Shanthi My Holy
From Taxi Driver · 1978
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Taxi Driver1978
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Shanthi shanthi shanthi mai holi angel | Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi, my holy angel |
| Female :Babu babu babu mai joly ranger | Female: Babu, Babu, Babu, my jolly ranger |
| Male | |
| Poovin melliya shanthi | Gentle peace like a flower |
| Punnagai arumbugal yaendhi | Bearing the buds of smiles |
| Nee vantha pothu naan kanda maathu | The transformed person I saw when you came |
| Ninaivil nindrathammaa | Stood firm in my memory |
| Enthan ninaivil nindrathammaa | Stood firmly in my memory |
| Female | |
| Poo viriththa chozhaiyilae | In the garden where flowers bloom |
| Ilangaattru vilaiyaadum neramithu | This is the time when the gentle breeze plays |
| Bodhaiyilae naan mayangi | Intoxicated, I swoon |
| Un maarbil arangaerum paruvamithu | This is the age to blossom on your chest |
| Female | |
| Babu mai joly ranger | Babu, my jolly ranger |
| Male :Shanthi mai holi angel | Male: Shanthi, my holy angel |
| Male | |
| Vaanapanthal valamaana megam | Rich clouds under the canopy of the sky |
| Malargal isaipaadum azhagu | The beauty of flowers singing music |
| Kattru thaalaattum kanichozhai marangal | Trees in the fruit grove lulled by the wind |
| Kavithai uruvaakkum azhagu | The beauty that creates poetry |
| Kavithai uruvaakkum azhagu | The beauty that creates poetry |
| Female | |
| Mangalam vilaigindra manamedaipola | Like an auspicious marriage stage |
| Manthira malairajan azhagu | The beauty of the magical mountain king |
| Sangoli isaiyaaga ulagangal maranthu | Forgetting the worlds to the music of the conch sound |
| Thaavidum paravaigal azhagu | The beauty of birds leaping across |
| Thaavidum paravaigal azhagu | The beauty of birds leaping across |
| Male | |
| Thaavi varum ponnaruvi | The golden waterfall bounding down |
| Thallaadi neeraadi saainthuvidu | Totter, bathe, and lean on me |
| Female :Poovithazhil saareduththu | Female: Extracting nectar from the flower petals |
| Pollaatha sugam thanthu saernthuvidu | Grant wicked pleasure and unite with me |
| Male | |
| Shanthi mai holi angel | Shanthi, my holy angel |
| Female :Babu mai joly ranger | Female: Babu, my jolly ranger |
| Female | |
| Kodai kaalangal kulirkaalamaaga | Let the summer season turn into winter |
| Tholil uravaada vendum | We must embrace shoulder to shoulder |
| Male :Odai neeraadi uravaadi magizhnthu | Male: Bathing in the stream, embracing and rejoicing |
| Kadhal padham kaana vendum | We must reach the realm of love |
| Kadhal padham kaana vendum | We must reach the realm of love |
| Female | |
| Un manthu kettapadi | Just as your heart desires |
| Ovvondrum nee kaana sammathamae | I agree to let you experience each and everything |
| Male :Ennudanae nee irunthaal | Male: If you remain with me |
| Yazhmai ninaiyaathu en manamae | My heart will never think of poverty |
| Male | |
| Shanthi mai holi angel…… | Shanthi, my holy angel... |
சாந்தி.......சாந்தி....சாந்தி.......மை ஹோலி ஏஞ்சல்
பாபு........பாபு.......பாபு......மை ஜாலி ரேஞ்சர்
Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi, my holy angel
Female: Babu, Babu, Babu, my jolly ranger
பூவின் மெல்லிய சாந்தி
புன்னகை அரும்புகள் ஏந்தி
நீ வந்த போது நான் கண்ட மாது
நினைவில் நின்றதம்மா
எந்தன் நினைவில் நின்றதம்மா
Gentle peace like a flower
Bearing the buds of smiles
The transformed person I saw when you came
Stood firm in my memory
Stood firmly in my memory
பூ விரித்த சோலையிலே
இளங்காற்று விளையாடும் நேரமிது
போதையிலே நான் மயங்கி
உன் மார்பில் அரங்கேறும் பருவமிது
In the garden where flowers bloom
This is the time when the gentle breeze plays
Intoxicated, I swoon
This is the age to blossom on your chest
பாபு...........மை ஜாலி ரேஞ்சர்
சாந்தி.......மை ஹோலி ஏஞ்சல்
Babu, my jolly ranger
Male: Shanthi, my holy angel
வானப்பந்தல் வளமான மேகம்
மலர்கள் இசைப்பாடும் அழகு
காற்று தாலாட்டும் கனிச்சோலை மரங்கள்
கவிதை உருவாக்கும் அழகு
கவிதை உருவாக்கும் அழகு
Rich clouds under the canopy of the sky
The beauty of flowers singing music
Trees in the fruit grove lulled by the wind
The beauty that creates poetry
The beauty that creates poetry
மங்கலம் விளைகின்ற மணமேடைப்போல
மந்திர மலைராஜன் அழகு
சங்கொலி இசையாக உலகங்கள் மறந்து
தாவிடும் பறவைகள் அழகு
தாவிடும் பறவைகள் அழகு
Like an auspicious marriage stage
The beauty of the magical mountain king
Forgetting the worlds to the music of the conch sound
The beauty of birds leaping across
The beauty of birds leaping across
தாவி வரும் பொன்னருவி
தள்ளாடி நீராடி சாய்ந்துவிடு
பெண் : பூவிதழில் சாறெடுத்து
பொல்லாத சுகம் தந்து சேர்ந்துவிடு
The golden waterfall bounding down
Totter, bathe, and lean on me
Female: Extracting nectar from the flower petals
Grant wicked pleasure and unite with me
சாந்தி.......மை ஹோலி ஏஞ்சல்
Shanthi, my holy angel
Female: Babu, my jolly ranger
பாபு...........மை ஜாலி ரேஞ்சர்
Let the summer season turn into winter
We must embrace shoulder to shoulder
Male: Bathing in the stream, embracing and rejoicing
We must reach the realm of love
We must reach the realm of love
கோடை காலங்கள் குளிர்காலமாக
தோளில் உறவாட வேண்டும்
ஓடை நீராடி உறவாடி மகிழ்ந்து
காதல் பதம் காண வேண்டும்
காதல் பதம் காண வேண்டும்
Just as your heart desires
I agree to let you experience each and everything
Male: If you remain with me
My heart will never think of poverty
உன் மனது கேட்டபடி
ஒவ்வொன்றும் நீ காண சம்மதமே
என்னுடனே நீ இருந்தால்
ஏழ்மை நினையாது என் மனமே
Shanthi, my holy angel...
சாந்தி.......மை ஹோலி ஏஞ்சல்
Shanthi shanthi shanthi mai holi angel
Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi, my holy angel
Female :Babu babu babu mai joly ranger
Female: Babu, Babu, Babu, my jolly ranger
Poovin melliya shanthi
Gentle peace like a flower
Punnagai arumbugal yaendhi
Bearing the buds of smiles
Nee vantha pothu naan kanda maathu
The transformed person I saw when you came
Ninaivil nindrathammaa
Stood firm in my memory
Enthan ninaivil nindrathammaa
Stood firmly in my memory
Poo viriththa chozhaiyilae
In the garden where flowers bloom
Ilangaattru vilaiyaadum neramithu
This is the time when the gentle breeze plays
Bodhaiyilae naan mayangi
Intoxicated, I swoon
Un maarbil arangaerum paruvamithu
This is the age to blossom on your chest
Babu mai joly ranger
Babu, my jolly ranger
Male :Shanthi mai holi angel
Male: Shanthi, my holy angel
Vaanapanthal valamaana megam
Rich clouds under the canopy of the sky
Malargal isaipaadum azhagu
The beauty of flowers singing music
Kattru thaalaattum kanichozhai marangal
Trees in the fruit grove lulled by the wind
Kavithai uruvaakkum azhagu
The beauty that creates poetry
Kavithai uruvaakkum azhagu
The beauty that creates poetry
Mangalam vilaigindra manamedaipola
Like an auspicious marriage stage
Manthira malairajan azhagu
The beauty of the magical mountain king
Sangoli isaiyaaga ulagangal maranthu
Forgetting the worlds to the music of the conch sound
Thaavidum paravaigal azhagu
The beauty of birds leaping across
Thaavidum paravaigal azhagu
The beauty of birds leaping across
Thaavi varum ponnaruvi
The golden waterfall bounding down
Thallaadi neeraadi saainthuvidu
Totter, bathe, and lean on me
Female :Poovithazhil saareduththu
Female: Extracting nectar from the flower petals
Pollaatha sugam thanthu saernthuvidu
Grant wicked pleasure and unite with me
Shanthi mai holi angel
Shanthi, my holy angel
Female :Babu mai joly ranger
Female: Babu, my jolly ranger
Kodai kaalangal kulirkaalamaaga
Let the summer season turn into winter
Tholil uravaada vendum
We must embrace shoulder to shoulder
Male :Odai neeraadi uravaadi magizhnthu
Male: Bathing in the stream, embracing and rejoicing
Kadhal padham kaana vendum
We must reach the realm of love
Kadhal padham kaana vendum
We must reach the realm of love
Un manthu kettapadi
Just as your heart desires
Ovvondrum nee kaana sammathamae
I agree to let you experience each and everything
Male :Ennudanae nee irunthaal
Male: If you remain with me
Yazhmai ninaiyaathu en manamae
My heart will never think of poverty
Shanthi mai holi angel……
Shanthi, my holy angel...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This playful romantic duet from 'Taxi Driver' (1978) captures the affection between the lead couple, Babu and Shanthi. By blending fun English terms of endearment like 'holy angel' and 'jolly ranger' with rich Tamil poetic imagery, the song portrays a deep emotional and physical connection set against scenic natural landscapes. The lovers express their desire to be together through changing seasons, viewing nature—blooming gardens, mountain winds, waterfalls, and birds—as an inspiration for their love. The male protagonist reflects that with his lover by his side, even poverty and hardship become completely irrelevant, celebrating the transformative power of genuine love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Code-Switching (Tanglish)
“Shanthi shanthi shanthi mai holi angel”
Mixes English terms ('my holy angel', 'jolly ranger') with Tamil lyrics, a popular trend in 1970s Tamil cinema to give songs a modern, youthful flavor.
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Vaanapanthal valamaana megam”
The sky is metaphorically envisioned as a vast canopy ('Vaanapanthal') covered with rich clouds.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Mangalam vilaigindra manamedaipola”
The scenic, majestic mountain is compared directly using 'pola' to an auspicious wedding stage ('manamedaipola').
Alliteration (Monai)
“Kodai kaalangal kulirkaalamaaga”
Repetition of the initial 'Ka' consonant sound ('Kodai', 'kulirkaalamaaga') creates a pleasant rhythmic effect.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan, 'Taxi Driver' (1978) starred Jaishankar. The song is notable for its upbeat incorporation of westernized phrasing like 'jolly ranger' and 'holy angel' sung exuberantly by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Vani Jairam.
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