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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Unnai Kanaamal

From Kavithai Paadum Alaigal · 1990

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
K. S. Chithra, Arun Mozhi
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Kavithai Paadum Alaigal1990

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Aaa…aahaaAh... Aahaa
Male :Haha haaa aaaa aaa[Male] Haha haaa aaaa aaa
Female :Hahahaa aaa aaa[Female] Hahahaa aaa aaa
Male :Haa aahaa aa haa[Male] Haa aahaa aa haa
Female :Haa aahaa aa haa[Female] Haa aahaa aa haa
Male
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhuWho am I without seeing you?
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhuIs there a day when I do not think of you?
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhuWho am I without seeing you?
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhuIs there a day when I do not think of you?
Poonguyilae painthamizhaeOh flower-like cuckoo, oh sweet Tamil language!
En uyirae nee thaanYou alone are my life.
Female
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhuWho am I without seeing you?
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhuIs there a day when I do not think of you?
Male
Kambanin pillai naanI am a child of poet Kambar,
Kaaviyam paada vandhenI came to sing an epic poem.
Kaaviri karai ellaamAlong all the banks of the Kaveri river,
Kaaladi thaedi nindrenI stood searching for your footsteps.
Female
Kavinjanai thaediSearching for the poet,
Kavidhai ketka vandhenI came to listen to poetry.
Male
Vaanamum boomi engumEverywhere across heaven and earth,
Paadidum paadal ketkumThe song being sung will be heard.
Female
Jeevanil jeevan serumSoul will merge into soul,
Aayiram aandu kaalamFor a thousand long years.
Male
Ini ennaalum pirivedhuFrom now on, how could there ever be separation?
Anbae ae… ae… ae…My love... oh love...
Female
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhuWho am I without seeing you?
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhuIs there a day when I do not think of you?
Poonguyilae painthamizhaeOh flower-like cuckoo, oh sweet Tamil language!
En uyirae nee thaanYou alone are my life.
Male
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhuWho am I without seeing you?
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhuIs there a day when I do not think of you?
Female
Aayiram kaalam thaanFor thousands of ages,
Vaazhvadhu kaadhal geethamIt is the song of love that endures.
Kannanin paadalilIn Lord Krishna's melody,
Ketpadhu kaadhal vaedhamWhat is heard is the sacred scripture of love.
Male
Pirivinai yedhuWhere is the possibility of separation,
Inaindhu paadum podhuWhen we sing together in unison?
Female
Kaaviyam pondra kaadhalA love that is like an immortal epic,
Boomiyai vendru aalumWill conquer and rule over the world.
Male
Kaalangal pona podhumEven as ages pass away,
Vaanathai pola vaazhumIt will live eternally like the sky.
Female
Idhu maaraadhu maraiyaadhuThis will neither change nor vanish.
Anbae ae… ae… ae…My love... oh love...
Male
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhuWho am I without seeing you?
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhuIs there a day when I do not think of you?
Poonguyilae painthamizhaeOh flower-like cuckoo, oh sweet Tamil language!
En uyirae nee thaanYou alone are my life.
Female
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhuWho am I without seeing you?
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhuIs there a day when I do not think of you?
Male :Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu[Male] Who am I without seeing you?
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhuIs there a day when I do not think of you?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Unnai Kaanaamal Naan Yedhu is a melodious romantic song from the 1990 film Kavithai Paadum Alaigal, with lyrics by Gangai Amaran. The song expresses deep, eternal love, equating the beloved to life itself and comparing affection to classical Tamil poetry and music. The lovers declare that their existence has no meaning without each other and that their bond is as enduring as the sky.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Monai (Initial Rhyme)

Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu / Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu

Repetition of initial words in consecutive refrain lines, creating a hypnotic and lyrical cadence.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Poonguyilae painthamizhae

Directly addressing the beloved as a singing bird (Poonguyil) and sweet Tamil language (Painthamizh).

Simile (Upamai)

Vaanathai pola vaazhum

Comparing the eternal life of true love to the vast, unchanging sky using 'pola' (like).

Alliteration (Consonance)

Kambanin pillai naan / Kaaviyam paada vandhen / Kaaviri karai ellaam

Rhythmic repetition of the 'Ka' sound across consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kavithai Paadum Alaigal (1990) features lyrics written by Gangai Amaran, who frequently infused classical Tamil literary references like poet Kambar and the Kaveri river into romantic tracks to give them a poetic, evergreen feel.

Keep listening

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