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Lyrics & meaning

Yaethetho Sonnanga

From Sanga Natham · 1984

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Vani Jairam, P. Jayachandran, K. J. Jesudass
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Sanga Natham1984

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ada yaethedho sonnaangaOh, they promised all sorts of things!
Ennanga senjaangaBut what did they actually do?
Intha sathikaara koottatha santhikku kondaangaDrag this treacherous group out into the open street!
Chorus :Ada yaethedho sonnaangaChorus: Oh, they promised all sorts of things!
Ennanga senjaangaBut what did they actually do?
Intha sathikaara koottatha santhikku kondaangaDrag this treacherous group out into the open street!
Female
Kalla santha koottam pulla pudikkumThis black-market crowd will kidnap children!
Idhu neththik kaasa kooda kollaiyadikkumIt will steal even hard-earned money paid in sweat!
Chorus :Kalla santha koottam pulla pudikkumChorus: This black-market crowd will kidnap children!
Idhu neththik kaasa kooda kollaiyadikkumIt will steal even hard-earned money paid in sweat!
Chorus
Ada yaethedho sonnaangaOh, they promised all sorts of things!
Ennanga senjaangaBut what did they actually do?
Intha sathikaara koottatha santhikku kondaangaDrag this treacherous group out into the open street!
Male
Oora yaeikka koodaathunga athu mosamYou shouldn't cheat the public, that is wicked!
Kaalam pooraa nallaarunga kara vaasamA lifetime in prison suits you very well!
Female :Kalloori kaasa vachchuFemale: Embezzling college funds,
Paliyarai kattikittu panthaadungaBuilding lavish bedchambers and showing off!
Kalloori kaasa vachchuEmbezzling college funds,
Paliyarai kattikittu panthaadungaBuilding lavish bedchambers and showing off!
Male
Ada inimael kaiyil kaappuOh, handcuffs on your wrists from now on!
Female :Idhuthaan engal theerppuFemale: This is our verdict!
Male :Ada oor kaasa thinnaathae neeMale: Hey, stop devouring the town's money,
Kambi ennaathaeLest you end up counting prison bars!
Chorus
Ada yaethedho sonnaangaOh, they promised all sorts of things!
Ennanga senjaangaBut what did they actually do?
Intha sathikaara koottatha santhikku kondaangaDrag this treacherous group out into the open street!
Chorus
Kalla santha koottam pulla pudikkumThis black-market crowd will kidnap children!
Idhu neththik kaasa kooda kollaiyadikkumIt will steal even hard-earned money paid in sweat!
Chorus
Ada yaethedho sonnaangaOh, they promised all sorts of things!
Ennanga senjaangaBut what did they actually do?
Intha sathikaara koottatha santhikku kondaangaDrag this treacherous group out into the open street!
Male
Kappal yaeri poyaachchu unga maanamYour honor has sailed away on a ship!
Kazhutha malae oorkolam vara venumYou ought to be paraded through town on a donkey!
Female :Yaemaantha bhoomiyilaeFemale: In a world so easily fooled,
Saamaanthagaaranunga seemaanungaOrdinary tricksters pose as aristocrats!
Yaemaantha bhoomiyilaeIn a world so easily fooled,
Saamaanthagaaranunga seemaanungaOrdinary tricksters pose as aristocrats!
Male
Mogamoodi kizhunchu pochchuThe mask has been ripped off,
Un moonchi therinju pochchuYour true face has been exposed!
Female :Ada poo killum koottangaFemale: Hey, even the soft flower-plucking folk,
Poraada vanthaachchuHave now stepped up to fight back!
Chorus
Ada yaethedho sonnaangaOh, they promised all sorts of things!
Ennanga senjaangaBut what did they actually do?
Intha sathikaara koottatha santhikku kondaangaDrag this treacherous group out into the open street!
Female
Kalla santha koottam pulla pudikkumThis black-market crowd will kidnap children!
Idhu neththik kaasa kooda kollaiyadikkumIt will steal even hard-earned money paid in sweat!
Chorus :Kalla santha koottam pulla pudikkumChorus: This black-market crowd will kidnap children!
Idhu neththik kaasa kooda kollaiyadikkumIt will steal even hard-earned money paid in sweat!
Chorus
Ada yaethedho sonnaangaOh, they promised all sorts of things!
Ennanga senjaangaBut what did they actually do?
Intha sathikaara koottatha santhikku kondaangaDrag this treacherous group out into the open street!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from 'Sanga Natham' (1984) is a powerful, revolutionary social critique aimed at corrupt authority figures, fraudulent leaders, and black-market exploiters. The lyrics mock the false promises made by politicians and corrupt institution heads who loot college funds and steal the hard-earned money ('neththik kaasa') of working-class people to live in luxury. It exposes how ordinary tricksters parade themselves as noble aristocrats ('seemaanunga') in an easily deceived society. The emotional trajectory moves from outrage over betrayal to a triumphant call for public justice and rebellion. The song declares that the corrupt must be exposed in the public square ('santhikku kondaanga'), handcuffed, and thrown into prison. It culminates in the unifying message that even the gentlest citizens—metaphorically described as flower-pickers—have gathered the courage to stand up, revolt, and strip the masks off their oppressors.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Ada yaethedho sonnaanga / Ennanga senjaanga / Intha sathikaara koottatha santhikku kondaanga

The line endings ('sonnaanga', 'senjaanga', 'kondaanga') share the same rhyming suffix '-aanga', creating a catchy rhythm suitable for a group rally song.

Metaphor

Mogamoodi kizhunchu pochchu / Un moonchi therinju pochchu

The 'ripped mask' serves as a metaphor for uncovering the hidden corrupt nature and false pretenses of the ruling class.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Mogamoodi kizhunchu pochchu / Un moonchi therinju pochchu

Repetition of the initial 'M' sound ('Mogamoodi' and 'Moonchi') creates phonetic harmony.

Idiom / Cultural Imagery

Kazhutha malae oorkolam vara venum

Parading someone on a donkey ('Kazhutha malae oorkolam') is a traditional Tamil idiom representing complete public shame and punishment for moral corruption.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by acclaimed lyricist Vairamuthu for the 1984 film 'Sanga Natham', the song utilizes street-theater style folk rhythms and direct colloquial Tamil to capture the voice of a working-class uprising. During the 1980s, Tamil cinema saw a surge in politically charged songs addressing institutional corruption, and Vairamuthu's sharp imagery—such as 'neththik kaasa' (sweat-earned money) and 'poo killum koottam' (gentle flower pickers turning into protesters)—became a hallmark of his social reform lyricism.

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