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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Jeevanthan Duet

From Naan Adimai Illai · 1986

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Vijay Anand
Details
Naan Adimai Illai1986

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Lalla lalla la la la laaLalla lalla la la la laa
Lalla lalla laa laa laa laaLalla lalla laa laa laa laa
Sa ga ri ga ri paSa ga ri ga ri pa (musical notes)
Sa ga ri pa sa ga ri pa gaaSa ga ri pa sa ga ri pa gaa (musical notes)
Sa ga ri ga ri paSa ga ri ga ri pa (musical notes)
Sa ga ri pa ga ri sa dha paSa ga ri pa ga ri sa dha pa (musical notes)
Male
Oru jeevan thaan un paadal thaanA single life plays your song,
Ooyaamal isaikkindrathuIt plays without ever ceasing.
Female :Iru kannilum un gnyaabagamFemale: In both my eyes, the memory of you
Urangaamal irukkindrathuStays awake without sleeping.
Male
Paasangalum bandhangalumAffection and emotional bonds,
Pirithaalum piriyaadhathuDo not part even if separated.
Female :Kaalangalum nerangalumFemale: Times and moments,
Kalaithaalum kalaiyaadhathuDo not fade even if disrupted.
Male
Oru jeevan thaan un paadal thaanA single life plays your song,
Ooyaamal isaikkindrathuIt plays without ever ceasing.
Male
Eerezhu jenmangalEven across fourteen births,
Eduthaalum unai seruven hoo oo ooI will unite with you, hoo oo oo
Female :Veraarum nerungaamalFemale: Without letting anyone else come close,
Mana vaasal thanai mooduvenI will close the doorway of my heart.
Male
Uruvaanadhu nalla sivaranjaniA beautiful Sivaranjani raga has been born,
Chorus :Haa…aaa…aaa…Chorus: Haa…aaa…aaa…
Female :UnakkaagathaanFemale: Exclusively for you,
Indha geethaanjaliIs this offering of song.
Chorus :Haa…aaa…aaa…Chorus: Haa…aaa…aaa…
Male :Raagangalin aalaabanaiMale: The elaboration of melodies,
Female :Mogangalin aaraadhanaiFemale: The worship of desires,
Male :Udalum manamumMale: Body and soul,
Thazhuvum pozhudhil urugumMelting as they embrace.
Male
Oru jeevan thaan un paadal thaanA single life plays your song,
Ooyaamal isaikkindrathuIt plays without ever ceasing.
Chorus
Haa…aaa…aaa…(4)Haa…aaa…aaa…(4)
Female
Kaaveri kadal seraTo merge the Cauvery river with the sea,
Anai thaandi varavillaiyoo….hoo oo ooDid it not cross the dam and come? hoo oo oo
Male :Aasaigal alaipaayaMale: As desires surge like waves,
Aanandham peravillaiyo…Have we not attained pure bliss?...
Female
Varum naal ellaamAll the days to come,
Ini madhanorchavamWill henceforth be a celebration of love.
Chorus :Haa…aaa…aaa…Chorus: Haa…aaa…aaa…
Male :Valaiyosai thaanMale: The sound of bangles,
Nalla mani mandhiramIs like a sacred chant of bells.
Chorus :Haa…aaa…aaa…Chorus: Haa…aaa…aaa…
Female :Naan thaan aiyaa neelaambariFemale: I am Neelambari, my dear,
Male :ThaalaattavaaMale: Shall I sing a lullaby,
Hahaha.. nadu raathiriHahaha.. in the middle of the night?
Female :Suthiyum layamumFemale: When pitch and rhythm
Sugamaai inaiyum tharunamSweetly unite in this moment.
Female
Oru jeevan thaanA single life,
Male :Hmm mm mmMale: Mmm mm mm
Female :Un paadal thaanFemale: Is your song,
Male :Haa…aaa…aa…Male: Haa…aaa…aa…
Female :Ooyaamal isaikkindradhuFemale: Playing incessantly.
Male
Iru kannilum un gnyaabagamIn both my eyes, the memory of you
Urangaamal irukkindrathuStays awake without sleeping.
Female :Paasangalum bandhangalumFemale: Affection and emotional bonds,
Pirithaalum piriyaadhathuDo not part even if separated.
Male :Kaalangalum nerangalumMale: Times and moments,
Kalaithaalum kalaiyaadhathuDo not fade even if disrupted.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Oru Jeevan Thaan' from Naan Adimai Illai (1986) is a soulful romantic duet that depicts an eternal, transcendent love between two souls. The lyrics utilize musical terminology—such as ragas (Sivaranjani, Neelambari), pitch (sruti), and rhythm (laya)—as extended metaphors to illustrate how seamlessly two lives and hearts blend together. The lovers express that their emotional attachment cannot be severed by distance, time, or even across multiple lifetimes.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Paasangalum bandhangalum / Pirithaalum piriyaadhathu

The repetition of the initial consonant sound 'P' ('Paasangalum', 'Pirithaalum') creates a melodic flow in the rhythm.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kaalangalum nerangalum / Kalaithaalum kalaiyaadhathu

The second consonant 'la' in 'Kaalangalum' and 'Kalaithaalum' matches, fulfilling the classical Tamil Ethugai rule.

Metaphor

Naan thaan aiyaa neelaambari

The female speaker metaphorically equates herself to Raga Neelambari, a classical musical scale famous for soothing lullabies.

Nature Metaphor

Kaaveri kadal sera / Anai thaandi varavillaiyoo

The urge of the Cauvery river breaking past dams to meet the sea serves as a metaphor for love breaching all restrictions to achieve union.

Did you know?

Trivia

Naan Adimai Illai (1986) was directed by Dwarkish and stands out historically as Rajinikanth's landmark 100th film (across languages) as well as his final film pairing opposite Sridevi. Although the music context lists the composer as unknown, the soundtrack was composed by Vijay Anand, featuring iconic vocal renditions by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki, with lyricist Vairamuthu penning the poetry.

Keep listening

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