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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Usurey

From Soorarai Pottru · 2020

Lyricist
Maya Mahalingam
Singer
G. V. Prakash Kumar
Music director
G. V. Prakash Kumar
Details
Soorarai Pottru2020

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Hmm …hmm .. hmm …hmmm..Humming sounds...
Hmm aaa hmm aaa hmm aaa hmm aaaHumming vocalizations...
Hmm …hmm .. hmm …hmmm..Humming sounds...
Male
Usurae…thaanae…Oh my life... on its own...
Thanananae thanananae…Rhythmic vocal beats...
Thanananae thanananae…Rhythmic vocal beats...
Male
Naalu nimisham unna kaanamaWithout seeing you for four minutes,
Nee kaanama…aaaWithout you being in sight...
En naadi narambu surungi ponenaeMy nerves and veins shriveled up,
Naan ponenae…I became shriveled...
Male
Kann irunshum kabothi aanenaeDespite having eyes, I became blind,
Naan aanenae…I became blind...
Unna paartha podhu oomaiya ponenaeWhen I saw you, I became mute,
Naan ponenae…I became mute...
Male
Silaiyaa ninnenaeI stood still like a statue,
Thavama ninnenaeI stood motionless as if in penance,
Ninnenae ninnenaeI stood and stood...
Male
Naalu nimishamFour minutes...
Adi naalu nimisham unna kaanamaOh, without seeing you for four minutes,
Nee kaanama…aaaWithout you being in sight...
En naadi narambu surungi ponenaeMy nerves and veins shriveled up,
Naan ponenae…I became shriveled...
Male
…………………....
Male
Iduppula vecha paanaThe pot resting on your waist,
Un madippula nikkuthadiStays balanced on your hip fold, girl.
Andha madippula vaikkura podhaeWhen you place it in that fold,
En manasae sikkuthadiMy heart gets caught right there, girl.
Male
Andha paanaikku kedacha motchamThe salvation that clay pot received,
Indha paavikku kedaikkala diThis poor sinner did not get, girl.
Kula saamikku kooda kannuEven the eyes of our family deity,
Konjam kolara poochudha diSeem to have gone a bit faulty, girl.
Male
Paaladainja veeda kedakku en manasuMy heart lies abandoned like a dilapidated house,
Nee odi vandhu ottara adichu usura kaapathuRun to me, clear away the cobwebs, and save my life.
Paaladainja veeda kedakku en manasuMy heart lies abandoned like a dilapidated house,
Nee odi vandhu ottara adichu usura kaapathuRun to me, clear away the cobwebs, and save my life.
Male
Minmini poochiya polaLike a glowing firefly,
Nee minnitu poriyediYou flash by and disappear, girl.
Andha kaananguruviya polaLike that forest bird,
Kannil kaanama poniyadiYou vanished right out of my sight, girl.
Male
Veppamarathu nizhalaaLike the shade of a neem tree,
Nee veroonda venumadiYou need to take deep root, girl.
Un nizhalin arumai therinjaeKnowing the true value of your shade,
Naan thalai saaika venumadiI want to lay my head down and rest.
Male
Pathara poiyu saruga aachu en manasuMy heart dried up like withered fallen leaves,
Nee odi vandhu neera ninnu usurukku usuruttuRun to me like refreshing water and breathe life into my soul.
Pathara poiyu saruga aachu en manasuMy heart dried up like withered fallen leaves,
Nee odi vandhu neera ninnu usurukku usuruttuRun to me like refreshing water and breathe life into my soul.
Male
Usurae…thaanae…Oh my life... on its own...
Thanananae thanananae…Rhythmic vocal beats...
Thanananae thanananae…Rhythmic vocal beats...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song expresses the intense romantic devotion and helplessness felt by the protagonist in the absence of his beloved. Even a brief separation of four minutes paralyzes him emotionally and physically—making him feel blind, mute, and turned to stone. Through earthy folk imagery, he describes his heart as a ruined, cobwebbed house that only her arrival can restore to life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

Silaiyaa ninnenae

Compares the protagonist's stillness to a statue undergoing penance ('Silaiyaa ninnenae / Thavama ninnenae') and the beloved's fleeting glance to a firefly ('Minmini poochiya pola').

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Paaladainja veeda kedakku en manasu

Compares the speaker's neglected emotional state directly to an abandoned, cobweb-filled house ('Paaladainja veeda kedakku en manasu').

Hyperbole (Uruvagamm / Uyarthu Navirtchi)

Naalu nimisham unna kaanama... En naadi narambu surungi ponenae

Exaggerates the physical impact of a brief 4-minute separation by claiming his nerves shriveled up completely.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the critically acclaimed film Soorarai Pottru (2020), this soulful folk track features music composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar with raw, rustic lyrics penned by Maya Mahalingam.

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