Thottu Kattava
From Thedi Vandha Mappillai · 1970
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Thedi Vandha Mappillai1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thottu kaattavaa | Shall I touch upon and show you |
| Melai naattu sangeedhathai | Western music? |
| Thottu kaattavaa | Shall I touch upon and show you? |
| Vattam podavaa | Shall I spin around in circles |
| Vaalibathin vegathodu | With the speed and energy of youth? |
| Vattam podavaa | Shall I spin around in circles? |
| Male | |
| Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho.. | Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho.. |
| Lalallaa… papparappaa… | Lalallaa… papparappaa… |
| Male | |
| Thottu kaattavaa | Shall I touch upon and show you |
| Melai naattu sangeedhathai | Western music? |
| Thottu kaattavaa | Shall I touch upon and show you? |
| Vattam podavaa | Shall I spin around in circles |
| Vaalibathin vegathodu | With the speed and energy of youth? |
| Vattam podavaa | Shall I spin around in circles? |
| Male | |
| Adhuvaai kanivadhum undu | Fruit ripens naturally on its own, |
| Adhithaal kanivadhum undu | And it also ripens when forced. |
| Sangeedha njaanamum | Musical knowledge, |
| Sarasamum sugamum | Romance and pleasure, |
| Thaanae varuvadhum undu | Sometimes come spontaneously on their own. |
| Male | |
| Isaiyai rasippadhu undu | One appreciates music, |
| Idaiyai rasippadhum undu | And one also appreciates a slender waist. |
| Yedhilae vizhundhaal sugamo | Whichever brings pleasure upon falling into it, |
| Adhilae idhayam padhivadhum undu | The heart embeds itself right there. |
| Male | |
| Thottu kaattavaa | Shall I touch upon and show you |
| Melai naattu sangeedhathai | Western music? |
| Thottu kaattavaa | Shall I touch upon and show you? |
| Vattam podavaa | Shall I spin around in circles |
| Vaalibathin vegathodu | With the speed and energy of youth? |
| Vattam podavaa | Shall I spin around in circles? |
| Male | |
| Thaalathil vizhuvadhu paadal | That which falls perfectly into rhythm is a song, |
| Thaagathil ezhuvadhu kaadhal | That which arises from thirst is love. |
| Thallaadum idaiyudan nadamidum pennin | For a woman dancing with a swaying waist, |
| Kannae kaadhalin vaasal | Her eyes are the gateway to love. |
| Male | |
| Aasaiyai tharuvadhu maeni | The physical body inspires desire, |
| Aasaiyai thurandhavan njaani | One who renounces desire is a sage. |
| Anjaamal nadappadhum thaedhiyai paarppadhum | Walking without fear and keeping up with time, |
| Naveena ulagathin paani | Is the way of the modern world. |
| Male | |
| Thottu kaattavaa | Shall I touch upon and show you |
| Melai naattu sangeedhathai | Western music? |
| Thottu kaattavaa | Shall I touch upon and show you? |
| Vattam podavaa | Shall I spin around in circles |
| Vaalibathin vegathodu | With the speed and energy of youth? |
| Vattam podavaa | Shall I spin around in circles? |
| Male | |
| Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho… | Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho… |
| Lalallaa… papparappaa… | Lalallaa… papparappaa… |
| Laa… laa… laa… laa… | Laa… laa… laa… laa… |
தொட்டுக் காட்டவா
மேலை நாட்டு சங்கீதத்தை
தொட்டுக் காட்டவா
வட்டம் போடவா
வாலிபத்தின் வேகத்தோடு
வட்டம் போடவா
Shall I touch upon and show you
Western music?
Shall I touch upon and show you?
Shall I spin around in circles
With the speed and energy of youth?
Shall I spin around in circles?
ஹூஹூ....ஹூஹூ........ஹூஓஹோ.....
லலலலா......பப்பாரப்பா.....
Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho..
Lalallaa… papparappaa…
தொட்டுக் காட்டவா
மேலை நாட்டு சங்கீதத்தை
தொட்டுக் காட்டவா
வட்டம் போடவா
வாலிபத்தின் வேகத்தோடு
வட்டம் போடவா
Shall I touch upon and show you
Western music?
Shall I touch upon and show you?
Shall I spin around in circles
With the speed and energy of youth?
Shall I spin around in circles?
அதுவாய் கனிவதும் உண்டு
அடித்தால் கனிவதும் உண்டு
சங்கீத ஞானமும்
சரசமும் சுகமும்
தானே வருவதும் உண்டு
Fruit ripens naturally on its own,
And it also ripens when forced.
Musical knowledge,
Romance and pleasure,
Sometimes come spontaneously on their own.
இசையை ரசிப்பதும் உண்டு
இடையை ரசிப்பதும் உண்டு
எதிலே விழுந்தால் சுகமோ
அதிலே இதயம் படிவதும் உண்டு
One appreciates music,
And one also appreciates a slender waist.
Whichever brings pleasure upon falling into it,
The heart embeds itself right there.
தொட்டுக் காட்டவா
மேலை நாட்டு சங்கீதத்தை
தொட்டுக் காட்டவா
வட்டம் போடவா
வாலிபத்தின் வேகத்தோடு
வட்டம் போடவா
Shall I touch upon and show you
Western music?
Shall I touch upon and show you?
Shall I spin around in circles
With the speed and energy of youth?
Shall I spin around in circles?
தாளத்தில் விளைவது பாடல்
தாகத்தில் எழுவது காதல்
தள்ளாடும் இடையுடன் நடமிடும் பெண்ணின்
கண்ணே காதலின் வாசல்
That which falls perfectly into rhythm is a song,
That which arises from thirst is love.
For a woman dancing with a swaying waist,
Her eyes are the gateway to love.
ஆசையை தருவது மேனி
ஆசையை துறந்தவன் ஞானி
அஞ்சாமல் நடப்பதும் மேனியை பார்ப்பதும்
நவீன உலகத்தின் பாணி
The physical body inspires desire,
One who renounces desire is a sage.
Walking without fear and keeping up with time,
Is the way of the modern world.
தொட்டுக் காட்டவா
மேலை நாட்டு சங்கீதத்தை
தொட்டுக் காட்டவா
வட்டம் போடவா
வாலிபத்தின் வேகத்தோடு
வட்டம் போடவா
Shall I touch upon and show you
Western music?
Shall I touch upon and show you?
Shall I spin around in circles
With the speed and energy of youth?
Shall I spin around in circles?
ஹூஹூ....ஹூஹூ......ஹூஓஹோ.....
லலலலா......பப்பாரப்பா.....
லா.....லா.....லா.....லா......
Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho…
Lalallaa… papparappaa…
Laa… laa… laa… laa…
Thottu kaattavaa
Shall I touch upon and show you
Melai naattu sangeedhathai
Western music?
Thottu kaattavaa
Shall I touch upon and show you?
Vattam podavaa
Shall I spin around in circles
Vaalibathin vegathodu
With the speed and energy of youth?
Vattam podavaa
Shall I spin around in circles?
Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho..
Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho..
Lalallaa… papparappaa…
Lalallaa… papparappaa…
Thottu kaattavaa
Shall I touch upon and show you
Melai naattu sangeedhathai
Western music?
Thottu kaattavaa
Shall I touch upon and show you?
Vattam podavaa
Shall I spin around in circles
Vaalibathin vegathodu
With the speed and energy of youth?
Vattam podavaa
Shall I spin around in circles?
Adhuvaai kanivadhum undu
Fruit ripens naturally on its own,
Adhithaal kanivadhum undu
And it also ripens when forced.
Sangeedha njaanamum
Musical knowledge,
Sarasamum sugamum
Romance and pleasure,
Thaanae varuvadhum undu
Sometimes come spontaneously on their own.
Isaiyai rasippadhu undu
One appreciates music,
Idaiyai rasippadhum undu
And one also appreciates a slender waist.
Yedhilae vizhundhaal sugamo
Whichever brings pleasure upon falling into it,
Adhilae idhayam padhivadhum undu
The heart embeds itself right there.
Thottu kaattavaa
Shall I touch upon and show you
Melai naattu sangeedhathai
Western music?
Thottu kaattavaa
Shall I touch upon and show you?
Vattam podavaa
Shall I spin around in circles
Vaalibathin vegathodu
With the speed and energy of youth?
Vattam podavaa
Shall I spin around in circles?
Thaalathil vizhuvadhu paadal
That which falls perfectly into rhythm is a song,
Thaagathil ezhuvadhu kaadhal
That which arises from thirst is love.
Thallaadum idaiyudan nadamidum pennin
For a woman dancing with a swaying waist,
Kannae kaadhalin vaasal
Her eyes are the gateway to love.
Aasaiyai tharuvadhu maeni
The physical body inspires desire,
Aasaiyai thurandhavan njaani
One who renounces desire is a sage.
Anjaamal nadappadhum thaedhiyai paarppadhum
Walking without fear and keeping up with time,
Naveena ulagathin paani
Is the way of the modern world.
Thottu kaattavaa
Shall I touch upon and show you
Melai naattu sangeedhathai
Western music?
Thottu kaattavaa
Shall I touch upon and show you?
Vattam podavaa
Shall I spin around in circles
Vaalibathin vegathodu
With the speed and energy of youth?
Vattam podavaa
Shall I spin around in circles?
Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho…
Hoo… hooho… hoo…hooho…
Lalallaa… papparappaa…
Lalallaa… papparappaa…
Laa… laa… laa… laa…
Laa… laa… laa… laa…
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Thottu Kaattavaa is a high-energy, Western-influenced dance track from the 1970 Tamil film Thedi Vandha Mappillai. The song celebrates youthful vitality, music, dance, and modern romance through playful rhythm and catchy vocalizations. Written by Vaali, the lyricism playfully balances philosophical musings on desire and modern living with lighthearted commentary on beauty and rhythm. It highlights how music and love both require natural timing and spontaneous passion, characteristic of 1970s Tamil cinema's modern club songs.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edukai (Second Letter Rhyming)
“Adhuvaai kanivadhum undu / Adhithaal kanivadhum undu”
Matching second consonant sound 'dhu' in consecutive lines 'Adhuvaai' and 'Adhithaal'.
Monaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Thaalathil vizhuvadhu paadal / Thaagathil ezhuvadhu kaadhal”
Initial consonant 'Tha' alliteration between rhythm ('Thaalathil') and thirst ('Thaagathil').
Antithesis (Contrast)
“Aasaiyai tharuvadhu maeni / Aasaiyai thurandhavan njaani”
Juxtaposes bodily desire ('Aasaiyai tharuvadhu maeni') with ascetic renunciation ('Aasaiyai thurandhavan njaani').
Did you know?
Trivia
Thedi Vandha Mappillai (1970), directed by B. R. Panthulu and starring M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa, featured music composed by M. S. Viswanathan. This song is sung by T. M. Soundararajan and L. R. Eswari, serving as a stylish Western pop dance number that became popular among youth during the 1970s.
Keep listening
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