Pennalla Nee
From Sonthamadi Nee Enakku · 1977
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- P. Jayachandran, P. Susheela
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Details
- Sonthamadi Nee Enakku1977
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Pennalla neeyoru bommai | You are not a woman, you are a doll |
| Poiyalla naan solvathunmai | It is not a lie, what I say is the truth |
| Pennalla neeyoru bommai | You are not a woman, you are a doll |
| Poiyalla naan solvathunmai | It is not a lie, what I say is the truth |
| Nee aadum aattangal yaavum | All the moves you perform |
| Un thaayaarin aanaigal aagum | Are the commands given by your mother |
| Female | |
| Naanthaanaa thalaiyaattum bommai | Am I the only nodding doll? |
| Nee kooda adhuthaanae unmai | Even you are one, and that is the truth |
| Annaalil thaai sonna sollai | The words your mother spoke in those days |
| Ennaalum nee thaandavillai | You have never crossed on any day |
| Male | |
| Than maeni paadhi pen maeni paathi | Half his body as a man, half his body as a woman |
| Edharkaga sivan nindru kondaan | Why did Lord Shiva stand in such a form? |
| Ondrodu ondru vilagaamal nindru | Standing as one without drifting apart |
| Uravaadal nalam endru sonnaan | He declared that sharing love brings harmony |
| Male | |
| Yaen intha thegam yaen intha vaatham | Why this physique? Why this argument? |
| Inimaelum pidivaatham pothum | Enough of this stubbornness from now on |
| Male | |
| Pennalla neeyoru bommai | You are not a woman, you are a doll |
| Poiyalla naan solvathunmai | It is not a lie, what I say is the truth |
| Nee aadum aattangal yaavum | All the moves you perform |
| Un thaayaarin aanaigal aagum | Are the commands given by your mother |
| Female | |
| Munnooru varudam | Three hundred years |
| Munnaadi sonnaal | Ago if you had said this |
| Un pechai pen ketka koodum | A woman might have listened to your words |
| Venn megam thaandi vinmeethu endru | Crossing beyond white clouds into space |
| Pen paavai selgindra kaalam | Is the modern age where women now travel |
| Female | |
| Kaalangal maarum kolangal maarum | Times change and traditions evolve |
| Maaraamal vazhanthenna laabam | What is the point of living without changing? |
| Female | |
| Naanthaanaa thalaiyaattum bommai | Am I the only nodding doll? |
| Nee kooda adhuthaanae unmai | Even you are one, and that is the truth |
| Annaalil thaai sonna sollai | The words your mother spoke in those days |
| Ennaalum nee thaandavillai | You have never crossed on any day |
| Male | |
| Pennalla neeyoru bommai | You are not a woman, you are a doll |
| Poiyalla naan solvathunmai | It is not a lie, what I say is the truth |
| Nee aadum aattangal yaavum | All the moves you perform |
| Un thaayaarin aanaigal aagum | Are the commands given by your mother |
பெண்ணல்ல நீயொரு பொம்மை
பொய்யல்ல நான் சொல்வதுண்மை
பெண்ணல்ல நீயொரு பொம்மை
பொய்யல்ல நான் சொல்வதுண்மை
நீ ஆடும் ஆட்டங்கள் யாவும்
உன் தாயாரின் ஆணைகள் ஆகும்
You are not a woman, you are a doll
It is not a lie, what I say is the truth
You are not a woman, you are a doll
It is not a lie, what I say is the truth
All the moves you perform
Are the commands given by your mother
நான்தானா தலையாட்டும் பொம்மை
நீ கூட அதுதானே உண்மை
அந்நாளில் தாய் சொன்ன சொல்லை
எந்நாளும் நீ தாண்டவில்லை......
Am I the only nodding doll?
Even you are one, and that is the truth
The words your mother spoke in those days
You have never crossed on any day
தன் மேனி பாதி பெண் மேனி பாதி
எதற்காக சிவன் நின்று கொண்டான்
ஒன்றோடு ஒன்று விலகாமல் நின்று
உறவாடல் நலம் என்று சொன்னான்
Half his body as a man, half his body as a woman
Why did Lord Shiva stand in such a form?
Standing as one without drifting apart
He declared that sharing love brings harmony
ஏன் இந்த தேகம் ஏன் இந்த வாதம்
இனிமேலும் பிடிவாதம் போதும்
Why this physique? Why this argument?
Enough of this stubbornness from now on
பெண்ணல்ல நீயொரு பொம்மை
பொய்யல்ல நான் சொல்வதுண்மை
நீ ஆடும் ஆட்டங்கள் யாவும்
உன் தாயாரின் ஆணைகள் ஆகும்
You are not a woman, you are a doll
It is not a lie, what I say is the truth
All the moves you perform
Are the commands given by your mother
முன்னூறு வருடம்
முன்னாடி சொன்னால்
உன் பேச்சை பெண் கேட்க கூடும்
வெண் மேகம் தாண்டி விண்மீது என்று
பெண் பாவை செல்கின்ற காலம்
Three hundred years
Ago if you had said this
A woman might have listened to your words
Crossing beyond white clouds into space
Is the modern age where women now travel
காலங்கள் மாறும் கோலங்கள் மாறும்
மாறாமல் வாழ்ந்தென்ன லாபம்
Times change and traditions evolve
What is the point of living without changing?
நான்தானா தலையாட்டும் பொம்மை
நீ கூட அதுதானே உண்மை
அந்நாளில் தாய் சொன்ன சொல்லை
எந்நாளும் நீ தாண்டவில்லை......
Am I the only nodding doll?
Even you are one, and that is the truth
The words your mother spoke in those days
You have never crossed on any day
பெண்ணல்ல நீயொரு பொம்மை
பொய்யல்ல நான் சொல்வதுண்மை
நீ ஆடும் ஆட்டங்கள் யாவும்
உன் தாயாரின் ஆணைகள் ஆகும்
You are not a woman, you are a doll
It is not a lie, what I say is the truth
All the moves you perform
Are the commands given by your mother
Pennalla neeyoru bommai
You are not a woman, you are a doll
Poiyalla naan solvathunmai
It is not a lie, what I say is the truth
Pennalla neeyoru bommai
You are not a woman, you are a doll
Poiyalla naan solvathunmai
It is not a lie, what I say is the truth
Nee aadum aattangal yaavum
All the moves you perform
Un thaayaarin aanaigal aagum
Are the commands given by your mother
Naanthaanaa thalaiyaattum bommai
Am I the only nodding doll?
Nee kooda adhuthaanae unmai
Even you are one, and that is the truth
Annaalil thaai sonna sollai
The words your mother spoke in those days
Ennaalum nee thaandavillai
You have never crossed on any day
Than maeni paadhi pen maeni paathi
Half his body as a man, half his body as a woman
Edharkaga sivan nindru kondaan
Why did Lord Shiva stand in such a form?
Ondrodu ondru vilagaamal nindru
Standing as one without drifting apart
Uravaadal nalam endru sonnaan
He declared that sharing love brings harmony
Yaen intha thegam yaen intha vaatham
Why this physique? Why this argument?
Inimaelum pidivaatham pothum
Enough of this stubbornness from now on
Pennalla neeyoru bommai
You are not a woman, you are a doll
Poiyalla naan solvathunmai
It is not a lie, what I say is the truth
Nee aadum aattangal yaavum
All the moves you perform
Un thaayaarin aanaigal aagum
Are the commands given by your mother
Munnooru varudam
Three hundred years
Munnaadi sonnaal
Ago if you had said this
Un pechai pen ketka koodum
A woman might have listened to your words
Venn megam thaandi vinmeethu endru
Crossing beyond white clouds into space
Pen paavai selgindra kaalam
Is the modern age where women now travel
Kaalangal maarum kolangal maarum
Times change and traditions evolve
Maaraamal vazhanthenna laabam
What is the point of living without changing?
Naanthaanaa thalaiyaattum bommai
Am I the only nodding doll?
Nee kooda adhuthaanae unmai
Even you are one, and that is the truth
Annaalil thaai sonna sollai
The words your mother spoke in those days
Ennaalum nee thaandavillai
You have never crossed on any day
Pennalla neeyoru bommai
You are not a woman, you are a doll
Poiyalla naan solvathunmai
It is not a lie, what I say is the truth
Nee aadum aattangal yaavum
All the moves you perform
Un thaayaarin aanaigal aagum
Are the commands given by your mother
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic song features a playful argument between a man and a woman regarding independence, tradition, and modern values. The male protagonist teases the female lead, calling her a puppet who blindly follows her mother's orders rather than living life on her own terms. He references Ardhanarishvara (Lord Shiva's half-man, half-woman form) to emphasize harmony, mutual dependency, and togetherness in love, asking her to drop her stubbornness.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Pennalla neeyoru bommai”
Comparing the heroine to a puppet or doll (bommai) controlled by her mother.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Pennalla neeyoru bommai / Poiyalla naan solvathunmai”
The second consonant sound 'nn' matches across consecutive lines (Pennalla / Poiyalla).
Mythological Allusion
“Than maeni paadhi pen maeni paathi / Edharkaga sivan nindru kondaan”
References the Ardhanarishvara form of Lord Shiva to symbolize equality and unity between man and woman.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Kaalangal maarum kolangal maarum”
Rhyming endings of lines using words like 'maarum' across pairs.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is composed by V. Kumar, a prolific music director in the 1960s and 1970s often noted for giving early breakthroughs to legends like K. J. Yesudas and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. The lyrics by Vaali ingeniously blend ancient mythological allegories with modern progressive views on women's empowerment.
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