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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sembaruthi Pennoruthi

From Raman Abdullah · 1997

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Raman Abdullah1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Sembaruthi penn oruthiA girl like a hibiscus flower,
Sempavala mun niruthistanding before red corals,
Sirithaalae hoi hoishe smiled, hoi hoi!
Male
Sithagaththi poo vizhikkulWithin her eyes that resemble Sithagaththi flowers,
Sithirathai saegarithugathering pictures,
Azhaithaalae hoi hoishe called out, hoi hoi!
Male
Naan endraal neeyaeIf I am mentioned, it means you,
Ini nee endraal naanaefrom now on, if you are mentioned, it means me,
Naam yendraal thaanaeif we are mentioned together,
Adhu raajaangam hoi hoiit becomes a kingdom, hoi hoi!
Male
Sembaruthi penn oruthiA girl like a hibiscus flower,
Sempavala mun niruthistanding before red corals,
Sirithaalae hoi hoishe smiled, hoi hoi!
Male
Sithagaththi poo vizhikkulWithin her eyes that resemble Sithagaththi flowers,
Sithirathai saegarithugathering pictures,
Azhaithaalae hoi hoishe called out, hoi hoi!
Female
Hoohh..Hoohh..
Netru indha nenjathilYesterday in this heart,
Maatram ondru kandenaeI noticed a change,
Maatram ondru kandenaeI noticed a change,
Ingu vandhu nindrenaeand so I came and stood here.
Male
Hoohh..Hoohh..
Vaalibathin vaanathilIn the sky of youth,
Vaanambaadi aanenaeI became a skylark,
Vaanambaadi aanenaeI became a skylark,
Gaanam paada vandhenaeand came to sing a song.
Female
Vaavendraai vandhenYou said 'come', and I came,
Enai nil endraai nindrenyou told me to stop, and I stopped,
Sel endraal maattenif you tell me to leave, I won't,
Vazhi soll neeyae hoi hoiyou show me the way yourself, hoi hoi!
Male
Sembaruthi penn oruthiA girl like a hibiscus flower,
Sempavala mun niruthistanding before red corals,
Sirithaalae hoi hoishe smiled, hoi hoi!
Male
Sithagaththi poo vizhikkulWithin her eyes that resemble Sithagaththi flowers,
Sithirathai saegarithugathering pictures,
Azhaithaalae hoi hoishe called out, hoi hoi!
Male
Ho oohhHo oohh
Odugindra vellathinEven the sound of flowing water
Osai kooda paadal dhaanis indeed a melody,
Osai kooda paadal dhaanis indeed a melody,
Naanal podum aadal dhaanand the swaying of reeds is a dance.
Female
HooohhhHooohhh
Megam pootha vaanathilIn the sky filled with clouds,
Neelam poothadheppodhuwhen did the blue color blossom?
Neelam poothadheppodhuWhen did the blue color blossom?
Kannai paarthadhappodhuIt was when I looked into your eyes.
Male
Poo polae paarthaaiYou looked at me like a flower,
Adhil poondhaenai vaarthaaiand poured flower nectar into it,
Yedhedho kettaaiyou asked for so many things,
Adhu ennenna hoi hoiwhat were all those, hoi hoi!
Male
Sembaruthi penn oruthiA girl like a hibiscus flower,
Sempavala mun niruthistanding before red corals,
Sirithaalae hoi hoishe smiled, hoi hoi!
Male
Sithagaththi poo vizhikkulWithin her eyes that resemble Sithagaththi flowers,
Sithirathai saegarithugathering pictures,
Azhaithaalae hoi hoishe called out, hoi hoi!
Female
HooohhHooohh
Paadal kodi kettaalumEven if one listens to a crore songs,
Baadhikindra paadal neeyou are the song that touches deeply,
Baadhikindra paadal neeyou are the song that touches deeply,
Rajaraajan raagam neeyou are the melody of Rajaraaja.
Male
OhhhOhhh
Kolam potta kannaalaeWith eyes that draw beautiful patterns,
Paalam potta paavai neeyou are the maiden who built a bridge,
Paalam potta paavai neeyou are the maiden who built a bridge,
Paadal ketta kaalai naanI am the young man who listened to the song.
Female
Un veenai naanaeI am your Veena,
Ini vinmeenae meenaefrom now on, my star, my fish-eyed girl,
Meetta thaan neeyaeonly you must play me,
Enai meettaayoo hoi hoior did you redeem me? Hoi hoi!
Male
Sembaruthi penn oruthiA girl like a hibiscus flower,
Sempavala mun niruthistanding before red corals,
Sirithaalae hoi hoishe smiled, hoi hoi!
Male
Sithagaththi poo vizhikkulWithin her eyes that resemble Sithagaththi flowers,
Sithirathai saegarithugathering pictures,
Azhaithaalae hoi hoishe called out, hoi hoi!
Female
Naan endraal neeyaeIf I am mentioned, it means you,
Ini nee endraal naanaefrom now on, if you are mentioned, it means me,
Naam endraal thaanaeif we are mentioned together,
Adhu raajaangam hoi hoiit becomes a kingdom, hoi hoi!
Male
Sembaruthi penn oruthiA girl like a hibiscus flower,
Sempavala mun niruthistanding before red corals,
Sirithaalae hoi hoishe smiled, hoi hoi!
Male
Sithagaththi poo vizhikkulWithin her eyes that resemble Sithagaththi flowers,
Sithirathai saegarithugathering pictures,
Azhaithaalae hoi hoishe called out, hoi hoi!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Sembaruthi Penn Oruthi is a romantic duet from the film 'Raman Abdullah' (1997), composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vaali. The song expresses deep love and mutual admiration between two lovers, using vivid imagery of nature, flowers, music, and the sky. The protagonist compares his beloved to delicate hibiscus and sithagaththi flowers, while describing their unity where 'I' and 'you' merge into a magnificent kingdom ('raajaangam'). Throughout the verses, the lovers describe how love has transformed their perspective on the world. Ordinary sights like flowing water and swaying reeds turn into music and dance, and the sky seems bluer when looking into each other's eyes. The song celebrates complete surrender to love, comparing the dynamic to a player and a Veena musical instrument.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Mogana / Alliteration (Ethukai & Monai)

Sembaruthi penn oruthi / Sempavala mun niruthi

Vaali uses strong Tamil initial and second-letter rhyming across lines, such as 'Sembaruthi' / 'Sempavala' and 'Sithagaththi' / 'Sithirathai'.

Metaphor (Uruvagham)

Vaalibathin vaanathil / Vaanambaadi aanenae

Comparing youth to the sky ('Vaalibathin vaanam') and the lover becoming a skylark bird ('Vaanambaadi') singing songs of joy.

Personification

Odugindra vellathin osai kooda paadal dhaan

Attributing artistic qualities like song and dance to natural elements like flowing water ('odugindra vellam') and swaying reeds ('naanal').

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is from Balu Mahendra's 1997 drama film 'Raman Abdullah', featuring music composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The track was sung by SP Balasubrahmanyam and KS Chithra, showcasing Vaali's playful yet classically poetic lyricism.

Keep listening

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