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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Orey Oru Ooriley

From Annai · 1962

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela
Music director
R. Sudharsanam
Details
Annai1962

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Orae oru oorilaeIn a single town,
Orae oru lailaThere was only one Laila.
Orae oru lailavukkuFor that single Laila,
Orae oru majunuThere was only one Majnu.
Orae oru lailavukkuFor that single Laila,
Orae oru majunuThere was only one Majnu.
Orae oru oorilaeIn a single town,
Orae oru lailaThere was only one Laila.
Female
Majunu lailaavinMajnu, upon Laila's...
Azhagai kandaanBeauty he gazed,
Endrum maarathaAn eternal, unchanging
Kaadhal kondaanLove he developed.
Majunu lailaavinMajnu, upon Laila's...
Azhagai kandaanBeauty he gazed.
Female
Paavigal seidhaDue to the cruelty
KodumaiyinaalaeDone by wicked sinners,
Paithiyam aanaaan paarinilaeHe turned into a madman in this world,
Paithiyam aanaaan paarinilaeHe turned into a madman in this world.
Male
Lailaa…lailaa..Laila... Laila...
Lailaaa… lailaaaLaila... Laila...
Male
Manathaale veedu kattiBuilding a house with my heart,
Mathiyaalae koora kattiThatching a roof with my intellect,
Manamedai alangarithen lailaavaeI decorated the wedding stage, Oh Laila!
Unakku maalai podaTo place a garland around your neck,
Thedugindren lailaavaeI am searching for you, Oh Laila!
Male
Naethu varai kaathirundhenI was waiting until yesterday,
Nithiraiyum maranthirunthenI even forgot my sleep.
Naethu varai kaathirundhenI was waiting until yesterday,
Nithiraiyum maranthirunthenI even forgot my sleep.
Kaathu vaakil sedhi sollu lailaavaeSend me a message through the breeze, Oh Laila!
Unna kaana mattumJust to see you,
Uyir tharippen lailaavaeI hold on to my life, Oh Laila!
Male
Sattai kizhinjuEven if my shirt gets torn,
Ponaal enna lailaavaeWhat does it matter, Oh Laila?
Sananga paarthuIf people watch and
Siricha enna lailaavaeLaugh at me, what does it matter, Oh Laila?
Male
Kattiya veetukkuFor a house already built,
Kuttram solvaar lailaavaePeople will find faults, Oh Laila!
Kaadhalilum kuraiEven in pure love,
Kandu pidippaar lailaavaeThey will find flaws, Oh Laila!
Male
Laila unakku kobam aagathadiLaila, anger does not suit you, dear!
Laila unakku kobam aagathadiLaila, anger does not suit you, dear!
Mayilae enai vittu pogathadiOh peacock, do not leave me and go, dear!
Suguna laila unakku kobamVirtuous Laila, anger for you...
Aa….ga….tha..diIs... not... good, dear!
Laila unakku kobam aagathadiLaila, anger does not suit you, dear!
Male
Mayilai kandaal lailaaIf I see a peacock, it looks like Laila,
Pachai maraththai kandaal lailaaIf I see a green tree, it looks like Laila,
Kuyilai kandaal lailaaIf I see a cuckoo, it looks like Laila,
Adhan kuralai kettal lailaa lailaaIf I hear its voice, it sounds like Laila, Laila!
Male
Mayilai kandaal lailaaIf I see a peacock, it looks like Laila,
Pachai maraththai kandaal lailaaIf I see a green tree, it looks like Laila,
Kuyilai kandaal lailaaIf I see a cuckoo, it looks like Laila,
Adhan kuralai kettal lailaa lailaaIf I hear its voice, it sounds like Laila, Laila!
Male
Lailaaa…….lailaaa…..Laila... Laila...
Aiyo adikuraanga lailaaaOh dear, they are beating me, Laila!
Male
Hoo oo hoo hoo hooo hoo oooHoo oo hoo hoo hooo hoo ooo
Male
Anbu konda majunu machaanaiMy beloved Majnu,
Annae en chinn annaeBrother, my dear younger brother!
Adikka vendam thudikkudhu nenjamDon't beat him, my heart aches!
Annae en chinn annaeBrother, my dear younger brother!
Male
Anbu konda majunu machaanaiMy beloved Majnu,
Annae en chinn annaeBrother, my dear younger brother!
Adikka vendam thudikkudhu nenjamDon't beat him, my heart aches!
Annae en chinn annaeBrother, my dear younger brother!
Male
Aalam palamaeOh banyan fruit!
Arali poovae….Oh oleander flower!
Anjarai ettiFive and a half cubits tall,
Manja kizhangaeBright as a turmeric root!
Paalum palam pol irukka nenaithomWe thought our life would be sweet like milk and fruit,
Paithiyam aanom vaithiyam illaiyaaWe turned mad, is there no remedy?
Male
Anbu konda majunu machaanaiMy beloved Majnu,
Annae en chinn annaeBrother, my dear younger brother!
Adikka vendam thudikkudhu nenjamDon't beat him, my heart aches!
Annae en chinn annaeBrother, my dear younger brother!
Male
Kaatu mullai thottathilaeIn the garden of wild jasmine,
Kannae lailaaMy darling Laila,
Unnai kaana vendi kaathirunthenI waited eagerly just to see you,
Kannae lailaaMy darling Laila!
Male
Kallaalae aditha kaayamThe wound caused by thrown stones,
Kannae lailaaMy darling Laila,
Undhan kannaalae paarthaal theerumWill heal if you look at it with your eyes,
Kannae lailaaMy darling Laila!
Male
Kaatu mullai thottathilaeIn the garden of wild jasmine,
Kannae lailaaMy darling Laila,
Unnai kaana vendi kaathirunthenI waited eagerly just to see you,
Kannae lailaaMy darling Laila!
Male
Haa….aaa…..aaa…….aaa…..aa…Haa....aaa.....aaa…….aaa…..aa…
Haaaa….aaa….Haaaa….aaa….
Male
Yen niruthi vittai lailaaWhy did you stop singing, Laila?
Paadu paadu paadi kondae iruSing, sing, keep on singing!
Male
Singaara roobanae vaa vaa vaaOh handsome one, come, come, come!
Male
Singaara roobanae vaa vaa vaaOh handsome one, come, come, come!
Unnai cheraadhuWithout uniting with you,
En aaval theeradhuMy longing will not end!
Singaara roobanae vaa vaa vaaOh handsome one, come, come, come!
Unnai cheraadhuWithout uniting with you,
En aaval theeradhu vaaa….aaa…..My longing will not end, come...
Singaara roobanae vaa vaa vaaOh handsome one, come, come, come!
Male
Kaneerai kaatti veithuShowing my tears,
Kal yendhinenI held out a begging bowl!
Kaadhal melae aanai ittuSwearing upon love,
Kai yendhinenI stretched out my hands!
Pannai pettra periyoraeElders who own vast estates,
Ennai paarungaLook at me!
Kaathal pithanaagi pona mattumConsider me as one driven mad by love,
Annai paarungaMother, look at me!
Kann irundhum kuridaagiDespite having eyes, you became blind,
Yen poningaWhy did you become like this?
Male
Unmai kaadhalukkaeFor true love itself,
Thadai poduvadhaWill you place obstacles?
Unmai kaadhalukkaeFor true love itself,
Thadai poduvadhaWill you place obstacles?
Naangal ondraaga serndhu vaazhaFor us to live together as one,
Pichai podungaGive us alms!
Kaadhal pichai podungaGive us the alms of love!
Kaadhal pichai podungaGive us the alms of love!
Male
Lailaaa…….lailaaaaLaila... Laila...
Female
Engirunthaalum vaazhgaWherever you are, long live!
Engirunthaalum vaazhgaWherever you are, long live!
ungal iruvar kaadhalum vaazhgaMay the love between you two long live!
Kaalathai vendradhu kaadhalLove has conquered time,
Andha kadavulai pondradhu kaadhalLove is akin to God!
Kaadhal vaazhgaLong live love!
Engirunthaalum vaazhgaWherever you are, long live!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a dramatic, multi-part musical narrative depicting the legendary, tragic love story of Laila and Majnu within a stage play sequence in the movie. It narrates Majnu's unconditional adoration for Laila, his descent into heartbreak and madness due to social persecution, and Laila's tender yearning for him. Together, they confront a society that judges lovers and attempts to pull them apart. As the narrative progresses, both lovers plead with elders and society to refrain from cruelty and bestow upon them the 'alms of love'. The lyrics move from personal sorrow and devotion to a universal philosophical conclusion, proclaiming that true love transcends time, resembles divinity, and deserves eternal triumph regardless of earthly hardship.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Mayilai kandaal lailaa / Pachai maraththai kandaal lailaa / Kuyilai kandaal lailaa

The repetitive line ending 'laila' across consecutive verses creates rhythmic musicality typical of Tamil folk dance-drama.

Simile (Uvamai Ani)

Paalum palam pol irukka nenaithom

Compares the ideal vision of life to the sweet combination of milk and fruit ('paalum palam pol').

Simile (Uvamai Ani)

Andha kadavulai pondradhu kaadhal

Directly compares love to God using the comparative word 'pondradhu' (is like).

Metaphor (Uruvagak Kooru)

Manathaale veedu katti / Mathiyaalae koora katti

Metaphorically compares constructing a house to thoughts in the mind, and the roof to intellect.

Monai (Initial Rhyme/Alliteration)

Kaneerai kaatti veithu / Kal yendhinen / Kaadhal melae aanai ittu / Kai yendhinen

Repeated initial 'Ka' sounds (Kaneerai, Kal, Kaadhal, Kai) across lines create strong Monai harmony.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song from 'Annai' (1962) serves as a play-within-a-film (drama sequence) depicting the story of Laila and Majnu. Directed by Krishnan-Panju and produced by AVM Productions, the film's music was composed by R. Sudarsanam, with iconic lyrics penned by Kannadasan. The musical sequence features versatile vocals portraying multiple characters on stage, blending street theater style with cinematic Tamil film music.

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