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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Unnapola Chinna Ponna

From Yettikki Potti · 1987

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Mano, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Gangai Amaran
Details
Yettikki Potti1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Unnapola chinna ponnathaanA young girl like you,
Oora suthi thedinenI searched all around town for.
Adi nethu unna paartha pinbhu thaanHey, only after seeing you yesterday,
Nenjil vachu moodinenI locked you in my heart.
Enna kattikoo vandhu ottikkoEmbrace me, come close to me,
Rombha naalachu naan thoongiIt has been many days since I slept,
Vaayendi sithraangiCome here, my beautiful artwork!
Female
Unna pola nalla aala thaanA fine person like you,
Oora suthi thedinenI searched all around town for.
Ada nethu unna paarthu pinbhu thaanAh, only after seeing you yesterday,
Nenjil vechu moodinenI locked you in my heart.
Enna thaangikko vandhu vaangikooSupport me, come and accept me,
Rombha naalaachu naan thoongiIt has been many days since I slept,
Ooyaama naan yengiRestlessly longing for you.
Male
Ada unnapola chinna ponnathaanAh, a young girl like you,
Oora suthi thedinenI searched all around town for.
Female :Ada nethu unna paarthu pinbhu thaanFemale: Ah, only after seeing you yesterday,
Nenjil vechu moodinenI locked you in my heart.
Male
Aah pala peru naal kanakkaAh, while many people waited,
Potti pottu kaathirukkaCompeting for days,
Pudhusathaan neeyirukkaSince you are so fresh and unique,
Poovai pola naan parikkaLike a flower, I want to pick you.
Female
Adiyaathi aadai polaOh my, like a piece of clothing,
Mela vandhu aadalaamaCan I come and dance over you?
Ariyaadha ponnu nenjilIn an innocent girl's heart,
Ambu onnu podalaamaCan an arrow be shot?
Male
Aadaiyittu moodi vecha aasai theerumaWill a desire kept hidden under clothes ever be satisfied?
Aakki vechu kakka vecha pasiyum aarumaWill a hunger wait and cool down after food is cooked?
Female :Kaalam neram naalum ippoFemale: Time, moment, and date now,
Koodi vandhadhuHave all come together nicely.
Anil kadikka maambalam thaanA ripe mango has arrived on its own,
Thedi vandhadhuFor the squirrel to bite.
Male
Innum naanum thinnavillaiyaeI haven't eaten it yet,
Vandha yekkam theeravillaiyaeThe longing that came hasn't subsided yet.
Kannam ennum kaniyai konjam koduGive me a bit of the fruit that is your cheek.
Female
Unna pola nalla aalathaanA good person like you,
Oora suthi thedinenI searched all around town for.
Male :Adi nethu unna paarthu pinbhu thaanMale: Hey, only after seeing you yesterday,
Nenjil vechu moodinenI locked you in my heart.
Female
Haa..aaa..aaa..aaa..Haa..aaa..aaa..aaa..
Female
Unakkaaga naan thavichuYearning for you,
Ooodha kaathai thoodhu vittenI sent the cold breeze as a messenger.
Oosi pola naa elachuI became thin like a needle,
Odambhu rombha paadu pattenMy body suffered greatly.
Male
On mela aasa vechuDesiring you,
Ooru vittu ooru vandhenI travelled from town to town.
Oosi pola nee irukkaSince you are like a needle,
Noola pola sera vandhenI came like a thread to join you.
Female
Pesi pesi neeyum ennai mayakki poduraWith all your sweet talk, you enchant me,
Kettu kettu naan mayanga pattu paaduraListening to it, I get mesmerized and sing songs.
Male :Aala konjam paakkurappo pattikaaduthanMale: Looking at my personality, I might seem rustic,
Poga poga kaanalam naan podum podu thaanAs time goes, you'll see my true flair and moves!
Female
Unnai pola kandathillaiyaeI have never seen anyone like you,
Rombha rombha sutti pillaiyaeYou are such a naughty, playful child!
Vetkam vandhu sollum podhu vidu viduWhen shyness overcomes and speaks, leave me be!
Male
Unnapola chinna ponnathaanA young girl like you,
Oora suthi thedinenI searched all around town for.
Adi nethu unna paartha pinbhu thaanHey, only after seeing you yesterday,
Nenjil vachu moodinenI locked you in my heart.
Enna kattikoo vandhu ottikkoEmbrace me, come close to me,
Rombha naalachu naan thoongiIt has been many days since I slept,
Vaayendi sithraangiCome here, my beautiful artwork!
Female
Unna pola nalla aala thaanA fine person like you,
Oora suthi thedinenI searched all around town for.
Ada nethu unna paarthu pinbhu thaanAh, only after seeing you yesterday,
Nenjil vechu moodinenI locked you in my heart.
Enna thaangikko vandhu vaangikooSupport me, come and accept me,
Rombha naalaachu naan thoongiIt has been many days since I slept,
Ooyaama naan yengiRestlessly longing for you.
Male
Ada unnapola chinna ponnathaanAh, a young girl like you,
Oora suthi thedinenI searched all around town for.
Female :Ada nethu unna paarthu pinbhu thaanFemale: Ah, only after seeing you yesterday,
Nenjil vechu moodinenI locked you in my heart.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This duet from the 1987 film 'Yettikki Potti' is a playful, romantic back-and-forth between a hero and heroine expressing their mutual love and admiration. The protagonist speaks about how he searched far and wide to find his ideal partner and how seeing her captured his heart. The lovers engage in clever flirtation using rich folk metaphors—comparing love and attraction to flowers being plucked, mangoes being bitten by squirrels, and threads passing through needles. The overall mood of the song is joyful, energetic, and expressive of youthful passion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Poovai pola naan parikka

Compares plucking the lover's affection to plucking a flower ('Poovai pola naan parikka').

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Kannam ennum kaniyai konjam kodu

Metaphorically compares the beloved's soft cheeks to a ripe fruit ('Kannam ennum kaniyai').

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai) & Analogy

Oosi pola nee irukka / Noola pola sera vandhen

Compares the lovers to a needle and a thread ('Oosi pola nee irukka / Noola pola sera vandhen') to signify how perfectly matched they are.

Rhyme / Alliteration (Edhukai / Monai)

Oosi pola naa elachu / Odambhu rombha paadu patten

Use of second-letter rhyming across lines such as 'Oosi' and 'Odambhu' or 'Pesi' and 'Kettu'.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Yettikki Potti' (1987) features music composed by Gangai Amaran, who is the younger brother of legendary maestro Ilaiyaraaja. The track showcases the vibrant vocal chemistry between Mano and K. S. Chithra, two of South Indian cinema's most prominent playback singers during the late 1980s and 1990s. The song relies heavily on rhythmic folk beats and colloquial Tamil lyrics penned by the prolific lyricist Vaali.

Keep listening

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