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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Yemara Sonnathu

From Naanum Oru Penn · 1963

Lyricist
Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Naanum Oru Penn
Movie release year
1963
Lyrics added on
18 Apr 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Yemaara sonnathu naano
En meedhu kobam thaano
Manam maari povathum yeno
Engae nee sendraalum viduveno
Left right left right
Left right left right
About turn
{Kangalo mounamaai
Kaadhalai pesuthae
Aiyaiyo un mugam
Kobathanal veesuthae…} (2)
Indha bhaavanai kobamum yeno
Idhu paavaiyar saagasam thaano
Manam maari povathum yeno
Engae nee sendraalum viduveno
Yemaara sonnathu naano
En meedhu kobam thaano
Manam maari povathum yeno
Engae nee sendraalum viduveno
Left right left right
Left right left right
About turn
{Punnagai kaatiyae
Bothaiyai yetrinaai…
Kanniyae paadhiyil
Kathaiyai yen maatrinaai..} (2)
Thunai thedi thavikuthae paruvam
Anbai moodi maraikkuthu un garuvam
Manam maari povathum yeno
Engae nee sendraalum viduveno
Yemaara sonnathu naano
En meedhu kobam thaano
Manam maari povathum yeno
Engae nee sendraalum viduveno
Left right left right
Left right left right
About turn
Did I ask you to be fooled?
Are you really angry with me?
Why are you having a change of heart?
Wherever you go, will I ever let you go?
Left, right, left, right
Left, right, left, right
About turn!
While your eyes silently
speak of love,
oh dear, your face
breathes the fiery embers of anger!
Why this pretend anger?
Is this just a woman's playful trick?
Why are you having a change of heart?
Wherever you go, will I ever let you go?
Did I ask you to be fooled?
Are you really angry with me?
Why are you having a change of heart?
Wherever you go, will I ever let you go?
Left, right, left, right
Left, right, left, right
About turn!
Flashing a sweet smile,
you made me drunk on love...
O girl, halfway through,
why did you change the story?
Youth longs desperately for a partner,
yet your pride hides your love.
Why are you having a change of heart?
Wherever you go, will I ever let you go?
Did I ask you to be fooled?
Are you really angry with me?
Why are you having a change of heart?
Wherever you go, will I ever let you go?
Left, right, left, right
Left, right, left, right
About turn!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Yemaara Sonnathu Naano from the 1963 Tamil film Naanum Oru Penn is a lighthearted, playful track where the lover teases his beloved as she pretends to march away in anger. Using military parade commands like Left right left right and About turn, the song humorously frames her attempt to walk away as a formal march while he refuses to let her go. He notes that despite her fierce expression, her silent eyes reveal her deep affection for him. He questions why her heart seems to have shifted and whether her annoyance is real or just a classic romantic ploy. He reminds her of how she initially enchanted him with her smile and urges her not to let pride hide her love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Yemaara sonnathu naano / En meedhu kobam thaano / Manam maari povathum yeno

The lines end with rhyming suffixes ('naano', 'thaano', 'yeno'), giving a rhythmic cadence.

Metaphor

Kobathanal veesuthae…

Describing her anger as hot blowing embers ('kobathanal'), emphasizing her intense heat of annoyance.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Kangalo mounamaai / Kaadhalai pesuthae

Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound in 'Kangalo' and 'Kaadhalai'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Naanum Oru Penn (1963), directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar, starred S. S. Rajendran and C. R. Vijayakumari. The music for the film was composed by R. Sudarsanam, with lyrics penned by Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil at the 11th National Film Awards.

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