- Lyricist
- Pradeep Govind
- Singer
- Kamal Haasan
- Music director
- Ramesh Vinayakam
- Movie name
- Nala Damayanthi
- Movie release year
- 2003
- Lyrics added on
- 12 Aug 2020
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Yaethaedhoo pesi maattikonda
En kannae mookkae kaadhae…
Vendaadha vambae…ae…..ae…ae……hmm
Stranded on the streets
Got to know where to go
Don’t know what to do
I don’t know what to know
Broken in the dark
I’m searching for the light
I don’t know what is wrong and
I don’t know what is right
Nowhere to belong
Missing my home town
Some of them here
Baby thing I’m going down
Think about the blues
I’m feeling down to low
I need someone to know
Why I’m feeling so
Why can’t I be?
The way I meant to be…
Why can’t they see?
Everything the way I see
What could be so wrong?
In the way I’ve been so long
Tell me my friend
Tell me where we all belong
Its the long and lonely night
I think someone to held me tight
Give me a brand new start
Before i fall apart
Chase away my blues
Among this broken heart
Stranded on the streets
Got to know where to go
Don’t know what to do
I don’t know what to know
Broken in the dark
I’m searching for the light
I don’t know what is wrong and
I don’t know what is right
Nowhere to belong
Missing my home town
Some of them here
Baby thing I’m going down
Think about the blues
I’m feeling down to low
I need someone to know
Why I’m feeling so
Mr. Moon wants to tell me now
La la lai lai la la lai
How you feeling alone about
La la lai lai la la lai
If you looking for some company
La la lai lai la la lai
Just look down and smile on me
La la lai lai la la lai
Why can’t I be?
The way I meant to be…
Why can’t they see?
Everything the way I see
What could be so wrong?
In the way I’ve been so long
Tell me my friend
Tell me where we all belong
Its the long and lonely night
I think someone to held me tight
Give me a brand new start
Before i fall apart
Chase away my blues
Among this broken heart
I am stranded on the streets
Got to know where to go
Don’t know what to do
I don’t know what to know
Broken in the dark
I’m searching for the light
I don’t know what is wrong and
I don’t know what is right
Mr. Moon tell me what you care
La la lai lai la la lai
Hear my story that i got to share
La la lai lai la la lai
Tell me why life is so unfair
La la lai lai la la lai
You know better cause you’re sitting out there
La la lai lai la la lai
Why can’t I be?
The way I meant to be…
Why can’t they see?
Everything the way I see
What could be so wrong?
In the way I’ve been so long
Tell me my friend
Tell me where we all belong
It’s the long and lonely night
I think someone to held me tight
Give me a brand new start
Before i fall apart
Chase away my blues
Among this broken heart
Stranded on the streets
Got to know where to go
Don’t know what to do
I don’t know what to know
Broken in the dark
I’m searching for the light
I don’t know what is wrong and
I don’t know what is right
Nowhere to belong
Missing my home town
Some of them here
Baby thing I’m going down
Think about the blues
I’m feeling down to low
I need someone to know
Why I’m feeling so
Talking nonsense and getting trapped,
Oh my dear eyes, nose, and ears...
Such unwanted trouble... yeah... hmm...
Stranded on the streets,
Got nowhere to go,
Don't know what to do,
I don't know what to know.
Broken in the dark,
I'm searching for the light.
I don't know what is wrong, and
I don't know what is right.
Nowhere to belong,
Missing my hometown.
Some of them here,
Baby, think I'm going down.
Think about the blues,
I'm feeling down too low.
I need someone to know
Why I'm feeling so.
Why can't I be
The way I'm meant to be?
Why can't they see
Everything the way I see?
What could be so wrong
In the way I've been so long?
Tell me, my friend,
Tell me where we all belong.
It's a long and lonely night,
I need someone to hold me tight.
Give me a brand new start
Before I fall apart.
Chase away my blues,
Mend this broken heart.
Stranded on the streets,
Got nowhere to go,
Don't know what to do,
I don't know what to know.
Broken in the dark,
I'm searching for the light.
I don't know what is wrong, and
I don't know what is right.
Nowhere to belong,
Missing my hometown.
Some of them here,
Baby, think I'm going down.
Think about the blues,
I'm feeling down too low.
I need someone to know
Why I'm feeling so.
Mr. Moon, won't you tell me now,
La la lai lai la la lai,
How are you feeling all alone?
La la lai lai la la lai.
If you're looking for some company,
La la lai lai la la lai,
Just look down and smile on me.
La la lai lai la la lai.
Why can't I be
The way I'm meant to be?
Why can't they see
Everything the way I see?
What could be so wrong
In the way I've been so long?
Tell me, my friend,
Tell me where we all belong.
It's a long and lonely night,
I need someone to hold me tight.
Give me a brand new start
Before I fall apart.
Chase away my blues,
Mend this broken heart.
I am stranded on the streets,
Got nowhere to go,
Don't know what to do,
I don't know what to know.
Broken in the dark,
I'm searching for the light.
I don't know what is wrong, and
I don't know what is right.
Mr. Moon, tell me that you care,
La la lai lai la la lai,
Hear my story that I've got to share.
La la lai lai la la lai.
Tell me why life is so unfair,
La la lai lai la la lai,
You know better 'cause you're sitting out there.
La la lai lai la la lai.
Why can't I be
The way I'm meant to be?
Why can't they see
Everything the way I see?
What could be so wrong
In the way I've been so long?
Tell me, my friend,
Tell me where we all belong.
It's a long and lonely night,
I need someone to hold me tight.
Give me a brand new start
Before I fall apart.
Chase away my blues,
Mend this broken heart.
Stranded on the streets,
Got nowhere to go,
Don't know what to do,
I don't know what to know.
Broken in the dark,
I'm searching for the light.
I don't know what is wrong, and
I don't know what is right.
Nowhere to belong,
Missing my hometown.
Some of them here,
Baby, think I'm going down.
Think about the blues,
I'm feeling down too low.
I need someone to know
Why I'm feeling so.
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This track captures the isolation, displacement, and internal confusion felt by a protagonist lost in a foreign land. Opening with a colloquial Tamil exclamation about getting into trouble due to careless speech, the lyrics shift into an English blues ballad expressing deep nostalgia, alienation, and a desperate search for belonging.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Mr. Moon wants to tell me now”
Addressing the moon as a conscious friend ('Mr. Moon') to confide inner loneliness.
Anaphora
“Why can't I be? / Why can't they see?”
Repetition of questioning phrasing at the beginning of adjacent lines to emphasize existential angst.
Couplet Rhyme
“Its the long and lonely night / I think someone to held me tight”
End rhymes ('night/tight', 'start/apart') establishing a traditional Western ballad structure.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Ramesh Vinayakam for the Kamal Haasan production 'Nala Damayanthi' starring Madhavan, this song highlights the protagonist's disorientation after arriving in Australia without proper documentation or connections.
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