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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Raththa Kanneer

From Neer Paravai · 2012

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Harish Raghavendra
Music director
N. R. Raghunanthan
Details
Neer Paravai2012

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Raththa kanneer mudiyavillaiTears of blood do not stop flowing
En raathiri mattum vidiyavillaiOnly my night never dawns
Male
Raththa kanneer mudiyavillaiTears of blood do not stop flowing
En raathiri mattum vidiyavillaiOnly my night never dawns
Kaayam seitha oorukkuTo the town that inflicted wounds upon me
En nyayam mattum theriyavillaiMy side of justice remains invisible
Male
Arinthae naan seitha pizhaiThe mistakes I made knowingly
Aandavar thaan porupaaraeGod Himself will bear responsibility for
Ariyaamal seitha pizhaiBut for the mistakes I made unknowingly
Anbae nee porupaayaOh my love, will you bear them?
Mannithae ennai kolla maatayaWill you not kill me with your forgiveness?
Male
Raththa kanneer mudiyavillaiTears of blood do not stop flowing
En raathiri mattum vidiyavillaiOnly my night never dawns
Male
Yen intha gadhi..Why this plight?
Yen intha vidhi..Why this fate?
Nonthen uyir nonthenI grieved, my soul grieved
Naan kanda pazhi..The blame I received
Nee kondu vida..Since you carried it away
Aavi venthenMy spirit burned in agony
Male
En paavangalilIn my sins
Naan vekkamura villai..I felt no shame
Adi illaiThere is no limit
En paavangalilIn my sins
Nee pangu pera..For you to take a share
Nyayam illaiIt is not fair
Male
Paadhai thaan kaanamalWithout seeing the path
Pattam thaan viduginrenI fly a kite blindly
Bodhai thaan illamalWithout any intoxication
Indrae naan alugindrenToday I weep in clarity
Paavathin pallam vittu ezhugindrenI rise up, leaving the pit of sin
Male
Raththa kanneer mudiyavillaiTears of blood do not stop flowing
En raathiri mattum vidiyavillaiOnly my night never dawns
Male
Oor pesiyathumWhat the town spoke
Yaar pesiyathaiyum..Or what anyone else said
Nenjai suda villaiDid not burn my heart
Nee thunbamuraSeeing you suffer
Naan kanduvaraAnd watching it unfold
Jeevan illaiI have no life left in me
Male
En thandanaiyilIn my punishment
Nee vaaduvathu kutramThat you wither away is a crime
En kutramMy own crime
En paava vinaiThe consequence of my sins
Ezhu jenmam varaiFor seven births to come
Sutrum sutrumWill haunt and surround me
Male
Bothaikul piranthaalumThough born inside addiction
En kaadhal poi illaiMy love is not a lie
Setrodu piranthaalumThough born in the mud
Thamaraiyil azhukillaiThe lotus carries no dirt
Vaa pennae unnai vittaal vaazhvillaiCome my girl, without you there is no life
Male
Raththa kanneer mudiyavillaiTears of blood do not stop flowing
En raathiri mattum vidiyavillaiOnly my night never dawns
Kaayam seitha oorukkuTo the town that inflicted wounds upon me
En nyayam mattum theriyavillaiMy side of justice remains invisible
Male
Arinthae naan seitha pizhaiThe mistakes I made knowingly
Aandavar thaan porupaaraeGod Himself will bear responsibility for
Ariyaamal seitha pizhaiBut for the mistakes I made unknowingly
Anbae nee porupaayaOh my love, will you bear them?
Mannithae ennai kolla maatayaWill you not kill me with your forgiveness?
Male
Raththa kanneer mudiyavillaiTears of blood do not stop flowing
En raathiri mattum vidiyavillaiOnly my night never dawns

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Raththa Kanneer' from Neerparavai is a poignant expression of deep remorse, suffering, and intense guilt by a man who acknowledges the suffering his past lifestyle and mistakes have brought upon the woman he loves. He reflects on his journey out of addiction and sin, expressing agony that his beloved is bearing the burden and social humiliation meant for his transgressions.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamaani / Metaphor & Analogy

Setrodu piranthaalum / Thamaraiyil azhukillai

Comparing pure love blooming amidst addiction/sin to a lotus flower growing unblemished in muddy water.

Ethirpaadhu / Oxymoron & Paradox

Mannithae ennai kolla maataya

Requesting to be killed with forgiveness, blending two contrasting ideas of death and grace.

Monnai (Alliteration)

Bodhai thaan illamal / Indrae naan alugindren

Repetition of initial consonants like 'B' in 'Bothai' and 'Bodhai' creating rhythmic emphasis on addiction and awareness.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by N.R. Raghunanthan with lyrics by Vairamuthu, this soul-stirring song in 'Neerparavai' captures the protagonist Arulappaswamy's (Vishnu Vishal) painful struggle with alcoholism and his emotional salvation through Esther's (Sunaina) pure love.

Keep listening

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