Thambi Nee
From En Uyir Thozhan · 1990
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- En Uyir Thozhan1990
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Chorus | |
| Pappappap paapaa pappappap paapaa | [Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization] |
| Paabap pabap pabap paa | [Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization] |
| Pappappap paapaa pappappap paapaa | [Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization] |
| Paabap pabap pabap paa | [Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization] |
| Pappappap pappappap paa pabap pabap paa | [Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization] |
| Pappappap pappappap paa pabap pabap paa | [Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization] |
| Male | |
| Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa | Little brother, hold your head high and look up |
| Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa | Hold your head high and look up |
| Chorus | |
| Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa | Little brother, hold your head high and look up |
| Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa | Hold your head high and look up |
| Male | |
| Naattula ulla katchi ellaam | All the political parties in this country |
| Ezhaikkaaga thaan | Claim to be for the poor |
| Adhu uzhaikkudhu aanaa | They work, but yet |
| Un thalaiyil ennaiyae illa | There isn't even oil on your head (you remain impoverished) |
| Idha yaarum ingae enni paakkala | Nobody here has ever bothered to consider this |
| Male | |
| Ada thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa | Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up |
| Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa | Hold your head high and look up |
| Chorus | |
| Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa | Little brother, hold your head high and look up |
| Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa | Hold your head high and look up |
| Male | |
| Katchi ellaam unmaiyilae | If all political parties truly |
| Ezhaikkaga paadu pattaa | Toiled for the sake of the poor |
| Ezhaiyae irukka maattaan daa | There wouldn't be any poor person left |
| Chorus | |
| Indhiyaavil ezhaiyae | In India, a poor person |
| Irukka maattaan daa | Would not remain at all |
| Male | |
| Thalaivarukku naattinilae | The leaders in this country |
| Ethanaiyo velai undu | Have so many jobs to attend to |
| Onna yevan paakka poraan daa | Who is going to take care of you, my friend? |
| Chorus | |
| Ada vetti vela | Oh useless work! |
| Inna yevan paakka poraan daa | Who is going to check on you now? |
| Male | |
| Avana paathu ivana paathu | By looking at him and looking at her |
| Onna marandhutta | You forgot about yourself |
| Ada vedikkaiya paathu paathu | By watching the spectacles endlessly |
| Veetta marandhutta | You forgot your own home |
| Unma sonnaa avana mattum | To tell the truth, him alone |
| Kandukka maatta | You won't bother about |
| Ada onna yeikkum thalaivanellaam | Hey, the leaders who deceive you |
| Dhandikka maatta | You won't punish |
| Nee thaan dhandikka maatta | You yourself won't punish them |
| Male | |
| Ada thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa | Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up |
| Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa | Hold your head high and look up |
| Chorus | |
| Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa | Little brother, hold your head high and look up |
| Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa | Hold your head high and look up |
| Male | |
| Naattula ulla katchi ellaam | All the political parties in this country |
| Ezhaikkaaga thaan | Claim to be for the poor |
| Adhu uzhaikkudhu aanaa | They work, but yet |
| Un thalaiyil ennaiyae illa | There isn't even oil on your head |
| Idha yaarum ingae enni paakkala | Nobody here has ever bothered to consider this |
| Male | |
| Ada thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa | Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up |
| Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa | Hold your head high and look up |
| Elumbum tholuma irukkum | Existing as mere skin and bones |
| Enuyir thozhaa | Oh my dear soulmate/friend |
| Ada Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa | Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up |
| Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa | Hold your head high and look up |
பப்பப்பப் பாபா பப்பப்பப் பாபா
பாபப் பபப் பபப் பா
பப்பப்பப் பாபா பப்பப்பப் பாபா
பாபப் பபப் பபப் பா
பப்பப்பப் பப்பப்பப் பா பபப் பபப் பா
பப்பப்பப் பப்பப்பப் பா பபப் பபப் பா
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
தம்பி நீ நிமுந்து பாருடா
தலைய நிமுந்து பாருடா
Little brother, hold your head high and look up
Hold your head high and look up
தம்பி நீ நிமுந்து பாருடா
தலைய நிமுந்து பாருடா
Little brother, hold your head high and look up
Hold your head high and look up
நாட்டுல உள்ள கட்சி எல்லாம்
ஏழைக்காகத்தான்
அது உழைக்குது ஆனா
உன் தலையில் எண்ணையே இல்ல
இதை யாரும் இங்கே எண்ணிப் பாக்கல
All the political parties in this country
Claim to be for the poor
They work, but yet
There isn't even oil on your head (you remain impoverished)
Nobody here has ever bothered to consider this
அட தம்பி நீ நிமுந்து பாருடா
தலைய நிமுந்து பாருடா
Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up
Hold your head high and look up
தம்பி நீ நிமுந்து பாருடா
தலைய நிமுந்து பாருடா
Little brother, hold your head high and look up
Hold your head high and look up
கட்சி எல்லாம் உண்மையிலே
ஏழைக்காக பாடு பட்டா
ஏழையே இருக்க மாட்டான்டா
If all political parties truly
Toiled for the sake of the poor
There wouldn't be any poor person left
இந்தியாவில் ஏழையே
இருக்க மாட்டான்டா
In India, a poor person
Would not remain at all
தலைவருக்கு நாட்டினிலே
எத்தனையோ வேலை உண்டு
ஒன்ன எவன் பாக்கப் போறான்டா
The leaders in this country
Have so many jobs to attend to
Who is going to take care of you, my friend?
அட வெட்டி வேல
இன்ன எவன் பாக்கப் போறான்டா
Oh useless work!
Who is going to check on you now?
அவன பாத்து இவன பாத்து
ஒன்ன மறந்துட்ட
அட வேடிக்கைய பாத்துப் பாத்து
வீட்ட மறந்துட்ட
உண்மை சொன்னா அவன மட்டும்
கண்டுக்கமாட்ட
அட ஒன்ன ஏய்க்கும் தலைவனெல்லாம்
தண்டிக்கமாட்ட
நீ தான் தண்டிக்கமாட்ட
By looking at him and looking at her
You forgot about yourself
By watching the spectacles endlessly
You forgot your own home
To tell the truth, him alone
You won't bother about
Hey, the leaders who deceive you
You won't punish
You yourself won't punish them
அட தம்பி நீ நிமுந்து பாருடா
தலைய நிமுந்து பாருடா
Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up
Hold your head high and look up
தம்பி நீ நிமுந்து பாருடா
தலைய நிமுந்து பாருடா
Little brother, hold your head high and look up
Hold your head high and look up
நாட்டுல உள்ள கட்சி எல்லாம்
ஏழைக்காகத் தான்
அது உழைக்குது ஆனா
உன் தலையில் எண்ணையே இல்ல
இதை யாரும் இங்கே எண்ணிப் பாக்கல
All the political parties in this country
Claim to be for the poor
They work, but yet
There isn't even oil on your head
Nobody here has ever bothered to consider this
அட தம்பி நீ நிமுந்து பாருடா
தலைய நிமுந்து பாருடா
எலும்பும் தோலுமாய் இருக்கும்
என் உயிர்த் தோழா
அட தம்பி நீ நிமுந்து பாருடா
தலைய நிமுந்து பாருடா
Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up
Hold your head high and look up
Existing as mere skin and bones
Oh my dear soulmate/friend
Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up
Hold your head high and look up
Pappappap paapaa pappappap paapaa
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
Paabap pabap pabap paa
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
Pappappap paapaa pappappap paapaa
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
Paabap pabap pabap paa
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
Pappappap pappappap paa pabap pabap paa
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
Pappappap pappappap paa pabap pabap paa
[Scat singing / Rhythm vocalization]
Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa
Little brother, hold your head high and look up
Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa
Hold your head high and look up
Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa
Little brother, hold your head high and look up
Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa
Hold your head high and look up
Naattula ulla katchi ellaam
All the political parties in this country
Ezhaikkaaga thaan
Claim to be for the poor
Adhu uzhaikkudhu aanaa
They work, but yet
Un thalaiyil ennaiyae illa
There isn't even oil on your head (you remain impoverished)
Idha yaarum ingae enni paakkala
Nobody here has ever bothered to consider this
Ada thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa
Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up
Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa
Hold your head high and look up
Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa
Little brother, hold your head high and look up
Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa
Hold your head high and look up
Katchi ellaam unmaiyilae
If all political parties truly
Ezhaikkaga paadu pattaa
Toiled for the sake of the poor
Ezhaiyae irukka maattaan daa
There wouldn't be any poor person left
Indhiyaavil ezhaiyae
In India, a poor person
Irukka maattaan daa
Would not remain at all
Thalaivarukku naattinilae
The leaders in this country
Ethanaiyo velai undu
Have so many jobs to attend to
Onna yevan paakka poraan daa
Who is going to take care of you, my friend?
Ada vetti vela
Oh useless work!
Inna yevan paakka poraan daa
Who is going to check on you now?
Avana paathu ivana paathu
By looking at him and looking at her
Onna marandhutta
You forgot about yourself
Ada vedikkaiya paathu paathu
By watching the spectacles endlessly
Veetta marandhutta
You forgot your own home
Unma sonnaa avana mattum
To tell the truth, him alone
Kandukka maatta
You won't bother about
Ada onna yeikkum thalaivanellaam
Hey, the leaders who deceive you
Dhandikka maatta
You won't punish
Nee thaan dhandikka maatta
You yourself won't punish them
Ada thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa
Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up
Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa
Hold your head high and look up
Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa
Little brother, hold your head high and look up
Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa
Hold your head high and look up
Naattula ulla katchi ellaam
All the political parties in this country
Ezhaikkaaga thaan
Claim to be for the poor
Adhu uzhaikkudhu aanaa
They work, but yet
Un thalaiyil ennaiyae illa
There isn't even oil on your head
Idha yaarum ingae enni paakkala
Nobody here has ever bothered to consider this
Ada thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa
Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up
Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa
Hold your head high and look up
Elumbum tholuma irukkum
Existing as mere skin and bones
Enuyir thozhaa
Oh my dear soulmate/friend
Ada Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa
Hey little brother, hold your head high and look up
Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa
Hold your head high and look up
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Thambi Nee Nimundhu Paarudaa' from the 1990 film En Uyir Thozhan (directed by Bharathiraja, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja) is a powerful socio-political awakening song. The lyrics urge the common man and political cadre to open their eyes and realize how political parties manipulate their loyalty. Gangai Amaran's lyrics critique how politicians promise welfare for the poor while leaving the supporters impoverished and neglected. The song urges the youth to hold their heads high, self-reflect, and stop blindly worshipping leaders at the cost of their own lives and families.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monorhyme / Etugai (Tamil Second-letter Rhyming)
“Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa / Thalaiya nimundhu paarudaa”
Repetition of the second consonant sound in adjacent lines like 'Thambi' and 'Thalaiya' ('m'/'l' harmony) and line endings like 'paarudaa'.
Metaphor
“Adhu uzhaikkudhu aanaa / Un thalaiyil ennaiyae illa”
'Un thalaiyil ennaiyae illa' (No oil on your head) serves as a metaphor for extreme poverty, neglect, and lack of basic livelihood despite serving political causes.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Thambi nee nimundhu paarudaa”
Repeated imperative calls ('nimundhu paarudaa') emphasize awakening self-respect and political consciousness.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although credited to Gangai Amaran in common lyric compilations, the soundtrack of En Uyir Thozhan was composed entirely by Ilaiyaraaja, and this song features vocals by Ilaiyaraaja himself along with Malaysia Vasudevan. The film depicts the tragedy of political cadre devotion in Tamil Nadu politics.
Keep listening
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