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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sippikkul Oru Muthu

From Vikram · 1986

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Vikram1986

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Chippikkul oruInside the pearl oyster, a
Muthu valarndhadhuPearl has grown,
Chinna thaamaraiyaeOh little lotus!
Mottukkul oru mottuInside a bud, another bud
MalarandhadhuHas bloomed,
Moga poongkodiyaeOh desire-laden flowering vine!
Male
Chippikkul oruInside the pearl oyster, a
Muthu valarndhadhuPearl has grown,
Chinna thaamaraiyaeOh little lotus!
Mottukkul oru mottuInside a bud, another bud
MalarandhadhuHas bloomed,
Moga poongkodiyaeOh desire-laden flowering vine!
Male
Thaalattu..Sing a lullaby..
Thaayaagi paaloottu..Become a mother and nurse me..
Nee pillai pettraalIf you give birth to a child,
Naanum pillai allavooAm I not your child as well?
Male
Chippikkul oruInside the pearl oyster, a
Muthu valarndhadhuPearl has grown,
Chinna thaamaraiyaeOh little lotus!
Mottukkul oru mottuInside a bud, another bud
MalarandhadhuHas bloomed,
Moga poongkodiyaeOh desire-laden flowering vine!
Female
Minnalgalin pinnalgalaiThe intertwining of lightning flashes,
Un kanngalil paarthenI saw in your eyes.
Male :Aagaayaththin aadambaramMale: The grand magnificence of the sky,
Un maeniyil paarthenI saw in your body.
Female
Engengu un kaigal pogumWherever your hands go,
Angangu angangal nogumThere, my body aches with sweet pleasure.
Engengu un kaigal pogumWherever your hands go,
Angangu angangal nogumThere, my body aches with sweet pleasure.
Male
Uttravar sonnadhumWhat relatives said,
Mattravar sonnadhumAnd what others said,
Meththaiyil konjamadiIs very little on this bed;
Unnidam pettradhumWhat I received from you,
Ennidam kattradhumAnd what you learned from me,
Buthagam aagumadiCould fill an entire book!
Female :Nee thandhai aagumbodhumFemale: Even when you become a father,
Endhan pillaidhaanYou are still my child.
Male
Chippikkul oruInside the pearl oyster, a
Muthu valarndhadhuPearl has grown,
Chinna thaamaraiyaeOh little lotus!
Mottukkul oru mottuInside a bud, another bud
MalarandhadhuHas bloomed,
Moga poongkodiyaeOh desire-laden flowering vine!
Female
Lallal lalala lallal laalalaLallal lalala lallal laalala
Laalal laa la laaLaalal laa la laa
Lallal lalala laalal laalalaLallal lalala laalal laalala
Laa laa la lala laaLaa laa la lala laa
Male
Un kanngalil en kanngalaiIn your eyes, my own eyes
Naan kaangiren naalumI see every single day.
Female :Mannil ival vaazhum varaiFemale: As long as she lives on this earth,
Un paadhamae podhumYour feet alone are enough for her.
Male
Nam jeevanOur life force,
Naam kaanum vannamIn a form that we can see,
Undaagum adayaala chinnamWill become a symbol of our bond.
Nam jeevanOur life force,
Naam kaanum vannamIn a form that we can see,
Undaagum adayaala chinnamWill become a symbol of our bond.
Female
Chinnam adikkadiThat little symbol repeatedly,
Endhan vayittrinilInside my womb,
Gummi adikkiradhaeDances the lively Gummi folk dance!
Andha sugaththinil nenjam adikkadiIn that sweet bliss, my heart repeatedly
Thandhi adikkiradhaeBeats like a telegraph message!
Male :Nee pillai pettraalMale: If you give birth to a child,
Naanum pillai allavoAm I not your child as well?
Female :Lalalalalalalaa………….Female: Lalalalalalalaa.............
Male
Chippikkul oruInside the pearl oyster, a
Muthu valarndhadhuPearl has grown,
Chinna thaamaraiyaeOh little lotus!
Mottukkul oru mottuInside a bud, another bud
MalarandhadhuHas bloomed,
Moga poongkodiyaeOh desire-laden flowering vine!
Female
Lallal lalala lallal laalalaLallal lalala lallal laalala
Laalal laa la laaLaalal laa la laa
Lallal lalala laalal laalalaLallal lalala laalal laalala
Laa laa la lala laaLaa laa la lala laa
Male
Thaalattu..Sing a lullaby..
Thaayaagi paaloottu..Become a mother and nurse me..
Nee pillai pettraalIf you give birth to a child,
Naanum pillai allavooAm I not your child as well?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Chippikkul Oru Muthu is a classic, tender romantic lullaby-duet expressing the deep intimacy, joy, and anticipation of a couple expecting a child. The song uses nature-inspired metaphors to portray the mother's womb as an oyster nurturing a precious pearl and a lotus bud sheltering a new bloom. The male protagonist lovingly playful remarks that even when he becomes a father, he will always remain her first child, yearning for her maternal affection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

Chippikkul oru muthu valarndhadhu

Compares the womb to an oyster shell ('Chippikkul') and the unborn child to a growing pearl ('Muthu valarndhadhu').

Anaphora / Rhyme (Monai and Etukai)

Engengu un kaigal pogum / Angangu angangal nogum

Repetition of starting phonetic sounds 'Engengu' and 'Angangu' creates a rhythmic poetic echo across lines.

Hyperbole & Personification

Endhan vayittrinil gummi adikkiradhae

Describing the baby's movement in the womb as dancing the 'Gummi' folk dance, and the beating heart as sending a telegraph ('Thandhi adikkiradhae').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and written by Vaali, 'Chippikkul Oru Muthu' features legendary vocals by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki from the 1986 Kamal Haasan action-spy thriller 'Vikram'. Despite the movie being a high-octane sci-fi spy action flick, this song stands out as an iconic, gentle melody beloved across generations.

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