Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Oru Thaai Makkal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Paadinal Oru Paattu

From Oru Thaai Makkal · 1971

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. B. Sreenivas
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Oru Thaai Makkal
Movie release year
1971
Lyrics added on
27 Aug 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Paadinaal oru paattu
Paal nilaavinil naettru
Odinen adhai kettu
Thaedinen valai pottu
Poonguyil aval yaaro
Pon mayil aval pero
Poonguyil aval yaaro
Pon mayil aval pero
Paadinaal oru paattu
Paal nilaavinil naettru
Odinen adhai kettu
Thaedinen valai pottu
Nalla thamizh isai amudhena varugaiyil
Nenjam angae sendradhu
Mella mayangiya iru vizhi malargalai
Thendral sondham kondadhu
Velli radhamena urugiya paniyinil
Penmai dheivam nindradhu
Ullam muzhuvadhum
Pudhuvidha kavidhaigal alli alli thandhadhu
Alaiyillaadha neero
Neerillaadha aaro
Aarilladha ooro
Avalillaadha naano
Mana koyil vaazha vandha
Dheiveega pen enbadho
Enakkaaga yengugindra
Sevvalli kan enbadho
Paadinaal oru paattu
Paal nilaavinil naettru
Odinen adhai kettu
Thaedinen valai pottu
Paruvam konda paavai
Pani padarndha paarvai
Varavu solla thondrum
Uravu kolla vendum
Malar maalai yaarukkendru
Pen paavai kan thaedumo
Edhir paarkkum ezhai nenjam
Ennodu ondraagumo
Paadinaal oru paattu
Paal nilaavinil naettru
Odinen adhai kettu
Thaedinen valai pottu
She sang a song
In the milky moonlight yesterday
Hearing it, I came running
I cast a net and searched for her
Who is that sweet songbird?
What is that golden peacock's name?
Who is that sweet songbird?
What is that golden peacock's name?
She sang a song
In the milky moonlight yesterday
Hearing it, I came running
I cast a net and searched for her
As sweet Tamil music flowed like nectar
My heart wandered there
Over those two flower-like eyes gently drifting into a daze
The breeze claimed them as its own
In the mist melting like a silver chariot
A goddess of womanly grace stood
Filling the entire heart
She generously poured out brand-new poetry
Water without any waves?
A river without any water?
A town with no one in it?
Is that what I am without her?
Is she a divine woman
Who came to live in the temple of my heart?
Are those eyes like red water lilies
Longing just for me?
She sang a song
In the milky moonlight yesterday
Hearing it, I came running
I cast a net and searched for her
A young woman in her youthful bloom
With a misty, dreamy gaze
It feels like she is welcoming me
I must unite with her in love
Wondering who the flower garland is for
Will that lovely girl's eyes search?
Will that longing, tender heart
Become one with mine?
She sang a song
In the milky moonlight yesterday
Hearing it, I came running
I cast a net and searched for her
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Paadinaal Oru Paattu is a classic Tamil romantic track celebrating the captivating power of music and love. The protagonist hears a heavenly voice singing sweet Tamil music in the moonlight and is instantly spellbound. Desperate to find the singer, he compares her beauty to a divine presence, a golden peacock, and a flower-cuckoo, painting vivid poetic imagery of her flower-like eyes and charming demeanor. In a deeply poetic sequence, he contemplates his own existence without her, drawing parallels to a wave-less sea or a river-less town. His heart longs to unite with hers as he hopes their fates will intertwine into a lifelong bond.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Paadinaal oru paattu / Paal nilaavinil naettru / Odinen adhai kettu / Thaedinen valai pottu”

The lines end with rhythmic, rhyming words like 'paattu', 'naettru', 'kettu', and 'pottu' to build a melodious verse cadence.

Uwamai (Simile)

“Nalla thamizh isai amudhena varugaiyil”

Compares the sweetness of Tamil music directly to divine nectar ('amudhu') using the comparative suffix '-ena'.

Anaphora & Conceptual Gradation

“Alaiyillaadha neero / Neerillaadha aaro / Aarilladha ooro / Avalillaadha naano”

Uses repeating 'illaadha' (without) structures in successive lines to show cascading incompleteness, culminating in his own existence being meaningless without her.

Urugavam (Metaphor)

“Mana koyil vaazha vandha / Dheiveega pen enbadho”

Metaphorically elevates the human mind to a sacred shrine ('mana koyil') where the beloved dwells like a deity.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the 1971 M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) film 'Oru Thaai Makkal', this song was composed by legendary duo M. S. Viswanathan and rendered by T. M. Soundararajan, with lyrics by Vaali.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Malare Malare1985
Un Kannil Neer VazhindalAttractionLonging
Vana Kuyile Kuyil Tharum1994
PriyankaLongingAttraction
Enna Solli Paduvatho2002
En Mana VaanilLongingAttraction
Yaarodu Yaaro Nee Entha Ooro1986
Salangaiyil Oru SangeethamAttractionLonging
Mayil Pola Ponnu Onnu2000
BharathiAttractionLonging
Thedukiral Oru Devathai1985
Paartha Gnabagam IllayoLongingRomantic

From the same album

More songs from Oru Thaai Makkal

View album
Aayiram Kannukku Male1971
Oru Thaai MakkalBittersweet
Aayiram Kannukku Female1971
Oru Thaai MakkalRomantic
Kannan Enthan Kaadhalan1971
Oru Thaai MakkalRomantic
Ingu Nallairukanum1971
Oru Thaai MakkalHopeful

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.