Singapooru Thangachi Vanthiya
From Thanga Malar · 1969
- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Narayanasamy
- Singers
- S. Janaki, A. L. Ragavan
- Music director
- T. G. Lingappa
- Details
- Thanga Malar1969
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa | Did you come, sister from Singapore? |
| Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa | Did you come here to join together and dance? |
| Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa | Did you come, sister from Singapore? |
| Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa | Did you come here to join together and dance? |
| Aada vanthiyaa paada vanthiyaa | Did you come to dance, did you come to sing? |
| Aada vanthiyaa paada vanthiyaa | Did you come to dance, did you come to sing? |
| Aalai kavarndhida vanthiyaa | Did you come to captivate everyone? |
| Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa | Did you come, sister from Singapore? |
| Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa | Did you come here to join together and dance? |
| Female | |
| Sagasathilae ulagam mayangudhu | The world is mesmerized by worldly ploys and trickery. |
| Sagasathilae ulagam mayangudhu | The world is mesmerized by worldly ploys and trickery. |
| Adhu thannalathaiyae enni thayangudhu | It hesitates, consumed entirely by self-interest. |
| Veluthathellam paalum illai | All that glitters white is not milk. |
| Veluthathellam paalum illai | All that glitters white is not milk. |
| Veenai kettaal nadhamae illai | If the veena is damaged, there is no musical melody. |
| Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa | Did you come, sister from Singapore? |
| Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa | Did you come here to join together and dance? |
| Male | |
| Siricha mugathai katti neeyum | Show a smiling face, and put up... |
| Singaara kondaiyum pottukko | ...a beautifully styled, attractive hair bun. |
| Puruvam naduvil azhagu kaana | To enhance beauty right between your eyebrows... |
| Javvaadhu pottaiyum theettikoo | ...apply a fragrant javvaadhu mark. |
| Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa | Did you come, sister from Singapore? |
| Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa | Did you come here to join together and dance? |
| Female | |
| Nallavar polae pesiduvaar | Men will speak as if they are noble and good. |
| Raaja varisaiyum seithiduvaar | They will shower royal treatment and honor. |
| Nallavar polae pesiduvaar | Men will speak as if they are noble and good. |
| Raaja varisaiyum seithiduvaar | They will shower royal treatment and honor. |
| Kallathanamaai kanni pengalai | Deceitfully, young innocent maidens... |
| Kallathanamaai kanni pengalai | Deceitfully, young innocent maidens... |
| Selladha kaasu pola aakkuvaar | ...they will reduce to useless, invalid coins. |
| Female | |
| Thottaththu malarai kasakkiduvaar | They will crush the bloomed garden flower, |
| Sooda malarai naadiduvaar | And then go seeking another fresh, unadorned flower. |
| Thottaththu malarai kasakkiduvaar | They will crush the bloomed garden flower, |
| Sooda malarai naadiduvaar | And then go seeking another fresh, unadorned flower. |
சிங்கப்பூரு தங்கச்சி வந்தியா
இங்கு சேர்ந்து நடனமாட வந்தியா
சிங்கப்பூரு தங்கச்சி வந்தியா
இங்கு சேர்ந்து நடனமாட வந்தியா
ஆட வந்தியா பாட வந்தியா
ஆட வந்தியா பாட வந்தியா
ஆளைக் கவர்ந்திட வந்தியா......
சிங்கப்பூரு தங்கச்சி வந்தியா
இங்கு சேர்ந்து நடனமாட வந்தியா
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Did you come here to join together and dance?
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Did you come here to join together and dance?
Did you come to dance, did you come to sing?
Did you come to dance, did you come to sing?
Did you come to captivate everyone?
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Did you come here to join together and dance?
சாகசத்திலே உலகம் மயங்குது
சாகசத்திலே உலகம் மயங்குது
அது தன்னலத்தையே எண்ணி தயங்குது
வெளுத்ததெல்லாம் பாலுமில்லை
வெளுத்ததெல்லாம் பாலுமில்லை
வீணை கெட்டால் நாதமே இல்லை
சிங்கப்பூரு தங்கச்சி வந்தியா
இங்கு சேர்ந்து நடனமாட வந்தியா
The world is mesmerized by worldly ploys and trickery.
The world is mesmerized by worldly ploys and trickery.
It hesitates, consumed entirely by self-interest.
All that glitters white is not milk.
All that glitters white is not milk.
If the veena is damaged, there is no musical melody.
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Did you come here to join together and dance?
சிரிச்ச முகத்தை காட்டி நீயும்
சிங்கார கொண்டையும் போட்டுக்கோ
புருவம் நடுவில் அழகு காண
ஜவ்வாது பொட்டையும் தீட்டிக்கோ..
சிங்கப்பூரு தங்கச்சி வந்தியா
இங்கு சேர்ந்து நடனமாட வந்தியா
Show a smiling face, and put up...
...a beautifully styled, attractive hair bun.
To enhance beauty right between your eyebrows...
...apply a fragrant javvaadhu mark.
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Did you come here to join together and dance?
நல்லவர் போலே பேசிடுவார்
ராஜ வரிசையும் செய்திடுவார்
நல்லவர் போலே பேசிடுவார்
ராஜ வரிசையும் செய்திடுவார்
கள்ளத்தனமாய் கன்னிப் பெண்களை
கள்ளத்தனமாய் கன்னிப் பெண்களை
செல்லாத காசுப் போல ஆக்குவார்
Men will speak as if they are noble and good.
They will shower royal treatment and honor.
Men will speak as if they are noble and good.
They will shower royal treatment and honor.
Deceitfully, young innocent maidens...
Deceitfully, young innocent maidens...
...they will reduce to useless, invalid coins.
தோட்டத்து மலரை கசக்கிடுவார்
சூடா மலரை நாடிடுவார்
தோட்டத்து மலரை கசக்கிடுவார்
சூடா மலரை நாடிடுவார்
They will crush the bloomed garden flower,
And then go seeking another fresh, unadorned flower.
They will crush the bloomed garden flower,
And then go seeking another fresh, unadorned flower.
சோலைக் கிளியே கானக் குயிலே
சோலைக் கிளியே கானக் குயிலே
சீராக வாழ வழி தேடிக்கோ
நீ சீராக வாழ வழி தேடிக்கோ......
சிங்கப்பூரு தங்கச்சி வந்தியா
இங்கு சேர்ந்து நடனமாட வந்தியா
ஆட வந்தியா பாட வந்தியா
ஆட வந்தியா பாட வந்தியா
ஆளைக் கவர்ந்திட வந்தியா......
Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa
Did you come here to join together and dance?
Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa
Did you come here to join together and dance?
Aada vanthiyaa paada vanthiyaa
Did you come to dance, did you come to sing?
Aada vanthiyaa paada vanthiyaa
Did you come to dance, did you come to sing?
Aalai kavarndhida vanthiyaa
Did you come to captivate everyone?
Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa
Did you come here to join together and dance?
Sagasathilae ulagam mayangudhu
The world is mesmerized by worldly ploys and trickery.
Sagasathilae ulagam mayangudhu
The world is mesmerized by worldly ploys and trickery.
Adhu thannalathaiyae enni thayangudhu
It hesitates, consumed entirely by self-interest.
Veluthathellam paalum illai
All that glitters white is not milk.
Veluthathellam paalum illai
All that glitters white is not milk.
Veenai kettaal nadhamae illai
If the veena is damaged, there is no musical melody.
Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa
Did you come here to join together and dance?
Siricha mugathai katti neeyum
Show a smiling face, and put up...
Singaara kondaiyum pottukko
...a beautifully styled, attractive hair bun.
Puruvam naduvil azhagu kaana
To enhance beauty right between your eyebrows...
Javvaadhu pottaiyum theettikoo
...apply a fragrant javvaadhu mark.
Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa
Did you come, sister from Singapore?
Ingu serndhu nadanam aada vanthiyaa
Did you come here to join together and dance?
Nallavar polae pesiduvaar
Men will speak as if they are noble and good.
Raaja varisaiyum seithiduvaar
They will shower royal treatment and honor.
Nallavar polae pesiduvaar
Men will speak as if they are noble and good.
Raaja varisaiyum seithiduvaar
They will shower royal treatment and honor.
Kallathanamaai kanni pengalai
Deceitfully, young innocent maidens...
Kallathanamaai kanni pengalai
Deceitfully, young innocent maidens...
Selladha kaasu pola aakkuvaar
...they will reduce to useless, invalid coins.
Thottaththu malarai kasakkiduvaar
They will crush the bloomed garden flower,
Sooda malarai naadiduvaar
And then go seeking another fresh, unadorned flower.
Thottaththu malarai kasakkiduvaar
They will crush the bloomed garden flower,
Sooda malarai naadiduvaar
And then go seeking another fresh, unadorned flower.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This lively dance song from the 1969 Tamil movie 'Thanga Malar' greets a young woman styled as a visitor from Singapore while imparting cynical yet realistic wisdom about the deceitful nature of the world. Through playful rhythm and expressive dance cues, the lyricist warns that superficial appearances are misleading—not everything white is pure milk, and smooth-talking men who act like kings will eventually betray young women once they grow tired of them.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Siricha mugathai katti neeyum / Singaara kondaiyum pottukko”
Matching second consonants across lines, such as 'Sagasathilae' and 'Adhu', or 'Siricha' and 'Singaara'.
Proverb / Idiomatic Metaphor (Pazhamozhi)
“Veluthathellam paalum illai”
'Veluthathellam paalum illai' is a well-known Tamil proverb equivalent to 'All that glitters is not gold'.
Simile (Upamai)
“Selladha kaasu pola aakkuvaar”
Comparing ruined maidens to invalid/counterfeit coins ('selladha kaasu pola').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Thottaththu malarai kasakkiduvaar”
Metaphorically comparing women to garden flowers ('thottaththu malar') that men crush after enjoyment.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by T. G. Lingappa, 'Singapore thangachi vanthiyaa' reflects the prominent cultural connection between Tamil Nadu and Singapore during the 1960s, often highlighted in vintage Tamil cinema through stage dance numbers and cabarets.
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