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Nallavanukku Nallavan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Namma Mothalali

From Nallavanukku Nallavan · 1984

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. Janaki, Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Nallavanukku Nallavan
Movie release year
1984
Lyrics added on
4 Jan 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nallavarukku nallavaru
Naanayamthaan ullavaru
Thozhilaali vargaththilae
oruththaraai iruppavaru
Nallaa irukkanum
Naalum sirikkanum
Chorus :Ellaa manasugalum
Vaayaara vazhththanum
Namma muthalaali
Nalla muthalaali
Vella manam pilla gunam
Ulla muthalaali
Namma muthalaali
Nalla muthalaali
Vella manam pilla gunam
Ulla muthalaali
Engalukkellaam nalla
Soththu sugamthaan
Thanthathu ellaam
Intha thanga maganthaan
{Namma muthalaali
Nalla muthalaali
Vella manam pilla gunam
Ulla muthalaali} (2)
Aadu nenanja
Onaaiyu azhuthu
Antha kathathaan
Ayyavin manathu
Entha manam nalla manam
Pinnalae theriyum
Kallu ethu paalu ethu
Thanaalae puriyum
Ooraara emaaththa
Puli uththesam panniduchchaam
Santhegam vaaraama
Pasu tholaala moodikichchaam
Thannidaththilae
Thavaru ullavangathaan
Silaru nallavangala
Pazhichchuthaan
Pozhappu nadaththanum
{Namma muthalaali
Nalla muthalaali
Vella manam pilla gunam
Ulla muthalaali} (2)
Engalukkellaam nalla
Soththu sugamthaan
Thanthathu ellaam
Intha thanga maganthaan
{Namma muthalaali
Nalla muthalaali
Vella manam pilla gunam
Ulla muthalaali} (2)
Kadaiyil irukkum
Thengaaiyai eduththu
Odachcha varaikkum
Pothaatho niruththu
Niththam niththam
Naanumkooda ozhaikkira jaathi
Naadariyum oorariyum
Ennudaiya sethi
Vedaantham pesaathae
Summa vaathangal pannaathae..
Hey nee enna sonnaalum
En ennangal maaraathae
Haha…kandupudichchen
Unakku buththi illaiyae
Athukku ennidaththilae
Ethukku nee morachchi kuthikkanum
{Namma muthalaali
Nalla muthalaali
Vella manam pilla gunam
Ulla muthalaali} (2)
Engalukkellaam nalla
Soththu sugamthaan
Thanthathu ellaam
Intha thanga maganthaan
{Namma muthalaali
Nalla muthalaali
Vella manam pilla gunam
Ulla muthalaali} (2)
He is good to good people,
A man of true honesty and honor!
Among the working class,
He lives as one of us!
May he live well,
May he smile every single day!
Chorus: May every heart
Bless him with all their soul!
He is our boss,
A truly good boss!
A spotless heart and childlike nature
Is what our boss has!
He is our boss,
A truly good boss!
A spotless heart and childlike nature
Is what our boss has!
To all of us, good
Wealth and well-being,
The one who gave it all
Is this golden son!
He is our boss,
A truly good boss!
A spotless heart and childlike nature
Is what our boss has!
When a sheep gets soaked in the rain,
The wolf cries crocodile tears!
That is exactly the story
Of this master's heart!
Which heart is truly good,
Will be known in time!
What is toddy and what is milk,
Will become clear on its own!
To deceive the whole town,
A tiger came up with a plan:
Without raising any doubt,
It wrapped itself in a cow's skin!
Deep within themselves,
Only those full of faults
Must blame good people
By slandering them,
Just to make their living!
He is our boss,
A truly good boss!
A spotless heart and childlike nature
Is what our boss has!
To all of us, good
Wealth and well-being,
The one who gave it all
Is this golden son!
He is our boss,
A truly good boss!
A spotless heart and childlike nature
Is what our boss has!
Taking a coconut
From someone else's shop
And breaking it as your own offering—
Isn't that enough? Stop it now!
Day after day,
I too belong to the working class!
The whole town and country knows
The truth about me!
Don't lecture me on philosophy,
Don't just argue for nothing!
Hey, whatever you say,
My mind will never change!
Haha... I figured it out,
You don't have any sense at all!
For that, why against me
Do you glare and throw a fit?
He is our boss,
A truly good boss!
A spotless heart and childlike nature
Is what our boss has!
To all of us, good
Wealth and well-being,
The one who gave it all
Is this golden son!
He is our boss,
A truly good boss!
A spotless heart and childlike nature
Is what our boss has!
Chorus
Female
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This upbeat celebratory track praises a benevolent and upright boss who treats his working-class employees with genuine affection and generosity. The workers sing in unity, wishing him prosperity and long life, recognizing his innocent, child-like character ('vella manam pilla gunam') and his golden heart.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme/Alliteration)

Nallavarukku nallavaru / Naanayamthaan ullavaru

Repetition of the 'Na' sound at the beginning of words in consecutive lines ('Nallavarukku' and 'Naanayamthaan').

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Intha thanga maganthaan

Describing the boss as a 'golden son' (thanga magan) to signify his high moral value and purity.

Allegory / Proverbial Analogy

Aadu nenanja Onaaiyu azhuthu

Using metaphors of a wolf crying for a drenched sheep or a tiger in cow's skin to expose hypocrites.

Contrast (Ethirnnilai)

Kallu ethu paalu ethu Thanaalae puriyum

Contrasting 'Kallu' (toddy/fake) and 'Paalu' (milk/pure) to signify truth emerging over deceit.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Nallavanukku Nallavan' (1984) starred Rajinikanth and Radhika, featuring hit music composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics written by Vaali. The movie was a massive commercial hit, cementing Rajinikanth's hero image as a protector of the working class.

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