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Oru Thalai Ragam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kokkarakko Kokkarakko

From Oru Thalai Ragam · 1980

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Oru Thalai Ragam
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
24 Jul 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Podu kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Olagaththa suththi suththi
Salaam podu ompothu
Odambaththaan uththu uththu
Nallaa paaru ompothu
Olagaththa suththi suththi
Salaam podu ompothu
Odambaththaan uththu uththu
Nallaa paaru ompothu
Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Thaadi thongikittaa pudichchikka pudichchikka ompothu
Meesa neendukittaa thadavikka thadavikka ompothu
Thaadi thongikittaa pudichchikka pudichchikka ompothu
Meesa neendukittaa thadavikka thadavikka ompothu
Pondaatti silirththukkittaa
Orasikka orasikka ompothu
Ada kottaampuliya thinganumnnaa
Kadichchikka kadichchikka ompothu
Saalimaar jimkkaana shajakaan kumkkaanaa
Saalimaar jimkkaana shajakan kumkkaanaa
Noorjahan isthaanaa ada sayaangsakkadi kumthaanaa
Kokkarakko
Chorus :Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Navaraththiri ompothu navathaaniyam ompothu
Navaraththinam ompothu navarasangalum ompothu….aa…
Yaendaa naanga mattumaa ompothu
Yaendaa naanga mattumaa ompothu
Idhu pandibajar kiththaappu idhu bharmaabajaar maththaappu
Idhu china bajaar tiptaappu oru dandanakkaa nikkaappu
Dandanakkaa nikkaappu
Kokkarakko
Chorus :Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
………………..
Paaththaakka kodeeshwaran pazhakkaththila kedishwwaran
Pottukittaan savaalu maattikittaan vavvaalu
Un jambam ellaam poiyaachchu
Un jabarutharsum poyaacchu
Un saagasangal ennaachchu
Naan sonnathuthaan ninnaachchu aahaa haa….
Nee jaangiri thinnaa jahangir-u
Ada angry vantha badam kheer
Ada mundhiri mundhiri thonthiya paaru thonthiya paaru
Ada enthiri enthiri velakkumaar velakkumaaru
Aadu kokkarakko aadu kokkarakko
Odu kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Kokkarakko
Chorus :Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Olagaththa suththi suththi
Salaam podu
Chorus :Ompothu
Male :Odambaththaan uththu uththu
Nallaa paaru
Chorus :Ompothu
Olagaththa suththi suththi
Salaam podu
Chorus :Ompothu
Male :Odambaththaan uththu uththu
Nallaa paaru
Chorus :Ompothu
Kokkarakko
Chorus :Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko
Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Hit it! Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Go around the world,
and bow down respectfully, number nine!
Look closely at this body,
take a good look, number nine!
Go around the world,
and bow down respectfully, number nine!
Look closely at this body,
take a good look, number nine!
Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
If the beard hangs down, grab it and hold on, number nine!
If the mustache grows long, stroke it gently, number nine!
If the beard hangs down, grab it and hold on, number nine!
If the mustache grows long, stroke it gently, number nine!
If your wife shivers with excitement,
rub up close against her, number nine!
Hey, if you want to eat dried tamarind,
bite into it and chew, number nine!
Shalimar Gymkhana, Shah Jahan Kumkhana,
Shalimar Gymkhana, Shah Jahan Kumkhana,
Nur Jahan's palace, hey, evening tea and beat the drum!
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Chorus: Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Navaratri has nine nights, the sacred grains are nine,
Precious gems are nine, and the classic emotional expressions are nine... ah!
Hey man, are we the only ones called nine?
Hey man, are we the only ones called nine?
This is the swagger of Pondy Bazaar, this is the sparkle of Burma Bazaar,
This is China Bazaar in top style, a lively celebration behind a veil,
A lively celebration behind a veil!
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Chorus: Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
...
To look at him, he is a millionaire, but in his habits, a cunning rogue!
He threw down a challenge and got trapped like a bat!
All your bragging proved to be fake,
all your forceful swagger is gone!
What happened to all your daring stunts?
In the end, only what I said stood true, aha ha!
If you eat a jaangiri sweet, you act like Emperor Jahangir,
hey, if you get angry, cool off with almond milk!
Hey cashews, cashews, look at that potbelly, look at that potbelly!
Hey get up, get up, here comes the broomstick, the broomstick!
Dance, cock-a-doodle-doo! Dance, cock-a-doodle-doo!
Run, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo!
Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Chorus: Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Go around the world,
and bow down respectfully,
Chorus: Number nine!
Male: Look closely at this body,
take a good look,
Chorus: Number nine!
Go around the world,
and bow down respectfully,
Chorus: Number nine!
Male: Look closely at this body,
take a good look,
Chorus: Number nine!
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Chorus: Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
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 playful, high-energy song revolves around wordplay and cultural associations surrounding the number nine ('ompothu'). Sung in an upbeat street-performer style, the singer uses quirky metaphors, humorous observations, and rhymes referencing Chennai's famous markets like Pondy Bazaar, Burma Bazaar, and China Bazaar. The song weaves spiritual and traditional concepts like Navarathri, Navadhanyam, and Navarasam alongside funny personal jabs about ego, money, and bodily traits. Beneath the comedic surface, the lyrics deliver a satirical take on human pride, showing how someone's boasting falls apart when reality hits.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Olagaththa suththi suththi / Odambaththaan uththu uththu

Rhyming of the second letter across consecutive lines, such as 'Olagaththa' and 'Odambaththaan'.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Un jambam ellaam poiyaachchu / Un jabarutharsum poyaacchu / Un saagasangal ennaachchu / Naan sonnathuthaan ninnaachchu

Repetition of the rhyming suffix '-aachchu' across multiple lines to build comic rhythm.

Onomatopoeia

Kokkarakko kokkarakko kokkarakko

Use of imitative rooster sound 'Kokkarakko' and rhythmic beats like 'Dandanakkaa'.

Pun / Internal Rhyme

Nee jaangiri thinnaa jahangir-u

Play on sweet name 'jaangiri' with Mughal emperor name 'Jahangir'.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Oru Thalai Ragam' (1980) was a pathbreaking blockbuster in Tamil cinema that ran for over 365 days. Though Shankar-Ganesh are officially credited as the music directors, T. Rajendar composed all the songs and wrote the screenplay for the movie, marking his major debut in Tamil cinema.

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