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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Singapooru Maina Thillalangadi

From Singapore Seeman · 1969

Lyricist
Madurai Maniyam
Singers
K. Jamunarani, S. V. Ponnusami
Music director
V. Kumar
Movie name
Singapore Seeman
Movie release year
1969
Lyrics added on
4 Jul 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Singapooru maina thillalangadi koinaa
Hey singapooru maina thillalangadi koinaa
Pakkam vaa vetkama nikkavaa pogavaa
Nenjil irupadhai solladiyamma
China bajar naina mainaa thedum naina
China bajar naina mainaa thedum naina
Allavaa anaikkavaa sollava killavaa
Pulli maan polae thulli aadavaaa
Paarvaiyilae sonna sollu marakka mudiyumaa
Paadhi kadhai nadantha pinnae nirutha mudiyumaa
Aasai anbu nenjil valaranum
Aasai anbu nenjil valaranum
Kaadhal padhai kaalgal nadakkanum
Kaadhal padhai kaalgal nadakkanum
Neeyum naanum serndhu aada maedai podanum
Neeyum naanum serndhu aada maedai podanum
Singapooru maina thillalangadi koinaa
Hey singapooru maina thillalangadi koinaa
Pakkam vaa vaa vetkama aaa nikkavaa vaa pogavaa
Nenjil irupadhai solladiyamma
Aakka porutha manasu konjam aara porukkanum
Aasai theera venuminna kathirukkonum
Neram kaalam seriyaa porunthanum
Neram kaalam seriyaa porunthanum
Neeyum naanum thaniya irukkanum
Neeyum naanum thaniya irukkanum
Naalai varum kaalathaiyum nenachu paakkanum
Naalai varum kaalathaiyum nenachu paakkanum
China bajar naina mainaa thedum naina
China bajar naina mainaa thedum naina
Allavaa anaikkavaa sollava killavaa
Pulli maan polae thulli aadavaaa
Ahaa singapooru maina thillalangadi koinaa
Hey singapooru maina thillalangadi koinaa
Pakkam vaa vaa vetkama aaa nikkavaa vaa pogavaa
Nenjil irupadhai solladiyamma
Singapore myna bird, you clever, naughty girl!
Hey, Singapore myna bird, you clever, naughty girl!
Come close to me, are you shy? Should I stay or go?
Tell me what is in your heart, girl!
China Bazaar dude, the guy searching for his myna bird!
China Bazaar dude, the guy searching for his myna bird!
Should I scoop you up? Should I embrace you? Should I tell you? Should I pinch you?
Should I leap and dance like a spotted deer?
Can the words spoken through a glance ever be forgotten?
Once half the story has unfolded, can it just be stopped?
Desire and love must grow inside the heart!
Desire and love must grow inside the heart!
Our feet must walk down the path of love!
Our feet must walk down the path of love!
A stage must be set for you and me to dance together!
A stage must be set for you and me to dance together!
Singapore myna bird, you clever, naughty girl!
Hey, Singapore myna bird, you clever, naughty girl!
Come close to me, are you shy? Should I stay or go?
Tell me what is in your heart, girl!
The heart that waited for the meal to cook must wait a bit for it to cool!
If you want your desires fulfilled, you have to be patient!
The right time and moment must fall into place!
The right time and moment must fall into place!
You and I need to be all alone!
You and I need to be all alone!
We must also think about what tomorrow will bring!
We must also think about what tomorrow will bring!
China Bazaar dude, the guy searching for his myna bird!
China Bazaar dude, the guy searching for his myna bird!
Should I scoop you up? Should I embrace you? Should I tell you? Should I pinch you?
Should I leap and dance like a spotted deer?
Aha, Singapore myna bird, you clever, naughty girl!
Hey, Singapore myna bird, you clever, naughty girl!
Come close to me, are you shy? Should I stay or go?
Tell me what is in your heart, girl!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Singapooru Maina is a energetic and playful duet from the 1969 film Singapore Seeman, composed by V. Kumar with lyrics by Madurai Maniyam. The song captures a romantic banter between two lovers teasing each other using localized terms like 'Maina' and 'China Bazaar Naina'. Through rhythmic expressions and colloquial street style, the song explores themes of coy attraction, the excitement of romance, and the wisdom of exercising patience for love to blossom fully.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

Pulli maan polae thulli aadavaaa

Compares the exuberant dancing and leaping of the beloved to the agile movements of a spotted deer using 'polae' (like).

Pazhamozhi (Proverbial Metaphor)

Aakka porutha manasu konjam aara porukkanum

Uses the culinary adage that a heart capable of waiting for food to cook should also wait for it to cool down, symbolizing patience in love.

Monai & Rhyme (Assonance and Rhyming Slang)

Singapooru maina thillalangadi koinaa

Employs repetitive slang words like 'thillalangadi' and 'naina' to construct a catchy, colloquial rhythm typical of Madras/Singapore street culture.

Did you know?

Trivia

Singapore Seeman (1969) is one of the early Tamil films shot partially in overseas locations like Singapore to attract contemporary audiences. Music director V. Kumar was celebrated for incorporating fresh, upbeat modern tunes and western-influenced orchestration into Tamil film music during the late 1960s.

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