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Sathanai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ah Aah Eee

From Sathanai · 2006

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singers
K. S. Chithra, Manikka Vinayagam
Music director
Premkumar S
Movie name
Sathanai
Movie release year
2006
Lyrics added on
21 Aug 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ah aah e ee uh ooo
Hey padikkalanna makku
Aana kashtamthaanda ezhutha padikirathu
Aana padicha pinne romba pudikirathu
Aa nna amma da aah nna aadadaa
E nna ilaikelu ee nna eelana da
Konda konda slate kondaa
Palbathaale ezhuthuvandaa
Ah aah e ee uh ooo
Hey padikkalanna makku.. aah..
Pallikkoodam kasantha pinne sambu poraane
Abcd solla solli thiruppi solraane
Kaalaila enthirichi paper porukkuraane
Convent pasangala ellaam friend ah maathraane
Onnaanglass parichai indri paasu aanaane
Rendaanglass paadam kooda padichi mudichaane
Kutties ellaam guruvaaga
Kalviyum inga eruvaaga
Hey ellorum kelunga yegalaivan ivananaan
Konjoondu kaalathile guruvukke guruvanaan
Naalai ivan kaiyile
Naatkal ivan paiyile
Ah aah e ee uh ooo
Hey padikkalanna makku.. aah..
Antha kaala theruvilakkil anna padicharu
America collegaye arivaal adichaaru
Rameswaram platforathil paper vithaaru
Raapagal padichu abdul kalaamu president aanaaru
Paper porukki palliku veliye sambu padichaane
Moonanglasa naalaanglasayum karachi kudichaane
Oh doctor aaga povaano
Avan engineer aavaano
Vakkeela ivan maari vaathamthaan seivaano
Varalaaraa ivan maari velichangal tharuvaano
Naalai ivan kaiyile
Naatkal ivan paiyile
Ah aah e ee uh ooo
Hey padikkalanna makku.. aah..
Aana kashtamthaanda ezhutha padikirathu
Aana padicha pinne romba pudikirathu
Aa nna amma da aah nna aadadaa
E nna ilaikelu ee nna eelana da
Konda konda slate kondaa
Palbathaale ezhuthuvandaa
Ah aah e ee uh ooo
Hey padikkalanna makku
Aa aahh..
A, Aa, I, Ee, U, Oo...
Hey, if you don't study, you're a dummy!
Learning to read and write is really tough, man!
But once you learn it, you will love it so much!
'A' is for Amma (mother), and 'Aa' is for goat!
'I' is for leaf, listen, 'Ee' is for spear!
Bring it over, bring the slate here!
He will write with a slate pencil!
A, Aa, I, Ee, U, Oo...
Hey, if you don't study, you're a dummy... ah!
Even when school felt bitter, Shambu kept going,
Asking others to teach him ABCD, he repeats after them!
Waking up in the morning, he collects scrap paper,
And makes friends with all the convent school kids!
Without writing any exams, he passed the first grade,
He even finished studying the second grade lessons!
With all the little children as his teachers,
And education acting as the fertilizer here,
Hey everyone listen, he has become an Ekalavya (the self-taught learner)!
In no time at all, he became a teacher to his own masters!
Tomorrow is in his hands!
The coming days are in his bag!
A, Aa, I, Ee, U, Oo...
Hey, if you don't study, you're a dummy... ah!
Back in those days, Anna studied under the streetlights,
And conquered American universities with his sharp mind!
He sold newspapers on the Rameswaram railway platform,
And studying day and night, Abdul Kalam became the President!
Collecting scrap paper, Shambu studied outside the school,
He mastered both third grade and fourth grade completely!
Oh, will he grow up to become a doctor?
Will he become an engineer?
Will he turn into a lawyer and argue cases?
Or will he turn into history itself and spread light?
Tomorrow is in his hands!
The coming days are in his bag!
A, Aa, I, Ee, U, Oo...
Hey, if you don't study, you're a dummy... ah!
Learning to read and write is really tough, man!
But once you learn it, you will love it so much!
'A' is for Amma (mother), and 'Aa' is for goat!
'I' is for leaf, listen, 'Ee' is for spear!
Bring it over, bring the slate here!
He will write with a slate pencil!
A, Aa, I, Ee, U, Oo...
Hey, if you don't study, you're a dummy!
Ah, aah...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Padikkalanna Makku from the film Sathanai is an uplifting educational anthem that emphasizes the joy and power of learning. It tells the story of Sambu, an underprivileged child who collects waste paper to make a living, yet possesses an insatiable thirst for knowledge. By befriending convent school students and learning from them outside the classroom, Sambu self-educates and rapidly masters primary school levels.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Mythological Allusion

Hey ellorum kelunga yegalaivan ivananaan

Compares the self-taught young protagonist to Ekalavya, the legendary Mahabharata character who mastered archery without formal instruction from a master.

Historical Exemplum

Antha kaala theruvilakkil anna padicharu... Raapagal padichu abdul kalaamu president aanaaru

References former Chief Minister C. N. Annadurai and President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam as real-life inspirations who rose from poverty and humble beginnings through dedication to education.

Idiomatic Hyperbole / Metaphor

Moonanglasa naalaanglasayum karachi kudichaane

The phrase 'karachi kudichaane' literally translates to 'dissolved and drank', an idiom meaning mastering concepts entirely and effortlessly.

End Rhyming / Iyaippu

Naalai ivan kaiyile / Naatkal ivan paiyile

Uses matching rhyming suffixes ('kaiyile' and 'paiyile') to create a rhythmic, catchy cadence suitable for children.

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Trivia

Lyricist Na. Muthukumar was renowned for writing evocative songs about childhood, education, and social upliftment. This song playfully weaves basic Tamil alphabetic mnemonics (Aa for Amma, Aah for Aadu) with inspiring life stories of icons like Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam to motivate young listeners.

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