- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Nallathoru Kudumbam
- Movie release year
- 1979
- Lyrics added on
- 16 Jun 2020
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
One and two chachachaa
Nee engae chachachaa
Naan engae chachachaa
Chacha chachachaa
One and two chachachaa
Nee engae chachachaa
Naan engae chachachaa
Chacha chachachaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Thullum kaalgal ingu undaa
Kollum kangal ingu undaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Vaarungal aadungal
Who is that challenge me
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Thullum kaalgal ingu undaa
Kollum kangal ingu undaa
Thaangaadhu raajaa naan enna laesaa
Naan aadum aattam rambaikku maelae
Thaangaadhu raajaa naan enna laesaa
Naan aadum aattam rambaikku maelae
Pakkatthil vaarungal paarungal
Dhodho dhodho achanghal
Jil jil jil jil jijjil jil
Thullum kaalgal ingu undaa
Kollum kangal ingu undaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Vaarungal aadungal
Who is that challenge me
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaen
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaen
Ezhundhadhundu vizhundhadhillai
Ariyaamal ularaadhae odi podi
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaen
Alaigal aadumadi thaalatthukku
Indha agangaaram indru unakkedharkku
Alaigal aadumadi thaalatthukku
Indha agangaaram indru unakkedharkku
Jadhiiya nee enna radhiyaa
Asaindhaal ulagam asaiyum
Paraman nadanam baradha kalai
Ulaginil periyadhu allavo
Yedhu nadanam… idhu nadanam
Yedhu nadanam idhu nadanam
Muraiyudan valaindhu nimirndhu
Ezhundhu thodarum kalai idhu
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaen
Ezhundhadhundu vizhundhadhillai
Ariyaamal ularaadhae odi podi
Aayiram sabaigalil varuvaen
Ho doctor… this is baradha naattiyam
We want only chachachaa
Ho… you want chachachaa
Haa…
Ready one two three four
One and two chachachaa
Naan engae achachaa
Nee engae achacho chacha chachachae
One and two chachachaa
Naan engae achachaa
Nee engae achacho chacha chachachae
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Thullum kaalgal ingu undaa
Kollum kangal ingu undaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Ennammo paarammaa
Success often comes to me
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Magasa magasa magasa magasa magasanipaa
Dhanisadhaa padhanipaa paani dhaasa saama gaapa
Saanidhaapa maaga sagamapaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Paapapa panidhapa maamama madhapama
Gaagaga gapamaga samagapa madhapaa
Padhanisaa mapadhani
Padhanisaa mapadhani gamapanidha
Sasasaa ninini chachachaa chechechae
Saasaanidha ninidhapa dhaadhaapama
Saani needha dhaapa pamagasa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumbum babaa
Bumbum baaba bumba bumbaa
Bumbum baaba bumbumba bumbum babaa…
One and two, cha-cha-cha
Where are you? Cha-cha-cha
Where am I? Cha-cha-cha
Cha-cha, cha-cha-cha
One and two, cha-cha-cha
Where are you? Cha-cha-cha
Where am I? Cha-cha-cha
Cha-cha, cha-cha-cha
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Are there lively dancing feet here?
Are there killer eyes here?
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Come along, dance along!
Who is that to challenge me?
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Are there lively dancing feet here?
Are there killer eyes here?
You cannot handle me, dear king; am I an easy match?
My dance outshines even Rambha (the divine dancer)!
You cannot handle me, dear king; am I an easy match?
My dance outshines even Rambha (the divine dancer)!
Come closer and see for yourself!
Shoo away all your fears!
Jil jil jil jil jijjil jil
Are there lively dancing feet here?
Are there killer eyes here?
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Come along, dance along!
Who is that to challenge me?
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
I will perform in a thousand grand stages!
I will perform in a thousand grand stages!
I have always risen, never once fallen!
Do not babble in ignorance, run away girl!
I will perform in a thousand grand stages!
Even the ocean waves dance to the rhythm, girl!
Why do you hold such arrogance today?
Even the ocean waves dance to the rhythm, girl!
Why do you hold such arrogance today?
Are you just a rhythm pattern? Are you Rathi (the goddess of beauty)?
If I sway, the whole world moves!
Lord Shiva's dance is the art of Bharatanatyam,
Isn't it the greatest art in the entire world?
What is true dance? This is true dance!
What is true dance? This is true dance!
Gracefully bending and rising with discipline,
This is an art that endures and moves forward!
I will perform in a thousand grand stages!
I have always risen, never once fallen!
Do not babble in ignorance, run away girl!
I will perform in a thousand grand stages!
Oh Doctor... this is Bharatanatyam!
We want only cha-cha-cha!
Oh... you want cha-cha-cha?
Ha...
Ready, one, two, three, four!
One and two, cha-cha-cha
Where am I? Oh my!
Where are you? Oh dear! Cha-cha, cha-cha-chey
One and two, cha-cha-cha
Where am I? Oh my!
Where are you? Oh dear! Cha-cha, cha-cha-chey
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Are there lively dancing feet here?
Are there killer eyes here?
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Look at this now, girl!
Success often comes to me
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Ma-ga-sa ma-ga-sa ma-ga-sa ma-ga-sa ma-ga-sa-ni-pa
Dha-ni-sa-dha pa-dha-ni-pa paa-ni dhaa-sa saa-ma gaa-pa
Saa-ni-dha-pa maa-ga sa-ga-ma-pa
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Paa-pa-pa pa-ni-dha-pa maa-ma-ma ma-dha-pa-ma
Gaa-ga-ga ga-pa-ma-ga sa-ma-ga-pa ma-dha-paa
Pa-dha-ni-saa ma-pa-dha-ni
Pa-dha-ni-saa ma-pa-dha-ni ga-ma-pa-ni-dha
Sa-sa-saa ni-ni-nee cha-cha-cha chey-chey-chey
Saa-saa-ni-dha ni-ni-dha-pa dhaa-dhaa-pa-ma
Saa-ni nee-dha dhaa-pa pa-ma-ga-sa
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bambam baba
Bambam baba bamba bamba
Bambam baba bambamba bambam baba...
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a high-energy dance duel (jugalbandi) that pits modern Western dance forms like the Cha-Cha-Cha against classical Indian Bharatanatyam. The female singer initiates the challenge with upbeat Western scatting, asserting her skill and claiming her dance is superior even to the heavenly dancer Rambha. The male counterpart responds by invoking the sacred history of Bharatanatyam—the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva—admonishing her arrogance and celebrating classical tradition.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Thullum kaalgal ingu undaa / Kollum kangal ingu undaa”
The second consonant sound 'll' (ள) in 'Thullum' and 'Kollum' creates a harmonious rhythmic repetition across consecutive lines.
Mythological Allusion (Uvamai / Purana Reference)
“Naan aadum aattam rambaikku maelae”
The lyricist references Rambha, the celestial dancer of Devaloka, to hyperbolically praise the dancer's extraordinary skill.
Contrast / Muran (Cultural Dichotomy)
“Ho doctor… this is baradha naattiyam / We want only chachachaa”
The lyrics intentionally contrast traditional classical Indian art (Bharatanatyam) with modern Western pop/dance culture (Cha-Cha-Cha) to drive the narrative challenge.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track from 'Nallathoru Kudumbam' (1979) features music composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics penned by Kannadasan. The song stands out for blending Carnatic solkattu (swara passages) seamlessly with Western beatbox-like scatting and Cha-Cha-Cha rhythms, a popular musical trope in 1970s Tamil cinema used to portray modern versus traditional dance duels.
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