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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thottum Thodathathu

From Meendum Vazhven · 1972

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
L. R. Eswari
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Meendum Vazhven
Movie release year
1972
Lyrics added on
19 Sept 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thottum thodathathu
Idhu pattum padathathu
Unnai mattum vidaathathu
Thottum thodathathu
Idhu pattum padathathu
Unnai mattum vidaathathu
Aadinaal raani naan
Jodiyin raaja nee
Thottum thodathathu
Idhu pattum padathathu
Unnai mattum vidaathathu
Oru tharam eduthathum
Madhu kinnam viduma
Udarkattu mayakkathai
Maranthoru manamaa
Adhai ida unakkindha aattathil sugama
Ponaal varadhu …hmmm ponaal varadhu
Hmm mm ponaal varadhu
Oru tharam eduthathum
Madhu kinnam viduma
Udarkattu mayakkathai
Maranthoru manamaa
Adhai ida unakkindha aattathil sugama
Ponaal varadhu ..
Kallil irangu nee pennil mayangu
Kaadhal vazhangu kai kattil urangu
Aadinaal raani naan
Jodiyin raaja nee
Thottum thodathathu
Idhu pattum padathathu
Unnai mattum vidaathathu
Kaivittu ponadhai pidippathu sulabam
Kadasiyil unnidam panam vandhu kuviyum
Kanniyin paattukkku kaaranam puriyum
Seettai vidaathae hmmm seettai vidaathae
Hmm mm aattam vidaathae
Kaivittu ponadhai pidippathu sulabam
Kadasiyil unnidam panam vandhu kuviyum
Kanniyin paattukkku kaaranam puriyum
Seettai vidaathae
Nottum kedaikkum en sondham kedaikkum
Ketkkum varaikkum en paattum pirakkum
Aadinaal raani naan
Jodiyin raaja nee
Thottum thodathathu
Idhu pattum padathathu
Unnai mattum vidaathathu
Touching yet not quite touching,
Grazing yet not quite grazing,
It just refuses to let you go!
Touching yet not quite touching,
Grazing yet not quite grazing,
It just refuses to let you go!
When I dance, I am the queen,
And as my partner, you are the king!
Touching yet not quite touching,
Grazing yet not quite grazing,
It just refuses to let you go!
Once you pick it up,
will the wine cup ever let you go?
The spell of a tempting body—
can any heart ever forget it?
Do you find pleasure in wagering in this game?
Once it is gone, it won't come back... mmm, it won't come back!
Mmm mm, once it is gone, it won't come back!
Once you pick it up,
will the wine cup ever let you go?
The spell of a tempting body—
can any heart ever forget it?
Do you find pleasure in wagering in this game?
Once it is gone, it won't come back...
Dive into the drink, get lost in a woman,
Offer your love, and sleep in the bed of my arms!
When I dance, I am the queen,
And as my partner, you are the king!
Touching yet not quite touching,
Grazing yet not quite grazing,
It just refuses to let you go!
It is easy to win back whatever slipped away,
In the end, piles of money will come to you!
You will understand the reason for this girl's song,
Don't drop the cards, mmm don't drop the cards!
Mmm mm, don't leave the game!
It is easy to win back whatever slipped away,
In the end, piles of money will come to you!
You will understand the reason for this girl's song,
Don't drop the cards!
You will get money, and you will win my affection,
As long as you want to listen, my songs will keep flowing!
When I dance, I am the queen,
And as my partner, you are the king!
Touching yet not quite touching,
Grazing yet not quite grazing,
It just refuses to let you go!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Thottum Thodathathu is a glamorous cabaret dance song from the 1972 Tamil movie 'Meendum Vazhven', with lyrics penned by Kavignar Kannadasan. In the song, a dancer tempts a player at a gambling club, drawing parallels between the irresistible addictions of wine, female beauty, and playing cards. She playfully sings that once these worldly pleasures take hold, they never leave a person alone. She entices the protagonist to keep playing the game without giving up, promising that money will accumulate and that her affection and music will be there for him as long as he stays. Kannadasan uses sharp, rhythmic Tamil wordplay and end-rhymes to convey the seductive atmosphere of high-stakes gambling and worldly temptation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Thottum thodathathu / Idhu pattum padathathu / Unnai mattum vidaathathu”

The second letter 't' (ட்) repeats across consecutive lines ('Thottum', 'pattum', 'mattum'), creating a rhythmic flow.

Antithesis / Contrast (Muran)

“Thottum thodathathu / Idhu pattum padathathu”

Juxtaposing opposing concepts like touch/untouched and king/queen to create dynamic imagery.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Nottum kedaikkum en sondham kedaikkum / Ketkkum varaikkum en paattum pirakkum”

The lines end with matching rhyming suffixes ('kedaikkum', 'pirakkum').

Metaphor

“Madhu kinnam viduma / Udarkattu mayakkathai”

Comparing the cup of wine and physical beauty to irresistible traps of addiction.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Meendum Vazhven' (1972) is a crime thriller starring Ravichandran and Jayanthi. Kannadasan's lyrics in this song playfully blend card game terms like 'Seettu' (cards) and 'Aattam' (game) with sensory romantic expressions, characteristic of 1970s club dance sequences in Tamil cinema.

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