- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Annamitta Kai
- Movie release year
- 1972
- Lyrics added on
- 27 Aug 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Annamitta Kai' is a socio-political anthem celebrating the dignity of labor and the indispensable role of the working class—farmers, weavers, miners, and laborers—in sustaining society. Written by Vaali for M. G. Ramachandran (MGR), the song emphasizes self-reliance, moral nobility, hard work, and socialist ideals. It glorifies workers as the backbone of humanity, whose labor feeds, clothes, and enriches the world. The song calls for eradicating poverty through honest labor and positive thinking rather than exploitation or idle dependency.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monoreyme / Etukai (Assonance)
“Annamitta kai… / Nanmai aakki vitta kai…”
Repetition of the second letter 'n' (nn) in 'Annamitta' and 'Nanmai', providing rhythmic cohesion across lines.
Epanalepsis / Repetition
“Annamitta kai…”
Refrain phrase 'Annamitta kai' is repeated throughout the song to anchor the theme of benevolence and hard labor.
Rhyme / Iyaibu
“Illaamai neekka vendum / Thozhil aakkam vendum / Ingu ellorum vaazha vendum”
End-rhyme featuring '-vendum' across consecutive lines to emphasize moral imperatives.
Personification / Synecdoche
“Vaazha vaikkum kai / Adhu ezhai makkal kai”
Using 'kai' (hand) to represent the entirety of the laboring individual and working class.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Annamitta Kai' (1972) was M. G. Ramachandran's last film released under the banner of MGR Pictures before he founded his political party, ADMK, in October 1972. The film's title and lead song were strategically used to reinforce MGR's public image as a champion of the poor and a benevolent giver.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Annamitta Kai
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.