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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pattali Maganthan

From Paattali Magan · 1990

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Sangeetha Rajan
Details
Paattali Magan1990

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Pattali magan thaanI am a working-class man
Naan thaanadi pullaYes, I am, girl!
Chorus :TheemmakatheemnaamChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheemnaam)
Male :Naan pottenaa theriyumMale: If I strike, you will know
Punnaagum ullaeIt will turn into an internal wound
Chorus :TheemmakatheetheemChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheetheem)
Male
Thaangaadhu poomaeniYour delicate, flower-like body won't withstand it
Naan en maelae kai vachaaIf you lay a hand on me
Saayadhu un jambam nee veeraappa kaamichaYour arrogance won't hold if you show off your bravado
Mel naatilae padichi adiHaving studied in a foreign land, hey
Thenaattu pen yaarumNo southern girl
Unnaattam kettadhilla haaiHas ever been as spoiled as you, haai!
Male
Pattali magan thaanI am a working-class man
Naan thaanadi pullaYes, I am, girl!
Chorus :TheemmakatheemnaamChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheemnaam)
Male :Naan pottenaa theriyumMale: If I strike, you will know
Punnaagum ullaeIt will turn into an internal wound
Chorus :TheemmakatheetheemChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheetheem)
Male :Tharigida tharigidathomMale: Rhythm syllables (Tharigida tharigidathom)
Male
Oola kudisaiyilae ye ye ye ye yeIn a palm-leaf hut, ye ye ye ye ye
Oola kadasiyilae koozha kudikkirenIn the corner of a thatch hut, I drink porridge
Ezhaiyinnu nenakaathaeDon't think of me as just a poor man
Adi kaasu panathula manda kanathulaHey, with head-weight pride born of money and wealth
Kai neeti moraikkadhaeDon't point your finger and glare at me
Male
Ennodu needhaan haang haang haangWith me, you... haang haang haang
Ennodu needhaan malladinaIf you try to pick a fight or wrestle with me
Munnaala naan vandhu pandhaaduvenI will come forward and play you like a ball
Ammadi aatha dappanguthuOh dear girl, a energetic local folk dance
Kummaalam kondaattam naan poduvenI will celebrate and dance with full joy
Chorus
TheemmakatheemnaamRhythm vocables (Theemmakatheemnaam)
TheemmakatheetheemRhythm vocables (Theemmakatheetheem)
Male
Pattali magan thaanI am a working-class man
Naan thaanadi pullaYes, I am, girl!
Chorus :TheemmakatheemnaamChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheemnaam)
Male :Naan pottenaa theriyumMale: If I strike, you will know
Punnaagum ullaeIt will turn into an internal wound
Chorus :TheemmakatheetheemChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheetheem)
Male :Ha ha haMale: Ha ha ha
Male
………………………..[Instrumental musical interlude]
Male
Shokka irukkura ye ye yeyeYou look so charming, ye ye yeye
Shokka irukkura taekka kodukkiraeYou look so charming and act coyly
Naekka pudikattumaa adiShall I hold you cleverly, girl?
Summaa iruthavan kutta kelappunaeYou stirred up trouble when I was minding my own business
Themmaangu padikattumaeLet a folk song play now
Male
Singaari needhaan aiyoo aiyoo aiyoooYou are a beautiful belle, oh my, oh my
Singaari needhaan sittaatatumaaYou are a beautiful belle, shall I flit around like a bird?
Sikkunnu ottikka ennodathaanStick to me closely
Oiyaari needhaan ullaasamaYou stylish beauty, full of delight
Achchaaram vachukka ichchunnu thaanTake an advance token with a sweet kiss
Male
AppaOh my!
Chorus :TheemmakatheemnaamChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheemnaam)
TheemmakatheetheemRhythm vocables (Theemmakatheetheem)
Male
Pattali magan thaanI am a working-class man
Naan thaanadi pullaYes, I am, girl!
Chorus :TheemmakatheemnaamChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheemnaam)
Male :Naan pottenaa theriyumMale: If I strike, you will know
Punnaagum ullaeIt will turn into an internal wound
Chorus :TheemmakatheetheemChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheetheem)
Male
Aiyoo thaangaadhu poomaeniOh, your delicate, flower-like body won't withstand it
Naan en maelae kai vachaaIf you lay a hand on me
Saayadhu un jambam nee veeraappa kaamichaYour arrogance won't hold if you show off your bravado
Mel naatilae padichi adiHaving studied in a foreign land, hey
Thenaattu pen yaarumNo southern girl
Unnaattam kettadhilla haai hai hai hai haiHas ever been as spoiled as you, haai hai hai hai hai
Male
Pattali magan thaanI am a working-class man
Naan thaanadi pullaYes, I am, girl!
Chorus :TheemmakatheemnaamChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheemnaam)
Male :AamaMale: Yes
Naan pottenaa theriyumIf I strike, you will know
Punnaagum ullaeIt will turn into an internal wound
Chorus :TheemmakatheetheemChorus: Rhythm vocables (Theemmakatheetheem)
Male :Thunakku dhinaMale: Rhythm syllables (Thunakku dhina)

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic song depicts a playful clash of personalities and social backgrounds between a self-respecting working-class man ('Paattali Magan') and an arrogant, foreign-educated wealthy woman. The male protagonist proudly asserts his roots, reminding her that living in a simple thatch hut and eating humble porridge does not make him inferior, and he warns her against looking down on him due to her money and status.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai)

Thaangaadhu poomaeni

Describing the woman's physical frame as 'Poomaeni' (flower-like body) to highlight her delicate nature compared to his rugged working-class strength.

Rhyme / Alliteration (Monai)

Kummaalam kondaattam naan poduven

Alliteration of the initial letter 'K' sound in 'Kummaalam kondaattam'.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)

Munnaala naan vandhu pandhaaduven

Exaggerating that if she attempts to wrestle or fight him, he will play with her as if she were a ball ('pandhaaduven').

Rhythmic Vocables (Jathi / Sollukattu)

Chorus :Theemmakatheemnaam

Use of folk rhythmic beat syllables like 'Theemmakatheemnaam' and 'Tharigida tharigidathom' to set the tempo of a traditional Tamil folk dance.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics composed by Vaali weave colloquial Tamil rural idioms ('manda kanathula', 'dappanguthu', 'themmaangu') with high-tempo beat phrases, highlighting the classic trope of rural authenticity confronting Westernized elitism in 1990s Tamil cinema.

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