Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Coke Studio Tamil album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Elay Makka

From Coke Studio Tamil · 2024

Lyricist
Mohan Rajan
Singers
Sanjay Subrahmanyan, Sathya Prakash, Andrea Jeremiah, Navz-47, Girish
Music director
Girish
Movie name
Coke Studio Tamil
Movie release year
2024
Lyrics added on
4 Mar 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oru oyyaaramo
Viyo….viyo…..
Viyo….viyo…..
Yaelae makka kalavaani kokkaa
Nelaikkaatha vaazhkka ekkaa
Anaikkatti vachchaalum
Nikkaama odum neranthaan
Podu dandanakkaa
Velukkaathu andankaakkaa
Kalakatti kondaadu
Kooththaadu aasa theeraththaan
Vidha nella pola
Unna moottakatti pottaalum
Mannoda mothi
Nee enthiri enthiri enthirila
Thadakallu noora
Ada koottangkootti vachchaalum
Padikkallaa maaththi
Nee enthiri enthiri enthirila
Oru pakkam inippaga
Marupakkam pulippaaga
Irupakkam irunthaalum
Oru vaazhkkaithaan
Ola quepaasha
Ola quepaasha
Ola quepaasha
Yaela yaelae makkaa
Chorus :Ola quepaasha
Male :Yaela yaelae makkaa
Oru oiyaaramo
Oh….viyo….viyo….
Oh….viyo….viyo….
Oh….viyo….viyo….
Ola quepaasha
Aattam paattam kondaattam
Aattam paattam kondaattam
Aattam paattam kondaattam
Kondaattam kondaattam kondaattam
Inbam thunbam kaala nilai pola
Mazhai varum veyil varum
Suzhalum bhoomi mela
Varumai enbathu irulai pola
Velicham vanthathum paathaigal maara
Vaazhnthu paar vaazhkkai verum seatta
Kadhaikkalaam isaikkalaam intha paatta
Ivalthaan yaar naveeni
Naan ennathaan sonnaalum kavani
Chorus :Quepaasha
Yaarumaa nee pesumaa nee kelumaa nee vilanguthaa
Yaarenna sonnaalum nee odu munnaadi
Pinnaadi paakkaama vittuttu po
Oru pakkam inipaaga
Marupakkam pulippaga
Irupakkam irunthaalum oru vaazhkkaithaan
Oru neram kasappaga maruneram orappaga
Nodiyodu nodiyaathiru
Ola quepaasha
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaa
Chorus :Ola quepaasha
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaa
Nee enthiri enthiri enthirila
Chorus :Oru ottaaramo
Viyo….viyo
Oh….viyo….viyo….
Oh….viyo….viyo….oo….
Vidha nella pola
Unna moottakatti pottaalum
Mannoda modhi
Thadakallu noora
Ada koottangkootti vachchaalum
Padikkallaa maaththi
Nee enthiri enthiri enthirila
Ohho oru pakkam inipaaga
Marupakkam pulippaaga
Irupakkam irunthaalum oru vaazhkkaithaan
Oru neram kasappaga maruneram orappaga
Nodiyodu nodiyaathiru
Ola quepaasha
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaa
Female :Oru neram kasappaga
Chorus :Ola quepaasha
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaa
Female :Maruneram orappaga
Chorus :Ola quepaasha
Male :Yaelaa yaele makkaa
Female :Nodiyodu nodiyaathiru
Chorus :Ola quepaasha
What swagger!
Viyo... viyo...
Viyo... viyo...
Hey folks, you tricky crow!
Sister, this life never stays still!
Even if you build a dam to hold it,
time keeps running without stopping!
Strike up the beat!
A raven will never turn white!
Gather together and celebrate!
Dance to your heart's content!
Just like a seed of paddy,
even if they tie you in a sack and throw you away,
break through the soil,
and rise, rise, rise up!
A hundred stumbling blocks—
even if they pile them all up,
turn them into stepping stones,
and rise, rise, rise up!
Sweet on one side,
sour on the other,
even with both sides,
it is only one life!
¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
Hey, hey, my people!
Chorus: ¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
Male: Hey, hey, my people!
What swagger!
Oh... viyo... viyo...
Oh... viyo... viyo...
Oh... viyo... viyo...
¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
Dancing, singing, celebration!
Dancing, singing, celebration!
Dancing, singing, celebration!
Celebration, celebration, celebration!
Joy and sorrow are just like the weather,
rain comes and sunshine comes,
upon this spinning earth!
Hardship is like the darkness,
when light appears, the paths open up!
Live and see, is life just a deck of cards?
We can chat and play this song!
Who is this girl, Naveeni?
Whatever I say, pay attention!
Chorus: ¿Qué pasa?
Who are you, girl? Speak up, girl! Listen, girl! Do you get it?
No matter what anyone says, keep running forward!
Leave it behind without looking back!
Sweet on one side,
sour on the other,
even with both sides, it is only one life!
Bitter at one moment, spicy at another,
live fully in every passing second!
¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
Male: Hey, hey, my people!
Chorus: ¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
Male: Hey, hey, my people!
Rise, rise, rise up!
Chorus: Such stubborn pride!
Viyo... viyo
Oh... viyo... viyo...
Oh... viyo... viyo... ooh...
Just like a seed of paddy,
even if they tie you in a sack and throw you away,
break through the soil,
A hundred stumbling blocks—
even if they pile them all up,
turn them into stepping stones,
and rise, rise, rise up!
Oho, sweet on one side,
sour on the other,
even with both sides, it is only one life!
Bitter at one moment, spicy at another,
live fully in every passing second!
¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
Male: Hey, hey, my people!
Female: Bitter at one moment,
Chorus: ¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
Male: Hey, hey, my people!
Female: Spicy at another,
Chorus: ¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
Male: Hey, hey, my people!
Female: Live fully in every passing second!
Chorus: ¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa?
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Male
Male
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Oru Oyyaaramo' (popularly known for its chorus 'Ola Quepaasha') from Coke Studio Tamil (2024) is an uplifting fusion anthem that celebrates resilience, positivity, and the joy of life amidst changing fortunes. Blending Carnatic vocals, Tamil folk energy, and contemporary hip-hop/pop elements, the song addresses the unpredictable nature of human existence, urging listeners not to yield to hardships. Using vivid rural metaphors—such as seed paddy sprouting through thick soil and converting stumbling blocks into stepping stones—the song highlights that life contains a mix of sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy experiences. Rather than dwelling on past sorrows or external criticism, it inspires people to keep moving forward, embrace each passing moment, and celebrate living with uninhibited dance and music.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

Vidha nella pola / Unna moottakatti pottaalum

Compares human perseverance to seed paddy ('Vidha nellu') that sprouts through the dirt even after being tied up in a sack.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Thadakallu noora... Padikkallaa maaththi

Uses the metaphor of converting 'Thadakallu' (stumbling stones) into 'Padikkallu' (stepping stones) to represent triumph over obstacles.

Contrast / Juxtaposition (Maranilai)

Oru pakkam inippaga / Marupakkam pulippaaga

Juxtaposes different tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, spicy) and weather conditions (rain, sun) to represent life's duality.

Multilingual Refrain / Code-switching

Ola quepaasha / Yaela yaelae makkaa

Combines the Spanish greeting 'Hola, ¿qué pasa?' with traditional Tamil folk chants ('Yaelae makkaa').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Oru Oyyaaramo' brought together Carnatic maestro Sanjay Subrahmanyan and Tamil-Canadian hip-hop artist NAVZ-47 in a groundbreaking genre crossover for Coke Studio Tamil 2024, combining traditional classical sangatis with urban rap and folk beats.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Coke Studio Tamil

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.