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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Oorkaran

From Selfie · 2022

Lyricist
Arivu
Singer
Arivu
Music director
G. V. Prakash Kumar
Details
Selfie2022

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Usuru enakkuthanMy life belongs to me,
Kosuru kanakkuthanCalculated like a added bonus,
Mudivu eduthutaanHe has made up his mind,
Oorkaaran oorkaranThe villager, the man from the town.
Male
Pattamum padikkathanJust to study and get a degree,
Pethavan anuppitaanThe father who raised him sent him off,
Mathavan per vaikkuraanOthers label and name him,
Oorkaaran oorkaaranThe villager, the man from the town.
Male
Kashtapattu mela melaBy working hard and climbing higher and higher,
Vandha velai kidaikumIf you put in work, you will get a job,
Ishtathukku kanda kandaYet at their whim, any random
Naaiyum yeri nerikkumDog climbs up and crowds around.
Male
Patti kaatanukkuFor the man from the village,
Pattanathu kaathu adikkumThe city wind blows.
Thokka maatikkittaIf you get trapped unwittingly,
Kattam katti seettedukkumThey will corner you and take a cut.
Male
Pattikaattan oornaattanThe villager, the man of the land,
Pangu kettaan ..panga panga pangaDemanded his share... share, share, share,
Pattikaattan oornaattanThe villager, the man of the land,
Sanda pottaan… sanda sanda sandaPicked a fight... fight, fight, fight.
Male
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaranThe villager, the man from the town,
Unnathaan oorukaayaHe will treat you like a side pickle,
Nakkiputtu poporaanLick you up and move on,
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaranHe is coming, the villager is coming,
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuranLet us see who here can stop him!
Male
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaranThe villager, the man from the town,
Unnathaan oorukaayaHe will treat you like a side pickle,
Nakkiputtu poporaanLick you up and move on,
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaranHe is coming, the villager is coming,
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuranLet us see who here can stop him!
Male
Panam vanganum pesu pesu pesuTalk about taking money, talk, talk, talk,
Education um kaasu kaasu kaasuEducation is all about money, money, money,
Pudhusa varaan thooku thooku thookuHe comes fresh, lift him up, lift him up,
Male
Neet aanaalum poduvom ji naanga seat-uEven if it is neat, we will secure a seat, sir!
Nalla padinga thambiStudy well, my young brother,
Unakku irukudhu oru nalla edhirkaalamYou have a bright future ahead,
Nalla iru thambiStay blessed, my young brother,
Indha naatukku neenga dhaan varungaalamYou are indeed the future of this nation.
Male
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaranThe villager, the man from the town,
Unnathaan oorukaayaHe will treat you like a side pickle,
Nakkiputtu poporaanLick you up and move on,
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaranHe is coming, the villager is coming,
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuranLet us see who here can stop him!
Male
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaranThe villager, the man from the town,
Unnathaan oorukaayaHe will treat you like a side pickle,
Nakkiputtu poporaanLick you up and move on,
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaranHe is coming, the villager is coming,
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuranLet us see who here can stop him!
Male
Patti kaatula gang gang ganguA gang from the rural heartlands,
City kottaiyil naan thaan strong-uIn the city fortress, I am strong,
Ejamaan ini naan than wrong-uMaster, from now on I am the wrong one,
Pisagathuda pasi god-u daDo not slip up, hunger is God, man!
Male
Patti kaatula gang gang ganguA gang from the rural heartlands,
City kottaiyil naan thaan strong-uIn the city fortress, I am strong,
Ejamaan ini naan than wrong-uMaster, from now on I am the wrong one,
Pisagathuda pasi god-u daDo not slip up, hunger is God, man!
Male
Appan padikka vachaan vandhu padichomFather put us through school, so we came and studied,
Sotha adagu vachu sendhu tholachomPledging assets, we joined together and lost everything,
Ketta payakittalaam paadam padichomWe learned hard lessons from bad people,
Pattam kodukkum munna seat-u pudichomBefore even getting a degree, we secured a seat!
Male
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaranThe villager, the man from the town,
Unnathaan oorukaayaHe will treat you like a side pickle,
Nakkiputtu poporaanLick you up and move on,
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaranHe is coming, the villager is coming,
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuranLet us see who here can stop him!
Male
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaranThe villager, the man from the town,
Unnathaan oorukaayaHe will treat you like a side pickle,
Nakkiputtu poporaanLick you up and move on,
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaranHe is coming, the villager is coming,
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuranLet us see who here can stop him!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Oorkaaran' from 'Selfie' (2022) is an energetic, politically charged hip-hop track penned and performed by Arivu with music by G. V. Prakash Kumar. It explores the systemic corruption, commercialization of higher education, and college admission rackets in Tamil Nadu, particularly focusing on the struggles of rural students moving to urban centers for degrees.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Usuru enakkuthan / Kosuru kanakkuthan

Matching second consonant 'su' in consecutive lines 'Usuru' and 'Kosuru'.

Metaphor

Unnathaan oorukaaya Nakkiputtu poporaan

Comparing a rival or corrupt opponent to a pickle ('oorukaai') that gets consumed and discarded easily.

Epizeuxis (Repetition for emphasis)

Panam vanganum pesu pesu pesu

Repetition of words like 'pesu', 'kaasu', 'thooku', and 'vaaraan' to create momentum and rhythmic impact.

Deification / Metaphor

Pisagathuda pasi god-u da

Elevating the primal instinct of hunger to the divine level ('pasi god-u da') to emphasize survival motivation.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Selfie' (2022), starring Mathi Maran (director) and G.V. Prakash Kumar alongside Gautham Vasudev Menon, revolves around the real-life dark underworld of engineering college admission brokers in Tamil Nadu. Lyricist and singer Arivu, known for 'Arivu x Dhee - Enjoy Enjaami', frequently infuses anti-caste and socio-economic awareness into his rap tracks.

Keep listening

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