Vaa Thambi Sagayam
From Poovum Puyalum · 1988
- Lyricist
- S. A. Rajkumar
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- S. A. Rajkumar
- Details
- Poovum Puyalum1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Chorus | |
| …………………….. | [Instrumental intro] |
| Male | |
| Vaa thambhi sagayam | Come brother, assist me |
| Vandhadhippo abaayam | A danger has arrived now |
| Vaa thambhi sagayam | Come brother, assist me |
| Vandhadhippo abaayam | A danger has arrived now |
| Raathiriyil suthanthiratha vaangi | Having gained freedom at midnight |
| Naama kotta vittoom ellathaiyum | We lost everything due to negligence |
| Thoongi thoonghi thoonghi | Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping |
| Male | |
| {Vaa thambhiChorus :Sagayam | {Come brother Chorus :Assist me |
| Male :VandhadhippoChorus :Abaayam} (2) | Male :A danger has arrived Chorus :Danger} (2) |
| Male | |
| Gaandhi kanda kanavu enna aachu | What happened to the dream Gandhi envisioned? |
| Ippa kadavulaiyum thirudum kaalam aachu | Now times have come where even God is stolen |
| Naattu kedukkum katchi medai pechu | Stage speeches of political parties ruin the country |
| Adha kettu kettu kaadhum pulichu pochu hae | Listening to them repeatedly has made our ears turn sour, hey |
| Male | |
| Oora yechi poalappu nadakuthu | Livelihoods are made by deceiving the town |
| Ezhai jaadhi elachu kedakkudhu | The poor class lies down impoverished |
| Padhavi potti nadakkudhu | A contest for political position is taking place |
| Panamum balamum merattudhu | Money and power are threatening us |
| Payandhu kedantha kaaalam podhum | Enough of the times spent living in fear |
| Thuninjaa perumai unakku | If you dare to stand up, glory is yours |
| Male | |
| Vaa thambhi sagayam | Come brother, assist me |
| Vandhadhippo abaayam | A danger has arrived now |
| Vaa thambhi sagayam | Come brother, assist me |
| Vandhadhippo abaayam | A danger has arrived now |
| Raathiriyil suthanthiratha vaangi | Having gained freedom at midnight |
| Naama kotta vittoom ellathaiyum | We lost everything due to negligence |
| Thoongi thoonghi thoonghi | Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping |
| Male | |
| {Vaa thambhiChorus :Sagayam | {Come brother Chorus :Assist me |
| Male :VandhadhippoChorus :Abaayam} (2) | Male :A danger has arrived Chorus :Danger} (2) |
| Male | |
| Sattamum thittamum thuttula thaanae irukku | Laws and schemes depend entirely on money |
| Namma katchinga ellam kara padinju irukku | All our political parties are stained with corruption |
| Ada pattini kuralai ettu kattaiyil kettu | Ah, hearing the voice of hunger at a high pitch |
| Naama paadi vechom parambaraikkae paattu | We sang a song meant for generations |
| Male | |
| Naattu nadappa sindhikka venum | We must reflect upon the state of the nation |
| Gnyaayam azhinjaa thandikka venum | If justice perishes, we must punish the culprits |
| Adimai vilanga odaikkanum | We must break the chains of slavery |
| Pudhiya ulagam padaikkanum | We must create a new world |
| Urangi kedakkum suthanthiramum | Even freedom lies sleeping dormant |
| Vizhichaa jeyippu namakku | If we wake up, victory belongs to us |
| Male | |
| Vaa thambhi sagayam | Come brother, assist me |
| Vandhadhippo abaayam | A danger has arrived now |
| Vaa thambhi sagayam | Come brother, assist me |
| Vandhadhippo abaayam | A danger has arrived now |
| Raathiriyil suthanthiratha vaangi | Having gained freedom at midnight |
| Naama kotta vittoom ellathaiyum | We lost everything due to negligence |
| Thoongi thoonghi thoonghi | Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping |
| Male | |
| {Vaa thambhiChorus :Sagayam | {Come brother Chorus :Assist me |
| Male :VandhadhippoChorus :Abaayam} (2) | Male :A danger has arrived Chorus :Danger} (2) |
......................
[Instrumental intro]
வா தம்பி சகாயம் வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
வா தம்பி சகாயம் வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
ராத்திரியில் சுதந்திரத்தை வாங்கி நாம
கோட்ட விட்டோம் எல்லாத்தையும்
தூங்கி தூங்கி தூங்கி....
Come brother, assist me
A danger has arrived now
Come brother, assist me
A danger has arrived now
Having gained freedom at midnight
We lost everything due to negligence
Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping
வா தம்பி சகாயம் குழு :
வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
வா தம்பி சகாயம் குழு :
வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
{Come brother Chorus :Assist me
Male :A danger has arrived Chorus :Danger} (2)
காந்தி கண்ட கனவு என்ன ஆச்சு
இப்ப கடவுளையும் திருடும் காலம் ஆச்சு
நாட்டக் கெடுக்கும் கட்சி மேடை பேச்சு
அதக் கேட்டு கேட்டு காதும் புளிச்சு போச்சு
What happened to the dream Gandhi envisioned?
Now times have come where even God is stolen
Stage speeches of political parties ruin the country
Listening to them repeatedly has made our ears turn sour, hey
ஊர ஏச்சி பொழப்பு நடக்குது
ஏழை ஜாதி எளச்சு கெடக்குது
பதவி போட்டி நடக்குது
பணமும் பலமும் மிரட்டுது
பயந்து கெடந்த காலம் போதும்
துணிஞ்சா பெருமை உனக்கு
Livelihoods are made by deceiving the town
The poor class lies down impoverished
A contest for political position is taking place
Money and power are threatening us
Enough of the times spent living in fear
If you dare to stand up, glory is yours
வா தம்பி சகாயம் வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
வா தம்பி சகாயம் வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
ராத்திரியில் சுதந்திரத்தை வாங்கி நாம
கோட்ட விட்டோம் எல்லாத்தையும்
தூங்கி தூங்கி தூங்கி....
Come brother, assist me
A danger has arrived now
Come brother, assist me
A danger has arrived now
Having gained freedom at midnight
We lost everything due to negligence
Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping
வா தம்பி சகாயம் குழு :
வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
வா தம்பி சகாயம் குழு :
வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
{Come brother Chorus :Assist me
Male :A danger has arrived Chorus :Danger} (2)
சட்டமும் திட்டமும் துட்டுலதானே இருக்கு
நம்ம கட்சிங்க எல்லாம் கர படிஞ்சு இருக்கு
அட பட்டினி குரலை எட்டுக் கட்டையில கேட்டு
நாம பாடி வச்சோம் பரம்பரைக்கே பாட்டு
Laws and schemes depend entirely on money
All our political parties are stained with corruption
Ah, hearing the voice of hunger at a high pitch
We sang a song meant for generations
நாட்டு நடப்ப சிந்திக்க வேணும்
ஞாயம் அழிஞ்சா தண்டிக்க வேணும்
அடிமை விலங்க ஒடைக்கணும்
புதிய உலகம் படைக்கணும்
உறங்கி கிடக்கும் சுதந்திரமும்
விழிச்சா ஜெயிப்பு நமக்கு
We must reflect upon the state of the nation
If justice perishes, we must punish the culprits
We must break the chains of slavery
We must create a new world
Even freedom lies sleeping dormant
If we wake up, victory belongs to us
வா தம்பி சகாயம் வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
வா தம்பி சகாயம் வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
ராத்திரியில் சுதந்திரத்தை வாங்கி நாம
கோட்ட விட்டோம் எல்லாத்தையும்
தூங்கி தூங்கி தூங்கி....
Come brother, assist me
A danger has arrived now
Come brother, assist me
A danger has arrived now
Having gained freedom at midnight
We lost everything due to negligence
Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping
வா தம்பி சகாயம் குழு :
வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
வா தம்பி சகாயம் குழு :
வந்ததிப்போ அபாயம்
{Come brother Chorus :Assist me
Male :A danger has arrived Chorus :Danger} (2)
……………………..
[Instrumental intro]
Vaa thambhi sagayam
Come brother, assist me
Vandhadhippo abaayam
A danger has arrived now
Vaa thambhi sagayam
Come brother, assist me
Vandhadhippo abaayam
A danger has arrived now
Raathiriyil suthanthiratha vaangi
Having gained freedom at midnight
Naama kotta vittoom ellathaiyum
We lost everything due to negligence
Thoongi thoonghi thoonghi
Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping
{Vaa thambhiChorus :Sagayam
{Come brother Chorus :Assist me
Male :VandhadhippoChorus :Abaayam} (2)
Male :A danger has arrived Chorus :Danger} (2)
Gaandhi kanda kanavu enna aachu
What happened to the dream Gandhi envisioned?
Ippa kadavulaiyum thirudum kaalam aachu
Now times have come where even God is stolen
Naattu kedukkum katchi medai pechu
Stage speeches of political parties ruin the country
Adha kettu kettu kaadhum pulichu pochu hae
Listening to them repeatedly has made our ears turn sour, hey
Oora yechi poalappu nadakuthu
Livelihoods are made by deceiving the town
Ezhai jaadhi elachu kedakkudhu
The poor class lies down impoverished
Padhavi potti nadakkudhu
A contest for political position is taking place
Panamum balamum merattudhu
Money and power are threatening us
Payandhu kedantha kaaalam podhum
Enough of the times spent living in fear
Thuninjaa perumai unakku
If you dare to stand up, glory is yours
Vaa thambhi sagayam
Come brother, assist me
Vandhadhippo abaayam
A danger has arrived now
Vaa thambhi sagayam
Come brother, assist me
Vandhadhippo abaayam
A danger has arrived now
Raathiriyil suthanthiratha vaangi
Having gained freedom at midnight
Naama kotta vittoom ellathaiyum
We lost everything due to negligence
Thoongi thoonghi thoonghi
Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping
{Vaa thambhiChorus :Sagayam
{Come brother Chorus :Assist me
Male :VandhadhippoChorus :Abaayam} (2)
Male :A danger has arrived Chorus :Danger} (2)
Sattamum thittamum thuttula thaanae irukku
Laws and schemes depend entirely on money
Namma katchinga ellam kara padinju irukku
All our political parties are stained with corruption
Ada pattini kuralai ettu kattaiyil kettu
Ah, hearing the voice of hunger at a high pitch
Naama paadi vechom parambaraikkae paattu
We sang a song meant for generations
Naattu nadappa sindhikka venum
We must reflect upon the state of the nation
Gnyaayam azhinjaa thandikka venum
If justice perishes, we must punish the culprits
Adimai vilanga odaikkanum
We must break the chains of slavery
Pudhiya ulagam padaikkanum
We must create a new world
Urangi kedakkum suthanthiramum
Even freedom lies sleeping dormant
Vizhichaa jeyippu namakku
If we wake up, victory belongs to us
Vaa thambhi sagayam
Come brother, assist me
Vandhadhippo abaayam
A danger has arrived now
Vaa thambhi sagayam
Come brother, assist me
Vandhadhippo abaayam
A danger has arrived now
Raathiriyil suthanthiratha vaangi
Having gained freedom at midnight
Naama kotta vittoom ellathaiyum
We lost everything due to negligence
Thoongi thoonghi thoonghi
Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping
{Vaa thambhiChorus :Sagayam
{Come brother Chorus :Assist me
Male :VandhadhippoChorus :Abaayam} (2)
Male :A danger has arrived Chorus :Danger} (2)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Vaa Thambhi Sagayam' from Poovum Puyalum (1988) is an energetic social awakening song calling upon the youth to rise against political corruption and social apathy. It laments how the independence obtained at midnight has been squandered due to public indifference and inaction. The song critiques corrupt political speeches, the power of money over law, and how the poor remain oppressed while society loses its moral compass. Encouraging courage over fear, the lyricist urges the public to break the shackles of servitude, punish injustice, and wake up dormant freedom to build a brand new, righteous society.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monorhyme (Iyaibu)
“Gaandhi kanda kanavu enna aachu / Ippa kadavulaiyum thirudum kaalam aachu”
The use of matching ending sounds ('aachu') in consecutive lines establishes a rhythmic, conversational flow while highlighting social decay.
Repetition (Adukkuthodar)
“Thoongi thoonghi thoonghi”
Repetition of the word 'Thoongi' (sleeping) emphasizes the continuous apathy and collective slumber of society since independence.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Adimai vilanga odaikkanum / Pudhiya ulagam padaikkanum”
Refers to societal oppression as physical 'chains of slavery' (adimai vilangu) that need to be broken to create a better world.
Did you know?
Trivia
Poovum Puyalum (1988) featured music composed by S. A. Rajkumar, who also penned the lyrics for this track. Delivered with trademark vigor by singer Malaysia Vasudevan, the song stands as a classic late-1980s Tamil cinema socio-political protest anthem.
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