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Isaimozhi
The Legend album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Popopo

From The Legend · 2022

Lyricist
Madhan Karky
Singers
KK, Prasad S N, Jonita Gandhi
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Movie name
The Legend
Movie release year
2022
Lyrics added on
21 Jun 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Yaanai kulla poonai illa
Poonai kulla paanai illa
Panai kulla maaman illai
Maaman onnum raman illai
Popopo… Popopo…
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo
Ani mela koni illai
Koni mela yeni illai
Yeni mela rani illai
Ranikku thaan thini illai
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo
Vinyani hey vinyani
En mela arachi pannikko
Kanna nee
Gym meni hey gym meni
Saataikkum settaikum anjathae
Vaa vaa nee…
Rasikka rasikka thaan
Thudikkira thudikkira
Kuzhanthai pola pinnal
Nadikkira nadikkira
Yaanai kulla poonai illa
Poonai kulla paanai illa
Panai kulla maaman illai
Maaman onnum raman illai
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo
Ani mela koni illai
Koni mela yeni illai
Yeni mela rani illai
Ranikku thaan thini illai…
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo
Veyil naan kulikkira pola
Paal aadai theipaya
Nilavil naan nenaigira pothu
Soodai nee aavaya
En sevai ulagakku thevai
Oru vaazhkai paththatho
Adha kooda unakku ketta
Ul manasu kuththatho
Hey kuththathu kuththathu
Vaa raasa
Naan mullum yedhum illadha rosa
Naan thithikkum patpat pattasa
Nee paarthalae paththipen lesa
Yaanai kulla…
Male :Hey hey hey hey
Yaanai kulla poonai illa
Poonai kulla paanai illa
Panai kulla maaman illai
Maaman onnumraman illai
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo
Ani mela koni illai
Koni mela yeni illai
Yeni mela rani illai
Ranikku thaan thini illai
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo
Vinyani en vinyani
Male :En mela arachi pannadha
Pennae nee
Female :Gym meni en gym meni
Male :Saataikkum settaikum thangatha
Poo poo nee
Mugilgal nagathilae
Kizhikkira kizhikkira
Kuzhanthai pola pennae
Muzhikkira muzhikkira….
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo… Popopo
Popopo
There is no cat inside an elephant
There is no pot inside a cat
There is no lover inside a pot
And your man is no Rama
Popopo… popopo…
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo
There is no sack on a nail
There is no ladder on a sack
There is no queen on a ladder
And the queen has no food to eat
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo
Scientist, hey scientist!
Conduct your research on me,
my darling!
Gym-toned body, hey muscular body!
Do not fear whips or naughty mischief,
come on, come!
Just to enjoy and admire,
your heart beats fast,
and like an innocent child,
you act and pretend!
There is no cat inside an elephant
There is no pot inside a cat
There is no lover inside a pot
And your man is no Rama
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo
There is no sack on a nail
There is no ladder on a sack
There is no queen on a ladder
And the queen has no food to eat…
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo
As if I am bathing in warm sunlight,
will you rub milk cream on me?
When I get drenched in cool moonlight,
will you keep me warm?
The world needs my service,
is one lifetime even enough?
If you demand even that time for yourself,
won't your conscience prick you?
Hey, it won't prick me, not at all!
Come to me, my king!
I am a rose without any thorns,
I am a sweet, crackling firecracker,
just your glance will easily light me up!
Inside an elephant…
Male: Hey hey hey hey
There is no cat inside an elephant
There is no pot inside a cat
There is no lover inside a pot
And your man is no Rama
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo
There is no sack on a nail
There is no ladder on a sack
There is no queen on a ladder
And the queen has no food to eat
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo
Scientist, my scientist!
Male: Do not conduct your research on me,
oh girl!
Female: Gym-toned body, my muscular body!
Male: Unfit to endure whips and rough mischief,
you are a delicate flower!
With your sharp nails, the clouds
you scratch and tear,
yet like an innocent child, oh girl,
you blink with wide, curious eyes…
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo… popopo
Popopo
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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.

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