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Lyrics & meaning

Karka Karka

From Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu · 2006

Lyricist
Thamarai
Singers
Andrea Jeremiah, Tippu, Devan, Nakul
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu2006

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Raghavan stay in the processRaghavan, stay in the process
Top dollar goingTop dollar going
Losaed getting timeLoaded, getting time
Ready come onReady, come on
Hai let’s goHey, let us go
Male
Karka karka kallam karkaLearn, learn, learn the art of deceit
Endru sonna avanHe is the one who said so
Kallam katra kalvar ellaamAll thieves who learn deceit
Mattikkollum aranHe is the fortress in which they get trapped
Male
Nirka nirka nermayil nirkaStand, stand, stand firm in honesty
Katrukkonda naranHe is the man who learned to do so
Sutrum sutrum kaatrai polaeLike the swirling wind
Engum selvaan ivanHe goes everywhere
Male
Thuppaaki matrum thootaavai thaanOnly the gun and the bullet
KaadhalithaanHe loved
Endraalum kaakhi sattayaithaanYet, the khaki uniform
Kai pidithaanHe held hands with
Than saavai sattai payil vaithuKeeping his death in his shirt pocket
Engeyum selgindraann………He goes everywhere...
Male
Who’s the man on the landWho is the man on the land
That can stand nowThat can stand now
Who’s the man on the landWho is the man on the land
That can stand downThat can stand down
Male
Karka karka kallam karkaLearn, learn, learn the art of deceit
Endru sonna avanHe is the one who said so
Kallam katra kalvar ellaamAll thieves who learn deceit
Mattikkollum aranHe is the fortress in which they get trapped
Male
Nirka nirka nermayil nirkaStand, stand, stand firm in honesty
Katrukkonda naranHe is the man who learned to do so
Sutrum sutrum kaatrai polaeLike the swirling wind
Engum selvaan ivanHe goes everywhere
Male
Maaveeramum oru nermaiyumGreat heroism and honesty
Kai korthu kollaHolding hands together
Agaraadhiyo adhai raaghavanIf you ask the dictionary
Ena artham sollaIt gives Raghavan as the meaning
Male
Adhigaaramo aarpaatamoNeither authority nor pompous noise
Ivan pechil illaiIs present in his speech
Mun aaivadhil pin aaivadhilIn investigating before and after
Ivan pulyin pillaiHe is the cub of a tiger
Male
Ooo..kaakhi sattaikkum unduOh.. even for the khaki uniform
Nal karpugal karpugal endruThere is true honor and virtue
Kattiya thanthavan naanaeI am the one who established that
Iru kaigalai kulikkidum maanaeOh deer who shakes both hands!
Male
Oru thiriyum neruppumIf a wick and a fire
Kaadhal kondaalFall in love with each other
Thondrum thotram ivandhaanaeThe form that manifests is him
Male
Karka karka kallam karkaLearn, learn, learn the art of deceit
Endru sonna avanHe is the one who said so
Kallam katra kalvar ellaamAll thieves who learn deceit
Mattikkollum aranHe is the fortress in which they get trapped
Male
Nirka nirka nermayil nirkaStand, stand, stand firm in honesty
Katrukkonda naranHe is the man who learned to do so
Sutrum sutrum kaatrai polaeLike the swirling wind
Engum selvaan ivanHe goes everywhere
Male
Thuppaaki matrum thootaavai thaanOnly the gun and the bullet
KaadhalithaanHe loved
Endraalum kaakhi sattayaithaanYet, the khaki uniform
Kai pidithaanHe held hands with
Than saavai sattai payil vaithuKeeping his death in his shirt pocket
Engeyum selgindraann………He goes everywhere...
Male
You speed and you get pulled overYou speed and you get pulled over
And the breath analyzer test provides proofAnd the breathalyzer test provides proof
That you aint soberThat you are not sober
Good Cop!Good cop!
Male
Stop the beat, it could be my daughterStop the beat, it could be my daughter
Crossing the streetCrossing the street
If your brand new Buick SkylarkIf your brand new Buick Skylark
A work of artA work of art
And its not sitting in the last place you parkedAnd it is not sitting in the last place you parked
Good Cop!Good cop!
Male
Run the placeRun the plates
I’ma see the little thief right after the court gateI will see the little thief right after the court gate
Look.. a lotta of us see police as foesLook.. a lot of us see police as foes
I ain’t tryin to knock ur hussy..I am not trying to knock your hustle..
Due to each his ownTo each his own
But when u get voilatedBut when you get violated
And the beef is onAnd the conflict begins
And u living with ur mom’sAnd you live with your mom
And u see they aint grownAnd you see they are not grown
Male
You gonna see my song n read my poemYou are going to see my song and read my poem
And know that top dollarAnd know that top dollar
The scurry cannot be that wrongThe hurry cannot be that wrong
Screw you manhood tops -heartScrew your manhood, tops heart
Few good cops!Few good cops!
Male
Kan aayiram kai aayiramA thousand eyes, a thousand hands
Ena dhegam kollaTo embody his stature
Ibboomiyil nadamaadidumWalking upon this earth
Ivan deivum allaHe is not a god either
Male
Vaan suriyan oru naalilaeIf the sky's sun on one day
Kaanaamal poonaalGoes missing
Avvaanaiyae muzhu virpanaiEven if he has to sell the sky itself
Seithenum nirpaanHe will stand to light it up
Male
Nara vettayigal vettayaigal aadaTo hunt down human beasts
Iru kaigalin viralgal neelaAs the fingers on both hands extend
Ethirigal ethirigal saayaAs enemies fall down
Senkuridhiyil dhegangal thooyaBodies purified in deep red blood
Male
Oru achcham achcham ennum sollaiThe word called fear
Theeyil ittu theerthanaeHe cast into the fire and finished it
Female
Karka karka kallam karkaMale :Gotta love it y’allLearn, learn, learn deceit (Male: Gotta love it y'all)
Endru sonna avanHe is the one who said so
Kallam katra kalvar ellaamAll thieves who learn deceit
Mattikkollum aranHe is the fortress in which they get trapped
Male
Nirka nirka nermayil nirkaStand, stand, stand firm in honesty
Katrukkonda naranMale :Stand up nowHe is the man who learned to do so (Male: Stand up now)
Sutrum sutrum kaatrai polaeLike the swirling wind
Engum selvaan ivanHe goes everywhere
Male
Thuppaaki matrum thootaavai thaanOnly the gun and the bullet
KaadhalithaanHe loved
Endraalum kaakhi sattayaithaanYet, the khaki uniform
Kai pidithaanHe held hands with
Than saavai sattai payil vaithuKeeping his death in his shirt pocket
Engeyum selgindraann………He goes everywhere...
Male
{Who’s the man on the landWho is the man on the land
That can stand nowThat can stand now
Who’s the man on the landWho is the man on the land
That can stand } (3)That can stand

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Karka Karka is an intense, high-energy hero introduction track from Gautham Vasudev Menon's film Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006). The song acts as an ode to Deputy Commissioner Raghavan IPS, depicting him as an unyielding, fearless, and deeply moral police officer. Lyricist Thamarai uses classic, elevated Tamil literary language combined with modern police motifs to highlight his dedication to justice, his sharp intellect, and his willingness to risk his life every single day.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodai (Repetition / Anaphora)

Karka karka kallam karka

Doubled verbs such as 'Karka karka', 'Nirka nirka', and 'Sutrum sutrum' are used for rhythmic intensity and thematic emphasis on persistent action.

Uvamai (Simile)

Sutrum sutrum kaatrai polae

Compares Raghavan's swift, omnipresent movement across crime scenes to the free, swirling wind ('kaatrai polae').

Uruvagaim (Metaphor)

Than saavai sattai payil vaithu

Metaphorically describes the officer carrying his own mortality inside his shirt pocket, highlighting the constant threat of death in his duty.

Uyarvu Navortchi (Hyperbole)

Vaan suriyan oru naalilae kaanaamal poonaal... muzhu virpanai seithenum nirpaan

Exaggerates his dedication by stating that even if the sun vanished, he would sell the entire sky to bring light back to the world.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Harris Jayaraj with lyrics by Thamarai, 'Karka Karka' features an innovative fusion of classical Sangam-style Tamil vocabulary with western hip-hop rap performed by Blaaze and Solar Sai. The song perfectly encapsulates Kamal Haasan's iconic character Raghavan IPS in Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu.

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