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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Popopo

From The Legend · 2022

Lyricist
Madhan Karky
Singers
KK, Prasad S N, Jonita Gandhi
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
The Legend2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics↻ English translation
Female
Yaanai kulla poonai illaThere is no cat inside an elephant
Poonai kulla paanai illaThere is no pot inside a cat
Panai kulla maaman illaiThere is no uncle inside a palm tree
Maaman onnum raman illaiThe uncle is no Lord Rama
Female
Popopo… Popopo…Popopo… Popopo…
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
PopopoPopopo
Female
Ani mela koni illaiThere is no gunny bag on a nail
Koni mela yeni illaiThere is no ladder on a gunny bag
Yeni mela rani illaiThere is no queen on a ladder
Ranikku thaan thini illaiThere is no food for the queen
Female
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
PopopoPopopo
Female
Vinyani hey vinyaniOh scientist, hey scientist
En mela arachi pannikkoConduct your research on me
Kanna neeMy dear darling
Gym meni hey gym meniOh gym body, hey gym body
Saataikkum settaikum anjathaeDo not fear the whip or mischief
Vaa vaa nee…Come, come now…
Female
Rasikka rasikka thaanTo enjoy and relish
Thudikkira thudikkiraYou are yearning and throbbing
Kuzhanthai pola pinnalBehind me like a child
Nadikkira nadikkiraYou act and pretend
Female
Yaanai kulla poonai illaThere is no cat inside an elephant
Poonai kulla paanai illaThere is no pot inside a cat
Panai kulla maaman illaiThere is no uncle inside a palm tree
Maaman onnum raman illaiThe uncle is no Lord Rama
Female
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
PopopoPopopo
Female
Ani mela koni illaiThere is no gunny bag on a nail
Koni mela yeni illaiThere is no ladder on a gunny bag
Yeni mela rani illaiThere is no queen on a ladder
Ranikku thaan thini illai…There is no food for the queen…
Female
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
PopopoPopopo
Female
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
PopopoPopopo
Female
Veyil naan kulikkira polaAs if I am bathing in heat
Paal aadai theipayaWill you rub cream of milk on me?
Nilavil naan nenaigira pothuWhen I get drenched in moonlight
Soodai nee aavayaWill you become my warmth?
Male
En sevai ulagakku thevaiMy service is needed for the world
Oru vaazhkai paththathoIs one lifespan enough for that?
Adha kooda unakku kettaIf I ask for even a bit of that for you
Ul manasu kuththathoDoes your inner conscience prick you?
Female
Hey kuththathu kuththathuHey, it does not prick, it does not prick
Vaa raasaCome my king
Naan mullum yedhum illadha rosaI am a rose without any thorns
Naan thithikkum patpat pattasaI am a sweet, popping firecracker
Nee paarthalae paththipen lesaIf you just look, I catch fire easily
Female
Yaanai kulla…Inside an elephant...
Male :Hey hey hey heyHey hey hey hey
Female
Yaanai kulla poonai illaThere is no cat inside an elephant
Poonai kulla paanai illaThere is no pot inside a cat
Panai kulla maaman illaiThere is no uncle inside a palm tree
Maaman onnumraman illaiThe uncle is no Lord Rama
Female
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
PopopoPopopo
Female
Ani mela koni illaiThere is no gunny bag on a nail
Koni mela yeni illaiThere is no ladder on a gunny bag
Yeni mela rani illaiThere is no queen on a ladder
Ranikku thaan thini illaiThere is no food for the queen
Female
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
PopopoPopopo
Female
Vinyani en vinyaniScientist, my scientist
Male :En mela arachi pannadhaDo not conduct research on me
Pennae neeOh girl
Female :Gym meni en gym meniGym body, my gym body
Male :Saataikkum settaikum thangathaDo not succumb to whips or mischief
Poo poo neeGo away, go away
Male
Mugilgal nagathilaeWith your fingernails in the clouds
Kizhikkira kizhikkiraYou scratch and tear
Kuzhanthai pola pennaeLike a child, oh girl
Muzhikkira muzhikkira….You stare bewildered…
Female
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
Popopo… PopopoPopopo… Popopo
PopopoPopopo

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful dance track features energetic banter between the male protagonist (a scientist with a sculpted physique) and the female lead. The lyricist Madhan Karky uses whimsical wordplay, absurd imagery, and nursery-rhyme-like tongue twisters (such as chaining nonsensical statements about elephants, cats, pots, and ladders) to express flirtatious affection and teasing dynamics between the couple.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Antiphrasis / Nonsense Rhyme (Etai / Chain Rhyming)

“Yaanai kulla poonai illa / Poonai kulla paanai illa”

Chaining concepts playfully where the last word of a premise sets up an illogical assertion (Yaanai->Poonai->Paanai->Panai->Maaman).

Anaphora / Rhyme Chain

“Ani mela koni illai / Koni mela yeni illai”

Sequential chaining of words ending in 'illai' built on stacked nouns (Ani->Koni->Yeni->Rani->Thini).

Simile / Comparison

“Kuzhanthai pola pinnal / Nadikkira nadikkira”

Comparing the hero's child-like longing or actions to a naive child's behavior.

Metaphor

“Naan mullum yedhum illadha rosa / Naan thithikkum patpat pattasa”

The lead compares herself to a thornless rose and a sweet firecracker to denote beauty and passion.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track from Legend Saravanan's debut film 'The Legend' (2022) marked one of the last prominent songs sung by the legendary playback singer KK before his untimely passing in May 2022. It features high-energy music composed by Harris Jayaraj and lyrics by Madhan Karky.

Keep listening

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Popopo Lyrics | English Translation | Meaning | Isaimozhi