Ulagam Urangum Velai
From Veettu Mappillai · 1973
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Music director
- A. M. Raja
- Details
- Veettu Mappillai1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ulagam urangum velai | When the world sleeps |
| Kangal thoongaamal kaappathengal velai | Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job |
| Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum | Sounds subside and desires begin |
| Iravukku kaval thevai… | The night needs protection... |
| Iravukku kaval thevai… | The night needs protection... |
| Chorus | |
| Ulagam urangum velai | When the world sleeps |
| Kangal thoongaamal kaappathengal velai | Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job |
| Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum | Sounds subside and desires begin |
| Iravukku kaval thevai… | The night needs protection... |
| Iravukku kaval thevai… | The night needs protection... |
| Male | |
| Ulagam urangum velai… | When the world sleeps... |
| Male | |
| Uzhaiththavan kalaiththu paduththiruppaan | The hard worker will lie down exhausted |
| Avan urimaiyai parippavan aduththiruppaan | The one who steals his rights will be nearby |
| Uzhaiththavan kalaiththu paduththiruppaan | The hard worker will lie down exhausted |
| Avan urimaiyai parippavan aduththiruppaan | The one who steals his rights will be nearby |
| Avaravar porulukku kaaval | Guarding everyone's belongings |
| Male | |
| Kudiththavan paathaiyil purandiruppaan | The drunkard will be rolling on the path |
| Than kudumbaththai bodhaiyil maranthiruppaan | Forgetting his family in his intoxication |
| Kondaval veettil kaaththiruppaalae | The wife who wed him will be waiting at home |
| Kanavanai anagae saerththu vaippom | We will safely reunite the husband there |
| Chorus :kanavanai anagae saerththu vaippom | Chorus: We will safely reunite the husband there |
| Chorus | |
| Ulagam urangum velai | When the world sleeps |
| Kangal thoongaamal kaappathengal velai | Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job |
| Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum | Sounds subside and desires begin |
| Iravukku kaval thevai… | The night needs protection... |
| Iravukku kaval thevai… | The night needs protection... |
| Male | |
| Ulagam urangum velai… | When the world sleeps... |
| Male | |
| Naattukku kaaval ellaiyilae | Guard for the nation is at the border |
| Naal muzhuthum pala thollaiyilae | Facing many troubles all day long |
| Naattukku kaaval ellaiyilae | Guard for the nation is at the border |
| Indru naal muzhuthum pala thollaiyilae | Today, facing many troubles all day long |
| Aayutham thaangum veerargalaal | Because of warriors bearing weapons |
| Naam anaivarum vaazhvom amaithiyilae | We all live in peace |
| Male | |
| Thaayagam kaakka avargal undu | They exist to protect the motherland |
| Thaniyagam kaakka naangalundu | We exist to protect individual homes |
| Naattaiyum veettaiyum kaaththirukkum | Protecting both the country and the home |
| Engal kudumpaththai kaakka kadavul undu | God exists to protect our family |
| Chorus | |
| Ulagam urangum velai | When the world sleeps |
| Kangal thoongaamal kaappathengal velai | Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job |
| Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum | Sounds subside and desires begin |
| Iravukku kaval thevai… | The night needs protection... |
| Iravukku kaval thevai… | The night needs protection... |
| Male | |
| Ulagam urangum velai… | When the world sleeps... |
உலகம் உறங்கும் வேளை
கண்கள் தூங்காமல் காப்பதெங்கள் வேலை
ஓசைகள் அடங்கும் ஆசைகள் தொடங்கும்
இரவுக்கு காவல் தேவை....
இரவுக்கு காவல் தேவை....
When the world sleeps
Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job
Sounds subside and desires begin
The night needs protection...
The night needs protection...
உலகம் உறங்கும் வேளை
கண்கள் தூங்காமல் காப்பதெங்கள் வேலை
ஓசைகள் அடங்கும் ஆசைகள் தொடங்கும்
இரவுக்கு காவல் தேவை....
இரவுக்கு காவல் தேவை....
When the world sleeps
Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job
Sounds subside and desires begin
The night needs protection...
The night needs protection...
உலகம் உறங்கும் வேளை
When the world sleeps...
உழைத்தவன் களைத்து படுத்திருப்பான்
அவன் உரிமையை பறிப்பவன் அடுத்திருப்பான்
உழைத்தவன் களைத்து படுத்திருப்பான்
அவன் உரிமையை பறிப்பவன் அடுத்திருப்பான்
அவரவர் பொருளுக்கு காவல்
The hard worker will lie down exhausted
The one who steals his rights will be nearby
The hard worker will lie down exhausted
The one who steals his rights will be nearby
Guarding everyone's belongings
குடித்தவன் பாதையில் புரண்டிருப்பான்
தன் குடும்பத்தை போதையில் மறந்திருப்பான்
கொண்டவள் வீட்டில் காத்திருப்பாளே
கணவனை அங்கே சேர்த்து வைப்போம்....
குழு : கணவனை அங்கே சேர்த்து வைப்போம்....
The drunkard will be rolling on the path
Forgetting his family in his intoxication
The wife who wed him will be waiting at home
We will safely reunite the husband there
Chorus: We will safely reunite the husband there
உலகம் உறங்கும் வேளை
கண்கள் தூங்காமல் காப்பதெங்கள் வேலை
ஓசைகள் அடங்கும் ஆசைகள் தொடங்கும்
இரவுக்கு காவல் தேவை....
இரவுக்கு காவல் தேவை....
When the world sleeps
Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job
Sounds subside and desires begin
The night needs protection...
The night needs protection...
உலகம் உறங்கும் வேளை
When the world sleeps...
நாட்டுக்கு காவல் எல்லையிலே
நாள் முழுதும் பல தொல்லையிலே
நாட்டுக்கு காவல் எல்லையிலே
இன்று நாள் முழுதும் பல தொல்லையிலே
ஆயுதம் தாங்கும் வீரர்களால்
நாம் அனைவரும் வாழ்வோம் அமைதியிலே
Guard for the nation is at the border
Facing many troubles all day long
Guard for the nation is at the border
Today, facing many troubles all day long
Because of warriors bearing weapons
We all live in peace
தாயகம் காக்க அவர்கள் உண்டு
தனியகம் காக்க நாங்களுண்டு
நாட்டையும் வீட்டையும் காத்திருக்கும்
எங்கள் குடும்பத்தை காக்க கடவுள் உண்டு
They exist to protect the motherland
We exist to protect individual homes
Protecting both the country and the home
God exists to protect our family
உலகம் உறங்கும் வேளை
கண்கள் தூங்காமல் காப்பதெங்கள் வேலை
ஓசைகள் அடங்கும் ஆசைகள் தொடங்கும்
இரவுக்கு காவல் தேவை....
இரவுக்கு காவல் தேவை....
When the world sleeps
Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job
Sounds subside and desires begin
The night needs protection...
The night needs protection...
உலகம் உறங்கும் வேளை.....
When the world sleeps...
Ulagam urangum velai
When the world sleeps
Kangal thoongaamal kaappathengal velai
Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job
Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum
Sounds subside and desires begin
Iravukku kaval thevai…
The night needs protection...
Iravukku kaval thevai…
The night needs protection...
Ulagam urangum velai
When the world sleeps
Kangal thoongaamal kaappathengal velai
Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job
Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum
Sounds subside and desires begin
Iravukku kaval thevai…
The night needs protection...
Iravukku kaval thevai…
The night needs protection...
Ulagam urangum velai…
When the world sleeps...
Uzhaiththavan kalaiththu paduththiruppaan
The hard worker will lie down exhausted
Avan urimaiyai parippavan aduththiruppaan
The one who steals his rights will be nearby
Uzhaiththavan kalaiththu paduththiruppaan
The hard worker will lie down exhausted
Avan urimaiyai parippavan aduththiruppaan
The one who steals his rights will be nearby
Avaravar porulukku kaaval
Guarding everyone's belongings
Kudiththavan paathaiyil purandiruppaan
The drunkard will be rolling on the path
Than kudumbaththai bodhaiyil maranthiruppaan
Forgetting his family in his intoxication
Kondaval veettil kaaththiruppaalae
The wife who wed him will be waiting at home
Kanavanai anagae saerththu vaippom
We will safely reunite the husband there
Chorus :kanavanai anagae saerththu vaippom
Chorus: We will safely reunite the husband there
Ulagam urangum velai
When the world sleeps
Kangal thoongaamal kaappathengal velai
Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job
Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum
Sounds subside and desires begin
Iravukku kaval thevai…
The night needs protection...
Iravukku kaval thevai…
The night needs protection...
Ulagam urangum velai…
When the world sleeps...
Naattukku kaaval ellaiyilae
Guard for the nation is at the border
Naal muzhuthum pala thollaiyilae
Facing many troubles all day long
Naattukku kaaval ellaiyilae
Guard for the nation is at the border
Indru naal muzhuthum pala thollaiyilae
Today, facing many troubles all day long
Aayutham thaangum veerargalaal
Because of warriors bearing weapons
Naam anaivarum vaazhvom amaithiyilae
We all live in peace
Thaayagam kaakka avargal undu
They exist to protect the motherland
Thaniyagam kaakka naangalundu
We exist to protect individual homes
Naattaiyum veettaiyum kaaththirukkum
Protecting both the country and the home
Engal kudumpaththai kaakka kadavul undu
God exists to protect our family
Ulagam urangum velai
When the world sleeps
Kangal thoongaamal kaappathengal velai
Staying awake without sleeping to protect is our job
Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum
Sounds subside and desires begin
Iravukku kaval thevai…
The night needs protection...
Iravukku kaval thevai…
The night needs protection...
Ulagam urangum velai…
When the world sleeps...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the 1973 movie Veettu Mappillai portrays the selfless duty of night watchmen who stay awake to keep society safe while everyone else sleeps. It describes how they protect the property of tired workers, guide lost drunkards back to their waiting families, and maintain order in the dark. The song draws a touching parallel between soldiers guarding the nation's borders and night watchmen protecting individual homes, concluding with the humble faith that God will look after the watchmen's own families while they protect others.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum”
Matching second consonants across words or lines, such as 'Osaigal' and 'Aasaigal' in the phrase 'Osaigal adangum aasaigal thodangum'.
Antithesis / Parallelism
“Thaayagam kaakka avargal undu / Thaniyagam kaakka naangalundu”
Contrasting the macro-duty of soldiers protecting the country with the micro-duty of watchmen protecting homes.
Anaphora (Repetition)
“Ulagam urangum velai”
The rhythmic repetition of the refrain 'Ulagam urangum velai' emphasizes the constant vigilance required every night.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by veteran singer-turned-music director A. M. Raja with lyrics by Vaali, this track features a rare duet combination of T. M. Soundararajan and Malaysia Vasudevan during the early phase of Vasudevan's playback singing career.
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