Dagalty
From Ivan Thanthiran · 2017
- Lyricist
- Arunraja Kamaraj
- Singer
- Rahul Nambiar
- Music director
- S. Thaman
- Details
- Ivan Thanthiran2017
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| {Chennaiyila engalatha local innanga | They called us local guys in Chennai, |
| Enga richie street-a thaanda | If you cross our Richie Street, |
| Local foreign innanga} (2) | Even local items are called foreign! |
| Male | |
| Namma fate-u duplicate-u | Our fate is duplicate, |
| Bill podama avom bill gate | Without issuing a bill, we become Bill Gates! |
| Namma route-u illa gate-u | Our route has no gate, |
| Ada trump-kukae oodhuda trumpet-u | Hey, blow the trumpet even for Trump! |
| Male | |
| Thevaiyilla publicity | No publicity is needed, |
| Dei naangathaanae heart of city | Hey, we are the heart of the city! |
| Illa inga shift-u duty | There is no shift duty here, |
| Inga eppodum vaakkudhaan warranty | Here, our word is always the warranty! |
| Male | |
| Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti | Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery, |
| Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti | No fake cell phones, trickery trickery! |
| Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti | Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery, |
| Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti | No fake cell phones, trickery trickery! |
| Male | |
| {Chennaiyila engalatha local innanga | They called us local guys in Chennai, |
| Enga richie street-a thaanda | If you cross our Richie Street, |
| Local foreign innanga} (2) | Even local items are called foreign! |
| Male | |
| Pakisthan-u pakkathila | Near Pakistan, |
| Paththu ground-u buildingula | In a building spread over ten grounds, |
| Kootipoyi sollithandaan | He took me and taught me things, |
| Ennaannu enakkaethaan puriyalla | What it was, I couldn't even understand! |
| Male | |
| Campus-nnaan US-nnaan | He said campus, he said US, |
| Mudinja pinnae settle-nnaan | He said you'll settle down after finishing, |
| Engineer-nnu namba sonnan | He told us to believe we were engineers, |
| Mudichumdhaan edhuvumae thodangala | Even after finishing, nothing really started! |
| Male | |
| Thevaiyilla publicity | No publicity is needed, |
| Dei naangathaanae heart of city | Hey, we are the heart of the city! |
| Illa inga shift-u duty | There is no shift duty here, |
| Inga eppodum vaakkudhaan warranty | Here, our word is always the warranty! |
| Male | |
| Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti | Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery, |
| Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti | No fake cell phones, trickery trickery! |
| Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti | Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery, |
| Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti | No fake cell phones, trickery trickery! |
| Male | |
| Enneramum velai seivom | We will work at all times, |
| Edhu sonnalum erangi seivom | Whatever task you give, we'll dive right in and do it! |
| Chinna chinna payment ellam | Even small payments, |
| Vangaama thoongathaan pomattom | We won't go to sleep without receiving! |
| Male | |
| Apple-kkum google-kkum | For Apple and for Google, |
| Kooli velai senjurukom | We have worked as daily wage labor! |
| Locallulla velai seiyum | The time to do local work, |
| Neram than dhoorama illada | Is not far away, my friend! |
| Male | |
| Thevaiyilla publicity | No publicity is needed, |
| Dei naangathaanae heart of city | Hey, we are the heart of the city! |
| Illa inga shift-u duty | There is no shift duty here, |
| Inga eppodum vaakkudhaan warranty | Here, our word is always the warranty! |
| Male | |
| Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti | Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery, |
| Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti | No fake cell phones, trickery trickery! |
| Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti | Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery, |
| Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti | No fake cell phones, trickery trickery! |
{ சென்னையில
எங்களதா லோக்கல்
இன்னாங்க எங்க ரிச்சி
ஸ்ட்ரீட்ட தான் டா
லோக்கல் பாரிங்
இன்னாங்க } (2)
They called us local guys in Chennai,
If you cross our Richie Street,
Even local items are called foreign!
நம்ம பேட்டு
டூப்பிளிகேட்டு பில்
போடாம ஆவோம்
பில் கேட் நம்ம ரூட்டு
இல்ல கேட்டு அட
ட்ரம்ப்புக்கே ஊதுடா
ட்ரம்பேட்டு
Our fate is duplicate,
Without issuing a bill, we become Bill Gates!
Our route has no gate,
Hey, blow the trumpet even for Trump!
தேவையில்ல
பப்ளிசிட்டி டேய் நாங்க
தானே ஹார்ட் ஆப் சிட்டி
இல்ல இங்க ஷிப்ட்டு
டுயூட்டி இங்க எப்போதும்
வாக்கு தான் வாரண்டி
No publicity is needed,
Hey, we are the heart of the city!
There is no shift duty here,
Here, our word is always the warranty!
டகால்டி டகால்டி
டகால்டி டகால்டி இல்ல
டுபாகூரு சில்போன்ஸு
டகால் டகால்டி டகால்டி
டகால்டி டகால்டி டகால்டி
இல்ல டுபாகூரு சில்போன்ஸு
டகால் டகால்டி
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
{ சென்னையில
எங்களதா லோக்கல்
இன்னாங்க எங்க ரிச்சி
ஸ்ட்ரீட்ட தான் டா
லோக்கல் பாரிங்
இன்னாங்க } (2)
They called us local guys in Chennai,
If you cross our Richie Street,
Even local items are called foreign!
பாகிஸ்தானு
பக்கத்தில பத்து கிரௌண்டு
பில்டிங்ல கூட்டி போயி
சொல்லி தந்தான்
என்னான்னு எனக்கே
தான் புரியல
Near Pakistan,
In a building spread over ten grounds,
He took me and taught me things,
What it was, I couldn't even understand!
கேம்பஸ்னான்
யூஎஸ்னான் முடிஞ்ச
பின்னே செட்டில்னான்
என்ஜினீயர்ன்னு நம்ப
சொன்னான் முடிச்சும்
தான் எதுவுமே
தொடங்கல
He said campus, he said US,
He said you'll settle down after finishing,
He told us to believe we were engineers,
Even after finishing, nothing really started!
தேவையில்ல
பப்ளிசிட்டி டேய் நாங்க
தானே ஹார்ட் ஆப் சிட்டி
இல்ல இங்க ஷிப்ட்டு
டுயூட்டி இங்க எப்போதும்
வாக்கு தான் வாரண்டி
No publicity is needed,
Hey, we are the heart of the city!
There is no shift duty here,
Here, our word is always the warranty!
டகால்டி டகால்டி
டகால்டி டகால்டி இல்ல
டுபாகூரு சில்போன்ஸு
டகால் டகால்டி டகால்டி
டகால்டி டகால்டி டகால்டி
இல்ல டுபாகூரு
சில்போன்ஸு டகால்
டகால்டி
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
எந்நேரமும் வேலை
செய்வோம் எது சொன்னாலும்
இறங்கி செய்வோம் சின்ன
சின்ன பேமென்ட் எல்லாம்
வாங்காம தூங்க தான் போ
மாட்டோம்
We will work at all times,
Whatever task you give, we'll dive right in and do it!
Even small payments,
We won't go to sleep without receiving!
ஆப்பிள்க்கும்
கூகுள்க்கும் கூலி வேலை
செஞ்சுருக்கோம் லோக்கலுல
வேலை செய்யும் நேரம்
தான் தூரமா இல்லடா
For Apple and for Google,
We have worked as daily wage labor!
The time to do local work,
Is not far away, my friend!
தேவையில்ல
பப்ளிசிட்டி டேய் நாங்க
தானே ஹார்ட் ஆப் சிட்டி
இல்ல இங்க ஷிப்ட்டு
டுயூட்டி இங்க எப்போதும்
வாக்கு தான் வாரண்டி
No publicity is needed,
Hey, we are the heart of the city!
There is no shift duty here,
Here, our word is always the warranty!
டகால்டி டகால்டி
டகால்டி டகால்டி இல்ல
டுபாகூரு சில்போன்ஸு
டகால் டகால்டி டகால்டி
டகால்டி டகால்டி டகால்டி
இல்ல டுபாகூரு
சில்போன்ஸு டகால்
டகால்டி
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
{Chennaiyila engalatha local innanga
They called us local guys in Chennai,
Enga richie street-a thaanda
If you cross our Richie Street,
Local foreign innanga} (2)
Even local items are called foreign!
Namma fate-u duplicate-u
Our fate is duplicate,
Bill podama avom bill gate
Without issuing a bill, we become Bill Gates!
Namma route-u illa gate-u
Our route has no gate,
Ada trump-kukae oodhuda trumpet-u
Hey, blow the trumpet even for Trump!
Thevaiyilla publicity
No publicity is needed,
Dei naangathaanae heart of city
Hey, we are the heart of the city!
Illa inga shift-u duty
There is no shift duty here,
Inga eppodum vaakkudhaan warranty
Here, our word is always the warranty!
Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
{Chennaiyila engalatha local innanga
They called us local guys in Chennai,
Enga richie street-a thaanda
If you cross our Richie Street,
Local foreign innanga} (2)
Even local items are called foreign!
Pakisthan-u pakkathila
Near Pakistan,
Paththu ground-u buildingula
In a building spread over ten grounds,
Kootipoyi sollithandaan
He took me and taught me things,
Ennaannu enakkaethaan puriyalla
What it was, I couldn't even understand!
Campus-nnaan US-nnaan
He said campus, he said US,
Mudinja pinnae settle-nnaan
He said you'll settle down after finishing,
Engineer-nnu namba sonnan
He told us to believe we were engineers,
Mudichumdhaan edhuvumae thodangala
Even after finishing, nothing really started!
Thevaiyilla publicity
No publicity is needed,
Dei naangathaanae heart of city
Hey, we are the heart of the city!
Illa inga shift-u duty
There is no shift duty here,
Inga eppodum vaakkudhaan warranty
Here, our word is always the warranty!
Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
Enneramum velai seivom
We will work at all times,
Edhu sonnalum erangi seivom
Whatever task you give, we'll dive right in and do it!
Chinna chinna payment ellam
Even small payments,
Vangaama thoongathaan pomattom
We won't go to sleep without receiving!
Apple-kkum google-kkum
For Apple and for Google,
Kooli velai senjurukom
We have worked as daily wage labor!
Locallulla velai seiyum
The time to do local work,
Neram than dhoorama illada
Is not far away, my friend!
Thevaiyilla publicity
No publicity is needed,
Dei naangathaanae heart of city
Hey, we are the heart of the city!
Illa inga shift-u duty
There is no shift duty here,
Inga eppodum vaakkudhaan warranty
Here, our word is always the warranty!
Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti
Trickery, trickery, trickery, trickery,
Illa dubakuru silphonsu dagal dagalti
No fake cell phones, trickery trickery!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This high-energy anthem captures the street-smart hustle and resilience of young engineering graduates working in Chennai's famous electronics hub, Richie Street. It humorously contrasts the grandiose promises made by private engineering colleges—such as campus placements in the US—with the stark reality of post-graduation unemployment. Instead of giving up, the youth use their technical knowledge and local ingenuity to build independent livelihoods.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Pun / Wordplay
“Bill podama avom bill gate”
Clever play on the word 'Bill' connecting sales invoices to billionaire tech founder 'Bill Gates'.
Rhyme (Edhukai / Iyaibu)
“Thevaiyilla publicity / Dei naangathaanae heart of city”
Use of English loanwords with matching end rhymes (publicity, city, duty, warranty).
Repetition (Epizeuxis)
“Dagalti dagalti dagalti dagalti”
Rhythmic repetition of the Chennai colloquial term 'Dagalti' (meaning trickery/cleverness) to create an energetic cadence.
Did you know?
Trivia
The track from 'Ivan Thanthiran' (2017) highlights Chennai's iconic Richie Street—Asia's second-largest electronic market. Lyricist Arunraja Kamaraj penned these lines to capture the frustration and practical survival tactics of thousands of unemployed engineering graduates in Tamil Nadu during the mid-2010s.
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