- Lyricist
- Poonguyilan
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Vesham
- Movie release year
- 1985
- Lyrics added on
- 4 Nov 2020
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Jinchanakkaa tiyaa pottukichchaam
Jinchanakkaa tiyaa pottukichchaam
Kummaa kummaa kummaa kummaalae
Kummaa kummaa kummaa Jammaalae
Kummaa kummaa kummaa kummaalae
Kummaa kummaa kummaa Jammaalae
Ae hae kummaa kummaa kummaa Jammaalae
Kazhuthai kettaa kutti suvaruthaan
Oru muttu suvaruthaan
Antha kadavum senja chinna thavaruthaan
Kazhuthai kettaa kutti suvaruthaan
Oru muttu suvaruthaan
Antha kadavum senja chinna thavaruthaan
Hae Kadha osaththinaa kaambothi raagamthaan
Kadha osaththinaa kaambothi raagamthaan
Kazhuthai kettaa
Kazhuthai kettaa kutti suvaruthaan
Oru muttu suvaruthaan
Antha kadavum senja chinna thavaruthaan
Hae Kadha osaththinaa kaambothi raagamthaan
Kadha osaththinaa kaambothi raagamthaan
Car-ru kettu poyittaa workshop-pu irukkuthu
Ooru kettu poyittaa enna vaazhi irukkuthu
Steering pola irukanum illaatti
Stepniyaa veettil kedakkanum
Haei Steering pola irukanum illaatti
Stepniyaa veettil kedakkanum
Haei Steering pola irukanum illaatti
Stepniyaa veettil kedakkanum
Vedilater kodhikkuthu
Male :Thanni lady thavikkithu
Male :Naerththu paarththa tyrela
Kaaththu moochchu vaakuthu shhhshsh
Kazhuthai kettaa kutti suvaruthaan
Oru muttu suvaruthaan
Antha kadavum senja chinna thavaruthaan
Kadha osaththinaa kaambothi raagamthaan
Kadha osaththinaa kaambothi raagamthaan
Aavo aavo aavo
Aiyyo aavo aavo aavo
Aa hh aavo aavov vov
Aavo aavo aavov vov
Horn saththam face-sudaa
Nattu ellaam loosudaa
Screw potta mudukkunaa
Shruthi Suththama irukkumdaa
Madguard thalaiya paarudaa kullamani
Mandaiyil greece illadaa
Haei madguard thalaiya paarudaa kullamani
Mandaiyil greece illadaa
Skeladge konjam paaththukko
Male :Geara maaththi pottukka
Male :Vantha vandiyum oodanum
Male :Namma vandiyum oodanum
Kazhuthai kettaa
Male :Kazhuthai kettaa
Male :Kazhuthai kettaa
Male :Kazhuthai kettaa
Kazhuthai kettaa kutti suvaruthaan
Oru muttu suvaruthaan
Antha kadavum senja chinna thavaruthaan
Hae Kadha osaththinaa kaambothi raagamthaan
Kadha osaththinaa kaambothi raagamthaan
Jinchanakkaa tiyaa pottukichchaam
Jinchanakkaa tiyaa pottukichchaam
Kummaa kummaa kummaa kummaalae
Kummaa kummaa kummaa Jammaalae
Kummaa kummaa kummaa kummaalae
Kummaa kummaa kummaa Jammaalae
Ae hae kummaa kummaa kummaa Jammaalae
Podu kummaa kummaa kummaa Jammaalae
Jin-sanakka, the rhythm caught fire!
Jin-sanakka, the rhythm caught fire!
Kumma, kumma, kumma, kummale!
Kumma, kumma, kumma, jammale!
Kumma, kumma, kumma, kummale!
Kumma, kumma, kumma, jammale!
Hey hey, kumma, kumma, kumma, jammale!
When a donkey loses its way, it ends up at a ruined wall,
Facing a dead-end wall!
That was a little mistake made even by God!
When a donkey loses its way, it ends up at a ruined wall,
Facing a dead-end wall!
That was a little mistake made even by God!
Hey, elevate the story and it's the Kambodhi raga!
Elevate the story and it's the Kambodhi raga!
When a donkey loses its way...
When a donkey loses its way, it ends up at a ruined wall,
Facing a dead-end wall!
That was a little mistake made even by God!
Hey, elevate the story and it's the Kambodhi raga!
Elevate the story and it's the Kambodhi raga!
If a car breaks down, there's a workshop to fix it,
If the whole town goes bad, what way out is there?
You must be in control like a steering wheel, or else
You will just lie at home like a spare tire!
Hey, you must be in control like a steering wheel, or else
You will just lie at home like a spare tire!
Hey, you must be in control like a steering wheel, or else
You will just lie at home like a spare tire!
The radiator is boiling over,
Desperately gasping for water!
In the tire checked just yesterday,
The air is hissing out its breath, shhhh!
When a donkey loses its way, it ends up at a ruined wall,
Facing a dead-end wall!
That was a little mistake made even by God!
Elevate the story and it's the Kambodhi raga!
Elevate the story and it's the Kambodhi raga!
Come on, come on, come on!
Oh my, come on, come on, come on!
Ah-ha, come on, come on, whoa-whoa!
Come on, come on, whoa-whoa!
The horn sound is great, brother,
But all the nuts are loose, brother!
If you put in the screws and tighten them,
The pitch will be in perfect tune, brother!
Look at that mudguard-like head, shorty,
There is no grease in that brain of yours!
Hey, look at that mudguard-like head, shorty,
There is no grease in that brain of yours!
Mind the accelerator a little,
Shift into the right gear!
The vehicle that came must run,
And our life's cart must keep running too!
When a donkey loses its way...
When a donkey loses its way...
When a donkey loses its way...
When a donkey loses its way...
When a donkey loses its way, it ends up at a ruined wall,
Facing a dead-end wall!
That was a little mistake made even by God!
Hey, elevate the story and it's the Kambodhi raga!
Elevate the story and it's the Kambodhi raga!
Jin-sanakka, the rhythm caught fire!
Jin-sanakka, the rhythm caught fire!
Kumma, kumma, kumma, kummale!
Kumma, kumma, kumma, jammale!
Kumma, kumma, kumma, kummale!
Kumma, kumma, kumma, jammale!
Hey hey, kumma, kumma, kumma, jammale!
Strike it! Kumma, kumma, kumma, jammale!
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a satirical, lighthearted, and upbeat folk-style track that draws metaphors between automobile repair work and societal or human flaws. Utilizing popular Tamil proverbs like 'Kazhuthai kettaa kutti suvaru' (If a donkey strays/spoils, it leans on a ruined wall), the lyrics comment on foolishness, bad leadership, and life's breakdowns using mechanical terms like steering, spare tires, nuts, bolts, and gear shifts.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor / Automobile Allegory
“Steering pola irukanum illaatti / Stepniyaa veettil kedakkanum”
Human attributes and societal issues are humorously compared to car parts (Steering wheel as a leader, spare wheel as a useless person, grease in the brain as intelligence).
Proverb usage (Pazhamozhi)
“Kazhuthai kettaa kutti suvaruthaan”
Incorporates traditional folk proverbs directly into the verse to evoke familiarity and humor.
Rhyme and Assonance (Ethukai / Monai)
“Nattu ellaam loosudaa / Screw potta mudukkunaa / Shruthi Suththama irukkumdaa”
Internal and line-ending rhyming using colloquial Tamil slang (e.g., loosudaa, mudukkunaa, irukkumdaa).
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyricist Poonguyilan was known for writing colorful, conversational, and energetic folk songs in 1980s Tamil cinema. The proverb 'Kazhuthai kettaa kutti suvaru' is a famous rural Tamil saying often used colloquially to tease someone who retreats to a useless comfort zone when they fail.
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