lyric lines, creating an iconic comedy track.

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