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Lyrics & meaning

Yelakkai Malai Mele

From Erimalai · 1985

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
M. S. Vishwanathan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Erimalai
Movie release year
1985
Lyrics added on
20 Dec 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Yaelakkaai malai melae giraamakka vanthaalaam
Parikkaatha poovaattam vayasu ponn ninnaalaam
Female :Aah aah aah
Male :Yaelakkaai malai melae giraamakka vanthaalaam
Parikkaatha poovaattam vayasu ponn ninnaalaam
Female :Aah aah aah
Idhu pani kottum raaththiri neram
Female :Aah aah
Male :Ivar porththikka porvaiya kaanom
Female :Aah aah
Idhu pani kottum raaththiri neram
Ivar porththikka porvaiya kaanom
Poththikka vaa mama poo vaadi polaamaa
Manasu rendum koodaamae odhungiththaan nippomaa
Yaelakkaai malai melae giraamakka vanthaalaam
Parikkaatha poovaattam vayasu ponn ninnaalaam
Aahaa kodi pudikka sokkuthu kannu
Female :Aah aah aah
Male :Aahaa kaadu therinju vanthathu maanu
Female :Aah aah aah
Aahaa kodi pudikka sokkuthu kannu
Aahaa kaadu therinju vanthathu maanu
Kattiyanaikka aasaiyirukkaa
Kaththiya polae meesaiyirukkaa
Irunthaa neettuga avanavan thola
Vizhuthaa paappom azhagiya maala
Irunthaa neettuga avanavan thola
Vizhuthaa paappom azhagiya maala
Kidaikkanum sari jodithaan
Kodhikkuthu ila naadithaan
Iva vishayaththa thaedura aalu
Ingu koodaiya koottaththil yaaru
Yaelakkaai malai melae giraamakka vanthaalaam
Parikkaatha poovaattam vayasu ponn ninnaalaam
Aahaa unna nenaichchu aasaiyum thulla
Aahaa yaekkam irukku yaaridam solla
Aahaa unna nenaichchu aasaiyum thulla
Yaekkam irukku yaaridam solla
Kotti muzhakka melam irukku
Mettukku yaeththa thaalam irukku
Aahaa thaniya naan ingu vaadura poovai
Thunaiyaa nee vara verenna thevai
Ahaa ahaa ahaa
Aahaa thaniya naan ingu vaadura poovai
Thunaiyaa nee vara verenna thevai
Thudikkithu oru ponnuthaan
Kodhikkuthu manam onnuthaan
Ada idhaivida naanennaa solvaen
Intha jaadaiyai paarththathum mella
Yaelakkaai malai melae
Female :Aamam
Male :Giraamakka vanthaalaam
Female :Aamam
Male :Parikkaatha poovaattam
Female :Aamam
Male :Vayasu ponn ninnaalaam
Female :Aamam
They say a village girl came up the cardamom hills,
Like an unplucked flower, a young maiden stood there.
Female: Ah, ah, ah
Male: They say a village girl came up the cardamom hills,
Like an unplucked flower, a young maiden stood there.
Female: Ah, ah, ah
It is a night when the cold mist falls thick,
Female: Ah, ah
Male: And she has no blanket to wrap herself in!
Female: Ah, ah
It is a night when the cold mist falls thick,
And she has no blanket to wrap herself in!
Come hold me close, my love, should a flower wither away?
Without our hearts coming together, should we just stand apart?
They say a village girl came up the cardamom hills,
Like an unplucked flower, a young maiden stood there.
Aha, her eyes swoon with sweet enchantment,
Female: Ah, ah, ah
Male: Aha, the deer has arrived, knowing the forest well!
Female: Ah, ah, ah
Aha, her eyes swoon with sweet enchantment,
Aha, the deer has arrived, knowing the forest well!
Do you have the urge to hold her tight?
Do you have a mustache sharp as a knife?
If you do, let each man offer his shoulder,
Let us see whose neck the lovely garland falls upon!
If you do, let each man offer his shoulder,
Let us see whose neck the lovely garland falls upon!
She must find the right match,
For her youthful pulse is running hot!
The one who seeks to win her heart,
Who is he in this gathering crowd?
They say a village girl came up the cardamom hills,
Like an unplucked flower, a young maiden stood there.
Aha, thinking of you, my desire leaps with joy,
Aha, I have a deep longing, who can I tell it to?
Aha, thinking of you, my desire leaps with joy,
I have a deep longing, who can I tell it to?
There are drums ready to beat with full sound,
There is a matching rhythm for every tune!
Aha, for me, a flower withering here all alone,
If you come by my side as a partner, what else do I need?
Aha, aha, aha
Aha, for me, a flower withering here all alone,
If you come by my side as a partner, what else do I need?
A young girl's heart is fluttering,
Her mind is burning with desire!
Ah, what more can I say than this,
After catching these subtle hints?
Up on the cardamom hills,
Female: Yes!
Male: They say a village girl came,
Female: Yes!
Male: Like an unplucked flower,
Female: Yes!
Male: A young maiden stood there!
Female: Yes!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from the 1985 movie Erimalai is a vibrant rural romantic duet set against the backdrop of the cardamom-scented hills. Written by Vaali, the song uses playful folk metaphors comparing the young woman to an unplucked flower and a gentle deer, while highlighting the longing and youthful passion between the couple during a cold, misty night. Through catchy exchanges and suggestive banter, the song captures the yearning for companionship and the playful courtship rituals of rural lovers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Parikkaatha poovaattam vayasu ponn ninnaalaam

The young girl is compared to an unplucked flower using the simile marker 'aattam'.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kattiyanaikka aasaiyirukkaa / Kaththiya polae meesaiyirukkaa

The second consonant 'tt' sound is repeated across consecutive lines ('Kattiyanaikka' and 'Kaththiya').

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Aahaa thaniya naan ingu vaadura poovai

The singer directly metaphorizes herself as a lonely, wilting flower yearning for a companion.

Did you know?

Trivia

Penned by legendary lyricist Vaali for the movie 'Erimalai' (1985), the song highlights traditional Tamil folk song structures where male and female voices engage in call-and-response refrain lines, using hill-country regional metaphors like 'Yaelakkaai malai' (Cardamom Hills).

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