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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ore Oru Gramathiley

From Ore Oru Gramathiley · 1989

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, Chorus
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Ore Oru Gramathiley1989

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Orae oru gramathilaeIn a single village
Orae oru kallukadaiThere is only one toddy shop
Orae oru kadaiyila thaanIn that single shop
Orae oru keera vadaiThere is only one spinach fritter
Orae oru gramathilaeIn a single village
Orae oru kallukadaiThere is only one toddy shop
Orae oru kadaiyila thaanIn that single shop
Orae oru keera vadaiThere is only one spinach fritter
Male
Andha orae oru vadaikku thaanFor that single fritter
Onbadhu per pottiNine people are competing
Ada onbathu perum potti pottadhilOh, as all nine competed for it
Avundhu pochu vaetti adadadaTheir dhotis came untied, oh dear!
Avundhu pochu vaettiTheir dhotis came untied
Chorus :Avundhu pochu vaetti adadadaChorus: Their dhotis came untied, oh dear!
Avundhu pochu vaettiTheir dhotis came untied
Male
Orae oru gramathilaeIn a single village
Orae oru kallukadaiThere is only one toddy shop
Orae oru kadaiyila thaanIn that single shop
Orae oru keera vadaiThere is only one spinach fritter
Male
Enga oorla paattukaaran neeYou are the singer of our village
Unakkae mudhal mariyaadhaThe first honor belongs to you
Nee vadaiya kadichaakka thanae porakkumOnly if you take a bite of the fritter will it be born...
Kadalorathu kalutha...A donkey by the seashore!
Male
Kalutha illada kaludhai…kavidhaiNot a donkey, man! It's donkey... poetry!
Male
………………….....
Male
Enga oorula paattukaaran neeYou are the singer of our village
Unakkae mudhal mariyaadhaThe first honor belongs to you
Nee vadaiya kadichaakka thanae porakkumOnly if you take a bite of the fritter will it be born...
Kadalorathu kavithai...A poem by the seashore!
Male
Chinna thambhi periya thambhiYounger brother, elder brother
Anbukku thaan naan adimaiI am a slave only to love
Kadamai kanniyam kattupaaduDuty, dignity, and discipline
Kaapathu thaan namm perumaiUpholding them is our pride
Male
Kaali kazhuguBlack eagle
Andha kombaeri mookannThat bronzeback tree snake
Inga kaali kazhuguHere is the black eagle
Andha kombaeri mookannThat bronzeback tree snake
Malaiyur mambattiyaan thaanHe is Malaiyur Mambattiyaan
Male
Orae oru gramathilaeIn a single village
Orae oru kallukadaiThere is only one toddy shop
Orae oru kadaiyila thaanIn that single shop
Orae oru keera vadaiThere is only one spinach fritter
Male
Tharigida thaga dhimi thagathimithomTharigida thaga dhimi thagathimithom
Male :Porichaa vaasam varum karuvaaduMale: Fried dried-fish gives off a rich aroma
Male :Tharigida thaga dhimi thagathimithomMale: Tharigida thaga dhimi thagathimithom
Male :Naan sirichaa ullae pogum idha paaruMale: Look at this, if I smile, it goes right in
Male
Tharigida thaga dhimi thomTharigida thaga dhimi thom
Male :Varukkura vaathu muttaMale: Roasted duck egg
Male :Tharigida thaga dhimi thomMale: Tharigida thaga dhimi thom
Male :Suda suda kaara vadaiMale: Piping hot spicy fritter
Males :Kaara vadai keera vadaiMales: Spicy fritter, spinach fritter
Pathu mada ulundhu vadaiTen-fold black gram fritter
Edukattuma pikkattuma thingattumaShall I take it, break it, and eat it?
Male
Sindhu bairavi paadu nilavaeSing Sindhu Bhairavi, oh moon
Ketkattum karuvaiyanLet Karuvaiyan listen
Adi ennai kaatilum azhaga andhaHey, is he more handsome than me, that...
Super subbarayyan...Super Subbarayyan?
Male
Sindhu bairavi paadu nilavaeSing Sindhu Bhairavi, oh moon
Ketkattum karuvaiyanLet Karuvaiyan listen
Adi ennai kaatilum azhaga andhaHey, is he more handsome than me, that...
Super subbarayyan...Super Subbarayyan?
Male
Chinna veedu set up seiyaTo set up a second home
Poovae nee poochoodavaaOh flower, will you adorn yourself with flowers?
Maaveeran punnagai mannanGreat warrior, king of smiles
Vaelai kaaran allavaIs he not the servant?
Aan paavandhaan …unnai thoranthida venaamThe sin against men... let it not haunt you
Indha aan paavandhaan …unnai thoranthida venaamThis sin against men... let it not haunt you
Alaigal ooindhu payanangal mudivadhillaiJust because waves subside, journeys do not end
Male
Pongada porukki pasangalaGet lost, you scoundrels!
Male
Annae annae poo ondru puyal aanadhuBrother, brother, a flower has turned into a storm!
Chorus
Orae oru gramathilaeIn a single village
Orae oru kallukadaiThere is only one toddy shop
Orae oru kadaiyila thaanIn that single shop
Orae oru keera vadaiThere is only one spinach fritter
Andha orae oru vadaikku thaanFor that single fritter
Onbadhu per pottiNine people are competing
Ada onbathu perum potti pottadhilOh, as all nine competed for it
Avundhu pochu vaetti adadadaTheir dhotis came untied, oh dear!
Avundhu pochu vaettiTheir dhotis came untied
Avundhu pochu vaetti adadadaTheir dhotis came untied, oh dear!
Avundhu pochu vaettiTheir dhotis came untied

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

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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