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Lyrics & meaning

Paatukku Paalaivanam

From Anantha Poongatre · 1999

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Hariharan, Sabesh, Master Rohith
Music director
Deva
Details
Anantha Poongatre1999

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Haa….aahaa…aaa….aa…Haa….aahaa…aaa….aa…
Thanae nanae nana naaThanae nanae nana naa
Thanae nanae naana naanaaThanae nanae naana naanaa
Thandhannenae naa nae naaThandhannenae naa nae naa
Male
Mettu mettu varna mettuTune upon tune, a colorful tune,
Mellisa padikudhadiRecites light music, oh girl!
Mottu mottu mulai mottuA tender young flower bud,
Mettukku thirakudhadiOpens up to the melody, oh girl!
Male
Vittu vittu alai vandhuWaves crashing in rhythmic intervals,
Nattu vaangam solludhadiDictate dance steps, oh girl!
Nattu vaanga santhathukuTo the rhythm of those dance cues,
Naanal thattai aadudhadiThe reed grass sways, oh girl!
Male
Anju mani kuyil onnuA cuckoo at five o'clock,
Panjamathil nikayilaWhen sitting on the fifth musical note (Panchama),
Pacha pasunkili onnuA bright green parrot,
Sootchamathil thaavudhadiLeaps with subtle grace, oh girl!
Male
Mogathukul ulladhellamAll that resides within desire,
Thaalathukul suthudhadiSwirls within the rhythm, oh girl!
Paadal enbadhoru maayamaagumadiA song is pure magic, oh girl!
Paadal paadugaiyil maadu meiyudhadiWhile singing a song, cattle graze peacefully, oh girl!
Male
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukku kaalai kooda paal karakumFor a melody, even a bull will yield milk!
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukku kaalai kooda paal karakumFor a melody, even a bull will yield milk!
Male
………………………...................
Male
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukuu vennilavum thalai asaikumFor a melody, even the white moon nods its head in approval!
Male & Chorus :Male & Chorus :
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukku vennilavum thalai asaikumFor a melody, even the white moon nods its head in approval!
Chorus
………………….................
Male
Bhoomiku piditha paatuThe song that the Earth loves,
Endha paatuWhich song is that?
Chorus :Mazhai vandhu paadum paatuChorus: The song sung by the incoming rain!
Male :Kaatuku piditha paatuMale: The song that the wind loves,
Endha paatuWhich song is that?
Chorus :Thulai moongil paadum paatuChorus: The song played by the hollow bamboo reed!
Male
Thuvalkindra manidhanFor a tired man,
Kalaipukku marundhuThe cure for his fatigue,
Cho venum isai paatuIs a pleasing musical song!
Vidhaikindra manidhanFor a farmer who sows seeds,
Alupukku marundhuThe cure for his weariness,
Avan sollum naer paatuIs his straightforward folk song!
Male
Kaara pasu kazhuthumaniThe neck bell of a dark cow,
Kandruku pudhu paatuIs a fresh new song to its calf!
Pallikoodathin kadaisimaniThe final bell at school,
Paiyanuku isai paatuIs a musical song to the young boy!
Ada suthivarum boomiyilAh, in this spinning world,
Suthi suthi paatuMusic revolves everywhere!
Male
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukuu vennilavum thalai asaikumFor a melody, even the white moon nods its head in approval!
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukuu vennilavum thalai asaikumFor a melody, even the white moon nods its head in approval!
Chorus
……………………….....................
Male
Pirandhadhum pillaiketkumThe first song a child hears,
Mudhal paatuRight after birth,
Chorus :Petra thaayar paadum thaalatuChorus: Is the lullaby sung by the birth mother!
Male :Valarndhadhum nenjil paayumMale: As one grows up, a song that pierces the heart,
Oru paatuWhich song is that?
Chorus :Adhu pallisollum thamizh paatuChorus: It is the Tamil lesson taught in school!
Male
Irumanam inaindhoruWhen two hearts unite,
Thirumanam purigaiyilAnd perform a wedding,
Oonjalil manapaatuThe marriage song played on the swing!
Ai erandu maadhathukulWithin ten months (five times two),
Kai rendil valaipodumAdorning bangles on both wrists,
Nalangukku orupaatuA special song for the baby shower ritual!
Male
Pillai valara peran valaraAs children grow and grandchildren grow,
Thodarndhidum thottil paatuThe cradle song continues!
Kadaisiyilum olithidumaeResounding even at the very end of life,
Kaalkazhundra kattil paatuIs the song of the funeral wooden frame as feet slip away!
Ada thodakamum paatuAh, the beginning of life is a song,
Mudipadhum paatuAnd the ending of life is a song!
Male
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukuu vennilavum thalai asaikumFor a melody, even the white moon nods its head in approval!
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukuu vennilavum thalai asaikumFor a melody, even the white moon nods its head in approval!
Male
Mettu mettu varna mettuTune upon tune, a colorful tune,
Mellisa padikudhadiRecites light music, oh girl!
Mottu mottu mulai mottuA tender young flower bud,
Mettukku thirakudhadiOpens up to the melody, oh girl!
Male
Vittu vittu alai vandhuWaves crashing in rhythmic intervals,
Nattu vaangam solludhadiDictate dance steps, oh girl!
Nattu vaanga santhathukuTo the rhythm of those dance cues,
Naanal thattai aadudhadiThe reed grass sways, oh girl!
Male
Anju mani kuyil onnuA cuckoo at five o'clock,
Panjamathil nikayilaWhen sitting on the fifth musical note (Panchama),
Pacha pasunkili onnuA bright green parrot,
Sootchamathil thaavudhadiLeaps with subtle grace, oh girl!
Male
Mogathukul ulladhellamAll that resides within desire,
Thaalathukul suthudhadiSwirls within the rhythm, oh girl!
Paadal enbadhoru maayamaagumadiA song is pure magic, oh girl!
Paadal paadugaiyil maadu meiyudhadiWhile singing a song, cattle graze peacefully, oh girl!
Male
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukuu vennilavum thalai asaikumFor a melody, even the white moon nods its head in approval!
Male & Chorus :Male & Chorus :
Paatukku palaivanam poo pookumFor music, even a desert will bloom with flowers,
Metukku vennilavum thalai asaikumFor a melody, even the white moon nods its head in approval!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a grand ode to the universal power, omnipresence, and magical beauty of music in human existence and nature. Lyricist Vairamuthu poetically illustrates how music permeates every sphere of life—from the patter of rain on the earth and wind rustling through hollow bamboos to the neck bell of a mother cow comforting her calf and the ringing school bell that brings joy to a young student.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Uruvagandri Uyarthu Navirchi)

Paatukku palaivanam poo pookum / Metukku kaalai kooda paal karakum

Exaggerating the miraculous power of music by stating that even deserts bloom with flowers and bulls yield milk upon hearing a tune.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Mettu mettu varna mettu / Mellisa padikudhadi

Repetition of initial consonant sounds like 'M' across adjacent lines ('Mettu', 'Mellisa', 'Mottu').

Personification

Metukuu vennilavum thalai asaikum

Attributing human emotions and actions to nature, such as the moon nodding its head and the earth falling in love with rain's song.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Deva for the 1999 Tamil film 'Anantha Poongatre' directed by Raj Kapoor, this song highlights Vairamuthu's poetic mastery in weaving the stages of human life—from mother's lullaby (thaalattu) to funeral song (kattil paatu)—strictly through musical metaphors.

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