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Lingaa album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oh Nanba

From Lingaa · 2014

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Aaryan Dinesh Kanagaratnam, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Lingaa
Movie release year
2014
Lyrics added on
27 Apr 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Hey hey..nana nana nana nana naa..
Naa naa na na na…
Hey hey ho ho ho hey hey…
Hoo..ho…
Oh nanba nanba nanba
Vaa kalakalaamaChorus :Hoo..ho…
Hey nanba nanba nanba
Vaan thirakalaama..
Aasai irunthaal nanba
Sorgam thirakkum nanba
Naam athanaikkum
Aasai pattu muthedupom nanba
Vaanam valathu kaiyil
Bhoomi idathu kaiyil
Vaazhvae namathu paiyil
Oh nanba nanba nanba
Vaa kalakalaama
Hey nanba nanba nanba
Vaan thirakalaama..
Oh nanba
Chorus :Edukka edukka
Ada edu edukka
Male :Hey nanba
Chorus :Manakka manakka
Ada mana manakka
Oh nanba
Chorus :Kalakka kalakka
Ada kala kalakka
Male :Hey nanba
Chorus :Gamakka gamakkka
Ada gama gamakka
Oh nanbaa
Hey nanbaa
Chorus :Idikka idikka
Ada idi idikka
Oh nanba
Chorus :Manakka manakka
Ada mana manakka
Male :Hey nanba
Chorus :Kalakka kalakka
Ada kala kalakka
Oh nanba
Chorus :Parakka parakka
Ada anal parakka
Kaadhal pennum
Rasikathaanae
Kinnam rusikathaanae rendum
Alavu thaandi sellathae
Unn ellai arinthukondal
Thollai unakku illai
Meenae thannerai thaandi thullathae
Unnodu selvam
Ellam serthukoo
Kondaada nanban
Venum paarthukkoo..
Hey munnorgal
Sonnal sonnal yethukkoo
Velaikku aagathendraal
Mathikkooo…
Oh nanba nanba nanba
Vaa kalakalaama
Hey nanba nanba nanba
Vaan thirakalaama..
Oh sambo kondattama
Oh sambo santhosama
Oh sambo paadalaama
Oh sambo vilayadalaama
Oh sambo aadalaama
Oh sambo thulalaama
Mannil inbam iyarkaithaanae
Thunbam seyarkaithaanae
Mullil nee meththai
Thaithu thoongaathae
Munbu inbam kuduthathellam
Pinnal thunbam tharum
Kannaa nee kattupaadu
Thaandathae..ae…
Idhayam perithaaga
Vaazhnthu paar
Inbam perithaagi theerumae
Hey unnai ellarkkum
Thanthu paar
Ulagam unathaagi pogumae
Oh nanba nanba nanba
Vaa kalakalaama
Chorus :Kalakka kalakka
Ada kala kalakka
Chorus :Kalakka kalakka
Ada kala kalakka
Male :Hey nanba nanba nanba
Vaan thirakalaama..
Chorus :Gamakka gamakkka
Ada gama gamakka
Chorus :Gamakka gamakkka
Ada gama gamakka
Aasai irunthaal nanba
Sorgam thirakkum nanba
Naam athanaikkum
Aasai pattu muthedupom nanba
Vaanam valathu kaiyil
Bhoomi idathu kaiyil
Vaazhvae namathu paiyil
Oh nanba nanba nanba
Vaa kalakalaama
Hey hey.. Nana nana nana nana naa..
Naa naa na na na…
Hey hey ho ho ho hey hey…
Ho.. ho…
Oh my friend, friend, friend!
Come, shall we celebrate? Chorus: Ho.. ho…
Hey my friend, friend, friend!
Shall we open up the sky?
If you have desire, my friend,
heaven's doors will open, my friend!
Let us desire everything,
and dive deep for pearls, my friend!
The sky is in our right hand,
the earth is in our left hand,
and life itself is in our pocket!
Oh my friend, friend, friend!
Come, shall we celebrate?
Hey my friend, friend, friend!
Shall we open up the sky?
Oh my friend!
Chorus: Keep taking, taking!
Come on, take and take!
Male: Hey my friend!
Chorus: Fragrant and sweet,
wonderfully fragrant!
Oh my friend!
Chorus: Rocking and rolling,
totally shaking things up!
Male: Hey my friend!
Chorus: Rich and aromatic,
delightfully aromatic!
Oh my friend!
Hey my friend!
Chorus: Thunder crashing,
like thunder roaring!
Oh my friend!
Chorus: Fragrant and sweet,
wonderfully fragrant!
Male: Hey my friend!
Chorus: Rocking and rolling,
totally shaking things up!
Oh my friend!
Chorus: Flying and soaring,
with sparks flying high!
A lovely girl
is meant to be admired,
and a cup of wine to be tasted, but with both,
do not cross the limit!
If you know your limits,
you will have no trouble.
Little fish, do not jump out of the water!
Gather all the wealth
around you,
but make sure you have a friend
to celebrate it with!
If our elders
give you advice, accept it.
If it is of no use,
use your own mind!
Oh my friend, friend, friend!
Come, shall we celebrate?
Hey my friend, friend, friend!
Shall we open up the sky?
Oh Shambho, is it a celebration?
Oh Shambho, is it joy?
Oh Shambho, shall we sing?
Oh Shambho, shall we play?
Oh Shambho, shall we dance?
Oh Shambho, shall we leap with joy?
Joy on this earth is natural,
while sorrow is only man-made.
Do not stitch a mattress of thorns
and try to sleep on it!
Everything that brought pleasure before
might bring pain later.
My dear, do not break
your self-control!
Live your life
with a generous heart,
and your joy is sure to grow!
Give of yourself
to everyone,
and the whole world will become yours!
Oh my friend, friend, friend!
Come, shall we celebrate?
Chorus: Rocking and rolling,
totally shaking things up!
Chorus: Rocking and rolling,
totally shaking things up!
Male: Hey my friend, friend, friend!
Shall we open up the sky?
Chorus: Rich and aromatic,
delightfully aromatic!
Chorus: Rich and aromatic,
delightfully aromatic!
If you have desire, my friend,
heaven's doors will open, my friend!
Let us desire everything,
and dive deep for pearls, my friend!
The sky is in our right hand,
the earth is in our left hand,
and life itself is in our pocket!
Oh my friend, friend, friend!
Come, shall we celebrate?
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Oh Nanba' from the movie Lingaa (2014) is an energetic, philosophical anthem celebrating friendship, zest for life, and moral moderation. It urges the listener to embrace life with enthusiasm, aiming high to hold 'the sky in the right hand and the earth in the left.' However, amidst the celebratory mood, lyricist Vairamuthu weaves crucial life advice regarding self-restraint and boundaries. The protagonist reminds his friend that enjoying love or wine must remain within limits, comparing overreaching to a fish jumping out of water.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second letter rhyming)

Aasai irunthaal nanba / Sorgam thirakkum nanba

The second consonant sound 's' and 'r' (matching soft sound structures) aligns across consecutive lines to create rhythmic flow.

Metaphor

Vaanam valathu kaiyil / Bhoomi idathu kaiyil / Vaazhvae namathu paiyil

The lyrics metaphorically place the sky in the right hand, earth in the left, and life in a bag to symbolize ultimate confidence and mastery over destiny.

Metaphor / Analogy

Meenae thannerai thaandi thullathae

Compares human self-restraint to a fish staying within water, warning that jumping beyond limits leads to peril.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Oh sambo kondattama / Oh sambo santhosama / Oh sambo paadalaama

Repeated use of the rhyming suffix '-ama' at the end of consecutive rhythmic phrases creates a musical cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Oh Nanba' was composed by Oscar-winning director A.R. Rahman and sung by the legendary S.P. Balasubrahmanyam alongside Aryan Dinesh. In Rajinikanth movies, opening track anthems sung by SPB were an iconic tradition spanning over three decades, and 'Oh Nanba' served as one of the standout high-energy intro tracks during their legendary collaboration.

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