Tango Kelaayo
From Kaatru Veliyidai · 2017
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Haricharan, Diwakar
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Kaatru Veliyidai2017
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kelaayo kelaayo | Won't you listen, won't you listen? |
| Sempoovae kelaayo | Oh red flower, won't you listen? |
| Manradum en ullam | My begging heart, |
| Paaraayo | Won't you look at it? |
| Male | |
| Unnai pirindhaal | If I am separated from you, |
| Unnai pirindhaal | If I am separated from you, |
| Uyir vaazhaa | My life cannot survive; |
| Andril paravai naan | I am like an Andril bird, |
| Andril paravai | An Andril bird. |
| Female | |
| Nee ennai marandhaal | If you forget me, |
| Kaatru kadharum | The wind will scream, |
| Kadalin melae | Upon the ocean, |
| Ottagam nadakkum | A camel will walk. |
| Male | |
| Oh nee ennai marandhaal | Oh, if you forget me, |
| Kaatru kadharum | The wind will scream, |
| Kadalin melae | Upon the ocean, |
| Ottagam nadakkum | A camel will walk. |
| Male | |
| Oh nee ennai piriyaai | Oh, you will not separate from me, |
| Oh nee ennai maravaai | Oh, you will not forget me. |
| Vittu ponaal etti pogum | If you leave, everything will drift far away, |
| Vinmeenellaam kotti pogum | All the stars will shatter and fall. |
| Male | |
| Kelaayo kelaayo | Won't you listen, won't you listen? |
| Sempoovae kelaayo | Oh red flower, won't you listen? |
| Manradum en ullam | My begging heart, |
| Paaraayo | Won't you look at it? |
| Male | |
| Unnai pirindhaal | If I am separated from you, |
| Unnai pirindhaal | If I am separated from you, |
| Uyir vaazhaa | My life cannot survive; |
| Andril paravai naan | I am like an Andril bird, |
| Andril paravai | An Andril bird. |
| Male | |
| En kuraigal edhu kandaai | What faults did you find in me? |
| Pesuvadhu kaadhalo | Is what you speak love? |
| Penuvadhu kaamamo | Is what you cherish mere lust? |
| Piriyam enna poliyo | Is your affection just a pretense? |
| Yen pennae idaiveli | Oh my lady, why this distance? |
| Edhanaal | For what reason |
| Pirindhaai pirindhaai | Did you separate, did you separate? |
| Edhanaal | For what reason |
| Marandhaai marandhaai | Did you forget, did you forget? |
| Male | |
| Kelaayo | Won't you listen? |
| Male | |
| Unnai unnai pirindhaal | If separated from you, from you, |
| Uyir vaazhaa | My life cannot survive, |
| Andril paravai paravai naan | I am an Andril bird, an Andril bird. |
கேளாயோ கேளாயோ
செம்பூவே கேளாயோ மன்றாடும்
என் உள்ளம் பாராயோ
Won't you listen, won't you listen?
Oh red flower, won't you listen?
My begging heart,
Won't you look at it?
உன்னைப் பிாிந்தால்
உன்னைப் பிாிந்தால் உயிா்
வாழ அன்றில் பறவை
நான் அன்றில் பறவை
If I am separated from you,
If I am separated from you,
My life cannot survive;
I am like an Andril bird,
An Andril bird.
நீ என்னை மறந்தால்
காற்றுக்கதறும் கடலின்
மேலே ஒட்டகம் நடக்கும்
If you forget me,
The wind will scream,
Upon the ocean,
A camel will walk.
ஓ நீ என்னை மறந்தால்
காற்றுக்கதறும் கடலின்
மேலே ஒட்டகம் நடக்கும்
Oh, if you forget me,
The wind will scream,
Upon the ocean,
A camel will walk.
ஓ… நீ என்னை பிாியாய்
ஓ… நீ என்னை மறவாய் விட்டுப்
போனால் எட்டிப் போகும் விண்மீன்
எல்லாம் கொட்டிப் போகும்
Oh, you will not separate from me,
Oh, you will not forget me.
If you leave, everything will drift far away,
All the stars will shatter and fall.
கேளாயோ கேளாயோ
செம்பூவே கேளாயோ மன்றாடும்
என் உள்ளம் பாராயோ
Won't you listen, won't you listen?
Oh red flower, won't you listen?
My begging heart,
Won't you look at it?
உன்னைப் பிாிந்தால்
உன்னைப் பிாிந்தால் உயிா்
வாழ அன்றில் பறவை
நான் அன்றில் பறவை
If I am separated from you,
If I am separated from you,
My life cannot survive;
I am like an Andril bird,
An Andril bird.
என் குறைகள் ஏதுக்கண்டாய்
பேசுவது காதலோ பேணுவது காமமோ
பிாியம் என்னப் போலியோ
ஏன் பெண்ணே இடைவெளி
எதனால் பிாிந்தாய்
பிாிந்தாய் எதனால்
மறந்தாய் மறந்தாய்
What faults did you find in me?
Is what you speak love?
Is what you cherish mere lust?
Is your affection just a pretense?
Oh my lady, why this distance?
For what reason
Did you separate, did you separate?
For what reason
Did you forget, did you forget?
கேளாயோ உன்னைப்
உன்னைப் பிாிந்தால் உயிா்
வாழ அன்றில் பறவை
பறவை நான்
Won't you listen?
If separated from you, from you,
My life cannot survive,
I am an Andril bird, an Andril bird.
Kelaayo kelaayo
Won't you listen, won't you listen?
Sempoovae kelaayo
Oh red flower, won't you listen?
Manradum en ullam
My begging heart,
Paaraayo
Won't you look at it?
Unnai pirindhaal
If I am separated from you,
Unnai pirindhaal
If I am separated from you,
Uyir vaazhaa
My life cannot survive;
Andril paravai naan
I am like an Andril bird,
Andril paravai
An Andril bird.
Nee ennai marandhaal
If you forget me,
Kaatru kadharum
The wind will scream,
Kadalin melae
Upon the ocean,
Ottagam nadakkum
A camel will walk.
Oh nee ennai marandhaal
Oh, if you forget me,
Kaatru kadharum
The wind will scream,
Kadalin melae
Upon the ocean,
Ottagam nadakkum
A camel will walk.
Oh nee ennai piriyaai
Oh, you will not separate from me,
Oh nee ennai maravaai
Oh, you will not forget me.
Vittu ponaal etti pogum
If you leave, everything will drift far away,
Vinmeenellaam kotti pogum
All the stars will shatter and fall.
Kelaayo kelaayo
Won't you listen, won't you listen?
Sempoovae kelaayo
Oh red flower, won't you listen?
Manradum en ullam
My begging heart,
Paaraayo
Won't you look at it?
Unnai pirindhaal
If I am separated from you,
Unnai pirindhaal
If I am separated from you,
Uyir vaazhaa
My life cannot survive;
Andril paravai naan
I am like an Andril bird,
Andril paravai
An Andril bird.
En kuraigal edhu kandaai
What faults did you find in me?
Pesuvadhu kaadhalo
Is what you speak love?
Penuvadhu kaamamo
Is what you cherish mere lust?
Piriyam enna poliyo
Is your affection just a pretense?
Yen pennae idaiveli
Oh my lady, why this distance?
Edhanaal
For what reason
Pirindhaai pirindhaai
Did you separate, did you separate?
Edhanaal
For what reason
Marandhaai marandhaai
Did you forget, did you forget?
Kelaayo
Won't you listen?
Unnai unnai pirindhaal
If separated from you, from you,
Uyir vaazhaa
My life cannot survive,
Andril paravai paravai naan
I am an Andril bird, an Andril bird.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song expresses the intense anguish, desperation, and passionate plea of a lover facing separation from his beloved. He addresses her affectionately as a red flower ('Sempoovae') and begs her to listen to his yearning heart. Drawing from classical Sangam imagery, he compares himself to the 'Andril' bird, a legendary bird known to die of heartbreak if separated from its mate. He highlights the absurdity and cosmic devastation that her abandonment would cause, claiming that her forgetting him would make the impossible happen—like a camel walking across the ocean or stars falling from the sky. In the end, he questions what went wrong between them, asking whether her love was genuine or merely a passing illusion, pleading once more for her return.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Sangam Imagery / Symbolism
“Andril paravai naan”
The 'Andril paravai' is a classical motif from ancient Tamil Sangam poetry representing eternal togetherness; the bird is believed to perish instantly upon separation from its partner.
Hyperbole / Surrealism
“Kadalin melae / Ottagam nadakkum”
The lyricist uses impossible imagery (a camel walking on the ocean, stars falling) to emphasize the absurd, world-shattering impact of losing her love.
Metaphor
“Sempoovae kelaayo”
Addressing the beloved as 'Sempoovae' (Red Flower) symbolizes her beauty, delicacy, and preciousness.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Pirindhaai pirindhaai / Marandhaai marandhaai”
Repetition of words like 'Pirindhaai' and 'Marandhaai' underscores the singer's overwhelming emotional distress and anguish.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song forms part of the track 'Nallai Allai' / 'Kelaayo' from Mani Ratnam's romantic drama 'Kaatru Veliyidai' (2017). Composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics by Vairamuthu, the track beautifully integrates Sangam poetic tradition into modern film music.
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