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Jadhikkoru Needhi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Yetramadi Yetram

From Jadhikkoru Needhi · 1981

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Jadhikkoru Needhi
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
10 Feb 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
…………………
Yaettramadi yaettram idhu inba vaazhvin thottram
Yaettramadi yaettram idhu inba vaazhvin thottram
Female :Yaettraththukkum kadhalukkum edhuvumillai maattaram
Yaettraththukkum kadhalukkum edhuvumillai maattaram
Thanthaanae thaanae thanthaanae
Female :Thanthaanae thaanae thanthaanae
Yaettraththukku maadu rendu inainju poganum
Female :Antha ilakkanaththai naamum kooda therinju vaazhanum
Male :Yaettraththukku maadu rendu inainju poganum
Female :Antha ilakkanaththai naamum kooda therinju vaazhanum
Azhagu vellam vayalil paayum yaettraththinaalae
Azhagu vellam vayalil paayum yaettraththinaalae
Female :Antha vellam vaazhvil paayum kadhalinaalae
Yaettramadi yaettram idhu inba vaazhvin thottram
Female :Yaettraththukkum kadhalukkum edhuvumillai maattaram
Thanthaanae thaanae thaanae thanthaanae
Thanthaanae thaanae thaanae thanthaanae
Vitterincha ponnarivaal vaanaththilae
Siru venn piraiyaai oornthu varum neraththilae
Vitterincha ponnarivaal vaanaththilae
Siru venn piraiyaai oornthu varum neraththilae
Nee kitta vanthu paada venum tamil paattu
Nee kitta vanthu paada venum tamil paattu
Naan thaenum paalum kudikka venum adhai kettu
Yaettramadi yaettram idhu inba vaazhvin thottram
Female :Yaettraththukkum kadhalukkum edhuvumillai maattaram
Mullai poovu thendralilae idhazh virikkum
Mega minnalilae thaazhmpoovu madal virikkum
Mullai poovu thendralilae idhazh virikkum
Mega minnalilae thaazhmpoovu madal virikkum
En dhuraiyae unnai kandaal manam sirikkum
En dhuraiyae unnai kandaal manam sirikkum
Ullae yaededuththu ezhuthaatha kavi pirakkum
Yaettramadi yaettram idhu inba vaazhvin thottram
Female :Yaettraththukkum kadhalukkum edhuvumillai maattaram
Thanthaanae thaanae thaanae thanthaanae
Female :Thanthaanae thaanae thaanae thanthaanae
Thaanae thaanae thanthaanae
Thaanae thaanae thanthaanae
...
Draw the water-piccotah, my girl, draw! This is the beginning of a joyful life.
Draw the water-piccotah, my girl, draw! This is the beginning of a joyful life.
Female: Between the water-piccotah and love, there is no difference at all.
Between the water-piccotah and love, there is no difference at all.
Thanthanae thanae thanthanae
Female: Thanthanae thanae thanthanae
For the piccotah to work, two oxen must pull together in harmony.
Female: We too must learn that grammar and live our lives accordingly.
Male: For the piccotah to work, two oxen must pull together in harmony.
Female: We too must learn that grammar and live our lives accordingly.
A flood of beauty flows into the field through the water-lift.
A flood of beauty flows into the field through the water-lift.
Female: That same flood flows into life through love.
Draw the water-piccotah, my girl, draw! This is the beginning of a joyful life.
Female: Between the water-piccotah and love, there is no difference at all.
Thanthanae thanae thanae thanthanae
Thanthanae thanae thanae thanthanae
Like a golden sickle thrown into the sky,
At the hour when it creeps in as a small white crescent moon,
Like a golden sickle thrown into the sky,
At the hour when it creeps in as a small white crescent moon,
You should come near me and sing a Tamil song,
You should come near me and sing a Tamil song,
Listening to it, I shall drink milk and honey.
Draw the water-piccotah, my girl, draw! This is the beginning of a joyful life.
Female: Between the water-piccotah and love, there is no difference at all.
The jasmine flower unfolds its petals in the gentle breeze,
In the lightning of the clouds, the screwpine flower unfurls its petals.
The jasmine flower unfolds its petals in the gentle breeze,
In the lightning of the clouds, the screwpine flower unfurls its petals.
My lord, seeing you makes my heart smile,
My lord, seeing you makes my heart smile,
Deep inside, an unwritten poem is born.
Draw the water-piccotah, my girl, draw! This is the beginning of a joyful life.
Female: Between the water-piccotah and love, there is no difference at all.
Thanthanae thanae thanae thanthanae
Female: Thanthanae thanae thanae thanthanae
Thanae thanae thanthanae
Thanae thanae thanthanae
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is structured in the traditional Tamil folk style of 'Ettrapattu'—songs sung by farmers while operating a water-lift (picottah) to irrigate fields. Through this rustic setting, the lovers draw a poetic comparison between agricultural labor and married life. Just as two oxen must move together in perfect synchronization for the water-lift to work and make the fields flourish, a couple must live in mutual understanding for love to bring joy and prosperity into their lives. As the night falls, symbolized by the crescent moon appearing like a golden sickle in the sky, the couple exchanges romantic expressions. The imagery shifts to blooming jasmine and screwpine flowers reacting to nature, reflecting how the sight of the beloved causes spontaneous poetry and sweetness to erupt within the heart without ever being written down.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Analogy / Metaphor

“Yaettraththukku maadu rendu inainju poganum / Antha ilakkanaththai naamum kooda therinju vaazhanum”

Compares the necessity of two oxen pulling together in a water-lift to the harmonious togetherness required in marital life.

Imagery / Visual Metaphor

“Vitterincha ponnarivaal vaanaththilae / Siru venn piraiyaai oornthu varum neraththilae”

Creates vivid visual imagery by comparing the rising crescent moon to a golden sickle tossed up into the night sky.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

“idhazh virikkum / madal virikkum / manam sirikkum / kavi pirakkum”

Uses matching verbal endings across consecutive lines to create a rhythmic, melodic flow typical of folk ballads.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the renowned poet and lyricist Pulamaipithan for the 1981 Tamil film 'Jadhikkoru Needhi', this track captures authentic Tamil rural life by drawing on the ancient tradition of 'Ettrapattu' (picottah water-drawing folk songs), seamlessly blending agricultural culture with romantic poetry.

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