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Monkey Donkey album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vada Kadha Kelu Magane

From Monkey Donkey · 2020

Lyricist
Sangeeth Ravindran
Singer
Anthony Daasan
Music director
Sooraj S Kurup
Movie name
Monkey Donkey
Movie release year
2020
Lyrics added on
6 Jul 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
…………………
Vada kadha kelu maganae
Nammai aalum intha panamae
Nitham motham nammai alaya vidum
Sani thaanae
Otha roopa illae mamae
Suthi suthi inga paren
Pithu pudichitu kiranga veikkum
Panam thaanae
Aama aama
Niranja vayir ellam
Melum melum nirayuthunga
Kizhinja kantha thuni
Melum melum kizhiyuthu
Oorae mela aapu
Pala palanu jolikuthunga
Koora veettukulla
Velicham kooda iruttudhu
…………………………
Sottu sootah dhuttah paathu
Mosam poi ninna
Kattu kattah notu kattu
Dimiki kuduthu nippaan
Panamum pennum
Othumai kannum
Pudikathaan nenachaalae
Bulb aachu
Kaanu jaada
Dhuttu vaada
Namukunnu ezhuthatha
Vidhi aachu
Pasiyil… sollum..
Kathayil ellaam…
Naam thaanae..
Rusiyil.. kaanum..
Neram athu serum
Kaalam thaan
Sirapu aagum
Vada kadha kelu maganae
Nammai aalum intha panamae
Nitham motham nammai alaya vidum
Sani thaanae
Definitely
Otha roopa illae mamae
Suthi suthi inga paren
Pithu pudichitu kiranga veikkum
Panam thaanae
Vote-uh potta kaasa vangi
Payila pottu ninna
Male :Ahaan
Sothu kaaga kaasa thaedi
Alanju poi nippaan
Male :Ahaan
Kaasu panam kannula kanom
Sethu thaan polaikum
Dhinam polapu aachu
Vaipilla sonnapula
Vepilla thinnapula
Dhinam polappu aala
Very bad
Sottu sootah dhuttah paathu
Mosam poi ninna
Kattu kattah notu kattu
Dimiki kuduthu nippaan
Oh.. oh…..oh… oh….
Ah.. ah…..ah… ah…….
Oh.. oh…..oh… oh….
Ah.. ah…..ah… ah…….
...
Listen to the vada story, my boy!
This money that rules over us,
Making us wander aimlessly every single day,
Isn't it sheer bad luck?
Not a single rupee in hand, uncle,
Just look all around here,
It drives people mad and makes their heads spin,
It is all just money, isn't it?
Yes, oh yes!
Bellies that are already full
Keep getting stuffed more and more,
While tattered, torn rags
Get ripped apart even more!
The town's grand facade
Sparkles and shines so bright,
While inside the thatched hut,
Even the light turns pitch dark!
...
Drawn to piping-hot cash,
If you get cheated and stranded,
Bundles and bundles of currency notes
Will give you the slip and leave you high and dry!
Money and women,
And an elusive glance,
The moment you think of grabbing them,
You just end up getting fooled!
Read the signs,
Cash won't come easy, buddy,
It was never written for us,
That is how our fate turned out!
In all the stories
Told through hunger,
It is always us!
When that time arrives
To taste the good life,
That very moment
Will be truly wonderful!
Listen to the vada story, my boy!
This money that rules over us,
Making us wander aimlessly every single day,
Isn't it sheer bad luck?
Definitely!
Not a single rupee in hand, uncle,
Just look all around here,
It drives people mad and makes their heads spin,
It is all just money, isn't it?
Taking cash to cast a vote,
If you just tuck it into your pocket,
Male: Aha!
Chasing after cash for wealth,
A man ends up wandering till he is exhausted!
Male: Aha!
Not a coin in sight,
Just scraping by to survive,
Every day has become a struggle to live!
Like being told there is no hope,
Like tasting bitter neem leaves,
Running our daily lives like this,
Very bad!
Drawn to piping-hot cash,
If you get cheated and stranded,
Bundles and bundles of currency notes
Will give you the slip and leave you high and dry!
Oh.. oh..... oh... oh....
Ah.. ah..... ah... ah.......
Oh.. oh..... oh... oh....
Ah.. ah..... ah... ah.......
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Vada Kadha Kelu Maganae' from 'Monkey Donkey' is a sharp, satirical commentary on the destructive power of money in modern society and the widening divide between the rich and the poor. The lyrics lament how money acts as a puppet master driving people mad, forcing the poor into relentless daily struggles while the rich continue to accumulate wealth effortlessly. It addresses systemic issues such as cash-for-votes, political corruption, greed for property, and the hopeless plight of the underprivileged whose basic survival feels like eating bitter neem leaves. Despite the somber theme of poverty and deceit, the song carries a gritty, rhythmic Gaana tone with colloquial Chennai Tamil slang. It balances philosophical cynicism about fate ('Vidhi') with an underlying flicker of hope that time will eventually bring better days for those who endure.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

“Niranja vayir ellam / Kizhinja kantha thuni”

The second consonant 'ri' matches in 'Niranja' and 'Kizhinja'.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Melum melum nirayuthunga / Pala palanu jolikuthunga”

The ending suffix '-uthunga' rhymes across lines 12 and 16.

Adukkuthodar (Repetitive Words for Emphasis)

“Melum melum nirayuthunga”

Words like 'Melum melum' (more and more) and 'Suthi suthi' (around and around) are repeated to heighten the intensity.

Monae (First Letter Alliteration)

“Sottu sootah dhuttah paathu”

Alliteration of the initial consonant 'S' in 'Sottu sootah'.

Paradox / Hyperbole

“Velicham kooda iruttudhu”

The expression 'Even light turns into darkness inside a thatched hut' uses paradox to highlight extreme poverty.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by lyricist Sangeeth Ravindran, the song utilizes local Chennai street slang (e.g., 'Aapu', 'Dimiki', 'Bulb aachu') combined with English urbanisms like 'Definitely' and 'Very bad' to bring a humorous yet realistic bite to its socio-political commentary.

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