Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Paal Pappaali

From Sathyam · 2008

Lyricist
Kabilan
Singers
Ranjith, Naveen, Sangeetha Rajeswaran
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
Sathyam2008

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Paal pappaliMilky papaya
Vellai thakkaliWhite tomato
Un koottaaliYour partner/ally
Ennai samaaliManage/handle me
Male
Paal pappaliMilky papaya
Vellai thakkaliWhite tomato
Naan komaaliI am a clown
Ippo sokkaaliNow a passionate lover
Male
Un mundanaiyaYour saree pallu
Mundasaaga katti kollavaShall I tie it as a turban?
Naan moonu velaiShall I, three times a day,
Muththa soru alli thinnavaScoop up and eat kiss-rice?
Nee pulli vachaYou are a dotted
Maanu thaanae kolam podavaDeer, shall I draw rangoli patterns on you?
En meesaiyala kadhu kuthiPiercing ears with my mustache,
Koocham kattavaShall I tickle you?
Female
Paal pappaliMilky papaya
Vellai thakkaliWhite tomato
Un koottaaliYour partner
Ennai samaaliManage me
Female
Paal pappaliMilky papaya
Vellai thakkaliWhite tomato
Nee komaaliYou are a clown
Podaa sokkaaliGet lost, passionate lover!
Female
Kanna kuzhi vazhiyaeThrough the dimple on the cheek,
Thonda kuzhi nozhanchuEntering through the throat,
Nenju kuzhi naduvaeIn the center of the chest,
Maiyam kolladhae….Do not settle down...
Male
Hey achu vella azhagaeHey jaggery beauty,
Uchchi veiyyil nilavaeMoon in the midday sun,
Pichu pichu ennaiTearing me apart piece by piece,
Eeram seiyadhaeDo not make me drenched!
Female
Ennai melum keezhumAuctioning me up and down,
Yelam pottu thalam podathaeDo not beat a rhythm!
Indha ooraan peththa ponnaAt this girl born to someone else in town,
Parthu uchu kottadhaeDo not look and click your tongue in admiration!
Male
Enai poovukullae thaenai polaLike honey inside a flower,
Pooti vaikadhaeDo not lock me up!
Namma aatha kovil yanaa-polLike our village goddess temple elephant,
Aati vaikadhaeDo not sway me around!
Female
Kaadhala kaadhala oodi varavaOh lover, oh lover, shall I come running?
Yaarumilla neram parthu thedi varavaFinding a time when nobody is around, shall I come searching?
Male :Vaannila thaennila koodi varavaMale: Moon in the sky, moon of honey, shall I come join you?
Aadi maasa kathu pola aadi varavaLike the wind of the month of Aadi, shall I come dancing?
Male
Paal pappaliMilky papaya
Vellai thakkaliWhite tomato
Un koottaaliYour partner
Ennai samaaliManage me
Female
Paal pappaliMilky papaya
Chorus :BabooiChorus: Babooi
Female :Vellai thakkaliFemale: White tomato
Chorus :BabooiChorus: Babooi
Female :Un koottaaliFemale: Your partner
Ennai samaaliManage me
Male
Othayilae kudhichenI jumped in solitude,
Methayilae thavichenI squirmed on the mattress,
Kathiri-kol vizhiyalaeWith eyes like a pair of scissors,
Kanna vethadhaeDo not sow affection!
Female
Othayilae irundhenI was all alone,
Suthi suthi parandhenI flew round and round,
Seetedukkum kiliyaaiLike a fortune-telling parrot,
Koondil vaikadhaeDo not lock me in a cage!
Male
Oru muttai kadaiyaLike a rustic villager
Muraichu paarkum patti-kattan polStaring intently at an egg shop,
Nee etti ninnu enna parthuStanding at a distance, looking at me,
Yenga vaikadhaeDo not make me yearn!
Female
Un aadu puli aatam ellamAll your tiger-and-goat mind games
Ingae venanyaAre not needed here, mister!
Naan koodu vittu koodu paayumI am a girl capable of body-hopping,
Ponnu thanaiyaaRemember that!
Male
Paal pappaliMilky papaya
Vellai thakkaliWhite tomato
Un koottaaliYour partner
Ennai samaaliManage me
Female
Paal pappaliMilky papaya
Vellai thakkaliWhite tomato
Nee komaaliYou are a clown
Podaa sokkaaliGet lost, passionate lover!
Male
Un mundanaiyaYour saree pallu
Mundasaaga katti kollavaShall I tie it as a turban?
Naan moonu velaiShall I, three times a day,
Muththa soru alli thinnavaScoop up and eat kiss-rice?
Female
Hey pulli vacha maanu melaeHey, on this dotted deer,
Kolam podadhaeDo not draw rangoli patterns!
Un meesaiyaala kadhu kuthi …uhhhuu..Piercing ears with your mustache... uhhhuu..
Chorus
……………………………………..................................

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Paal Pappali from the movie Sathyam (2008) is a playful, upbeat dueting track featuring vibrant, flirtatious banter between the male and female leads. The male protagonist uses playful terms of endearment like 'Milky Papaya' and 'White Tomato' to praise the woman's beauty and expresses his eager desire to be close to her, playfully imagining using her saree pallu as a turban and asking if he can 'eat kiss-rice' three times a day.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Rhyme / Monorhyme (Iyaibo)

Paal pappali / Vellai thakkali / Un koottaali / Ennai samaali

The song uses persistent end-rhyme scheme across verses such as Pappali, Thakkali, Koottaali, Samaali, Komaali, Sokkali.

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Hey achu vella azhagae

Describing the woman's complexion and softness using food metaphors like milky papaya, white tomato, and jaggery beauty.

Simile (Uvamai)

Enai poovukullae thaenai pola pooti vaikadhae

Comparing keeping feelings locked inside to honey trapped inside a flower, and comparison to fortune-telling parrots in a cage.

Alliteration (Monaai)

Kanna kuzhi vazhiyae / Thonda kuzhi nozhanchu

Repetition of initial consonants like 'Kanna kuzhi' and 'Thonda kuzhi' and 'Nenju kuzhi' creating rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the music composer for Sathyam (2008) was Harris Jayaraj, the lyrics were penned by Kabilan. The song became popular for its catchy colloquial terms like 'Paal Pappali' and 'Vellai Thakkali' and featured upbeat choreography with Vishal and Nayanthara.

Keep listening

More from Sathyam