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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Penne Penne

From Irumbu Kuthirai · 2014

Lyricist
Thamarai
Singers
G. V. Prakash Kumar, Bhavatharani, Yaazhini
Music director
G. V. Prakash Kumar
Details
Irumbu Kuthirai2014

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….
Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..
Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….
Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..
Male
Pennae pennae azhaigirenGirl, O girl, I am calling out to you,
Andril aagi azhugirenBecoming like the legendary Andril bird, I weep.
Pennae pennae neeyum engaeGirl, O girl, where are you too?
Endrae thedi thigaikkirenSearching for you, I stand bewildered.
Male
Nee sollaadhaal mozhiyillaiWithout your words, there is no language,
Nee sellaadhadhaal vazhiyillaiWithout your footsteps, there is no path,
Nee paaraadhadhaal oliyillaiWithout your glance, there is no light,
Nee thaaradhadhaal nizhal illaiWithout your presence, there is no shadow.
Male
Uyir ponaalum pogattumEven if my life departs, let it go,
Ippodhae paarthaaga vendumI must see you right now,
Naan unnai unnai…I... you, only you...
Female
Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….
Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..
Male
Oh pennae pennae azhaigirenOh girl, O girl, I am calling out to you,
Andril aagi azhugirenBecoming like the legendary Andril bird, I weep.
Female
Naanum unnai kaanum varaiUntil I get to see you,
En vazhvil yedho kuraiThere remains a void in my life.
Unnai kanda annaal mudhalFrom the day I first set eyes on you,
Andraadum moondraam piraiYou have been like a crescent moon swaying daily.
Female
Kaigal serkka… kangal korkkaTo join hands... to interlock eyes,
Naan kettenae anbin siraiI begged for the sweet prison of love.
Paarkkum podhae paavai silaiA statue of a maiden upon sight,
Kaanaamal pona kadhaiWho then became a story of disappearance.
Male
Saalai oraththilBy the side of the road,
Poothendral roobaththilIn the form of a gentle flower-breeze,
Nee vandhaaiYou came to me,
Naan thaanae pullaangulalAnd I became a hollow flute played by you.
Female
Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….
Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..
Male
Penne pennae azhaigirenGirl, O girl, I am calling out to you,
Andril aagi karaigirenBecoming like the Andril bird, I melt in sorrow.
Female
Ah ..ah…ah…ah…Ah ..ah…ah…ah…
Ahaaa…aaaa…ahaaa….aaa….Ahaaa…aaaa…ahaaa….aaa….
Ahaaa…aaaa…ahaaa….aaa….Ahaaa…aaaa…ahaaa….aaa….
Male
Kaattrai thoodhaaga naan vidaIf I send the breeze as my messenger,
Kannae un koondhal kodhi paaraadhoMy dear, won't it fondle your flowing hair?
Un kannin mai poosi nee vidaIf you send it back adorned with your eye kohl,
Kaattrum pennaagi ingu vaaraadhoWon't the wind itself arrive here transformed into a maiden?
Male
Pennae pennae azhaigirenGirl, O girl, I am calling out to you,
Andril aagi karaigirenBecoming like the Andril bird, I melt in sorrow.
Pennae pennae neeyum engaeGirl, O girl, where are you too?
Endrae thedi thigaikkirenSearching for you, I stand bewildered.
Male
Nee sollaadhaal mozhiyillaiWithout your words, there is no language,
Nee sellaadhadhaal vazhiyillaiWithout your footsteps, there is no path,
Nee paaraadhadhaal oliyillaiWithout your glance, there is no light,
Nee thaaradhadhaal nizhal illaiWithout your presence, there is no shadow.
Male
Uyir ponaal pogattumEven if my life departs, let it go,
Ippodhae paarthaaga vendumI must see you right now,
Naan unnai unnai….I... you, only you...
Female
Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….
Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..
Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….Ahaaa…aaahaaaa….
Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..Aaahaaaa…aaaa…..

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This soulful song depicts a lover's intense angst and longing for his missing beloved. He compares his grief to that of the mythical Andril bird, which in classical Tamil literature symbolises inseparable love where one bird cannot survive without the other. The protagonist expresses that without his beloved, basic elements of existence—speech, direction, light, and shadow—lose all meaning.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor & Imagery (Andril Bird)

Andril aagi azhugiren

The reference to 'Andril' evokes Sangam literature imagery of inseparable love birds that die when parted.

Anaphora (Repetitive conditional phrasing)

Nee sollaadhaal mozhiyillai / Nee sellaadhadhaal vazhiyillai

Repeated use of 'Nee ...adhaal' emphasizes the absolute dependence of the protagonist's senses and life on the heroine.

Metaphor (Flute and Breeze)

Naan thaanae pullaangulal

The speaker compares himself to a flute (pullaangulal) made resonant by her presence like a gentle breeze (poothendral).

Did you know?

Trivia

'Pennae Pennae' from Irumbu Kuthirai (2014) features music composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar with lyrics penned by celebrated lyricist Thamarai. The imagery of 'Andril' is a classic homage to ancient Tamil Sangam poetry.

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