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Ninaive Oru Sangeetham album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ungalai Onnum Seiyamaattom

From Ninaive Oru Sangeetham · 1987

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Mano, Chorus
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Ninaive Oru Sangeetham
Movie release year
1987
Lyrics added on
24 Jun 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………..
Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom haan
Chorus :Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Amma vaanga akka vaanga
Ayiththa vaanga sister vaanga
Neenga adakkamaana ponnu pola
Ozhukkaamaaga nadanthukittaa
Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Male :Aththai
Chorus :Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Male :Adadatdada
Yaezhainga koorai veedu
Izhikkuthu kaaththulathaan
Rendupakkam oduthu paaru
Enga ooru saakkadaithaan
Yaezhainga koorai veedu
Izhikkuthu kaaththulathaan
Rendupakkam oduthu paaru
Enga ooru saakkadaithaan
Adhukkoru oosiya kuththi
Illaama seiyyungalaen
Otti pona yaezhaiya konjam
Uppa vazhi panungalaen
Neththu potta road
Male :Innaikku ammammaa
Male :Innaikku podum road
Male :Naalaikku amammamaa
Idhu oorukku ooru irukku paaru
Adhai thaduththaa
Chorus :Akka akka
Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Amma vaanga akka vaanga
Ayiththa vaanga sister vaanga
Neenga adakkamaana ponnu pola
Ozhukkamaaga nadanthukittaa
Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Male :Haan
Chorus :Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Cholera vaanthi pedhi
Enga ooru kandathillai
Kanda kanda jaadhi ellaam
Intha pakkam vanthathillai
Cholera vaanthi pedhi
Enga ooru kandathillai
Kanda kanda jaadhi ellaam
Intha pakkam vanthathillai
Enga ooru saamikku
Naanga ponga vachchu kumbiduvom
Oru kurai engalukkillai
Saththiyamaa nambiduvom
Vera oora paaththu
Chorus :Nadaiya kattammaa
Male :In pottiya thookki neeyum
Chorus :Kodaiya kattammaa
Naanga nalla padiyaa sonnaa kelu
Kuththam sollaatha
Chorus :Akka akka
Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Male :Aththai
Chorus :Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Amma vaanga vaanga akka vaanga
Ayiththa vaanga vaanga sister vaanga
Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Male :Haan
Chorus :Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom
Male :Aththai
Chorus :Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom
Adadattdaa……
...
We won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong, yeah!
Chorus: We won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong.
Come, mother, come, sister,
come, auntie, come, nurse,
if you behave like a modest woman
and conduct yourself properly,
we won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong.
Male: Auntie!
Chorus: We won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong.
Male: Oh ho ho!
The poor people's thatched roofs
are torn wide open in the wind;
look, running down both sides
is our village open drain!
The poor people's thatched roofs
are torn wide open in the wind;
look, running down both sides
is our village open drain!
Give that an injection
and make it disappear, why don't you?
Help the skinny, starving poor
fill out with some health, won't you?
The road laid yesterday
Male: is gone today, oh my!
Male: And the road laid today
Male: will be gone tomorrow, oh my!
Look, this happens in town after town;
if anyone tries to stop it...
Chorus: Sister, sister!
We won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong.
We won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong.
Come, mother, come, sister,
come, auntie, come, nurse,
if you behave like a modest woman
and conduct yourself properly,
we won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong.
Male: Yeah!
Chorus: We won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong.
Cholera, vomiting, or diarrhea—
our village has never known them.
All kinds of random strangers and castes
have never set foot around here.
Cholera, vomiting, or diarrhea—
our village has never known them.
All kinds of random strangers and castes
have never set foot around here.
To our village deity,
we offer pongal (sweet rice) and pray.
We don't lack a single thing;
we truly believe this.
Find some other village
Chorus: and be on your way, lady!
Male: Pick up your trunk,
Chorus: fold your umbrella, and leave, lady!
Listen to us when we speak with good intent,
don't place blame on us later.
Chorus: Sister, sister!
We won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong.
We won't harm you at all,
Male: Auntie!
Chorus: we won't do anything wrong.
Come, mother, come, come, sister,
come, auntie, come, come, nurse,
we won't harm you at all,
we won't do anything wrong.
Male: Yeah!
Chorus: We won't harm you at all,
Male: Auntie!
Chorus: we won't do anything wrong.
Aha ha ha...
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This energetic song from Ninaive Oru Sangeetham (1987) presents local villagers addressing an outsider (such as a social worker or official) with a mix of satire, rustic humor, and caution. The villagers highlight the severe poverty of their village, including frail thatched homes, open sewers, and poor public infrastructure like roads that disintegrate instantly due to corruption. At the same time, the locals express pride in their self-sustained lifestyle, spiritual faith, and traditional harmony, warning the visitor to respect local norms or leave peacefully rather than patronizing or lecturing them.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Second-letter rhyme)

Yaezhainga koorai veedu / Izhikkuthu kaaththulathaan

Rhyming of the second letter across consecutive lines for rhythmic flow, e.g., 'Yaezhai' and 'Izhikkuthu'.

Refrain / Anaphora

Ungalai onnum seiyyamaattom / Naanga thappu edhum pannamaattom

Repetition of core chorus lines throughout the song to emphasize reassurance with underlying irony.

Social Satire & Humor

Neththu potta road / Innaikku ammammaa / Innaikku podum road / Naalaikku amammamaa

Use of humorous exaggeration to criticize flawed civic works and corrupt local infrastructure.

Did you know?

Trivia

Ninaive Oru Sangeetham (1987) features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Gangai Amaran. Performed by Mano and chorus, the song captures the distinctive folk-pop satirical style popular in 1980s Tamil cinema, blending social commentary with rustic rhythm.

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