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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Yethanaiyo

From Moondru Mugam · 1982

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
S. Janaki, Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Moondru Mugam1982

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ethanaiyo potta pulla engengaeyo paathaenI have seen so many girls everywhere,
Unna pola yaarum illa paatha undan vaerthaenThere is no one like you; the moment I saw you, I began to sweat.
Kattazhaga paathu paathu kannu rendum poothaenGazing continuously at your beautiful physique, my eyes bloomed.
Oho aahaa yaehae oho aahaa aahaa aahaahaaOho aahaa yaehae oho aahaa aahaa aahaahaa
Male
Ethanaiyo potta pulla engengaeyo paathaenI have seen so many girls everywhere,
Unna pola yaarum illa paatha undan vaerthaenThere is no one like you; the moment I saw you, I began to sweat.
Kattazhaga paathu paathu kannu rendum poothaenGazing continuously at your beautiful physique, my eyes bloomed.
Oho aahaa yaehae oho aahaa aahaa aahaahaaOho aahaa yaehae oho aahaa aahaa aahaahaa
Male
Ravukka pudavaigalai sumakkum puravaigalaiThe doves that carry blouses and sarees,
Ragasiya idangalil rasippadhu naan thaan killaadiI am an expert at admiring them in secret places.
Female
HaaHaa
Male
Adi ammaadiOh my goodness!
Female
HaaHaa
Male
Idhu puriyum pinnadiYou will understand this later.
Female
Aa… valachu pudikkaiyilaAh... when embracing you tightly,
Vaari edukkaiyilaWhen scooping you up in my arms,
Odambila elumbila narambila yaedho minsaaramIn the body, the bones, and the nerves, some kind of electricity flows.
Ippa undaachu adhil vekkam poyaachuIt has emerged now, and shyness has vanished.
Male
Nee thaan maandhoppu muhum humYou are the mango grove, mhum hum,
Naan thaan poongaatthuAnd I am the gentle breeze.
Female
AhaahaaAhaahaa
Male
Paidipaen thaalaattu thanannaaI will sing a lullaby, thanannaa,
Madi mael naan pottuPlacing you upon my lap.
Nee thaan maandhoppu muhum humYou are the mango grove, mhum hum,
Naan thaan poongaatthuAnd I am the gentle breeze.
Female
AhaahaaAhaahaa
Male
Paidipaen thaalaattu thanannaaI will sing a lullaby, thanannaa,
Madi mael naan pottuPlacing you upon my lap.
Female
Kaumbu chaaraiyaa kudichu paaraiyaaTry tasting the juice from the stem,
Nenachaa oorum kanni thaenaiyaaJust at the thought of it, virgin honey starts flowing.
Oho yaehae oho yaehae oho yaehae haehaehaeOho yaehae oho yaehae oho yaehae haehaehae
Female
Ethanaiyo aambullaiya engengaeyo paathaenI have seen so many men everywhere,
Unna pola yaarum illa paatha udan vaerthaenThere is no one like you; as soon as I saw you, I sweated.
Unnazhaga paathu paathu kannu rendum poothaenGazing at your handsomeness, my eyes bloomed.
Female
Kuruvi kulikka oru aruvi irukkaiylaWhen there is a waterfall for a sparrow to bathe in,
Kodhippenna thavippenna thudippennaWhy this boiling, why this longing, why this throbbing?
Maamaa onnoduUncle/Darling, with you,
Male
Aa…Ah...
Female
Vaa ennoduCome with me,
Male
Aa…Ah...
Female
Thaen kulathil neeraaduBathe in the pool of honey.
Male
Kaninja kani irukka kadikka anil irukkaWhen there is a ripe fruit and a squirrel ready to bite it,
Nenachadhu kedachadhu adichadhu yogamWhat was wished for was received; fortune has struck!
In naeram idhu pon naeram nee inikkum paniyaaramThis time is a golden time; you are a sweet delicacy.
Female
Paathaa padhinaaru mhum humLooking like a sweet sixteen-year-old, mhum hum,
Pongum paalaaruAn overflowing river of milk,
Udhattula pazha chaaru thannaanaaFruit juice upon the lips, thannaanaa,
Udanae pasiyaaruSatisfy your hunger immediately!
Paathaa padhinaaru ho ho hooLooking like a sweet sixteen-year-old, ho ho hoo,
Pongum paalaaruAn overflowing river of milk,
Udhattula pazha chaaru thannaanaaFruit juice upon the lips, thannaanaa,
Udanae pasiyaaruSatisfy your hunger immediately!
Male
Edukka naanadi kodukka neeyadiI am here to take, my girl; you are here to give, my girl,
Iravaa pagalaa inbam thaanadiWhether night or day, it is pure bliss, my girl!
Oho aahaa yaehae oho aahaa aahaa aahaahaaOho aahaa yaehae oho aahaa aahaa aahaahaa
Female
Ethanaiyo aambullaiya engengaeyo paathaenI have seen so many men everywhere,
Unna pola yaarum illa paatha udan vaerthaenThere is no one like you; as soon as I saw you, I sweated.
Unnazhaga paathu paathu kannu rendum poothaenGazing at your handsomeness, my eyes bloomed.
Male
Aa… ethanaiyo potta pulla engengaeyo paathaenAh... I have seen so many girls everywhere,
Unna pola yaarum illa paatha undan vaerthaenThere is no one like you; the moment I saw you, I began to sweat.
Female
AahaaAahaa
Male
Kattazhaga paathu paathuGazing continuously at your beautiful physique,
Kannu rendum poothaenMy eyes bloomed.
Both :{Oho aahaa yaehae oho aahaa aahaa aahaahaa }Both: Oho aahaa yaehae oho aahaa aahaa aahaahaa
Oho yaehae oho yaehae oho yaehae haehaehae }Oho yaehae oho yaehae oho yaehae haehaehae

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Ethanaiyo Potta Pulla' is an energetic and flirtatious folk duet from the iconic 1982 Tamil action film 'Moondru Mugam'. The song centers on a romantic playful banter between the male and female leads, who express their overwhelming mutual attraction. Both lovers confess that although they have encountered many people before, neither has experienced such instant passion, spark, and thrill as they do with each other. Laced with vibrant rural metaphors, lush imagery, and sensuous folk cadences, Vairamuthu's lyrics utilize nature imagery—such as mango groves, gentle winds, ripe fruits, streams of milk, and honey—to symbolize desire, warmth, and intimacy. The song seamlessly captures the thrill of flirtation and youthful romance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Nee thaan maandhoppu... Naan thaan poongaatthu

Compares the beloved lady to a lush mango grove and the man to a soothing breeze.

Idiom (Tamil Folk Idiom)

Kannu rendum poothaen

Literally translates to 'both eyes bloomed', a Tamil idiom used colloquially to express waiting intently or being spellbound by a sight.

Monai (Initial Assonance / Alliteration)

Ethanaiyo potta pulla engengaeyo paathaen

The recurrence of the initial vowel sound 'E' in 'Ethanaiyo' and 'engengaeyo'.

Imagery & Hyperbole

Pongum paalaaru / Udhattula pazha chaaru

Uses vivid hyperbole comparing youth and sweet kisses to an overflowing river of milk and fruit juice on lips.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Moondru Mugam' (1982) is a pathbreaking cult hit in Tamil cinema featuring Rajinikanth in a famous triple role (Alex Pandian, Arun, and John). Although music details are often omitted in simplified song sheets, the soundtrack was composed by the popular duo Shankar-Ganesh and sung by Malaysia Vasudevan and S. Janaki, whose energetic vocal pairing was a hallmark of Rajinikanth's 1980s mass entertainer tracks.

Keep listening

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