♫ Tanglish lyrics	↻ English translation
Male
Punnaakunu sonnaakooda	Even if he calls me oil cake (useless),
Kavalai illadaa	There is no worry, my friend.
Oru pullaiyathaan venjidaatha	Where is a father who doesn't
Appan engada	Scold or despise his own child?
Male
Mannaangattinu sonnaakooda	Even if he calls me a lump of clay,
Kavalai illadaa	There is no worry, my friend.
En appan thaanae sonnaan	It was my own father who said it,
Ippo adhukku ennadaa	So what of it now, my friend?
Male
Naina saabu thittinaalum	Even if the boss/father scolds you,
Kavalai illadaa	There is no worry, my friend.
Nee aina sabhai pola	Like the United Nations Assembly,
Kaathil pottukollendaa	Just listen and keep it in your ears.
Male
Sonthamunna sothanaiyinnu	Understand that family/kinship
Therinjukoyenda	Always brings trials and tribulations.
Un appanaiyum avanga appan	Your father's father must have also
Medhuchiruppaan da hoi	Trampled and scolded your father back then!
Male
Enna paathu sonna	If he looks at me and says it,
En kanna paathu sonna	If he looks into my eyes and says it,
Avan appanaagha illaiyinaa	If he is not my own father,
Adichu norukkuven	I will beat him to pulp!
Male
Punnaakunu sonnaakooda	Even if he calls me oil cake (useless),
Kavalai illadaa	There is no worry, my friend.
Oru pullaiyathaan venjidaatha	Where is a father who doesn't
Appan engada	Scold or despise his own child?
Male
Mannaangattinu sonnaakooda	Even if he calls me a lump of clay,
Kavalai illadaa	There is no worry, my friend.
En appan thaanae sonnaan	It was my own father who said it,
Ippo adhukku ennadaa	So what of it now, my friend?
Male
Aadi maasam kaathadicha	When winds blow in the month of Aadi,
Ammi kooda parakkum	Even the heavy grinding stone will fly.
Appanukko kirukku vandha	If the father gets angered/mad,
Kannu rendum iruttum	Both his eyes will darken with rage.
Male
Kaara pasu kannu kuttiya	A milch cow might repeatedly
Etti etti odhaikum	Kick its own young calf away,
Valichaalum kannu kutti	Even if it hurts, the little calf
Ammaa-nu thaan katharum	Will only cry out 'Amma' (Mother).
Male
Unnai yethum sonnaakaa	If anyone says anything bad about you,
Ullukullae valikkum	It hurts inside me deeply.
Anji bottle oothikittum	Even after pouring down five bottles,
Bodhai illai enakkum…oh…oh….	I do not feel intoxicated...
Male
Thandavaalam thadam purandaa	If the train tracks get derailed,
Rayilu vandi sarukkum	The train engine will slip and crash.
Thagappanai madhikkalaina	If you don't respect your father,
Vaazhkai pooraa vazhukkum	Your entire life will slip away.
Male
Enna paathu sonna	If he looks at me and says it,
En kanna paathu sonna	If he looks into my eyes and says it,
Avan appanaagha illaiyinaa	If he is not my own father,
Adichu norukkuven	I will beat him to pulp!
Male
Punnaakunu sonnaakooda	Even if he calls me oil cake (useless),
Kavalai illadaa	There is no worry, my friend.
Chorus :Slave-ah	Chorus: Slave-ah
Male :Oru pullaiyathaan venjidaatha	Male: Where is a father who doesn't
Appan engada	Scold or despise his own child?
Chorus :Slow-ah	Chorus: Slow-ah
Male
Mannaangattinu sonnaakooda	Even if he calls me a lump of clay,
Kavalai illadaa	There is no worry, my friend.
Chorus :Slave-ah	Chorus: Slave-ah
En appan thaanae sonnaan	It was my own father who said it,
Ippo adhukku ennadaa	So what of it now, my friend?
Male
Kallula sirantha kallu	The best toddy among all toddies,
Oththa marathu kallu	Is the toddy from a single tree.
Chorus :Appanunga appadithaan	Chorus: Fathers are always like that,
Machan vittu thallu	Bro, just brush it aside!
Male
Villula periya villu	The grandest bow among all bows,
Arjunaru villu	Is Arjuna's bow.
Sollula nalla sollu	The best word among all words,
Petha appan sollu	Is the word spoken by the birth father.
Male
Tyre-ula periya tyre-u	The largest tire among all tires,
Lorry-oda tyre-u	Is a lorry's tire.
Chorus : Yappa	Chorus: Oh father!
Thimirila periya thimiru	The greatest arrogance among all arrogances,
Unga appan thimiru	Is your father's pride and arrogance.
Male
Enakkum engappanukkum	Between me and my father,
Aayiram thaan irukkum	There might be a thousand disagreements.
Thappa pesuravan	But if anyone else speaks ill of him,
Pallu ellaam parakkum	All their teeth will fly away!
Male
Enna paathu sonna	If he looks at me and says it,
En kanna paathu sonna	If he looks into my eyes and says it,
Avan appanaagha illaiyinaa	If he is not my own father,
Adichu norukkuven	I will beat him to pulp!
Chorus
Thanna nannae thanna nannae….	Rhythmic vocalization...
Thanana naananae	Rhythmic vocalization...
Thana thanna nannae thanna nannae	Rhythmic vocalization...
Thanana naananae	Rhythmic vocalization...
Male
Mannaangattinu sonnaakooda	Even if he calls me a lump of clay,
Kavalai illadaa	There is no worry, my friend.
En appan thaanae sonnaan	It was my own father who said it,
Ippo adhukku ennadaa	So what of it now, my friend?
Male
Naina saabu thittinaalum	Even if the boss/father scolds you,
Kavalai illadaa	There is no worry, my friend.
Nee aina sabhai pola	Like the United Nations Assembly,
Kaathil pottukollendaa	Just listen and keep it in your ears.
Aaaahaaaa……	Aaaahaaaa……
Male
Sonthamunna sothanaiyinnu	Understand that family/kinship
Therinjukoyenda	Always brings trials and tribulations.
Un appanaiyum avanga appan	Your father's father must have also
Medhuchiruppaan da hoi	Trampled and scolded your father back then!
Male
Enna paathu sonna	If he looks at me and says it,
En kanna paathu sonna	If he looks into my eyes and says it,
Avan appanaagha illaiyinaa	If he is not my own father,
Adichu norukkuven	I will beat him to pulp!

Lyrics & meaning

Song interpretation

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Monaai (Alliteration / Initial Rhyme)

Analogy / Metaphor (Uvamai)

Rhetorical Question

Trivia

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