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Aruvi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Liberty Song (Cement Kaadu)

From Aruvi · 2016

Lyricist
Kutti Revathy
Singer
Bindhu Malini
Music directors
Bindhu Malini, Vedanth Bharadwaj
Movie name
Aruvi
Movie release year
2016
Lyrics added on
10 Nov 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
{Bam bam pa
Bam paaba
Bam bam pa
Bam paaba
Bam bam pa
Bam paaba
Paabab paabab paba} (3)
Cement kaadu oorukulla
Adupu vaipom roatu mela
Alukku makka mathiyilae
Aattam kaanum vaazhkaiyilae
Bam bam pa
Bam paaba
Bam bam pa
Bam paaba
Bam bam pa
Bam paaba
Paabab paabab paba
Aattam kaanum vaazhkaiyilae
Aattam kaanum vaazhkaiyilae
Aattam kaanum vaazhkaiyilae
Vellendhi manasula dhan
Aayiram aasai
Aasaiku alavedhuku
Panangaasu ulagathula
Vaazha sagikala
Sugam kaana panam edhuku
Payapulla pogaatha idathukellam
Poganum thittam pottu
Rusikkaadha unavellam
Rusikkanum aasai pattu
Kutham sollum ulagathula
Vaazhradhum kuthamunna
Vaai mela ongi kuthadi…ee…
Vellendhi manasula dhan
Aayiram aasai
Aasaiku alavedhuku
Panangaasu ulagathula
Vaazha sagikala
Sugam kaana panam edhuku
{Bam bam pa
Bam paaba
Bam bam pa
Bam paaba
Bam bam pa
Bam paaba
Paabab paabab paba} (2)
……………………..
Anbaana vaarthai solla
Appa amma thevai illa
Aabathuku odi vara
Saamy illayae
Thuppu ketta kadavul gala
Nambi ketta madayangala
Micham meedhi panatha vachi
Oor sutha pazhagungadaa
Kutham sollum ulagathula
Vaazhradhum kutham munna
Vaai mela ongi kuthadaaa…aaa….
{Alli koduka yaarum illa
Aravanaipedhum thevai illa
Aasa vazkai thedi thedi
Kal mela than naanga yeri poovom} (2)
Kaalula sakkaram katti kittom
Kannula pootu maatikitom
Maanatha tholachadha
Aiyaiyooo…
Maanatha tholachadha
Nyabagamaa marandhutom
Nyabagamaa marandhutom
Sakkarama thirumba thirumba suthurom
Kadivaalam than pottu
Kudhiraiyaa odurom
Aganda aagayam
Thirandhu paarthomaa
Manadhin uyaram kudhichu paarthomaa
{ Bam bam ba
Bam baba
Bam bam ba
Bam baba
Bam bam ba
Bam baba
Babap babap baba } (3)
Inside a city of concrete jungle,
we set up our stove right on the road.
Living among the worn-out crowd,
in a life that constantly wavers...
Bam bam ba
Bam baba
Bam bam ba
Bam baba
Bam bam ba
Bam baba
Babap babap baba
In a life that constantly wavers,
In a life that constantly wavers,
In a life that constantly wavers...
In this simple, innocent heart,
there are a thousand desires.
Why should desires have any limit?
In this world obsessed with money,
living has become unbearable.
Why do you need money to find joy?
To every place no one has ever gone,
we must make plans and go!
Every dish we have never tasted,
we must crave and savor!
In a world that only finds fault,
if even living is a crime,
punch it right across the mouth, girl!
In this simple, innocent heart,
there are a thousand desires.
Why should desires have any limit?
In this world obsessed with money,
living has become unbearable.
Why do you need money to find joy?
{ Bam bam ba
Bam baba
Bam bam ba
Bam baba
Bam bam ba
Bam baba
Babap babap baba } (2)
...
To say a word of love,
you don't need a father or mother.
To rush to our aid in danger,
there is no god around!
Trusting in these useless gods,
you fools who ruined yourselves,
with whatever money you have left,
learn to travel the world, folks!
In a world that only finds fault,
if even living is a crime,
punch it right across the mouth!
{ There is no one to give to us generously,
and we need no one's embrace.
Searching for the life we desire,
we will climb over the rocks and keep moving } (2)
We tied wheels to our feet,
we locked up our eyes,
and losing our self-respect—
oh no!
Losing our self-respect,
we conveniently forgot all about it!
We conveniently forgot all about it!
Like wheels, we keep spinning round and round.
Wearing blinders on our eyes,
we keep running like horses.
Did we ever look up
and see the vast, open sky?
Did we ever jump to the height of our heart?
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This track from the 2016 Tamil film 'Aruvi', with lyrics written by Kutti Revathy, serves as a fiery, non-conformist anthem celebrating freedom, innocence, and rebellion against urban capitalism. Set against the backdrop of a 'concrete jungle', the song captures the lives of marginalized everyday people who survive on the streets while holding onto unbounded desires. It sharply critiques society's obsession with money, hyper-consumerism, rigid morality, and blind religious faith. The lyrics urge individuals to break free from the mechanical rat race—symbolized by horses wearing blinders—and experience true joy through freedom, travel, and emotional independence. Rather than seeking validation or traditional comforts, the protagonist advocates for living boldly, ignoring cynical critics, and exploring the vastness of human experience.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Cement kaadu oorukulla

'Cement kaadu' (Concrete jungle) compares modern urban cityscape directly to a dense, wild forest.

Imagery

Kaalula sakkaram katti kittom

'Kaalula sakkaram katti kittom' (Tied wheels to our feet) creates vivid visual imagery of the frantic, hyper-fast speed of modern daily survival.

Metaphor & Personification

Kadivaalam than pottu kudhiraiyaa odurom

'Kadivaalam than pottu kudhiraiyaa odurom' uses the metaphor of a harnessed horse with blinders to represent how modern society forces people into narrow-minded rat races.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Payapulla pogaatha idathukellam / Poganum thittam pottu

Repetition of the initial letter 'Pa' sound across consecutive phrases ('Payapulla', 'Poganum').

Did you know?

Trivia

The soundtrack for 'Aruvi' was composed by the duo Bindhu Malini and Vedanth Bharadwaj, who brought an indie-folk and acoustic theatrical vibe rarely seen in mainstream Tamil cinema. Kutti Revathy, a prominent contemporary Tamil feminist poet, wrote the song to reflect the main protagonist Aruvi's anti-establishment worldview and uninhibited spirit.

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