Pottalum Yerala En Puthi
From Ullathil Nalla Ullam · 1988
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Ullathil Nalla Ullam1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Pottalum yerala hae en buthi maarala | Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed. |
| Ennannu thonala enna solla | I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say? |
| Pottalum yerala hae en buthi maarala | Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed. |
| Ennannu thonala enna solla | I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say? |
| Unnala ponnen mosam | Because of you, I met with ruin. |
| Ellamae vesham vesham | Everything turned out to be a mere disguise and fake. |
| Ennachu paasam naesam | What happened to all the love and affection? |
| Sonnala vaarthaiyum koosum | Words feel embarrassed to even speak of it. |
| Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala | Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed. |
| Ennannu thonala enna solla | I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say? |
| Male | |
| Thaaiyodu paasam enna | What maternal love truly is, |
| Ariyaama vaazhndhenae | I lived without ever knowing. |
| Thanikaattu raaja pola | Like the king of an isolated forest, |
| Naan melae irunthenae | I used to live high above everyone. |
| Anbaana paarvaiyai paarthu | Looking at me with a loving gaze, |
| Anaichaalae manasodu | She embraced me close to her heart. |
| Pennoda kaadhalinaala | Because of love for a woman, |
| Hae naan vandhen theruvoda | Hey, I ended up wandering on the streets. |
| Male | |
| Thaaladha thukkathilae | In this unbearable sorrow, |
| Eppodhum thookam illae | There is never any sleep for me anymore. |
| Thaanagaama thalladi naan irundha vela | Staggering unsteadily on my own, at that moment... |
| Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala | Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed. |
| Ennannu thonala enna solla | I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say? |
| Unnala ponnen mosam | Because of you, I met with ruin. |
| Ellamae vesham vesham | Everything turned out to be a mere disguise and fake. |
| Ennachu paasam naesam | What happened to all the love and affection? |
| Sonnala vaarthaiyum koosum | Words feel embarrassed to even speak of it. |
| Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala | Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed. |
| Ennannu thonala …enna solla | I do not know what I am feeling... what can I say? |
| Male | |
| Thaalattu paattu satham | The sound of a soothing lullaby, |
| En kaadhil kettadhillai | Has never fallen upon my ears. |
| Thaaiyena thottu thottu | Calling herself a mother and touching me gently, |
| Paal kooda ootavilla | She never fed me even a drop of milk. |
| Illadha sondham bandham | Relationships and kinsfolk I never had, |
| Ellamae kondu vandhaa | She brought them all into my life. |
| Pollaadha kaalai nenja | My tough, wild bull-like heart, |
| Punnaga aakkiputta | She turned it into a wounded heart. |
| Sonnalum aaravilla en paadha verayilla | Even if spoken of, the pain does not heal; my path is lost. |
| Kannadi putti onnu kai vandha velai | When a glass bottle came into my hands... |
| Male | |
| Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala | Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed. |
| Ennannu thonala enna solla | I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say? |
| Unnala ponnen mosam | Because of you, I met with ruin. |
| Ellamae vesham vesham | Everything turned out to be a mere disguise and fake. |
| Ennachu paasam naesam | What happened to all the love and affection? |
| Sonnala vaarthaiyum koosum | Words feel embarrassed to even speak of it. |
| Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala | Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed. |
| Ennannu thonala haha enna solla | I do not know what I am feeling, haha, what can I say? |
போட்டாலும் ஏறல ஹெ என் புத்தி மாறல
என்னான்னு தோணல என்ன சொல்ல
போட்டாலும் ஏறல என் புத்தி மாறல
என்னான்னு தோணல என்ன சொல்ல
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
Because of you, I met with ruin.
Everything turned out to be a mere disguise and fake.
What happened to all the love and affection?
Words feel embarrassed to even speak of it.
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
உன்னாலே போனேன் மோசம்
எல்லாமே வேஷம் வேஷம்
என்னாச்சு பாசம் நேசம்
சொன்னால வார்த்தையும் கூசும்
போட்டாலும் ஏறல என் புத்தி மாறல
என்னான்னு தோணல ஹ என்ன சொல்ல
What maternal love truly is,
I lived without ever knowing.
Like the king of an isolated forest,
I used to live high above everyone.
Looking at me with a loving gaze,
She embraced me close to her heart.
Because of love for a woman,
Hey, I ended up wandering on the streets.
தாயோடு பாசம் என்ன அறியாம வாழ்ந்தேனே
தனிக்காட்டு ராஜா போல நான் மேலே இருந்தேனே
அன்பான பார்வையை பார்த்து அணைச்சாளே மனசோட
பெண்ணோட காதலினால ஹ நான் வந்தேன் தெருவோட
In this unbearable sorrow,
There is never any sleep for me anymore.
Staggering unsteadily on my own, at that moment...
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
Because of you, I met with ruin.
Everything turned out to be a mere disguise and fake.
What happened to all the love and affection?
Words feel embarrassed to even speak of it.
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
I do not know what I am feeling... what can I say?
தாளாத துக்கத்திலே எப்போதும் தூக்கமில்ல
தாங்காம தள்ளாடி நான் இருந்த வேல
போட்டாலும் ஏறல என் புத்தி மாறல
என்னான்னு தோணல என்ன சொல்ல
The sound of a soothing lullaby,
Has never fallen upon my ears.
Calling herself a mother and touching me gently,
She never fed me even a drop of milk.
Relationships and kinsfolk I never had,
She brought them all into my life.
My tough, wild bull-like heart,
She turned it into a wounded heart.
Even if spoken of, the pain does not heal; my path is lost.
When a glass bottle came into my hands...
உன்னாலே போனேன் மோசம்
எல்லாமே வேஷம் வேஷம்
என்னாச்சு பாசம் நேசம்
சொன்னால வார்த்தையும் கூசும்
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
Because of you, I met with ruin.
Everything turned out to be a mere disguise and fake.
What happened to all the love and affection?
Words feel embarrassed to even speak of it.
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
I do not know what I am feeling, haha, what can I say?
போட்டாலும் ஏறல என் புத்தி மாறல
என்னான்னு தோணல ஹ
என்ன சொல்ல என்ன சொல்ல
தாலாட்டு பாட்டுச் சத்தம் என் காதில் கேட்டதில்லை
தாயென்ன தொட்டுத் தொட்டு பால் கூட ஊட்டவில்ல
இல்லாத சொந்தம் பந்தம் எல்லாம கொண்டு வந்தா
பொல்லாத காளை நெஞ்ச புண்ணாக ஆக்கிப்புட்டா
சொன்னாலும் ஆறவில்ல என் பாதை வேறயில்ல
கண்ணாடி புட்டி ஒண்ணு கை வந்த வேளை
போட்டாலும் ஏறல என் புத்தி மாறல
என்னான்னு தோணல என்ன சொல்ல
உன்னாலே போனேன் மோசம்
எல்லாமே வேஷம் வேஷம்
என்னாச்சு பாசம் நேசம்
சொன்னால வார்த்தையும் கூசும்
போட்டாலும் ஏறல என் புத்தி மாறல
என்னான்னு தோணல ஹ
என்ன சொல்ல என்ன சொல்ல....
Pottalum yerala hae en buthi maarala
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
Ennannu thonala enna solla
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
Pottalum yerala hae en buthi maarala
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
Ennannu thonala enna solla
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
Unnala ponnen mosam
Because of you, I met with ruin.
Ellamae vesham vesham
Everything turned out to be a mere disguise and fake.
Ennachu paasam naesam
What happened to all the love and affection?
Sonnala vaarthaiyum koosum
Words feel embarrassed to even speak of it.
Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
Ennannu thonala enna solla
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
Thaaiyodu paasam enna
What maternal love truly is,
Ariyaama vaazhndhenae
I lived without ever knowing.
Thanikaattu raaja pola
Like the king of an isolated forest,
Naan melae irunthenae
I used to live high above everyone.
Anbaana paarvaiyai paarthu
Looking at me with a loving gaze,
Anaichaalae manasodu
She embraced me close to her heart.
Pennoda kaadhalinaala
Because of love for a woman,
Hae naan vandhen theruvoda
Hey, I ended up wandering on the streets.
Thaaladha thukkathilae
In this unbearable sorrow,
Eppodhum thookam illae
There is never any sleep for me anymore.
Thaanagaama thalladi naan irundha vela
Staggering unsteadily on my own, at that moment...
Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
Ennannu thonala enna solla
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
Unnala ponnen mosam
Because of you, I met with ruin.
Ellamae vesham vesham
Everything turned out to be a mere disguise and fake.
Ennachu paasam naesam
What happened to all the love and affection?
Sonnala vaarthaiyum koosum
Words feel embarrassed to even speak of it.
Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
Ennannu thonala …enna solla
I do not know what I am feeling... what can I say?
Thaalattu paattu satham
The sound of a soothing lullaby,
En kaadhil kettadhillai
Has never fallen upon my ears.
Thaaiyena thottu thottu
Calling herself a mother and touching me gently,
Paal kooda ootavilla
She never fed me even a drop of milk.
Illadha sondham bandham
Relationships and kinsfolk I never had,
Ellamae kondu vandhaa
She brought them all into my life.
Pollaadha kaalai nenja
My tough, wild bull-like heart,
Punnaga aakkiputta
She turned it into a wounded heart.
Sonnalum aaravilla en paadha verayilla
Even if spoken of, the pain does not heal; my path is lost.
Kannadi putti onnu kai vandha velai
When a glass bottle came into my hands...
Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
Ennannu thonala enna solla
I do not know what I am feeling; what can I even say?
Unnala ponnen mosam
Because of you, I met with ruin.
Ellamae vesham vesham
Everything turned out to be a mere disguise and fake.
Ennachu paasam naesam
What happened to all the love and affection?
Sonnala vaarthaiyum koosum
Words feel embarrassed to even speak of it.
Pottalum yerala en buthi maarala
Even though I drink alcohol, my buzz is not hitting; my sense has not changed.
Ennannu thonala haha enna solla
I do not know what I am feeling, haha, what can I say?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Pottalum Yerala is a sorrowful song depicting a man attempting to drown his heartbreak in alcohol, only to find that even intoxication cannot dull his acute sense of betrayal. He reminisces about growing up as an isolated orphan who never experienced a mother's affection or family warmth, living independently like a solitary king of a forest. When a woman offered him love and introduced him to affection, he gave her his heart, only to be deceived and left destitute on the streets. The lyrics reflect his agonizing realization that his inner pain is too deep for alcohol to cure, leaving him lost, sleepless, and brokenhearted. Gangai Amaran's evocative writing and SPB's nuanced vocal delivery bring out the grief and bitter irony of his condition.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Thanikaattu raaja pola”
Compares his former independent and fierce life to that of a solitary king ruling a forest.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Pollaadha kaalai nenja”
Compares his tough, unyielding heart to a fierce wild bull (kaalai).
Reduplication (Adukkuthodar)
“Ellamae vesham vesham”
Repetition of 'vesham' emphasizes the total falseness and hypocrisy of the affection he received.
Emonai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Unnala ponnen mosam / Ellamae vesham vesham”
Use of similar starting vowels (U/E) creates a rhythmic cadence in the verse.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed and written by Gangai Amaran for the 1988 movie Ullathil Nalla Ullam, the song is celebrated for S. P. Balasubrahmanyam's expressive rendering, complete with drunken staggers, bitter laughter, and melancholic pauses integrated seamlessly into the vocal performance.
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