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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Where You Are

From Nambinal Nambungal · 1982

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Deepan Chakravarthy, Uma Ramanan
Music director
Gangai Amaran
Details
Nambinal Nambungal1982

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics↻ English translation
Male
Hae….where you are….Hey... where are you?
Female :Ho….There i amHo... there I am!
Female
Hae….where you are….Hey... where are you?
Ho….There i amHo... there I am!
Our love is divine everlosting heavenOur love is divine, everlasting heaven.
I love i live for youI love, I live for you.
Male
Hae….where you are….Hey... where are you?
Ho….There i amHo... there I am!
Our love is divine everlosting heavenOur love is divine, everlasting heaven.
I love i live for youI love, I live for you.
Female
Lilly flower the lips are sugarLily flower, lips as sweet as sugar.
Your love bird is singing hereYour lovebird is singing right here.
Charming figure the dancing riverA charming figure, like a dancing river.
Your dream girl is smiling hereYour dream girl is smiling right here.
Male
Unakkaga naan enakkaaga neeI am for you, and you are for me.
Unnai ninaikkaamal sugamillaiyaeThere is no bliss without thinking of you.
Female :Our days are blindOur days are blind.
Male :Yes you are rightYes, you are right.
Female :Many daysMany days.
Male :Many nightsMany nights.
Both :HoneymoonHoneymoon!
Male
Hae….where you are….Hey... where are you?
Female :Ho….There i amHo... there I am!
Male :Our love is divineOur love is divine.
Female :Ever losting heavenEverlasting heaven.
Both :I love i live for youI love, I live for you.
Male
Oru romeo thunai oru julietA Romeo accompanied by a Juliet.
Adhu azhiyaatha kadhai allavoIsn't that an immortal story?
Oru kaaviyam antha ezhuththoviyamAn epic masterpiece, a painting drawn with words.
Endrum nilaiyaana kavi allavoIsn't it an eternal poem forever?
Female
Ho my dear you are nearOh my dear, you are near.
Your girl friend is waiting hereYour girlfriend is waiting here.
Male :This is love storyThis is a love story.
Female :Our thoughts are freeOur thoughts are free.
Male :Many daysMany days.
Female :Many nightsMany nights.
Both :HoneymoonHoneymoon!
Female
Hae….where you are….Hey... where are you?
Male :Ho….There i amHo... there I am!
Female :Our love is divineOur love is divine.
Male :Everlosting heavenEverlasting heaven.
Both :I love i live for youI love, I live for you.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful duet from 'Nambinal Nambungal' (1982) captures the youthful exuberance and deep romantic devotion of a couple celebrating their bond. Blending early 'Tanglish' pop sensibilities with traditional Tamil lyrical metaphors, the lovers declare that their life's purpose revolves around each other, looking forward to a blissful future together.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (Rhyming Endings)

“Adhu azhiyaatha kadhai allavo / Endrum nilaiyaana kavi allavo”

The repetitive ending 'allavo' at the end of consecutive lines creates a rhythmic, musical cadence characteristic of Tamil lyricism.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Oru kaaviyam antha ezhuththoviyam”

Love is metaphorically described as an epic masterpiece ('kaaviyam') and a 'painting made of written words' ('ezhuththoviyam').

Cultural/Literary Allusion

“Oru romeo thunai oru juliet”

The lyrics evoke Shakespeare's famous lovers, Romeo and Juliet, as an archetype of eternal romance.

Simile / Visual Imagery

“Charming figure the dancing river”

The heroine's graceful movement and form are likened to the dynamic, flowing motion of a dancing river.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by the musical duo Shankar-Ganesh with lyrics by Vaali, this song reflects the late 1970s and early 1980s trend in Tamil cinema where English phrases ('Tanglish') were increasingly mixed into disco-inspired romantic duets. Vocalist Deepan Chakravarthy, son of legendary singer T. M. Soundararajan, frequently lent his voice to energetic tracks composed by Shankar-Ganesh alongside playback singer Uma Ramanan during this era.

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