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Lyrics & meaning

Veedu Manaivi Makkal

From Veedu Manaivi Makkal · 1988

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Veedu Manaivi Makkal
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
7 Feb 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Veedu manaivi makkal
Moondrum vaazhvil sikkal
Karppanai kalainthathadaa
Kanavugal mudinthathadaa
Vidhaippavan manithanadaa
Aruppavan oruvanadaa….
Veedu manaivi makkal…..
Aayirang kaalaththu payirondru
Indru aruvadai aanathu
Vidhaiththavan vaazhkkai
Kanneeril neeraaduthu
Udhiraththil pirantha kuruvigalellaam
Uravai maranthathu
Sontham intha veettil
Kadal meedhu mazhaiyaanathu
Oviyam vaangi vanthaan
Kangalai kaanavillai
Throndru vaangi vanthaan
Paadhaiyai kaanavillai
Poojaigal seiyaa vanthaan
Than koyilai kaanavillai
Veedu manaivi makkal…..
Veedu manaivi makkal…..
Kooraikku vangiya moongilil indru
Kolliyaa vaippathu
Thottu mattum vaiththaen
Vaerenna nee kandathu
Thookkaththil paadhi yaekkaththil paadhi
Vaazhkkaithaan ponathu
Yaezhaiyin sontham eppothum thappaanathu
Kodondru mudiyum munnae
Kuruvi paranthathadaa
Kuruvi paranthathanaal koodum sarinthathadaa
Pallavi thodangum munnae
Un saranam mudinthathadaa….
Veedu manaivi makkal
Moondrum vaazhvil sikkal
Karppanai kalainthathadaa
Kanavugal mudinthathadaa
Vidhaippavan manithanadaa
Aruppavan oruvanadaa….
Veedu manaivi makkal…..
Veedu manaivi makkal…..
A house, a wife, and children,
All three are entanglements in life.
The illusions have shattered, my friend,
The dreams have come to an end.
Man is the one who sows the seed,
Yet the One above reaps the harvest...
A house, a wife, and children...
The crop meant to last a thousand years
Has met its harvest today.
The life of the one who sowed it
Is bathing in tears.
The little birds born of my own blood
Have forgotten their bonds.
Relationships in this house
Have become like rain falling into the sea.
He brought home a painting,
Only to find he had lost his eyes.
He bought a grand chariot,
Only to find no path to pull it.
He came to offer his prayers,
Only to find his temple was gone.
A house, a wife, and children...
A house, a wife, and children...
With the bamboo bought to build a roof,
Must we now light the funeral fire?
I only just began to touch it,
What else did you get to see?
Half spent in sleep, half in yearning,
Life has simply slipped away.
A poor man's relationships always go wrong.
Before the nest was even finished,
The bird has flown away.
And because the bird flew away, the nest collapsed too.
Even before the opening verse began,
Your song has reached its end...
A house, a wife, and children,
All three are entanglements in life...
The illusions have shattered, my friend,
The dreams have come to an end.
Man is the one who sows the seed,
Yet the One above reaps the harvest...
A house, a wife, and children...
A house, a wife, and children...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Veedu Manaivi Makkal' reflects deeply on the tragic ironies and emotional heartbreaks of family life. It portrays a family man who dedicated his life to building a home, raising children, and securing a future, only to find himself abandoned and unappreciated in his old age. The lyrics lament how human efforts often go in vain when destiny and ungrateful relationships dismantle one's lifelong achievements, rendering personal sacrifices futile.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaai (Initial Alliteration)

“Karppanai kalainthathadaa / Kanavugal mudinthathadaa”

Matching initial consonant sounds in 'Karppanai' and 'Kanavugal' emphasize the sudden collapse of hopes.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Sontham intha veettil / Kadal meedhu mazhaiyaanathu”

'Kadal meedhu mazhaiyaanathu' compares squandered familial love to rain falling wastefully over the ocean.

Parallelism and Irony

“Oviyam vaangi vanthaan / Kangalai kaanavillai”

Repetitive sentence structures ('vaangi vanthaan... kaanavillai') accentuate the cruel paradoxes of life where rewards are missed despite effort.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the 1988 Tamil comedy-drama film 'Veedu Manaivi Makkal' directed by T. P. Gajendran, this melancholic track features lyrics by Vairamuthu and music composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh, sung powerfully by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam.

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From the same album

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