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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Semmeni Ponno

From Kizhakku Africavil Sheela · 1987

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
K. J. Jesudass, K. S. Chitra
Music director
Bappi Lahiri
Movie name
Kizhakku Africavil Sheela
Movie release year
1987
Lyrics added on
21 Mar 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Idhu poovaa kaarkuzhalo minnidaiyaal
Ila manatho siru vayathi pennazhagae
Semmaeni ponno……
Female :Thaththaththaththaththaa
Male :Sevvaai thaenoottraa…..
Female :Chachchachchachchaa
Male :Semmeenthaan kannaa…..
Female :Thaththaththaththaththaa
Male :Ammaa nee ponnaa….
Female :Pappappappappaa
Yaedhedho themmaango
Ennaalum panpaadum kannae
Pappaa….pappaa…thaththa thaththaa maammaa
Semmaeni ponno……
Female :Thaththaththaththaththaa
Male :Sevvaai thaenoottraa…..
Female :Chachchachchachchaa
Male :Semmeenthaan kannaa…..
Female :Thaththaththaththaththaa
Male :Ammaa nee ponnaa….
Female :Pappappappappaa
{Ithu malaithaan
Female :Ma….malaithaan
Male :Neer veezhchchi
Female :Neer veezhchchi
Male :Idhu aaru
Female :Aah…aaru
Male :Aahaah…..idhu kaadu
Female :Ka…..kaadu…
Male :Naan raja….
Female :Ra….raja
Male :Nee raani
Female :Ra….raani
Male :Aahaah} (2)
Yaedhedho themmaango
Ennaalum pannpaadum kannae kannae
Pappaa….pappaa…thaththa thaththaa maammaa
Semmaeni ponno……
Female :Thaththaththaththaththaa
Male :Sevvaai thaenoottraa…..
Female :Chachchachchachchaa
Male :Semmeenthaan kannaa…..
Female :Thaththaththaththaththaa
Male :Ammaa nee ponnaa….
Female :Pappappappappaa
{Idhu siruththai…
Female :Si….Siruththai….
Male :Idhu karadi
Female :Ka….karadi
Male :Idhu aanai
Female :Aa….aanai
Male :Aahaah….idhu koranku….
Female :Ko….korangu
Male :Idhu pulithaan
Female :Pu ….pulithaan
Male :Naan ilaingan…
Female :Ii….ilaingan
Male :Aahha} (2)
Pappaa….pappaa…thaththa thaththaa maammaa
Semmaeni ponno……
Female :Thaththaththaththaththaa
Male :Sevvaai thaenoottraa…..
Female :Chachchachchachchaa
Male :Semmeenthaan kannaa…..
Female :Thaththaththaththaththaa
Male :Ammaa nee ponnaa….
Female :Pappappappappaa
Yaedhedho themmaango
Ennaalum panpaadum kannae
Pappaa….pappaa…thaththa thaththaa maammaa
Lal laalaa lal laalaa lal laalaa
Pappaapa….aa aahaa…..
Is this a flower, or the dark hair of a slender-waisted girl?
With a tender heart, such a young beautiful girl!
Is your glowing body made of gold?
Female: Tha-tha-tha-tha-tha
Male: Are your red lips a spring of honey?
Female: Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha
Male: Are your eyes shimmering little fish?
Female: Tha-tha-tha-tha-tha
Male: Oh dear girl, are you pure gold?
Female: Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Like a sweet southern mango...
...singing sweet melodies every day, my dear!
Pa-pa... pa-pa... tha-tha tha-tha ma-ma
Is your glowing body made of gold?
Female: Tha-tha-tha-tha-tha
Male: Are your red lips a spring of honey?
Female: Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha
Male: Are your eyes shimmering little fish?
Female: Tha-tha-tha-tha-tha
Male: Oh dear girl, are you pure gold?
Female: Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
This is a mountain!
Female: M... mountain!
Male: A waterfall!
Female: Waterfall!
Male: This is a river!
Female: Ah... river!
Male: Aha... this is a forest!
Female: F... forest...
Male: I am the king...
Female: K... king!
Male: You are the queen!
Female: Q... queen!
Male: Aha!
Like a sweet southern mango...
...singing sweet melodies every day, my darling!
Pa-pa... pa-pa... tha-tha tha-tha ma-ma
Is your glowing body made of gold?
Female: Tha-tha-tha-tha-tha
Male: Are your red lips a spring of honey?
Female: Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha
Male: Are your eyes shimmering little fish?
Female: Tha-tha-tha-tha-tha
Male: Oh dear girl, are you pure gold?
Female: Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
This is a leopard...
Female: L... leopard...
Male: This is a bear!
Female: B... bear!
Male: This is an elephant!
Female: E... elephant!
Male: Aha... this is a monkey...
Female: M... monkey!
Male: This is a tiger!
Female: T... tiger!
Male: I am a young man...
Female: Y... young man!
Male: Aha!
Pa-pa... pa-pa... tha-tha tha-tha ma-ma
Is your glowing body made of gold?
Female: Tha-tha-tha-tha-tha
Male: Are your red lips a spring of honey?
Female: Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha
Male: Are your eyes shimmering little fish?
Female: Tha-tha-tha-tha-tha
Male: Oh dear girl, are you pure gold?
Female: Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Like a sweet southern mango...
...singing sweet melodies every day, my dear!
Pa-pa... pa-pa... tha-tha tha-tha ma-ma
Lal laala lal laala lal laala
Pa-pa-pa... ah aha...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful track from Kizhakku Africavil Sheela (1987) depicts an interactive duet in a wild, jungle setting. The male protagonist admires the physical beauty of his jungle-dwelling companion, comparing her traits to natural wonders like gold, honey, and fish, while playfully teaching her Tamil words for landscape features (mountains, rivers, waterfalls, forests) and wild animals (leopard, bear, elephant, monkey, tiger). The song blends folk melody rhythms (Themmaangu) with rhythmic vocal scats, echoing the innocent bond between the characters.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagom)

Sevvaai thaenoottraa

Compares her red lips to a flowing spring of honey.

Metaphor (Uruvagom)

Semmeenthaan kannaa

Compares her bright eyes to vibrant red carp fish.

Initial Rhyme / Alliteration (Monai)

Semmaeni ponno / Sevvaai thaenoottraa / Semmeenthaan kannaa

Repetition of the 'Se' sound at the start of consecutive lines creates a rhythmic melodic effect.

Onomatopoeia / Scatting

Thaththaththaththaththaa / Pappappappappaa

Rhythmic gibberish and vocal sounds used to emulate primitive or childlike communication in the jungle.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kizhakku Africavil Sheela (1987) is a Tamil action-adventure film based on the popular Sheena, Queen of the Jungle motif. The soundtrack was composed by Bappi Lahiri with lyrics written by Vaali, bringing a distinctive pop-and-jungle hybrid musical style to Tamil cinema.

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