Skip to content
Isaimozhi
LKG album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ethanai Kaalam Thaan

From LKG · 2019

Lyricist
Ko Sesha
Singer
Sean Roldan
Music director
Leon James
Movie name
LKG
Movie release year
2019
Lyrics added on
3 Dec 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aaaa….aaa…haa….aaa…aaa….aa..
Haa….aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa..
Ethanai kaalam dhaan
Yemaatruvaar indha naatilae…
Chorus :Nam naatilae
Innum ethanai kaalam dhaan
Yemaatruvar indha naatile
Sondha naatilae
Nam naatilae
Haa..haa..haa aaa
Innum ethanai kaalam dhaan
Yemaatruvar indha naatile
Sondha naatilae
Nam naatilae
Chorus :Naatilae
Sathiyam thavaraadha
Uthaman polavae nadikkiraar
Aaaa….heyyy eyyyy eyyy
Sathiyam thavaraadha
Uthaman polave nadikkiraar
Samayam paarthu pala vagaiyilum
Kollai adikkiraar
Samayam paarthu pala vagaiyilum
Kollai adikkiraar
Bakthanai polavae
Pagal vesham kaatti
Pamara makkalai
Valaiyinil matti
Ethanai kaalam thaan…
Male :Ooohoohoo
Chorus :Innum ethanai kaalam thaan
Male :Eheyy….
Innum ethanai kaalam thaan
Yemaatruvaar indha naatilae
Sondha naatilae
Nam naatilae
Hae…ae…heh ehh
Thandhana thandhana thandhan na aa
Thandhana thandhana thandhan na aa
Thandhana thandhaana thaana thannananaa
Thannananaanaa thannananaanaa naaa…hoi
Thandhana thandhana thandhan na aa..hoi
Thandhana thandhana thandhan na aa…hoi
Thandhana thandhaana thaana thannananaa
Thannananaanaa thannananaanaa naaa…naa
Pechinil matum veeram
Ivar seivathellam verum beram
Vaakkugal koduppadhu vazhakkam
Adhai marappadhum ivaradhu pazhakkam
Yevaradhu kaalaiyum pidippar
Vidukkena vaariyum viduvaar
Yevaradhu kaalaiyum pidippar
Vidukkena vaariyum viduvaar
Innum ethanai kaalam thaan
Innum ethanai kaalam thaan..aaan
Innum ethanai kaalam thaan
Yemaatruvar indha naatilae
Sondha naatilae
Nam naatilae..ae….
{Haa…aa….aaa….
Haa…aa….aaa….
Naatilae..thaai naatilae
Haa…aa….aaa….
Haa…aa….aaa….
Naatilae..thaai naatilae} (2)
Panaththinai vaariyae kodupaar
Kizhaviyai kattiyum pidippaar
Ezhaiyin kudisaikkul pugunthu
Avar veetinil koozhaiyum kudippaar
Naan ungalil oruvan enbaar
Vendradhum yaar nee enbaar
Naan ungalil oruvan enbaar
Vendradhum yaar nee enbaar
Ini ethanai kaalam thaan
Yemaatruvar indha naatilae
Sondha naatilae
Nam naatilae
Sathiyam thavaraadha
Uthaman polavae nadikkiraar
Samayam paarthu pala vagaiyilum
Kollai adikkiraar
Samayam paarthu pala vagaiyilum
Kollai adikkiraar
Bakthanai polavae
Pagal vesham kaatti
Pamara makkalai
Valaiyinil matti
Innum ethanai kaalam thaan
Innum ethanai kaalam thaan
Innum ethanai kaalam thaan..aaa..aan
Innum ethanai kaalam thaan
Yemaatruvar indha naatilae
Sondha naatilae
Nam naatilae…ae….
Hae…ae…heh ehh
Thandhana thandhana thandhan na aa
Thandhana thandhana thandhan na aa
Thandhana thandhaana thaana thannananaa
Thannananaanaa thannananaanaa naaa…hoi
Thandhana thandhana thandhan na aa..hoi
Thandhana thandhana thandhan na aa…hoi
Thandhana thandhaana thaana thannananaa
Thannananaanaa thannananaanaa naaa…naa
Aaa... aa... haa... aa... aa... aa...
Haa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Just how long
will they fool people in this country?
Chorus: In our country!
Just how much longer
will they fool people in this country?
In their own country...
In our country...
Ha... ha... ha... aa...
Just how much longer
will they fool people in this country?
In their own country...
In our country...
Chorus: In this country!
As if he never strays from the truth,
he acts like a noble, righteous man!
Aaaa... hey ey ey
As if he never strays from the truth,
he acts like a noble, righteous man!
Waiting for the right chance, in so many ways,
he loots and robs everyone!
Waiting for the right chance, in so many ways,
he loots and robs everyone!
Putting on the show
of a pious devotee,
and trapping the innocent common folk
inside his net...
Just how long...
Male: Ohoho...
Chorus: Just how much longer...
Male: Eheyy...
Just how much longer
will they fool people in this country?
In their own country...
In our country...
Hey... ae... heh eh...
Thanthana thanthana thanthana aa
Thanthana thanthana thanthana aa
Thanthana thanthaana thaana thannananaa
Thannananaanaa thannananaanaa naaa... hoy
Thanthana thanthana thanthana aa... hoy
Thanthana thanthana thanthana aa... hoy
Thanthana thanthaana thaana thannananaa
Thannananaanaa thannananaanaa naaa... naa
Bravery exists only in his talk,
while all he ever does is make dirty deals!
Making promises is his habit,
and forgetting them is his daily routine!
He will fall at anyone's feet,
and suddenly sweep their legs right out from under them!
He will fall at anyone's feet,
and suddenly sweep their legs right out from under them!
Just how much longer,
just how much longer...
Just how much longer
will they fool people in this country?
In their own country...
In our country...
Haa... aa... aah...
Haa... aa... aah...
In this country... in our motherland!
Haa... aa... aah...
Haa... aa... aah...
In this country... in our motherland!
He hands out piles of cash,
and hugs old grandmothers for show!
Entering right into a poor person's hut,
he even drinks their humble porridge!
"I am one of you," he will claim,
but once he wins, he will say, "Who are you?"
"I am one of you," he will claim,
but once he wins, he will say, "Who are you?"
How much longer from now
will they fool people in this country?
In their own country...
In our country...
As if he never strays from the truth,
he acts like a noble, righteous man!
Waiting for the right chance, in so many ways,
he loots and robs everyone!
Waiting for the right chance, in so many ways,
he loots and robs everyone!
Putting on the show
of a pious devotee,
and trapping the innocent common folk
inside his net...
Just how much longer,
just how much longer,
just how much longer...
Just how much longer
will they fool people in this country?
In their own country...
In our country...
Hey... ae... heh eh...
Thanthana thanthana thanthana aa
Thanthana thanthana thanthana aa
Thanthana thanthaana thaana thannananaa
Thannananaanaa thannananaanaa naaa... hoy
Thanthana thanthana thanthana aa... hoy
Thanthana thanthana thanthana aa... hoy
Thanthana thanthaana thaana thannananaa
Thannananaanaa thannananaanaa naaa... naa
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a sharp political satire calling out corrupt politicians who exploit common citizens through empty promises, theatrical publicity stunts, and hypocrisy. It details the opportunistic antics of political leaders during election season—such as handing out cash for votes, hugging poor grandmothers, eating humble porridge in slum homes, and pretending to be 'one of the common people'—only to completely abandon and disown those voters once power is secured.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second-letter rhyming)

Pechinil matum veeram / Ivar seivathellam verum beram

The second consonant 'ch' in Pechinil rhymes with 'v' in Seivathellam in standard rhyme scheme, and 'veeram' rhymes with 'beram'.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Vaakkugal koduppadhu vazhakkam / Adhai marappadhum ivaradhu pazhakkam

Both consecutive lines end with the rhyming suffix '-akkam' ('vazhakkam' and 'pazhakkam').

Metaphor

Pamara makkalai / Valaiyinil matti

The song metaphorically compares naive voters to fish or birds trapped in a hunter's net ('valaiyinil matti').

Irony / Satire

Naan ungalil oruvan enbaar / Vendradhum yaar nee enbaar

Highlights the dramatic ironic contrast between a politician's pre-election humility ('I am one of you') and post-election arrogance ('Who are you?').

Did you know?

Trivia

This track in *LKG* (2019) is a modern rearrangement and satirical tribute to the iconic 1954 classic song 'Ethanai Kaalam Dhaan Yemaatruvaar' originally composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, written by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass, and picturized on M. G. Ramachandran in the movie *Malaikkallan*. For *LKG*, a political satire film starring RJ Balaji, the track was re-adapted with modern arrangements by composer Leon James.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from LKG

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.