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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Dangeru Aiyaa Dangeru

From Mathar Kula Manickam · 1956

Lyricist
Udumalai Narayanakavi
Singers
T. V. Rathnam, G. Kasthoori
Music director
S. Rajeswara Rao
Details
Mathar Kula Manickam1956

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Pattam pathavikkum aasaippattaalIf you crave titles and high positions,
Thuttukke varum danger-uDanger comes to your very money.
Female
Pakkam melam sariyillaattiIf the side accompaniment is not proper,
Paadaganukku danger-uIt is danger for the singer.
Female
Pattam pathavikkum aasaippattaalIf you crave titles and high positions,
Thuttukke varum danger-uDanger comes to your very money.
Female : Pakkam melam sariyillaattiFemale: If the side accompaniment is not proper,
Paadaganukku danger-uIt is danger for the singer.
Female
Muttaa pasangalai yosanai kettaalIf you seek advice from foolish people,
Moolaikku rompa danger-uIt is very dangerous for your brain.
Muttaa pasangalai yosanai kettaalIf you seek advice from foolish people,
Moolaikku rompa danger-uIt is very dangerous for your brain.
Female
Kurudangittae muttikkolvathuBumping into a blind person,
Muthugi tholukku danger-u very danger-uIs danger, very danger to the skin on your back.
Aiyaa danger-uOh sir, it is danger!
Female
Kanda pengalai theruvil paarththuLooking at random women on the street,
Kannadippathu danger-uAnd winking is danger.
Adi kannadippathu danger-uHey, winking at them is danger.
Female
Currant kampaththil melae yaeriClimbing atop an electric pole,
Kambiyai thoduvathu danger-uAnd touching the wire is danger.
Female
Pendu pillaigal aasai kondavanA family man attached to wife and kids,
Sandaikku povathu danger-uGoing off to fight is danger.
Female
Periyor sabaiyil siriyor sendruLesser-minded people going to an assembly of elders,
Pesapovathu danger-u very danger-uAnd trying to speak is danger, very danger.
Aiyaa danger-uOh sir, it is danger!
Female
Kallaathaar kalaingar aanaalIf uneducated people become artists,
Kalaikku rompa danger-uIt is a huge danger to art itself.
Female
Copy adikkira pasangakittaFrom guys who plagiarize and copy,
Kadhaigal padippathu danger-uReading stories is danger.
Female
Illaathaar iruppavar polaeThe poor pretending to be wealthy,
Nadippathu innum danger-uActing like that is even more danger.
Female
Iruppavarum illaathavaridamAnd the wealthy disrespecting the poor,
Avamathippathu inimae danger-u very danger-uIs henceforth danger, very danger.
Aiyaa danger-uOh sir, it is danger!
Female
Kaattaiyum meattaiyum uzhuthaamal ponaIf fields and dry lands are left unplowed,
Kanjikkae varum danger-uDanger comes to your daily food.
Female
Kattupaattil adangaathavargalThose who do not obey discipline,
Katchiyil iruppathu danger-uStaying inside a political party is danger.
Female
Ottu poda theriyaavittaalIf people do not know how to cast their vote,
Naatukku athuthaan danger-u…oo….oo…That is the ultimate danger to the country... oo... oo...
Female
Ottu poda theriyaavittaalIf people do not know how to cast their vote,
Naatukku athuthaan danger-u….That is the ultimate danger to the country.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This humorous yet deeply didactic social commentary song uses the loanword 'danger' as a catchy refrain to highlight various personal, moral, and social perils. Written by the famed lyricist Udumalai Narayanakavi, the song spans topics ranging from basic common sense (touching live wires, winking at strangers) to social ethics (disrespecting the poor, uneducated people posing as artists) and civic duties (voting responsibly, maintaining party discipline).

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Pattam pathavikkum aasaippattaal

Matching of initial consonant sounds across consecutive lines (Pattam / Pakkam / Paadaganukku).

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

Kallaathaar kalaingar aanaal

Rhyming of the second letter across lines ('ll' sound in Kallaathaar and Illaathaar).

Epizeuxis / Repetition

Pesapovathu danger-u very danger-u

Emphasis through repetition of the English loan phrase 'danger-u very danger-u'.

Code-Switching / Satirical Tanglish

Thuttukke varum danger-u

Integration of English colloquial terms ('danger', 'currant', 'copy') into traditional folk poetry for comedic and socio-political effect.

Did you know?

Trivia

Udumalai Narayanakavi was renowned as 'Kavirayar' for embedding rationalist and reformist Dravidian ideology into popular cinema songs. In this track, he cleverly integrates the English word 'danger' adapted to Tamil phonetics ('danger-u') to make socio-political messages memorable to the general public during the post-independence democratic transition.

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