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Isaimozhi
Seeman album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Votu Kettu

From Seeman · 1994

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Mano, T. L. Maharajan, Chorus
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Seeman
Movie release year
1994
Lyrics added on
28 May 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Haa….aaa….aaa….aa….aa…
Aaa….aaa….aa…aa…aa..a.a…aaa…aa…
Haa…aa…aa…aa…
Vote kaettu roattukku vandha annaachi
Naethu potta aattangal ellaam ennaachu
Vote kaettu roattukku vandha annaachi
Naethu potta aattangal ellaam ennaachu
Poster pottu ottattumaa naan annaachi
Maedai maela edupadumaa ini un paechu
Unnoda saedhi therinjadhum veedhi
Kollunnu sirikkaadhaa
Kazhudhaiyil yaethi karum pulli kuthi
Oorgolam nadathaadhaa
Vote kaettu roattukku vandha annaachi
Naethu potta aattangal ellaam ennaachu
Amman koyil soora thaengaa vizhundhu porukkinae
Akkam pakkam veettil ellaam aadu thirudunae
Appo neeyum ezhu maasam kambi ennunae
Buthan pola vaesham pottu fraud pannunae
Adikkadi ingu paetta rowdiyaa
Adidhadi sanda pottadhillaiyaa
Karukkalil dhinam paana paanaiyaa
Kalakkala ingu kaaichavillaiyaa
Ragupathi raagava raajaa raam
Patheetha paavana seethaa raam
Thirudargal unai pol jeyichaa pochu
Dhinasari satta sabaiyil adidhadi thaan
Vote kaettu roattukku vandha annaachi
Naethu potta aattangal ellaam ennaachu
Pulugi pulugi vottukkala kaekkaadhae
Pazhaiya paechu pazhagi pochu yaeikkaadhae
Aracha maava thirumba thirumba araikkaadhae
Uricha kozhi pola ippo veraikkaadhae
Haei haei haei durr…
Chinna veedu naalu vechu kudumbam nadathurae
Kalla thoni maela yaeri sarakku kadathurae
Kappal maela maaman yaerum kaalam nerungudhu
Ippo naanum podum mudichu kazhuthil erangudhu
Vasadhikku pala vaala pidikkirae
Padhavikku pala kaala pidikkirae
Manalil ingu kayiru thirikkuarae
Madhi kettu nitham vayiru valakkurae
Vote-kku rate ah yaethinaaraam
Naatta nallaa yaemaathinaaraam
Sarithiram ini mael thirumbum paaru
Thirandadhu makkal padai indru unakkedhirae
Vote kaettu roattukku vandha annaachi
Naethu potta aattangal ellaam ennaachu
Poster pottu ottattumaa naan annaachi
Maedai maela edupadumaa ini un paechu
Unnoda saedhi therinjadhum veedhi
Kollunnu sirikkaadhaa
Kazhudhaiyil yaethi karum pulli kuthi
Oorgolam nadathaadhaa
Vote kaettu roattukku vandha annaachi
Naethu potta aattangal ellaam ennaachu
Poster pottu ottattumaa naan annaachi
Maedai maela edupadumaa ini un paechu…haan
Ha... aah... aah... aa... aah...
Aah... aah... aah... aah... aah... aah...
Ha... aah... aah... aah...
Big brother, who came out on the street begging for votes!
What happened to all the antics you pulled yesterday?
Big brother, who came out on the street begging for votes!
What happened to all the antics you pulled yesterday?
Shall I put up posters exposing you, big brother?
Will your speeches on stage ever work again?
Once the whole street finds out the truth about you,
won't everyone burst out laughing?
Putting you on a donkey with black dots marked on your face,
won't they parade you through the town?
Big brother, who came out on the street begging for votes!
What happened to all the antics you pulled yesterday?
You scrambled on the ground to snatch offered coconuts at the temple!
You stole goats from all the neighbours' houses!
Back then, you spent seven months counting jail bars!
Posing like the Buddha, you cheated everyone!
As the local hoodlum around here,
didn't you constantly start street brawls?
At dawn every day, pots upon pots of illicit liquor,
didn't you brew right here?
Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram,
Patita Pavana Sita Ram!
If thieves like you win, we are finished;
there will be daily fistfights inside the assembly!
Big brother, who came out on the street begging for votes!
What happened to all the antics you pulled yesterday?
Don't tell endless lies and beg for votes!
Your old words are too well known now, don't fool us!
Don't keep repeating the same old tired talk!
Don't act all stiff and proud like a plucked chicken!
Hey hey hey, shoo...!
Keeping four mistresses, you run separate households!
Boarding illegal boats, you smuggle contraband!
The time is coming near for you, uncle, to be shipped off to prison!
And now the noose I am tying is tightening around your neck!
For your own comfort, you suck up to powerful tails!
For a seat of power, you fall at everyone's feet!
You try to spin ropes out of sand!
Having lost your senses, you feed your belly daily on deceit!
He reportedly raised the cash rate for each vote!
And thoroughly cheated the whole land, they say!
Just watch, history is going to turn around from now on!
The army of the people has gathered against you today!
Big brother, who came out on the street begging for votes!
What happened to all the antics you pulled yesterday?
Shall I put up posters exposing you, big brother?
Will your speeches on stage ever work again?
Once the whole street finds out the truth about you,
won't everyone burst out laughing?
Putting you on a donkey with black dots marked on your face,
won't they parade you through the town?
Big brother, who came out on the street begging for votes!
What happened to all the antics you pulled yesterday?
Shall I put up posters exposing you, big brother?
Will your speeches on stage ever work again... huh?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a sharp, satirical political commentary calling out a corrupt local politician running for elections. The speaker exposes the candidate's criminal history—ranging from petty thefts, illicit liquor brewing, and assault to smuggling, bigamy, and systemic fraud. Despite putting on an innocent facade like a saint, the politician's hypocrisy is thoroughly unmasked.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Proverbial Metaphor (Pazhamozhi / Uvamaani)

Aracha maava thirumba thirumba araikkaadhae

Translates to 'don't re-grind already ground batter', a famous Tamil idiom meaning not to repeat worn-out excuses or redundant promises.

Simile (Uvamai)

Uricha kozhi pola ippo veraikkaadhae

Compares the politician's defensive shivering and vulnerability when exposed to a 'plucked chicken'.

Irony / Sarcastical Allusion

Buthan pola vaesham pottu fraud pannunae

Contrasts the peaceful, holy persona of Lord Buddha with the criminal fraud committed by the politician.

Iyaipu (Rhyming end words)

Vasadhikku pala vaala pidikkirae / Padhavikku pala kaala pidikkirae

The lines end with rhythmic rhyming structures ('pidikkirae') creating a catchy satirical cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by Legendary lyricist Vaali for the 1994 Tamil film *Seeman* (directed by Raj Kapoor, starring Sarathkumar and Sukanya, with music composed by Soundaryan), this song serves as a quintessential 'election satire' track in 90s Tamil cinema, blending street theater sensibilities with folk rhythm.

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