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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Yealey Makkaa Yealey Makkaa

From Pettikadai · 2024

Lyricist
Esakki Karvannan
Singers
Chinna Ponnu, Nageswaran
Music director
Mariya Manohar
Details
Pettikadai2024

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaHey folks, hey folks!
Nee vaada makkaa vaadaa makkaaYou come on, folks, come on, folks!
Chorus
Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaHey folks, hey folks!
Nee vaada makkaa vaadaa makkaaYou come on, folks, come on, folks!
Female
Yaelae makkaa nee vaada makkaaHey folks, you come on, folks!
Chorus
Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaHey folks, hey folks!
Sontha kaalula nikkanum makkaaWe must stand on our own feet, my people!
Ooru sanam onnaa saernthuThe villagers should gather together,
Kolla koottaththai virattanum makkaaAnd chase away the gang of looters, my people!
Male
Vaa vaa vaa makkaa makkaaCome, come, come, my people!
Nee ippa poraaduFight now!
Sinam konda puliyaa maariLike an enraged tiger,
Vaanaththai panthaadu hae oh ohPlay with the sky, hey oh oh!
Female
Online porulai vaangiBuying stuff online,
Yaemaanthathu pothumEnough of getting deceived!
Anniyan ingae uulla vanthaaIf an outsider comes in here,
Gramamthaanae saagumThe village itself will die out!
Chorus
Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaHey folks, hey folks!
Nee vaada makkaa nee vaadaa makkaaYou come on, folks, come on, folks!
Female
Satti soru thinnuEating pot-cooked rice,
Kutti karanam pottuDoing somersaults,
Thullo thulli thirinjomaeWe roamed around cheerfully and lively!
Rotti thinnuputtuBut eating processed bread,
Kakkaa varalaiyinnuComplaining of constipation,
Mukki mukki tholainjomaeWe ended up struggling and suffering!
Chorus
Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaHey folks, hey folks!
Nee vaada makkaa nee vaadaa makkaaYou come on, folks, come on, folks!
Female
Kanda karumaththai thinnuEating all kinds of junk food,
Uyir vendhu pochu kannuOur lives got burnt out, my dear!
Unavu sangili arunthu pochudaaThe food chain has broken down!
Namma unavu sangili arunthu pochudaaOur food chain has broken down!
Chorus
Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaHey folks, hey folks!
Sontha kaalula nikkanum makkaaWe must stand on our own feet, my people!
Ooru sanam onnaa saernthuThe villagers should gather together,
Kolla koottaththai virattanum makkaaAnd chase away the gang of looters, my people!
Female
Vote-kku kaasu vaangiTaking money for votes,
Oothi thinna koottamA crowd that squandered it all away,
Uzhaippa nambi elloorumaeBelieving in hard work, everyone
Onnaa saernthu nikkanumdaaMust stand together as one!
Yae…yae…yae….yae…yae…Yae... yae... yae... yae... yae...
Chorus
Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaHey folks, hey folks!
Nee vaada makkaa nee vaadaa makkaaYou come on, folks, come on, folks!
Female
Mannoda makkalaatchiA true democracy rooted in the soil
Nammoorukku kidaikkanumdaaMust be achieved for our village!
Adimaigalin aatchi ellaamThe rule of slave-minded leaders
Therikka therikka oodanumdaaMust run away in absolute terror!
Chorus
Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaHey folks, hey folks!
Nee vaada makkaa nee vaadaa makkaaYou come on, folks, come on, folks!
Female
Enga mudhugula variyaBearing taxes on our backs
Pothiya pola sumanthuLike a heavy burden bundle,
Vellaikkaaran innum pogalaiyoHas the white man still not left?
Antha vellaikkaaran innum pogalaiyoHas that white man still not left us?
Female
Yaelae makkaaHey folks!
Chorus :Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaChorus: Hey folks, hey folks!
Female :Nee vaada makkaaFemale: You come on, folks!
Chorus :Nee vaada makkaa nee vaadaa makkaaChorus: You come on, folks, come on, folks!
Chorus
Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaaHey folks, hey folks!
Sontha kaalula nikkanum makkaaWe must stand on our own feet, my people!
Ooru sanam onnaa saernthuThe villagers should gather together,
Kolla koottaththai virattanum makkaaAnd chase away the gang of looters, my people!
Male
Vaa vaa vaa makkaa makkaaCome, come, come, my people!
Nee ippa poraaduFight now!
Sinam konda puliyaa maariLike an enraged tiger,
Vaanaththai panthaadu hae oh ohPlay with the sky, hey oh oh!
Female
: Yaelae makkaa Yaelae makkaa: Hey folks, hey folks!
Nee vaada makkaaYou come on, folks!
Chorus
: Yaelae makkaa yaelae makkaa: Hey folks, hey folks!
Sontha kaalula nikkanum makkaaWe must stand on our own feet, my people!
Ooru sanam onnaa saernthuThe villagers should gather together,
Kolla koottaththai virattanum makkaaAnd chase away the gang of looters, my people!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Yaelae Makkaa' from the film 'Pettikadai' is a high-energy folk protest anthem calling for self-reliance, rural empowerment, and resistance against modern corporate and political exploitation. The song contrasts traditional, healthy rural lifestyles—like eating pot-cooked rice and living in harmony with nature—with modern consumerism, processed foods, online shopping, and political corruption that weaken local economies and health.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uwamai Ani)

Sinam konda puliyaa maari

Compares the anger and resistance of the rural people directly to an enraged tiger ('puliyaa maari').

Metaphor (Urvagam)

Pothiya pola sumanthu

Compares tax burdens born on the back to carrying a heavy load/pack animal's burden ('pothiya pola').

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Satti soru thinnu / Kutti karanam pottu

Repetition of rhythm and sound structure creating folk cadence across lines.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Mannoda makkalaatchi / Adimaigalin aatchi

Matches the second letter ('n'/'d') rhythmically between lines for lyrical emphasis.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Pettikadai' (2024) revolves around the theme of small traditional petty shops standing up against modern corporate e-commerce giants. The high-pitched, energetic folk vocals of Chinna Ponnu accentuate the grassroots revolutionary spirit of the song.

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