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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Very Very Bad

From Gypsy · 2019

Lyricist
Yugabharathi
Singers
Pradeep Kumar, Santhosh Narayanan
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Movie name
Gypsy
Movie release year
2019
Lyrics added on
17 Dec 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thozhar sterlite ah
Anuvolai ah
Neutrino vah
Manal kollai ah
Ethula kaidhi pannanga ungalaiya
Makkal virodha thittanghal
Edhira
Hydrocarbon thittathiru edhira
Ethavathu thundu arikkai koduthinghla
Hmhumm
Endha saamiyar pathi pesitu
Vanthirukka saami
Thirunangaikku aatharava
Poraduninghla
Edhukkaaga thozhar
Theendaamai saadhi
Kodumaigalukku
Edhira poraduninghla
Salem ettu vazhi
Saalai kaaga
Poraduninghla thambhi
Edhukku thozhar
Eela tamilar prachanaikka
Ezhai tamilan viduthailaikaaga
Pporaduninghla edhukku
Kaidhu pannangha unghla
Chaa
Thozhar edhukku kaidhu
Pannangha unghla
Oru paatu potten sir
Paatu pottadhukka
Appadi enna thaangha
Paatu pottingha
Very very bad
Bad to the core
Very very bad
Bad to the core
Thozhar neenga enga inga
Ungalkku munnadiyae enna
Puduchi kootuvathutaanga
Hahahahaha
Khaaki color-u
Khaaki color-u
Ethukku engala adikkira
Hey khaaki color-u
Khaaki color-u
Kalutha pudichi nerikkira
Seththu pona aalukellaam
Silaiya neeyum thorakkura
Iththu pona engala yenda
Thirumba thirumba othaikkira
Station-la ethukkuda
Katta panjayathu nadathura
Yevi vitta dog-u kellaam
Elumbu thunda porukkura
Pathavi veri accusitkkellaam
Pannuriyae ooliyam
Chorus :Engala pottu midhikkiriyae
Itha jananaayagam
Very very bad
Chorus :Very very bad
Male :Bad to the core
Chorus :Bad to the core
Very very bad
Chorus :Oh no…
Male :Bad to the core
………………………….
Gang rape-u senjavanum
Chorus :Poraan poraan car-ula
Male :Naalu murder senjavanae
Parthen shopping mall-ula
Kollai adicha manthiri maaru
Vaaran helipad-ula
Chorus :Porukkikellam badaa size-u
Banner intha oorula
Avanae ellaam koondula yetha
Unakku irukkaa dhairiyam
Chorus :Engala pottu midhikkiriyae
Itha jananaayagam
Very very bad
Chorus :Very very bad
Male :Bad to the core
Chorus :Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
Very very bad
Chorus :It’s too bad ya
Male :Bad to the core…ore….
Very…
Male :Charge…
Male :Very very…
Male :Hands up…
Very…
Very very…
Male :You’re under arrest…
Chain arutha pervazhi thaan
Chorus :Selfie eduthu anuppuraan
Male :Kooli pada thaivanum thaan
Unakku cake-u ooturaan
Chorus :Saadhi kola kaaran ellaam
Tv petti kodukkuraan
Needhiya vikkum thirudan ellaam
EPCO va kizhikkuraan
Avana ellaam koondula yetha
Unakku irukka dhairiyam
Chorus :Engala pottu midhikkiriyae
Itha jananaayagam
Very very bad
Chorus :Very very…very very
Male :Bad to the core
Chorus :Hey…
Very very bad
Bad to the core
Naanga vethacha nelaththula
Yethanai yethanai building-u
Oora vittu thorathuriyae
Enga pochi en pangu
Enga mannai pudugunavan
Chorus :Aeroplane-il parakkuraan
Male :Sondha janangga surundu padukka
Jail-u kadhava thorakkuran
Chorus :Ennaanu kettaakka
Gundaasula podunguraan
Very very bad
Bad to the core
Very very bad
Bad to the core
Very very bad…
Khaaki…
Khaaki…
Khaaki color-u
Heyy
Khaaki…
Khaaki…
Khaaki color-u
Very very bad…
Aaaaa…aaa….aaa…
Khaaki…
Khaaki…
Khaaki color-u
Khaaki…
Khaaki…
Khaaki color-u
Kuralai uyarthu
Unmaiyai pesu
Urakka pesu
Kuralai uyarthu
Unmaiyai pesu
Urakka pesu
Comrade, was it Sterlite?
The nuclear plant?
Or Neutrino?
Sand looting?
For what did they arrest you?
Against anti-people projects,
did you protest?
Against the hydrocarbon project,
did you distribute pamphlets?
Nope.
Which godman did you speak about
to end up here, my friend?
In support of trans people,
did you protest?
For what reason, comrade?
Untouchability, caste-based
atrocities,
did you fight against those?
Against the Salem eight-lane
expressway,
did you protest, brother?
Why, comrade?
For the Eelam Tamils' cause?
For the freedom of poor Tamils,
did you protest? Why
did they arrest you?
Cha!
Comrade, why did they
arrest you?
I put out a song, sir.
Just for putting out a song?
What kind of song
did you put out?
Very, very bad!
Bad to the core!
Very, very bad!
Bad to the core!
Comrade, what are you doing here?
They picked me up and brought me here
even before you!
Hahahaha!
Khaki uniform,
khaki uniform,
why are you beating us?
Hey khaki uniform,
khaki uniform,
you grab and choke our necks!
For people who are dead and gone,
you unveil statues.
Why do you keep stomping
on us broken people again and again?
Why in the police station
do you run kangaroo courts?
For all the hounds let loose,
you scavenge bone scraps.
To the power-hungry accused,
you bow and serve!
Chorus: You crush and trample us,
is this democracy?
Very, very bad!
Chorus: Very, very bad!
Male: Bad to the core!
Chorus: Bad to the core!
Very, very bad!
Chorus: Oh no...
Male: Bad to the core!
...
The one who committed gang rape
Chorus: rides away in a car!
Male: The man who murdered four people,
I saw him hanging out in a shopping mall!
The ministers who looted
arrive in helicopters!
Chorus: For every scoundrel, there are massive
banners across this town!
To put all of them in the dock,
do you have the guts?
Chorus: You crush and trample us,
is this democracy?
Very, very bad!
Chorus: Very, very bad!
Male: Bad to the core!
Chorus: Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah!
Very, very bad!
Chorus: It's too bad, yeah!
Male: Bad to the core... oar...
Very...
Male: Charge!
Male: Very, very...
Male: Hands up!
Very...
Very, very...
Male: You are under arrest!
The notorious chain snatcher
Chorus: snaps a selfie and posts it!
Male: Even the boss of the hitman gang
feeds you cake!
Chorus: Caste killers of all kinds
hand out free TVs!
Thieves who sell out justice
rip up the penal code!
To drag all of them into the dock,
do you have the guts?
Chorus: You crush and trample us,
is this democracy?
Very, very bad!
Chorus: Very, very... very, very!
Male: Bad to the core!
Chorus: Hey...
Very, very bad!
Bad to the core!
On the land where we sowed,
look how many buildings stand!
You chase us out of our hometown;
where did my share go?
The one who stole our land
Chorus: flies in an airplane!
Male: While our own people curl up in agony,
he opens the jail doors for them!
Chorus: If we dare question it,
he threatens to lock us up under the Goondas Act!
Very, very bad!
Bad to the core!
Very, very bad!
Bad to the core!
Very, very bad...
Khaki...
Khaki...
Khaki uniform!
Hey!
Khaki...
Khaki...
Khaki uniform!
Very, very bad...
Aaa... aa... aa...
Khaki...
Khaki...
Khaki uniform!
Khaki...
Khaki...
Khaki uniform!
Raise your voice!
Speak the truth!
Speak out loud!
Raise your voice!
Speak the truth!
Speak out loud!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Very Very Bad' from the movie Gypsy (2019) is a fiery political protest anthem composed by Santhosh Narayanan with lyrics by Yugabharathi. The song scathingly critiques state police brutality, institutional corruption, and political hypocrisy. Through a satirical dialogue set inside a police station, the song references various real-life socio-political movements in Tamil Nadu—such as protests against Sterlite, Neutrino, Hydrocarbon projects, and the Salem 8-Lane Expressway—where peaceful activists and citizens exercising freedom of speech are routinely jailed. Addressing the police force symbolically through 'Khaki color', the lyrics contrast the oppressive treatment meted out to common working-class people with the impunity enjoyed by corrupt politicians, rapists, and mob bosses who roam freely under state protection. The song culminates in a powerful call for civil resistance, urging the oppressed to raise their voices, speak the truth, and challenge undemocratic state violence.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metonymy / Symbolism

Khaaki color-u / Ethukku engala adikkira

'Khaaki color' is used metonymically to represent the entire police force and state apparatus.

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Aani)

Engala pottu midhikkiriyae / Itha jananaayagam

Asking 'Is this democracy?' sarcastically highlights the irony of police brutality in a democratic nation.

Contrast / Juxtaposition (Ethir-inai)

Gang rape-u senjavanum / Poraan poraan car-ula

Strikingly contrasts the lavish freedom enjoyed by serious criminals with the harsh incarceration faced by innocent citizens.

Anaphora / Repetition (Adukkuthodar)

Kuralai uyarthu / Unmaiyai pesu / Urakka pesu

Repetition of key phrases amplifies the urgency, anger, and rhythmic impact of the protest.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Very Very Bad' was composed by Santhosh Narayanan. The official music video of this song prominently featured prominent real-life social activists, human rights defenders, and political figures from Tamil Nadu (such as Piyush Manush, Thirumurugan Gandhi, and Henri Tiphagne) standing alongside the film's lead actor Jiiva.

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