Appan Veettu
From Desiya Geetham · 1998
- Lyricist
- Vasan
- Singer
- Pushpavanam Kuppusamy
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Desiya Geetham1998
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Appan veetu soththai pola | Like it is your father's property, |
| Anubavikka paakureegha | You try to enjoy and consume it. |
| Aththanaikkum poi kanakku | For all of it, false accounts |
| Ezhuthi ezhuthi kaatureegha | You keep writing and showing. |
| Male | |
| Appan veetu soththai pola | Like it is your father's property, |
| Anubavikka paakureegha | You try to enjoy and consume it. |
| Aththanaikkum poi kanakku | For all of it, false accounts |
| Ezhuthi ezhuthi kaatureegha | You keep writing and showing. |
| Male | |
| Thuppu ketta pozhappu idhu | This is a disgraceful way to live, |
| Thappu senjae vaazhureegha | You live purely by doing wrong deeds. |
| Ekkuthappa kelvi ketkka | To ask awkward and probing questions, |
| Aalillainu nenaikkureegha | You assume there is no one around. |
| Male | |
| Roadu poda othukki vechadha | The money allocated for laying roads, |
| Veetukunnu pathukureegha | You pocket it for your own household. |
| Naatu nilai marandhu | Forgetting the state of the nation, |
| Unga paatukkuthaan alaiyureegha | You wander around doing as you please. |
| Male | |
| Naayi padura paadu | The suffering that a stray dog endures, |
| Namma naadu padudhu paaru | Look, our nation is undergoing the same. |
| Vottu pottadhu ooru | The entire town voted for you, |
| Ungala thooki poduvadhu yaaru | Who is there to overthrow you now? |
| Male | |
| Hydher ali kaalathula | Laid back in the time of Hyder Ali, |
| Potta roadu maaralaiyae | That road has never changed since. |
| Eththanaiyo katchi vandhum | Despite so many political parties coming to power, |
| Enga kora theeralaiyae | Our grievances have never been resolved. |
| Male | |
| Kundukuli onna renda | Potholes and bumps, are they just one or two? |
| Kanakkedukka mudiyalaiyae | It is impossible to even count them. |
| Tenderukku vittuputta | Once it is handed over to private tender, |
| Kelvi ketka vazhi illaiyae | There is no way to question them anymore. |
| Male | |
| Kuththam kurai solla vanthaa | If someone comes to point out mistakes, |
| Ezhaiya thaan yesureenga | You only scold and demean the poor. |
| Maththapadi mandhiri vanthaa | Otherwise, if a minister comes to visit, |
| Thaareduthu poosureegha | You quickly smear tar over the roads. |
| Male | |
| Thooki podudhu roadu | The bumpy road throws commuters in the air, |
| Atha maathi poduvadhaaru | Who will re-lay and fix this road? |
| Karbini ponnunga paadu | The plight of pregnant women on these roads, |
| Paththu maasa kanakka | Settles the score of ten months of pregnancy |
| Theekuthu roadu | Right there on the road itself. |
| Male | |
| Yaaru potta roadu | Who laid this road? |
| Namma sarkar potta roadu | Our government laid this road. |
| Yaaru potta roadu | Who laid this road? |
| Namma sarkar potta roadu | Our government laid this road. |
அப்பன் வீட்டு சொத்தை போல
அனுபவிக்க பாக்குறீக
அத்தனைக்கும் பொய் கணக்கு
எழுதி எழுதி காட்டுறீக
Like it is your father's property,
You try to enjoy and consume it.
For all of it, false accounts
You keep writing and showing.
அப்பன் வீட்டு சொத்தை போல
அனுபவிக்க பாக்குறீக
அத்தனைக்கும் பொய் கணக்கு
எழுதி எழுதி காட்டுறீக
Like it is your father's property,
You try to enjoy and consume it.
For all of it, false accounts
You keep writing and showing.
துப்பு கெட்ட பொழப்பு இது
தப்பு செஞ்சே வாழுறீக
எக்கு தப்பா கேள்வி கேட்க
ஆளில்லைன்னு நெனைக்கிறீக
This is a disgraceful way to live,
You live purely by doing wrong deeds.
To ask awkward and probing questions,
You assume there is no one around.
ரோடு போட ஒதுக்கி வெச்சத
வீட்டுக்குன்னு பதுக்குறீக
நாட்டு நிலை மறந்து
உங்க பாட்டுக்குத்தான் அலையுறீக
The money allocated for laying roads,
You pocket it for your own household.
Forgetting the state of the nation,
You wander around doing as you please.
ஆண்
: நாயி படுற பாடு
நம்ம நாடு படுது பாரு
ஓட்டு போட்டது ஊரு
உங்கள தூக்கி போடுவது யாரு
The suffering that a stray dog endures,
Look, our nation is undergoing the same.
The entire town voted for you,
Who is there to overthrow you now?
ஹைதர் அலி காலத்துல
போட்ட ரோடு மாறலையே
எத்தனையோ கட்சி வந்தும்
எங்க கொறை தீரலையே
Laid back in the time of Hyder Ali,
That road has never changed since.
Despite so many political parties coming to power,
Our grievances have never been resolved.
குண்டு குழி ஒண்ணா ரெண்டா
கணக்கெடுக்க முடியலையே
டெண்டருக்கு விட்டுப்புட்டா
கேள்வி கேட்க வழியில்லையே
Potholes and bumps, are they just one or two?
It is impossible to even count them.
Once it is handed over to private tender,
There is no way to question them anymore.
குத்தம் கொறை சொல்ல வந்தா
ஏழையை தான் ஏசுறீங்க
மத்தபடி மந்திரி வந்தா
தாறேடுத்து பூசுறீக
If someone comes to point out mistakes,
You only scold and demean the poor.
Otherwise, if a minister comes to visit,
You quickly smear tar over the roads.
தூக்கி போடுது ரோடு
அத மாத்தி போடுவதாரு
கர்ப்பிணி பொண்ணுங்க பாடு
பத்து மாச கணக்க தீக்குது ரோடு
The bumpy road throws commuters in the air,
Who will re-lay and fix this road?
The plight of pregnant women on these roads,
Settles the score of ten months of pregnancy
Right there on the road itself.
யாரு போட்ட ரோடு நம்ம
சர்க்கார் போட்ட ரோடு
யாரு போட்ட ரோடு நம்ம
சர்க்கார் போட்ட ரோடு
Who laid this road?
Our government laid this road.
Who laid this road?
Our government laid this road.
Appan veetu soththai pola
Like it is your father's property,
Anubavikka paakureegha
You try to enjoy and consume it.
Aththanaikkum poi kanakku
For all of it, false accounts
Ezhuthi ezhuthi kaatureegha
You keep writing and showing.
Appan veetu soththai pola
Like it is your father's property,
Anubavikka paakureegha
You try to enjoy and consume it.
Aththanaikkum poi kanakku
For all of it, false accounts
Ezhuthi ezhuthi kaatureegha
You keep writing and showing.
Thuppu ketta pozhappu idhu
This is a disgraceful way to live,
Thappu senjae vaazhureegha
You live purely by doing wrong deeds.
Ekkuthappa kelvi ketkka
To ask awkward and probing questions,
Aalillainu nenaikkureegha
You assume there is no one around.
Roadu poda othukki vechadha
The money allocated for laying roads,
Veetukunnu pathukureegha
You pocket it for your own household.
Naatu nilai marandhu
Forgetting the state of the nation,
Unga paatukkuthaan alaiyureegha
You wander around doing as you please.
Naayi padura paadu
The suffering that a stray dog endures,
Namma naadu padudhu paaru
Look, our nation is undergoing the same.
Vottu pottadhu ooru
The entire town voted for you,
Ungala thooki poduvadhu yaaru
Who is there to overthrow you now?
Hydher ali kaalathula
Laid back in the time of Hyder Ali,
Potta roadu maaralaiyae
That road has never changed since.
Eththanaiyo katchi vandhum
Despite so many political parties coming to power,
Enga kora theeralaiyae
Our grievances have never been resolved.
Kundukuli onna renda
Potholes and bumps, are they just one or two?
Kanakkedukka mudiyalaiyae
It is impossible to even count them.
Tenderukku vittuputta
Once it is handed over to private tender,
Kelvi ketka vazhi illaiyae
There is no way to question them anymore.
Kuththam kurai solla vanthaa
If someone comes to point out mistakes,
Ezhaiya thaan yesureenga
You only scold and demean the poor.
Maththapadi mandhiri vanthaa
Otherwise, if a minister comes to visit,
Thaareduthu poosureegha
You quickly smear tar over the roads.
Thooki podudhu roadu
The bumpy road throws commuters in the air,
Atha maathi poduvadhaaru
Who will re-lay and fix this road?
Karbini ponnunga paadu
The plight of pregnant women on these roads,
Paththu maasa kanakka
Settles the score of ten months of pregnancy
Theekuthu roadu
Right there on the road itself.
Yaaru potta roadu
Who laid this road?
Namma sarkar potta roadu
Our government laid this road.
Yaaru potta roadu
Who laid this road?
Namma sarkar potta roadu
Our government laid this road.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a biting political satire highlighting corruption, bad infrastructure, and administrative negligence in public works, specifically focusing on poorly maintained roads in Tamil Nadu. The narrator criticizes corrupt politicians and contractors who embezzle funds intended for public development while presenting fabricated accounts and ignoring public grievances. The song paints a vivid picture of public suffering, where even pregnant women face life-threatening situations due to terrible road conditions, yet quick cosmetic repairs are only done when ministers visit. Ultimately, it serves as a powerful call for political accountability and social awareness among citizens.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Alliteration)
“Thuppu ketta pozhappu idhu / Thappu senjae vaazhureegha”
Repetition of initial consonant sound 'Th' in 'Thuppu' and 'Thappu' in consecutive lines.
Edhukai (Assonance)
“Appan veetu soththai pola / Thuppu ketta pozhappu idhu”
Rhyming of second letter 'pp' in 'Appan' and 'Thappu' / 'Thuppu' across lines.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Anubavikka paakureegha / Ezhuthi ezhuthi kaatureegha”
Repetition of the verbal suffix '-eegha' at the end of multiple lines to create a rhythmic chant.
Metaphor
“Naayi padura paadu / Namma naadu padudhu paaru”
Comparing the suffering of the country's citizens directly to the miserable life of a stray dog.
Did you know?
Trivia
Desiya Geetham (1998) is a political drama film directed by Cheran, starring Murali and Rambha. The film features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics for this satire song written by lyricist Vasan.
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