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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Very Very Bad

From Gypsy · 2019

Lyricist
Yugabharathi
Singers
Pradeep Kumar, Santhosh Narayanan
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Details
Gypsy2019

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Thozhar sterlite ahComrade, was it Sterlite?
Anuvolai ahWas it the nuclear plant?
Neutrino vahWas it Neutrino?
Manal kollai ahWas it sand mining?
Ethula kaidhi pannanga ungalaiyaWhich of these got you arrested?
Female
Makkal virodha thittanghalSchemes against the people
EdhiraOpposing...
Hydrocarbon thittathiru edhiraOpposing the Hydrocarbon project,
Ethavathu thundu arikkai koduthinghlaDid you distribute pamphlets against them?
Male
HmhummHmm-mm
Male
Endha saamiyar pathi pesituWhich saint or godman were you talking about
Vanthirukka saamiBefore arriving here, my friend?
Female
Thirunangaikku aatharavaIn support of transgender rights,
PoraduninghlaDid you protest?
Edhukkaaga thozharFor what reason, comrade?
Male
Theendaamai saadhiAgainst untouchability and caste
KodumaigalukkuAtrocities,
Edhira poraduninghlaDid you protest?
Female
Salem ettu vazhiFor the Salem eight-lane
Saalai kaagaExpressway,
Poraduninghla thambhiDid you protest, brother?
Male
Edhukku thozharWhy, comrade?
Eela tamilar prachanaikkaFor the Eelam Tamils issue?
Ezhai tamilan viduthailaikaagaFor the liberation of poor Tamils,
Pporaduninghla edhukkuWhy were you protesting?
Kaidhu pannangha unghlaWhy did they arrest you?
Male
ChaaTch!
Male
Thozhar edhukku kaidhuComrade, why did they
Pannangha unghlaArrest you?
Male
Oru paatu potten sirI just sang a song, sir.
Male
Paatu pottadhukkaFor singing a song?
Appadi enna thaanghaWhat kind of song
Paatu pottinghaDid you sing?
Male
Very very badVery very bad
Bad to the coreBad to the core
Very very badVery very bad
Bad to the coreBad to the core
Male
Thozhar neenga enga ingaComrade, why are you here?
Male
Ungalkku munnadiyae ennaThey arrested me and brought me here
Puduchi kootuvathutaangaEven before you!
Male
HahahahahaHahahahaha
Male
Khaaki color-uO Khaki color
Khaaki color-uO Khaki color
Ethukku engala adikkiraWhy are you beating us?
Male
Hey khaaki color-uHey Khaki color
Khaaki color-uO Khaki color
Kalutha pudichi nerikkiraWhy are you strangling our necks?
Male
Seththu pona aalukellaamFor people who are long dead,
Silaiya neeyum thorakkuraYou unveil statues!
Iththu pona engala yendaBut for us who are rotting alive, why
Thirumba thirumba othaikkiraDo you kick us again and again?
Male
Station-la ethukkudaAt the police station, why
Katta panjayathu nadathuraDo you conduct kangaroo courts?
Yevi vitta dog-u kellaamLike a unleashed dog,
Elumbu thunda porukkuraScavenging for bone scraps!
Male
Pathavi veri accusitkkellaamFor power-hungry accused criminals,
Pannuriyae ooliyamYou act as a dutiful servant!
Chorus :Engala pottu midhikkiriyaeYou stamp on us and crush us,
Itha jananaayagamIs this democracy?
Male
Very very badVery very bad
Chorus :Very very badVery very bad
Male :Bad to the coreBad to the core
Chorus :Bad to the coreBad to the core
Male
Very very badVery very bad
Chorus :Oh no…Oh no...
Male :Bad to the coreBad to the core
Male
…………………………........................
Male
Gang rape-u senjavanumThe one who committed gang rape
Chorus :Poraan poraan car-ulaRides around in a car
Male :Naalu murder senjavanaeThe one who committed four murders
Parthen shopping mall-ulaI saw him walking in a shopping mall
Male
Kollai adicha manthiri maaruMinisters who looted wealth
Vaaran helipad-ulaArrive in helipads
Chorus :Porukkikellam badaa size-uFor rowdies, massive size
Banner intha oorulaBanners are put up in this town
Male
Avanae ellaam koondula yethaTo put all of them behind bars,
Unakku irukkaa dhairiyamDo you have the courage?
Chorus :Engala pottu midhikkiriyaeYou stamp on us and crush us,
Itha jananaayagamIs this democracy?
Male
Very very badVery very bad
Chorus :Very very badVery very bad
Male :Bad to the coreBad to the core
Chorus :Oh yeah yeah yeah yeahOh yeah yeah yeah yeah
Male
Very very badVery very bad
Chorus :It’s too bad yaIt's too bad ya
Male :Bad to the core…ore….Bad to the core...ore....
Male
Very…Very...
Male :Charge…Charge...
Male :Very very…Very very...
Male :Hands up…Hands up...
Male
Very…Very...
Very very…Very very...
Male :You’re under arrest…You're under arrest...
Male
Chain arutha pervazhi thaanThe thief who snatched gold chains
Chorus :Selfie eduthu anuppuraanTakes a selfie and posts it
Male :Kooli pada thaivanum thaanThe hitman gang leader
Unakku cake-u ooturaanFeeds you cake
Chorus :Saadhi kola kaaran ellaamCasteist murderers
Tv petti kodukkuraanOwn TV channels / appear on TV
Male
Needhiya vikkum thirudan ellaamThieves who sell justice
EPCO va kizhikkuraanTear up the Penal Code
Avana ellaam koondula yethaTo put all of them behind bars,
Unakku irukka dhairiyamDo you have the courage?
Chorus :Engala pottu midhikkiriyaeYou stamp on us and crush us,
Itha jananaayagamIs this democracy?
Male
Very very badVery very bad
Chorus :Very very…very veryVery very...very very
Male :Bad to the coreBad to the core
Chorus :Hey…Hey...
Male
Very very badVery very bad
Bad to the coreBad to the core
Male
Naanga vethacha nelaththulaOn the lands that we sowed,
Yethanai yethanai building-uLook at how many buildings stand!
Oora vittu thorathuriyaeYou chase us out of our town,
Enga pochi en panguWhere did my share go?
Male
Enga mannai pudugunavanThe one who snatched our land,
Chorus :Aeroplane-il parakkuraanFlies high in an airplane!
Male :Sondha janangga surundu padukkaFor our own people to curl up and sleep,
Jail-u kadhava thorakkuranYou open the doors of jail!
Chorus :Ennaanu kettaakkaIf we ask why,
Gundaasula podunguraanYou lock us up under the Goondas Act!
Male
Very very badVery very bad
Bad to the coreBad to the core
Very very badVery very bad
Bad to the coreBad to the core
Male
Very very bad…Very very bad...
Chorus
Khaaki…Khaki...
Khaaki…Khaki...
Khaaki color-uO Khaki color
Male
HeyyHeyy
Chorus
Khaaki…Khaki...
Khaaki…Khaki...
Khaaki color-uO Khaki color
Male
Very very bad…Very very bad...
Aaaaa…aaa….aaa…Aaaaa...aaa....aaa...
Chorus
Khaaki…Khaki...
Khaaki…Khaki...
Khaaki color-uO Khaki color
Chorus
Khaaki…Khaki...
Khaaki…Khaki...
Khaaki color-uO Khaki color
Chorus
Kuralai uyarthuRaise your voice
Unmaiyai pesuSpeak the truth
Urakka pesuSpeak out loud
Chorus
Kuralai uyarthuRaise your voice
Unmaiyai pesuSpeak the truth
Urakka pesuSpeak out loud

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'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.

Keep listening

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