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Lyrics & meaning

Ennanga Goundaru

From Thilagam · 1992

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Swarnalatha, Chandrabose
Music director
Chandrabose
Details
Thilagam1992

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Ennanga gounder-ruWhat is this, Gounder sir?
En kitta surrenderSurrender to me!
Aayidunga maattikittaeengaJust do it, you have been caught!
Aadaatha attamellam aadiputteengaYou played all kinds of wild antics.
Sillarai irukkanumYou should keep spare change saved,
Selava koraikkanumYou must reduce expenses,
Sikkanaththa paakka venungaYou need to practice frugality,
Pondaatti soldratha kekka venungaYou must listen to what your wife says!
Female
Pattathum therinjuthaaDid you realize after experiencing it?
Haang pattathum therinjuthaaYes, did you realize after experiencing it?
Suttathum purinjuthaaDid you understand after getting burned?
Vaanguvathum vetti podumaeBorrowing will cut you down,
Kattaatti vatti innum kutti podumaeIf you do not pay, the interest will breed even more interest!
Male
Ennadi alakkurae enna nee kalakkuraeWhy are you measuring me up, why are you confusing me?
Mandaiyellaam moolai enakkuMy entire head is filled with brains!
Advice pannugira velai edhukkuWhy do you bother giving me advice?
Yaettunnu nenaikkiraeYou think you are a head constable,
SI pol madakkuraeYou interrogate me like a Sub-Inspector!
Yaettu illa veettukkulla naanI am no constable inside the house,
Nippaenaa nee kizhichcha kottukkulla naanWill I stand inside the boundary line you draw?
Male
Unnidam gounder-ru yaei….kuruvammaaTo you, Gounder... hey Kuruvamma!
Unnidam gounder-ru Aavaanaa surrender-ruWill Gounder ever surrender to you?
Vettai sutri eettikkaaranthanEven if a hunter with a spear circles around,
Ninnaalum maattidaatha kettikkaaran naanI am a clever man who will not get caught!
Female
Ennanga gounder-ruWhat is this, Gounder sir?
En kitta surrenderSurrender to me!
Aayidunga maattikittaeengaJust do it, you have been caught!
Aadaatha attamellam aadiputteengaYou played all kinds of wild antics.
Female
Sonnaa kelunga aadambaramthaangaListen to what I say, extravagant living,
Ennaalum veetta kedukkumWill always ruin the household,
Kadan vanthaalae vaatti edukkumOnce debt enters, it will torture you!
Male :Haei summaa nee poththikkoHey, just shut your mouth!
Puthi solla venaamNo need to give me lectures,
Namnaadu enna pannuthuWhat is our country doing?
Kadan annaadam vaangi thalluthuIt borrows debt every single day!
Female
Ippa ennachu paarunga…aa….aa…Look at what has happened now... ah... ah...
Male :Ippa ennachuWhat happened now?
Female :Ippa ennachu paarunga…naattu nadappuLook at what happened now... the country's condition!
Namma paththu roopaa nottukkippoFor our ten-rupee note now,
Oththa roobaa madhippuThe real value is just one rupee!
Male
Ennadi alakkurae enna nee kalakkuraeWhy are you measuring me up, why are you confusing me?
Mandaiyellaam moolai enakkuMy entire head is filled with brains!
Advice pannugira velai edhukku….oo….Why do you bother giving me advice?... oo...
Female
Ennanga gounder-ruWhat is this, Gounder sir?
En kitta surrenderSurrender to me!
Aayidunga maattikittaeengaJust do it, you have been caught!
Aadaatha attamellam aadiputteengaYou played all kinds of wild antics.
Female
Pakkaththu veettaithaan paaththuputtu neegaJust looking at the neighbor's house, you...
Kiththaappa katturathu ennaWhy do you show off arrogantly?
Kambi maththaapaa maariyathenna adaHow did your pride fizzle out like a burnt firework?
Male :Antha aalu neiyilaeThat guy over there in ghee...
Ponga vachchu thinnuraanCooks sweet pongal and eats it!
Kandaalae romba erichchal adiIt is so irritating to see that, woman!
Ingae naan enna koraichchal]What am I lacking here?
Male
Ada annaachchi vanakkamHey Annachi, greetings!
Aaa…..aa…..aa….aa…Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Ada annaachchi vanakkam ulla varavaaHey Annachi, greetings! May I come inside?
Unga rendu peru sandaiyilaIn the fight between you two,
Naanum pangu peravaaShall I also take a share?
Male
Ennanga gounder-ruWhat is this, Gounder sir?
Yaenunga surrender-ruWhy should you surrender?
Vaazhnthidunga ennappadithaanLive life according to your own desires!
Annaachchi vaarththaiyellaam neththiyadithaanAnnachi's words are a direct hit on the target!
GoundaraeOh Gounder!
Male
Yaettunnu nenaikkiraaShe thinks she is a head constable,
SI pol madakkuraaShe corners you like an SI!
Yaettu illa veettukkulla naanI am no constable inside the house,
Nippaenaa nee kizhichcha kottukkulla naanWill I stand within the line you draw?
Female
Pattathum therinjuthaaDid you realize after experiencing it?
Haang pattathum therinjuthaaYes, did you realize after experiencing it?
Suttathum purinjuthaaDid you understand after getting burned?
Male :Veettai sutru eettikkaaranthaanEven if a spear-bearer circles the house,
Annaachchi maattikkaathaAnnachi is someone who will not get caught,
Kettikkaararthaan annae….He is a clever man, brother...
Male
Ennadi alakkurae enna nee kalakkuraeWhy are you measuring me up, why are you confusing me?
Mandaiyellam moolai enakkuMy entire head is filled with brains!
Advice pannugira velai edhukkuWhy do you bother giving me advice?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful, conversational duet from the film 'Thilagam' (1992) centers on a humorous marital argument between a husband ('Gounder') and his wife, with an elder neighbor ('Annachi') stepping in. The wife reprimands her husband for his financial recklessness, vanity, and extravagant spending habits. She urges him to practice domestic frugality, save money, and listen to her advice, comparing domestic debt to national economic inflation. The husband defensively counters her warnings, boasting about his intelligence and refusing to be micro-managed like a criminal caught by a police officer. Penned by Vaali, the song masterfully blends social commentary on financial discipline with folk humor and colloquial Tamil dialect, illustrating domestic dynamics through witty banter and everyday cultural references.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edugai (Second-letter Rhyme) & Loanword Rhyming

Ennanga gounder-ru / En kitta surrender

Matching second consonants across lines combined with English loanwords ('Gounder' rhyming with 'Surrender').

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Kambi maththaapaa maariyathenna ada

Compares someone's inflated ego fizzling out to a spent sparkler cracker ('Kambi maththaapu').

Hyperbole (Ushaiyokthi)

Mandaiyellaam moolai enakku

Exaggerates intellectual pride by claiming the entire head is made of brain.

Metaphor / Idiom

Nippaenaa nee kizhichcha kottukkulla naan

'Kizhichcha kottukkulla' (standing within the drawn line) is a Tamil idiom representing strict obedience and boundaries.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by legendary lyricist Vaali, this song highlights his signature flair for weaving modern English loanwords (such as 'Surrender', 'Advice', 'SI', 'Note') effortlessly into classic Tamil folk rhythm patterns to generate comic relief.

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