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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vaalibam Oru

From Neelagiri Express · 1968

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari
Music director
T. K. Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Neelagiri Express
Movie release year
1968
Lyrics added on
12 Jan 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Humming ……….
Vaalibam oru vellithattu
Varuvadhai adhil allikottu
Vaazhkai vaazhvadharkkae
Kaadhalil iru kannai vittu
Kalandhu poo oru pennai thottu
Kaalam kadhalukkae
Humming ……….
Sittraadai katti konda
Chinna pennai kandum
Female :Kattadha pakkam mattum
Kangal rendum sellum
Humming ……….
Kattodu katta solli
Kaigal rendum thullum
Female :Kaadhal ennum vellam vandhu
Kaalai thottu sellum
Kottungadi kaiyai kottungadi
Indha kuruttu maattai kattungadi
Koodi thavittai vaari eduthu
Kozhaichu pottu thattungadi
Thattungadi thattungadi thattungadi thattungadi
Kottungadi kaiyai kottungadi
Indha kuruttu maattai kattungadi
Koodi thavittai vaari eduthu
Kozhaichu pottu thattungadi
Vaetti kattum maamavukku
Saelai kattungadi nalla
Mooku kuthungadi konjam
Paarthu kuthungadi
Kottaikullae poga solli
Kadhavai sathadi
Ullae vazhiyai maathadi
Aiyaa muzhiyai paaradi
Kottungadi kaiyai kottungadi
Indha kuruttu maattai kattungadi
Koodi thavittai vaari eduthu
Kozhaichu pottu thattungadi
Thattungadi thattungadi thattungadi thattungadi
Aathadi ivar mugathai paaru
Aalolangili so
Chorus :Aaso aasoo aasoo
Male :Aathadi ivar mugathai paaru
Aalolangili so
Aiyaa vaettiyai kizhichoo
Potta sattaiyai kizhichoo
Amma kummanguthu vaangi kattikko
Summa rangi pannikichoo
Innum baaki vachikichoo
Amma kummanguthu vaangi kattikko
Summa rangi pannikichoo
Innum baaki vachikichoo
………………..
[Humming...]
Youth is a silver platter,
Scoop up whatever comes your way and fill it.
Life is meant for living!
Set both your eyes on love,
Touch a woman and lose yourself in her,
Time is made for love!
[Humming...]
Even when seeing a young girl
draped in a short sari,
Female: Only toward the uncovered parts
do both his eyes wander.
[Humming...]
Longing to hold her tight,
both hands eagerly reach out.
Female: A flood called love sweeps in
and gently brushes past the feet.
Clap your hands, girls, clap your hands!
Tie up this blind bull, girls!
Gather together, scoop up some cattle feed,
mix it well, and pat it into cakes!
Pat it down, pat it down, pat it down, pat it down!
Clap your hands, girls, clap your hands!
Tie up this blind bull, girls!
Gather together, scoop up some cattle feed,
mix it well, and pat it into cakes!
On this uncle who wears a dhoti,
wrap a sari, girls!
Pierce a ring in his nose, girls,
and pierce it carefully!
Tell him to go inside the fort,
shut the door on him,
confuse his path inside,
and look at his bewildered stare!
Clap your hands, girls, clap your hands!
Tie up this blind bull, girls!
Gather together, scoop up some cattle feed,
mix it well, and pat it into cakes!
Pat it down, pat it down, pat it down, pat it down!
Oh my goodness, look at his face!
Shoo, little parrot, shoo!
Chorus: Aaso, aasoo, aasoo!
Male: Oh my goodness, look at his face!
Shoo, little parrot, shoo!
Mister's dhoti got torn,
The shirt he wore got shredded!
Girl, get ready for a good thumping!
She is just putting on haughty airs,
and she still has a score to settle!
Girl, get ready for a good thumping!
She is just putting on haughty airs,
and she still has a score to settle!
[Music...]
Chorus
Male
Female
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Chorus
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a lively and comedic folk-style track from the 1968 film 'Neelagiri Express'. It begins with romantic philosophy, framing youth as a silver plate meant to be filled with life's pleasures and love. As the track progresses, it transitions into a spirited sequence of folk banter where a group of women humorously tease a man, playfully referring to him as a 'blind bull' and making light threats to dress him in a saree, pierce his nose, and lock him up. Written by Kannadasan and composed by T. K. Ramamoorthy, the song relies on rhythmic folk percussion, high energy vocals by T. M. Soundarajan and L. R. Eswari, and playful hyperbole to create a slapstick, festive atmosphere typical of 1960s Tamil cinema dance numbers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

“Vaalibam oru vellithattu”

Youth is explicitly compared to a silver plate ('Vaalibam oru vellithattu') to express its preciousness and readiness to receive joy, while love is metaphorically described as a flood ('Kaadhal ennum vellam').

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

“Kottungadi kaiyai kottungadi / Indha kuruttu maattai kattungadi”

Matching initial consonants across consecutive lines (e.g., 'Va-a' sound in Vaalibam, Varuvadhai, Vaazhkai; 'Ka-a' sound in Kottungadi, Kuruttu, Koodi, Kozhaichu).

Ethirai (Second-Letter Rhyme)

“Kottungadi kaiyai kottungadi / Indha kuruttu maattai kattungadi”

Rhyming second letters in adjacent words or lines, such as 'tt' in 'Kottungadi', 'kattungadi', and 'thattungadi'.

Adukku Thodar / Onomatopoeia (Repetition)

“Thattungadi thattungadi thattungadi thattungadi”

Repetition of words like 'Thattungadi' and vocal sounds like 'Aaso aasoo' mimicking the rhythmic clapping and bird-scaring sounds (Aalolangili).

Did you know?

Trivia

'Neelagiri Express' (1968) is a famous Tamil thrill-mystery starring Jaishankar and Cho Ramaswamy. This song showcases T. K. Ramamoorthy's standalone musical direction following the split of the legendary Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy duo. The high-pitched, energetic female vocal renditions by L. R. Eswari made this track a popular folk-dance staple.

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