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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Othaiyila Nee Irukka

From Silambu · 1990

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chitra
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Silambu1990

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Yaei unnai paaththaaHey, looking at you
Female :PaaththaaFemale: Looking at me?
Male :Adhaan unnai paaththaaMale: Yes, looking at you
Female :EnnavaamFemale: What about it?
Male :Kadichchu thinganum pola irukkaeMale: I feel like biting and eating you up!
Female :Aiyaiyayyo naan maattaen naan maattaenFemale: Oh my goodness, no no, I won't agree!
Male
Oththaiyilae nee irukkaWhen you are standing all alone,
Oththuzhaikka naanirukkaAnd I am here to cooperate with you,
Oththigaiya paaththukkalaamaa vaammaaShall we try a rehearsal, come on lady?
Oththa kaiyil osai varumaaCan a single hand produce a clapping sound?
Hae hoi hoiHae hoi hoi
Female
Oththigaiya paakka vittaIf I let you have a rehearsal,
Moththathaiyum unnudaiyaYou will take everything under your
Kuththagaiyaa nee edupae mama mamaExclusive lease, uncle!
Oru kuththankurai ooru sollalaamaaShould the town speak ill or find fault with us?
Thaali kattiputtu kaiya thodu mamaTie the sacred thread (thaali) first, then touch my hand, uncle!
Male
Oththaiyilae nee irukkaWhen you are standing all alone,
Oththuzhaikka naanirukkaAnd I am here to cooperate with you,
Oththigaiya paaththukkalaamaa vaammaaShall we try a rehearsal, come on lady?
Oththa kaiyil osai varumaa hoi…Can a single hand produce a clapping sound? Hoi...
Male
Sela ravikkaiyilae maala karukkaiyilaeIn her saree and blouse, in the evening twilight,
Aadi nadakkuthoru thaen kooduA honeycomb walks while swaying gently
Female :Thaenukkoru kaavalirukkuFemale: There is a guard for this honey,
Adhu kotti paakka kaaththu kidakkuIt is waiting to sting and test you!
Male
Oo….Sela ravikkaiyilae maala karukkaiyilaeOo... In her saree and blouse, in the evening twilight,
Aadi nadakkuthoru thaen kooduA honeycomb walks while swaying gently
Adha vaari kudichchidanum thaaam thanichchidanumI must drink it up greedily and savor it alone,
Aaththi enakku adhu perumpaaduOh my, that is a huge task for me!
Female
Meena pudikkiraeyae sanaththula neeYou are catching fish in the crowd,
Kombu thaena kudikka oru neram varanumA right time must come to drink the rare branch-honey,
Poova virichchu vachcha manjaththulathaanOnly on the yellow bed adorned with spread flowers,
Adha naanae kodukka oru maalaiyidanumTo give that myself, you must place a wedding garland around my neck!
Male
Oththaiyilae nee irukkaWhen you are standing all alone,
Oththuzhaikka naanirukkaAnd I am here to cooperate with you,
Oththigaiya paaththukkalaamaa vaammaaShall we try a rehearsal, come on lady?
Oththa kaiyil osai varumaa…..aa….aa….aa…Can a single hand produce a clapping sound? Aa... aa... aa...
Female
Merkku thodarchi malaiWhen the Western Ghats mountain range
Meththa virikkaiyilaeSpreads out like a comfortable mattress,
Megam padukka varum medhuvaagaThe cloud gently comes down to lay upon it
Male :Megaththukku thaagam varuthuMale: The cloud feels thirsty,
Intha thaegaththukku thaagam varuthuThis body too feels thirsty!
Male
Aala asaththukira sangathi onnuThere is a thrilling, mind-blowing thing,
Adha kooda irukkum kili solli tharuthuWhich the parrot nearby is teaching us
Soodu kilambugira neraththulathaanOnly at the moment when heat rises,
Rekka moodi marachchapadi muththamiduthuIt covers with folded wings and kisses,
Muththamiduthu…..muththamiduthu…Kissing... kissing...
Male
Oththaiyilae nee irukkaWhen you are standing all alone,
Oththuzhaikka naanirukkaAnd I am here to cooperate with you,
Oththigaiya paaththukkalaamaa vaammaaShall we try a rehearsal, come on lady?
Oththa kaiyil osai varumaa…..haa….aa….Can a single hand produce a clapping sound? Haa... aa...
Female
Oththigaiya paakka vittaIf I let you have a rehearsal,
Moththathaiyum unnudaiyaYou will take everything under your
Kuththagaiyaa nee edupae mama mamaExclusive lease, uncle!
Oru kuththankurai ooru sollalaamaaShould the town speak ill or find fault with us?
Thaali kattiputtu kaiya thodu mamaTie the sacred thread (thaali) first, then touch my hand, uncle!
Male
……………….....

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful duet features a romantic dialogue between the lead lovers. The male lead tries to persuade the female lead into intimacy, suggesting a 'rehearsal' of love while they are alone. Using clever wordplay, the female lead playfully wards off his advances, reminding him that love requires two hands to clap and urging him to marry her with a sacred thread ('thaali') before taking full rights over her.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Oththaiyilae nee irukka / Oththuzhaikka naanirukka / Oththigaiya paaththukkalaamaa vaammaa

The second consonant 'th' matches across consecutive lines (Oththaiyilae / Oththuzhaikka / Oththigaiya).

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Sela ravikkaiyilae maala karukkaiyilae / Aadi nadakkuthoru thaen koodu

Comparing the female lead wearing a saree to a walking honeycomb ('thaen koodu').

Proverb / Rhetorical Question

Oththa kaiyil osai varumaa

Uses the famous Tamil proverb about one hand not being able to clap ('Oththa kaiyil osai varumaa') to express that romance requires mutual consent.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Megaththukku thaagam varuthu / Intha thaegaththukku thaagam varuthu

Rhyming of line endings with '-um' sound across lines (thaagam varuthu / thaegaththukku thaagam varuthu).

Did you know?

Trivia

This track features lyrics by Vaali, renowned for his rhythmic alliterations ('Oththaiyilae', 'Oththuzhaikka', 'Oththigaiya', 'Kuththagaiyaa'). The song belongs to the 1990 rural Tamil film Silambu.

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