Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thaiyya Thaiyya

From Uyire · 1998

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Sukhwinder Singh, Subha
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Uyire1998

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Kaattu vazhiyae hunOh black drongo birds
Karichaan kuruvigalaaOn the forest path, hun
Paadhakaththi kaathrikkaWhile a sinner woman is waiting
Manasa ariveegalaaDo you understand her heart?
Kaattu vazhiye huOh forest path, hu
Karichaan kuruvigalaaOh black drongo birds
Male
Thakka thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya
Thaiya thaiyaThaiya thaiya
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Male
Thakka thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya
Thaiya thaiyaThaiya thaiya
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Male
Nenju uchchi kottiMy heart clicks its tongue
Thudikkuthu thaiya thaiyaAnd thumps rhythmically, thaiya thaiya
Uyir thattu kettuMy soul is floundering in distress
Thavikkuthu thaiyaIt suffers helplessly, thaiya
Oru pachai kuyil paranthathuA green cuckoo flew away
Thaiya thaiyaThaiya thaiya
Nenjil achankettu thavikkuthu thaiyaMy heart trembles frantically, thaiya
Chorus
Aval kangalodu iru nooraanduTwo hundred years with her eyes
Mookkin azhagodu munnooraanduThree hundred years with the beauty of her nose
Aval azhagin kathakadhappilIn the warmth of her beauty
Aandu ainooruFive hundred years
Male :Vaazha vendum thaiya thaiyaMale: I want to live, thaiya thaiya
Male
{Oru paarvaiyilae ennai{With a single look, you
Uraiya vaithaaiFroze me in place
Siru punnagaiyaalWith a gentle smile
Ennai uruga vaithaai} (2)You made me melt}
Male
Ada naan endra aanavamAh, the ego that was 'me'
Azhiya vaithaaiYou destroyed it completely
Un paarvaiyil ennai paniya vaithaaiYou made me bow before your gaze
Male
En aaradi uyarathai abagarithaaiYou stole my six-foot height
Un kaaldayil ennai kaniya vaithaaiYou made me ripen and yield at your feet
En aaradi uyarathai abagarithaaiYou stole my six-foot height
Un kaaldayil ennai kaniya vaithaaiYou made me ripen and yield at your feet
Female
Mazhai booikku varumunbuJust like rain vanishes
Marainthathai polBefore it reaches the earth
Antha maaya magal indruThat magical girl today
Marainthu vittaalHas disappeared
Male
Naan paarthuvittaalIf I catch a glimpse of you
Oru meetchi varumSalvation will come
Nee paarthuvittaalIf you look at me
Oru motcham varumHeaven will arrive
Enthan muthalum muthalum neeYou are my beginning and beginning
Mudivum mudivum neeYou are my end and end
Male
Oru malaiyil naan kandaA precious ruby I found on a mountain, oh girl
MaanikkammaYour dominance rules over my mind
En manathil unthan aathikkammaWill this last for a day or two?
Ithu oru naal iru naal needikkummaOr will it affect the very core of my soul?
Illai uyirin moolathai baathikkummaMy heart clicks its tongue and thumps
Male
Nenju uchchi kotti thudikkuthuThaiya thaiya
Thaiya thaiyaMy soul is floundering in distress, thaiya
Uyir thattu kettu thavikkuthu thaiyaA green cuckoo flew away
Oru pachai kuyil paranthathuThaiya thaiya
Thaiya thaiyaMy heart trembles frantically, thaiya
Nenjil achankettu thavikkuthu thaiyaA rainbow never arrives
Male
Oru vaanavil iru muraiTwice in the same way
VaruvathillaiThere is no trace left behind
Athu vanthu pona oruOnce it comes and goes
Suvadum illaiA cuckoo that flies past a railway track
Oru thandavaala rail thaandiThe bird that sang and flew
Pona kuyilIts song does not dissolve away
Paadi pona kural karaivathillaiFemale: The voice that sang and flew away
Female :Athu paadi pona kuralDoes not dissolve away
Karaivathillai{Because of you, my heart
Male
{Unnaal en manamGained one half
Adainthathu paathiBecause of you, my heart
Unnaal en manamLost the other half}
Ilanthathu paathi} (2)Oh flame of love
Male
Kaadhal jothiyaeOh rest of my life
Vaazhvin meethiyaeAre you an angel, a reality, or an illusion?
Devathai nee meiyoo poiyooThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Female
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaNenju uchchi kotti thudikkuthu
Male
Nenju uchchi kotti thudikkuthuThaiya thaiya
Thaiya thaiyaUyir thattu kettu thavikkuthu thaiya
Uyir thattu kettu thavikkuthu thaiyaOru pachai kuyil paranthathu
Oru pachai kuyil paranthathuThaiya thaiya
Thaiya thaiyaNenjil achankettu thavikkuthu thaiya
Nenjil achankettu thavikkuthu thaiyaAval kangalodu iru nooraandu
Chorus
Aval kangalodu iru nooraanduMookkin azhagodu munnooraandu
Mookkin azhagodu munnooraanduAval azhagin kathakadhappil
Aval azhagin kathakadhappilAandu ainooru
Aandu ainooruMale: Vaazha vendum thaiya thaiya
Male :Vaazha vendum thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Male
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiyaThakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya
Thakka thaiya thaiya thaiya thaiya

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Thaiya Thaiya (composed by A.R. Rahman for 'Uyire' / 'Dil Se..') is a high-energy folk-fusion track expressing intense, intoxicating love and longing. The protagonist encounters a mysterious, captivating woman who completely transforms his world, shattering his pride and capturing his heart before suddenly disappearing like rain before it touches the ground.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole

Aval kangalodu iru nooraandu... Aandu ainooru

Exaggeration of time spent admiring the beloved's beauty (200 years with her eyes, 300 with her nose, 500 years total warmth).

Metaphor

Oru pachai kuyil paranthathu

Comparing the mysterious beloved to a 'pachai kuyil' (green cuckoo) and 'maaya magal' (magical girl).

Antithesis / Oxymoron

Unnaal en manam adainthathu paathi / Unnaal en manam ilanthathu paathi

Contrasting gaining half the heart and losing the other half due to love.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is the Tamil version of 'Chaiyya Chaiyya' from Mani Ratnam's 1998 film 'Dil Se..' / 'Uyire'. Composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics by Vairamuthu, the iconic video was filmed on top of the Ooty steam train (Nilgiri Mountain Railway) featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora.

Keep listening

More from Uyire