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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thathom Thalangu

From Vetri Vizha · 1989

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Vetri Vizha1989

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Thathom thalangu thathomThathom thalangu thathom (Rhythmic dance beat)
Thottom thodaamal thottomWe touched without really touching
Kaniyai thaangumHolding the fruit
Kodiyai thaangum thagathomHolding the creeper, with rhythmic beats
Male
Thathom thalangu thathomThathom thalangu thathom (Rhythmic dance beat)
Pattum padaamal pattomWe touched gently without full contact
Siruthangam thaangumCarrying pure small gold
Angam yengum thagathomEvery part of the body resonates with rhythm
Male
Thazhuvattum thazhuvattumLet them embrace, let them embrace
Ilavattam ilavattamThe youthful crowd, the youthful crowd
Paravattum paravattumLet it spread, let it spread
Isai vellam paravattumLet the flood of music spread everywhere
Imaiyathin mudimattumUp to the peak of the Himalayas
Ilamaithaan kodikattum hoiii…May youth hoist its victorious flag, hoiii...
Female
Thathom thalangu thathomThathom thalangu thathom (Rhythmic dance beat)
Thottom thodaamal thottomWe touched without really touching
Male
Thathom thalangu thathomThathom thalangu thathom (Rhythmic dance beat)
Pattum padaamal pattomWe touched gently without full contact
Chorus
…………………………………..
Male
Iravil unnodu narthanamthaanDancing with you in the night
Idaiyil undaagum sathamThe sound generated at the waist
Uravil munnooru keerthanamthaanThree hundred devotional hymns in intimacy
Idhazhgal kondaadum muthamA kiss celebrated by the lips
Female
Suthanthira dhinam dhinamthaanEvery single day is Independence Day
Niramtharam sugam sugamthaanContinuous and everlasting pleasure
Nalamperum manam manamthaanA mind filled with prosperous goodness
Valamvarum nagarvalamthaanA royal procession around the town
Male
Inaiyathan inaiyathanIt is peerless, completely peerless
Anaiyathan anaiyathanIt cannot be contained by any dam
Female :Oru aththaan oru aththaanFemale: O beloved, O beloved
Urugathaan urugathaanTo melt, to completely melt
Male :Thisaiyettum isaiyettumMale: Let music reach all eight directions
Thaalangal muzhangattum hoii…Let the rhythmic beats resound loudly, hoii...
Female
Thathom thalangu thathomThathom thalangu thathom (Rhythmic dance beat)
Thottom thodaamal thottomWe touched without really touching
Kaniyai thaangumHolding the fruit
Kodiyai thaangum thagathomHolding the creeper, with rhythmic beats
Male
Thathom thalangu thathomThathom thalangu thathom (Rhythmic dance beat)
Pattum padaamal pattomWe touched gently without full contact
Siruthangam thaangumCarrying pure small gold
Angam yengum thagathomEvery part of the body resonates with rhythm
Chorus
…………………………………….
Female
Kaluvum thanneeril nazhuvidumaeSlipping away in flowing water
Valaiyil sikkatha meengalThe fish that cannot be caught in a net
Thadaigal illamal thaavidumaeLeaping effortlessly without obstacles
Nadaigal kondaadum maangalThe deer celebrated for their elegant gait
Male
Siraiyinil paravaigalthaanBirds trapped inside a cage
Siraginai virithidathaanJust to spread their wings open
Piranthathu thunichalumthaanCourage itself was born
Paranthidum iruppidamthaanThe sky is their living realm
Female
Idhayathil thunivaithaanKeeping bravery deep inside the heart
Kudivaikkum kudivaikkumIt creates a home, creates a home
Male :Ethirikkum uthirikkumMale: Scattering the enemies away
Vedivaikkum vedivaikkumIt sets off explosions, sets off explosions
Male
Thathom thalangu thathomThathom thalangu thathom (Rhythmic dance beat)
Female :HaFemale: Ha
Male :Pattum padaamal pattomMale: We touched gently without full contact
Female :HaFemale: Ha
Male :Mirudhangam thaangumMale: Carrying rhythm like the mridangam
Angam yengum thagathomEvery part of the body resonates with rhythm
Female
Thathom thalangu thathomThathom thalangu thathom (Rhythmic dance beat)
Male :HeyMale: Hey
Female :Thottom thodaamal thottomFemale: We touched without really touching
Male :HaMale: Ha
Female :Kaniyai thaangumFemale: Holding the fruit
Kodiyai thaangum thagathomHolding the creeper, with rhythmic beats
Male
Thazhuvattum thazhuvattumLet them embrace, let them embrace
Ilavattam ilavattamThe youthful crowd, the youthful crowd
Paravattum paravattumLet it spread, let it spread
Isai vellam paravattumLet the flood of music spread everywhere
Imaiyathin mudimattumUp to the peak of the Himalayas
Ilamaithaan kodikattum hoiii…May youth hoist its victorious flag, hoiii...
Female
Thathom thalangu thathomThathom thalangu thathom (Rhythmic dance beat)
Thottom thodaamal thottomWe touched without really touching
Male :Thatha Thathom thalaangu thathomMale: Thatha Thathom thalaangu thathom
Female :ThathaFemale: Thatha
Male :Pattum padaamal pattomMale: We touched gently without full contact
Female :ThathaFemale: Thatha

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic song from Vetri Vizha celebrates youth, romance, freedom, and dynamic rhythm. Written with classic Vaali wordplay, the lyrics blend classical dance rhythm syllables ('solkattu') with themes of passionate love and unrestrained freedom. The protagonists describe a playful, electric closeness where touch is felt even without physical contact, comparing their dynamic spirit to wild deer, free birds breaking out of cages, and unstoppable floods of music. The song captures a sense of joyful triumph, freedom, and youthful exuberance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Paradox / Oxymoron (Muran)

Thottom thodaamal thottom

The phrase 'Thottom thodaamal thottom' (Touched without touching) and 'Pattum padaamal pattom' express a poetic contradiction describing subtle, non-physical sensory intimacy.

Edukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Iravil unnodu narthanamthaan / Uravil munnooru keerthanamthaan

Rhyming of the second letter 'ra' in consecutive lines ('Iravil' and 'Uravil') creates auditory harmony.

Monai (First-letter Alliteration)

Inaiyathan inaiyathan / Anaiyathan anaiyathan

Alliteration of the initial letter 'I' across 'Inaiyathan' and 'Anaiyathan' or 'Iravil' and 'Idaiyil'.

Adukku Thodar (Repetitive Emphasis)

Thazhuvattum thazhuvattum / Ilavattam ilavattam

Words are repeated consecutively for emphasis and musical cadence (e.g., 'Thazhuvattum thazhuvattum', 'Ilavattam ilavattam').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja for the 1989 action-thriller 'Vetri Vizha' starring Kamal Haasan and Prabhu, this track features vocals by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and K. S. Chithra. Lyricist Vaali brilliantly integrated classical Bharatanatyam rhythmic syllables ('solkattu') into a Western-influenced pop arrangement, creating a timeless hit dance number.

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