Salaam Podaathe
From Arumbugal · 1979
- Lyricist
- Jupiter Chinnadurai
- Singer
- Veeramani S. Raju
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Arumbugal1979
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
| Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
| Male | |
| Ulaaththai kandu nee payanthaa | If you get scared looking at the world around you |
| Ulagam unnai udhaikkumadaa | The world will kick you, man |
| Ulagaththai udhaikka nee thuninjaa | If you dare to kick the world back |
| Ulagam unnai madhikkumadaa | The world will respect you, man |
| Male | |
| Haa salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Ha, don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
| Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
| Male | |
| Paavam punniyam ellaam | Ideas of sin and virtue are all |
| Paiththiyakaaran paadhaiyadaa | Just a path paved by madmen, man |
| Paavam punniyam ellaam | Ideas of sin and virtue are all |
| Paiththiyakaaran paadhaiyadaa | Just a path paved by madmen, man |
| Male | |
| Pallai odachchi kaiyil koduppathae | Knocking out the opponent's teeth and handing them over |
| Paramparai veeranin velaiyadaa | Is the true duty of a hereditary warrior, man |
| Pallai odachchi kaiyil koduppathae | Knocking out the opponent's teeth and handing them over |
| Paramparai veeranin velaiyadaa | Is the true duty of a hereditary warrior, man |
| Male | |
| Haa salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Ha, don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
| Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
| Male | |
| Aayiram varusham naayai polae | Living for a thousand years like a dog |
| Vaazhvathu enna vaazhkkaiyadaa | What kind of life is that, man? |
| Aayiram varusham naayai polae | Living for a thousand years like a dog |
| Vaazhvathu enna vaazhkkaiyadaa | What kind of life is that, man? |
| Male | |
| Ainthu nimisham vaazhnthaalum | Even if you live for just five minutes |
| Oru singam polae vaazhanumadaa | You ought to live like a lion, man |
| Ainthu nimisham vaazhnthaalum | Even if you live for just five minutes |
| Oru singam polae vaazhanumadaa | You ought to live like a lion, man |
| Male | |
| Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
| Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
| Male | |
| Ulaaththai kandu nee payanthaa | If you get scared looking at the world around you |
| Ulagam unnai udhaikkumadaa | The world will kick you, man |
| Ulagaththai udhaikka nee thuninjaa | If you dare to kick the world back |
| Ulagam unnai madhikkumadaa | The world will respect you, man |
| Male | |
| Haa salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Ha, don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
| Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu | Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead |
சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
உலகத்தை கண்டு நீ பயந்தா
உலகம் உன்னை உதைக்குமடா
உலகத்தை உதைக்க நீ துணிஞ்சா
உலகம் உன்னை மதிக்குமடா....
If you get scared looking at the world around you
The world will kick you, man
If you dare to kick the world back
The world will respect you, man
ஹா சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
Ha, don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
பாவம் புண்ணியம் எல்லாம்
பைத்தியக்காரன் பாதையடா
பாவம் புண்ணியம் எல்லாம்
பைத்தியக்காரன் பாதையடா
Ideas of sin and virtue are all
Just a path paved by madmen, man
Ideas of sin and virtue are all
Just a path paved by madmen, man
பல்லை ஒடச்சி கையில் கொடுப்பதே
பரம்பரை வீரனின் வேலையடா...
பல்லை ஒடச்சி கையில் கொடுப்பதே
பரம்பரை வீரனின் வேலையடா...
Knocking out the opponent's teeth and handing them over
Is the true duty of a hereditary warrior, man
Knocking out the opponent's teeth and handing them over
Is the true duty of a hereditary warrior, man
ஹா சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
Ha, don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
ஆயிரம் வருஷம் நாயைப் போலே
வாழ்வது என்ன வாழ்க்கையடா
ஆயிரம் வருஷம் நாயைப் போலே
வாழ்வது என்ன வாழ்க்கையடா
Living for a thousand years like a dog
What kind of life is that, man?
Living for a thousand years like a dog
What kind of life is that, man?
ஐந்து நிமிஷம் வாழ்ந்தாலும்
ஒரு சிங்கம் போலே வாழணும்டா....
ஐந்து நிமிஷம் வாழ்ந்தாலும்
ஒரு சிங்கம் போலே வாழணும்டா....
Even if you live for just five minutes
You ought to live like a lion, man
Even if you live for just five minutes
You ought to live like a lion, man
சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
உலகத்தை கண்டு நீ பயந்தா
உலகம் உன்னை உதைக்குமடா
உலகத்தை உதைக்க நீ துணிஞ்சா
உலகம் உன்னை மதிக்குமடா....
If you get scared looking at the world around you
The world will kick you, man
If you dare to kick the world back
The world will respect you, man
ஹா சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
சலாம் போடாதே தம்பி சண்டை போடு
Ha, don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Ulaaththai kandu nee payanthaa
If you get scared looking at the world around you
Ulagam unnai udhaikkumadaa
The world will kick you, man
Ulagaththai udhaikka nee thuninjaa
If you dare to kick the world back
Ulagam unnai madhikkumadaa
The world will respect you, man
Haa salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Ha, don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Paavam punniyam ellaam
Ideas of sin and virtue are all
Paiththiyakaaran paadhaiyadaa
Just a path paved by madmen, man
Paavam punniyam ellaam
Ideas of sin and virtue are all
Paiththiyakaaran paadhaiyadaa
Just a path paved by madmen, man
Pallai odachchi kaiyil koduppathae
Knocking out the opponent's teeth and handing them over
Paramparai veeranin velaiyadaa
Is the true duty of a hereditary warrior, man
Pallai odachchi kaiyil koduppathae
Knocking out the opponent's teeth and handing them over
Paramparai veeranin velaiyadaa
Is the true duty of a hereditary warrior, man
Haa salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Ha, don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Aayiram varusham naayai polae
Living for a thousand years like a dog
Vaazhvathu enna vaazhkkaiyadaa
What kind of life is that, man?
Aayiram varusham naayai polae
Living for a thousand years like a dog
Vaazhvathu enna vaazhkkaiyadaa
What kind of life is that, man?
Ainthu nimisham vaazhnthaalum
Even if you live for just five minutes
Oru singam polae vaazhanumadaa
You ought to live like a lion, man
Ainthu nimisham vaazhnthaalum
Even if you live for just five minutes
Oru singam polae vaazhanumadaa
You ought to live like a lion, man
Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Ulaaththai kandu nee payanthaa
If you get scared looking at the world around you
Ulagam unnai udhaikkumadaa
The world will kick you, man
Ulagaththai udhaikka nee thuninjaa
If you dare to kick the world back
Ulagam unnai madhikkumadaa
The world will respect you, man
Haa salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Ha, don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Salaam podaathae thambi sandai podu
Don't bow down, little brother, fight instead
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This high-energy motivational song urges the listener to reject submissiveness ('salaam') and fight for dignity and self-respect in a harsh world. The lyrics stress that the world tramples upon the meek, but respects those who stand tall and fight back against oppression and societal norms.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor & Simile (Upamai)
“Aayiram varusham naayai polae... Oru singam polae vaazhanumadaa”
Compares living submissively for a long time to a dog's life, and living courageously even for a brief moment to a lion's life ('Aayiram varusham naayai polae... Ainthu nimisham vaazhnthaalum Oru singam polae vaazhanumadaa').
Rhyme & Alliteration (Edhukai / Mouna)
“Ulaaththai kandu nee payanthaa / Ulagam unnai udhaikkumadaa”
Use of second-letter rhyming across lines such as 'Ulaaththai' / 'Ulagam' / 'Ulagaththai' and 'Paavam' / 'Paiththiyakaaran' / 'Pallai' / 'Paramparai'.
Antithesis (Muran)
“Aayiram varusham naayai polae... Ainthu nimisham vaazhnthaalum Oru singam polae vaazhanumadaa”
Contrasting living fearfully for a thousand years as a dog versus living proudly for five minutes as a lion.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Jupiter Chinnadurai for the 1979 film 'Arumbugal', this energetic track features rebellious themes typical of late 1970s Tamil cinema hero-introduction and philosophical motivational numbers.
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