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Isaimozhi
Kanithan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Che Guevara

From Kanithan · 2016

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Drums Sivamani
Movie name
Kanithan
Movie release year
2016
Lyrics added on
6 Nov 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nee naan naan nee
Naam jaippom
Vaal naan thol nee
Naam jaippom
Che guevara che guevara
Neeyum naanum che guevera
Aayuthangal thevai illai
Oodagangal kaiyil undu
Oodagam ennum kaigal munnae
Aayutham enna seiyum
Kaattru pogaatha pakkam kooda
Kanngal paarkkum en thozha
Naadu muzhkindra poril sethaal
Endrum saavillai vaada
Ithu oodagam kaanum porkkalam
Che guevara che guevara
Neeyum naanum che guevera
Vizhuvathum meendum ezhuvathum
Intha ulagamae kanda sarithiram
Vizhunthavar meendum ezhunthidum
Kaalam viraivilae thondrum sathiyam
Uzhaippavar ennum miga palar
Sinthum uthirathai naaigal kudippatha
Uyirinai thucham endruthaan enni
Iranginom oru kai paarkkavae
Ithu yutham yutham ini yuthamae
Che guevara che guevara
Neeyum naanum che guevera
Oodagam ennum raanuvam
Indru ezhunthathae naattai meetkkavae
Naattinai kaakkum senaigal moondru
Indru nammaiyum serthu naangada
Kanam kanam saagum
Kozhai nee alla
Yugam yugam vaazhum veeranae
Kalathilae nindru irakkalaam
Meendum pirakkalaam enthan thozhanae
Ithu yutham yutham ini yuthamae
Nee naan naan nee
Naam jaippom
Vaal naan thol nee
Naam jaippom
Intha padai thorkkin
Ini entha padai vellum
Andam athu athirumpadi
Velvom ini vaada
Intha padai thorkkin
Ini entha padai vellum
Andam athu athirumpadi
Velvom ini vaada
Che guevara che guevara
Neeyum naanum che guevera
Che guevara che guevara
Neeyum naanum che guevera
{Intha padai thorkkin
Ini entha padai vellum
Andam athu athirumpadi
Velvom ini vaada} (2)
You are me, I am you
We will win!
I am the sword, you are the strength
We will win!
Che Guevara, Che Guevara
You and I are Che Guevara
We do not need weapons
We hold the media in our hands
Before the hands of the media
What can any weapon do?
Even where the wind cannot reach
Our eyes will search and see, my friend
If we die in the war to save a drowning nation
It is never truly death, come on!
This is the battlefield of the media
Che Guevara, Che Guevara
You and I are Che Guevara
Falling down and rising up again
Is the history the whole world has seen
The time for the fallen to rise once more
Will soon arrive, and that is the truth
The blood shed by so many working people
Shall dogs be allowed to drink it?
Treating our own lives as nothing
We have stepped into the field to fight
This is war, war, it is war from now on!
Che Guevara, Che Guevara
You and I are Che Guevara
An army called the media
Has risen today to save the nation
The forces defending the country were three
Today, counting us too, we are four!
Dying every single moment
You are no coward
You are a warrior who lives through the ages
We may fall standing on the battlefield
We will be born again, my friend
This is war, war, it is war from now on!
You are me, I am you
We will win!
I am the sword, you are the strength
We will win!
If this army is defeated
Which army can ever win?
Making the whole universe shake
We will triumph now, come on!
If this army is defeated
Which army can ever win?
Making the whole universe shake
We will triumph now, come on!
Che Guevara, Che Guevara
You and I are Che Guevara
Che Guevara, Che Guevara
You and I are Che Guevara
If this army is defeated
Which army can ever win?
Making the whole universe shake
We will triumph now, come on!
Chorus
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This anthem from the movie Kanithan serves as a fiery rally for investigative journalists, comparing media professionals to revolutionary figures like Che Guevara. It emphasizes that physical weapons are unnecessary when the power of truth and media can expose injustice even in the darkest corners where even the wind cannot enter. The song elevates journalism to the status of the 'fourth estate' or fourth branch of national defense alongside army, navy, and air force.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Oodagam ennum raanuvam

Compares media to an army ('Oodagam ennum raanuvam') and journalists to Che Guevara ('Neeyum naanum che guevera').

Emoni / Tamil Alliteration (Ethirhai)

Vaal naan thol nee

Rhythmic match of second consonants in adjacent lines ('Vaal' and 'Naam').

Hyperbole

Kaattru pogaatha pakkam kooda

Exaggeration that media eyes can see even where the wind cannot reach ('Kaattru pogaatha pakkam kooda').

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics were written by the legendary Tamil poet and lyricist Pulamaipithan. The song uses revolutionary icon Che Guevara as a symbol for the protagonist's investigative fight against a massive fake certificate mafia in the film.

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