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Anbe Sivam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Yela Machi Machi

From Anbe Sivam · 2003

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Kamal Haasan, Udit Narayan
Music director
Vidyasagar
Movie name
Anbe Sivam
Movie release year
2003
Lyrics added on
22 Jun 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
…………………………..
Elae machi machi
Thala suthi suthi
Unn buthi kettu poyaachu
En moolakkulla
Pala pattaampoochi
Etti etti paakkuthu ennaachu
Ada daalar pola
Bodha yeripochu
Namma ruubaa pola
Buthi erangi pochu
Bodha yerinaal
Konjam gnyaanam porakkuthu
Bodha thelinjathum
Vantha gnyaanam parakkuthu
Elae machi machi
Thala suthi suthi
Unn buthi kettu poyaachu
Doooraaaaahhh…..
Yethaachu bodhai onnu
Eppothum thevai kannaa
Illaatti manusanukku
Sakthi illa
Thaaipaalum bodha tharum
Saaraayam bodha tharum
Irandaiyum pirithathu
En buthiyilla
Thaaipaalin bodhai
Sila maadham mattum
Saaraaya bodhai
Naam vaazhum mattum
Bodhai maaralam
Un buthi maarumaa
Budhar solliyum
Naai vaalu nimurumaa
Elae machi machi
Thala suthi suthi
Unn buthi kettu poyaachu…
Haahha haha…
……………………………..
Vaazhkkai puthaiyalappaa
Valuthavan eduthukkapaa
Avan avan vaithukuthaan
Vaazhvathu thappaa
Aduthavan vaithukkulla
Un unavu illayappaa
Ilaichavan pasithirunthaal
Intha mannu thaangaathappaa
Nee vaadhathukku
Romba gettikaaran
Ada vakkilukku
Nee sondhakaaran
Sollum vaarthayil
Ena sokka vaikkira
Imaya malaiyila
Vanthu ice-uh vikkura
Elae machi machi
Thala suthi suthi
Unn buthi kettu poyaachu
En moolakkulla
Pala pattaampoochi
Etti etti paakkuthu ennaachu
...
Hey mate, my friend!
Your head is spinning and spinning,
And your mind has gone completely corrupt!
Inside my brain,
So many butterflies
Are peeking out repeatedly—what on earth happened?
Ah, like the soaring US Dollar,
The intoxication has shot up high!
And like our falling Rupee,
Your intellect has crashed down!
When the intoxication rises,
A little wisdom is born.
Once the intoxication clears,
That born wisdom flies away!
Hey mate, my friend!
Your head is spinning and spinning,
And your mind has gone completely corrupt!
Doooraaaaahhh...
Some kind of intoxication or passion,
Is always needed, my dear friend.
Otherwise, a human being
Has no inner drive or strength.
Mother's milk gives an intoxication,
And liquor gives an intoxication,
Distinguishing between the two
Was not my own idea!
The intoxication of mother's milk
Lasts for just a few months.
The intoxication of liquor
Lasts as long as we live!
The intoxication may change,
But will your foolish mind ever change?
Even if the Buddha preaches,
Can a dog's crooked tail ever be straightened?
Hey mate, my friend!
Your head is spinning and spinning,
And your mind has gone completely corrupt!
Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha...
...
Life is a buried treasure, my man,
The strong man seizes it!
Is it wrong for each person
To live merely for their own belly?
Inside another person's stomach,
Your food does not reside, my friend!
If the weak and oppressed stay hungry,
This Earth itself cannot bear the burden, my friend!
When it comes to arguing,
You are extremely clever!
Ah, you are a natural
Kinsman to lawyers!
With the words you speak,
You mesmerize me completely.
You are selling ice
Right on the Himalayan mountains!
Hey mate, my friend!
Your head is spinning and spinning,
And your mind has gone completely corrupt!
Inside my brain,
So many butterflies
Are peeking out repeatedly—what on earth happened?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

"Elae Machi Machi" is a witty, philosophical road-trip duet between two contrasting characters: Nallasivam, a compassionate socialist activist, and Anbarasu, a cynical, pragmatic ad-filmmaker. Set during a moment of drunk banter, the song uses lighthearted banter and alcohol-induced honesty to pit capitalist self-interest against socialist humanism and empathy. While Anbarasu argues for individual survival and self-preservation, Nallasivam challenges him by highlighting the plight of the downtrodden and the fundamental need for human warmth and conscience. The song deftly balances deep socio-political discourse with playfulness, illustrating how camaraderie and shared human connection can bridge deeply opposing worldviews.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile / Economic Metaphor

“Ada daalar pola / Bodha yeripochu / Namma ruubaa pola / Buthi erangi pochu”

Compares the surge of intoxication to the rising foreign exchange rate of the US Dollar, and the drop in intellect/wisdom to the falling value of the Indian Rupee.

Proverbial Allusion

“Budhar solliyum / Naai vaalu nimurumaa”

Uses the traditional Tamil adage about a dog's tail being unstraightenable even by Lord Buddha to express the stubbornness of human habits and character.

Hyperbole / Idiomatic Metaphor

“Imaya malaiyila / Vanthu ice-uh vikkura”

Translates to 'selling ice on top of the Himalayas,' an exaggerated figure of speech describing someone who is so persuasive they could sell the obvious or redundant.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song features a rare musical dialogue where Kamal Haasan sang for his own character (Nallasivam), while playback singer Udit Narayan provided the voice for R. Madhavan's character (Anbarasu).

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