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Enakku 20 Unakku 18 album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Nanban Irundhal

From Enakku 20 Unakku 18 · 2003

Lyricist
Pa. Vijay
Singers
S. P. B. Charan, Venkat Prabhu, Chinmayi
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Enakku 20 Unakku 18
Movie release year
2003
Lyrics added on
24 Jul 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ye ye ye ye yeah yeah
Ye ye ye ye yeah yeah
Ye ye ye ye yeah yeah
Ye ye ye ye yeah yeah
Oru nanban irundhaal
Oru nanban irundhaal
Male :Kaiyodu boomiyai
Sumandhidalaam
Thodu vaanam pakkamae
Thoda vendum nanbanae
Male :Nam peril thisaigalai
Ezhudhalaam
Kadalil nadhigal peyar
Kalandhadhu
Indha natppil engal uyir
Kalandhadhu
Natpu enbadhu
Engal mugavari
Idhu vaazhkai paadathil
Mudhal vari
Indha ulagil miga perum yeni
Nanban illaadhavan… heii
Ha..aaa.haa…aaa…aaaa
Ha..aaa.haa…aaa…aaaa
Thozh meedhu kai pottu kondu
Thondriyadhellaam pesi
Oorai sutri vandhom vandhom
Oruvar veettilae
Paduthu thoonginom
Natpin porvaikkullae
Indha kaadhal kooda vaazhkkaiyil
Azhagilae thondrumae
Thozhan endra sondham ondru
Thondrum namadhu uyirodu
Oru nanban irundhaal
Oru nanban irundhaal
Male :Kaiyodu boomiyai
Sumandhidalaam
Thodu vaanam pakkamae
Thoda vendum nanbanae
Male :Nam peril thisaigalai
Ezhudhalaam
Nenjukkul nenjukkul ulla
Ennangal ennangal solla
Nanban orae sondham
Namadhu mejaiyil
Unavu koottani
Adhil natpin rusi
Ada vaazhkai payanam maaralaam
Natpu dhaan maaruma
Aayul kaalam therndha naalil
Nanban mugam dhaan marakkaadhae
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you have a friend,
If you have a friend,
Male: In the palm of your hand, the earth
you can carry.
The horizon is so close,
we must reach out and touch it, my friend!
Male: In our own names,
we can write all the directions!
Just as rivers lose their names
and merge into the sea,
in this friendship, our lives
have merged as one.
Friendship is
our true address,
in the lesson of life,
it is the very first line.
The greatest ladder in this world—
the one without a friend... hey!
Haa... aah... haa... aah... aaaa
Haa... aah... haa... aah... aaaa
With our arms over each other's shoulders,
talking about whatever came to mind,
we wandered all around the town.
At one of our homes,
we lay down and slept,
wrapped in the blanket of friendship.
Even love in this life
is born out of beauty,
but this bond called a friend
is born along with our very soul.
If you have a friend,
If you have a friend,
Male: In the palm of your hand, the earth
you can carry.
The horizon is so close,
we must reach out and touch it, my friend!
Male: In our own names,
we can write all the directions!
Deep inside within our hearts,
to share all our thoughts,
a friend is the only true kin.
At our table,
sharing our food together,
there lies the true taste of friendship.
Ah, the journey of life may change,
but will friendship ever change?
Even on the day our lifetime ends,
a friend's face will never be forgotten.
Male
Female
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a vibrant, heartwarming celebration of youth, companionship, and the invincible bond of friendship. The lyrics convey that having a true friend gives a person the ultimate confidence and strength—symbolically enabling them to hold the earth in their hands, reach the horizon, and write directions in their own names. Friendship is described not just as a relationship, but as an core identity ('our address') and the foundational lesson of life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Exaggeration)

Male :Kaiyodu boomiyai Sumandhidalaam

Exaggerates the empowering strength of friendship by claiming one can hold the Earth in their hands.

Metaphor

Natpin porvaikkullae

Compares friendship to a warm blanket ('porvai') under which friends rest and share their lives.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Thodu vaanam pakkamae / Thoda vendum nanbanae

Repetition of the initial consonant sound 'Tho' across consecutive lines.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Engal mugavari / Mudhal vari

Rhyming endings of lines with 'vari' creating a rhythmic flow.

Keep listening

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From the same album

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View album

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