♫ Tanglish lyrics	↻ English translation
Male
Kann imaikka maranthaalum	Even if eyes forget to blink,
Kaadhu ketka maranthaalum	Even if ears forget to hear,
Vaai pesa maranthaalum	Even if mouth forgets to speak,
Kaal nadakka maranthaalum	Even if legs forget to walk,
Male
Udal uzhaikka maranthaalum	Even if the body forgets to work,
Unnai endrum	Forever loving you,
Maravaatha manam vendum	I need a mind that never forgets you,
Navachchivaayamae namachchivaayamae	Lord Shiva! Lord Shiva!
Navachchivaayamae	Lord Shiva!
Male
Dhenanthorum rickshaw ootti	Riding a rickshaw every day,
Pozhaikkirom	We make a living.
Naanga theru theruvaa	Street by street, we,
Pedala pottu ozhaikkirom	Pedal hard and work.
Chorus
Honest-aaga vaazhnthu	Living honestly,
Naalai kazhikkirom	We spend our days.
Naanga hawaalavil	If in illegal money dealings,
Maattikkittaa muzhikkirom	We get caught, we blink in despair.
Male
Anthony alphonese	Anthony Alphonse,
Gaanaa paatteduththu	Singing a Gaana song,
Vaangu applause	Get applause!
Chorus
Dhenanthorum rickshaw ootti	Riding a rickshaw every day,
Pozhaikkirom	We make a living.
Naanga theru theruvaa	Street by street, we,
Pedala pottu ozhaikkirom	Pedal hard and work.
Chorus
……………………
Male
Aalappaaru aalappaaru	Look at the man, look at the man,
Rickshaw valikkum aalappaaru	Look at the man who pulls the rickshaw.
Mundaa paniyan tholappaaru	Look at the shoulders in a sleeveless vest,
Raavum pagalum velappaaru	Look at him work night and day.
Male
Kaappu kaaichca kaala paaru	Look at the calloused feet,
Karuththu pona tholappaaru	Look at the darkened skin.
Muththu muththaa verva paarudaa	Look at the sweat dripping like pearls, my friend,
Anthoni vervaiyila	In Anthony's sweat,
Nermai paarudaa	Look at the honesty, my friend!
Male
Kaiyya paaru kaiyapaaru	Look at the hands, look at the hands,
Rickshawkkaaran kaiya paaru	Look at the rickshaw puller's hands.
Valathu kayila MGR-u	MGR on the right hand,
Idathu kayila paaru super star-u	Look, Super Star Rajinikanth on the left hand!
Male
Pacha kuththi vachchom paaru	Look at the tattoos we got,
Paattaalinga varkkam paaru	Look at the working class population.
Ministar-unga namma alladaa	The ministers are our own people, my friend,
Albonse-u mun	Before Alphonse,
Jameen ketpathilladaa	No one asks for bail!
Male
Engala nampi anuppalaam	You can safely entrust and send,
Unga sister-a	Your sister with us.
Naanga kumbiduromae karthathara	We pray to the Lord God,
Avar yokkiyamaa	He asked us to live,
Vaazha sonnaarae	With complete integrity.
Hoi hoi hoi	Hoi hoi hoi
Chorus
Dhenanthorum rickshaw ootti	Riding a rickshaw every day,
Pozhaikkirom	We make a living.
Naanga theru theruvaa	Street by street, we,
Pedala pottu ozhaikkirom	Pedal hard and work.
Chorus
Honest-aaga vaazhnthu	Living honestly,
Naalai kazhikkirom	We spend our days.
Naanga hawaalavil	If in illegal hawala deals,
Maattikkittaa muzhikkirom	We get caught, we blink in confusion.
Male
………………..
Male
Neram kaalam paakkuraanga	People look for auspicious times and dates,
Josiyaththa ketkkuraanga	They consult astrology.
Nallaa irunthaa nampuraanga	If it's good, they believe it,
Illaavittaa vemburaanga	If not, they worry and rot.
Male
Paavam pazhiya innoruththan	Blame and sins onto someone else,
Thalaiyil thookki poduraanga	They throw onto their heads.
Somperiyinga olagam thaanadaa	It is a world of lazy people, my friend,
Anthoni josiyaththa	For Anthony, astrology,
Kalakkam thaanadaa	Is pure confusion, my friend!
Male
Conductor-ah irunthavaru	A bus conductor who became,
Super star-u aanathukkaum	The Super Star,
Nadikaraana MGR-u	And actor MGR who,
Naatta inga aandathukkum	Ruled this nation here,
Male
Kaalam neram kaaranamaa	Was it because of auspicious time,
Kadum uzhaippi kaaranamaa	Or because of hard work?
Uzhaikkiravan uyarnthu nippaandaa	The one who works hard will stand tall,
Appothu panjaangaththa	He will throw aside,
Odhukki vaippaandaa	The traditional almanac!
Male
Naama nambi vaazhanum	We must live trusting,
Namma kaikala	Our own hands.
Naama kootti thallanum	We must sweep and push away,
Ketta poigala	The evil lies.
Varum neram kaalam	The coming time and fate,
Namma pinnaala hoi hoi	Will follow behind us, hoi hoi!
Male
Dhenanthorum rickshaw ootti	Riding a rickshaw every day,
Pozhaikkirom	We make a living.
Naanga theru theruvaa	Street by street, we,
Pedala pottu ozhaikkirom	Pedal hard and work.
Chorus
Honest-aaga vaazhnthu	Living honestly,
Naalai kazhikkirom	We spend our days.
Naanga hawaalavil	If in illegal hawala deals,
Maattikkittaa muzhikkirom	We get caught, we blink in confusion.
Male
Anthony alphonese	Anthony Alphonse,
Gaanaa paatteduththu	Singing a Gaana song,
Vaangu applause	Get applause!
Chorus
Dhenanthorum rickshaw ootti	Riding a rickshaw every day,
Pozhaikkirom	We make a living.
Naanga theru theruvaa	Street by street, we,
Pedala pottu ozhaikkirom	Pedal hard and work.
Chorus
Dhenanthorum rickshaw ootti	Riding a rickshaw every day,
Pozhaikkirom	We make a living.
Naanga theru theruvaa	Street by street, we,
Pedala pottu ozhaikkirom	Pedal hard and work.

Lyrics & meaning

Song interpretation

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Anaaphora (Repetitive initial phrase)

Simile (Upamai)

Local Slang / Colloquialism

Trivia

More from Vaimaye Vellum