After the Kolaveri phenomenon, Tamil Nadu is now gripped by the “Clubbula Mubbu” fever. A hip-hop/rap single – sung and composed by ‘Hiphop Tamizha Aadhi’. It became a rage after being sung on a radio channel, video-taped and shared several times online.
I understand it has a catchy beat and a lyrics that rhyme. But I listened to it and after a couple of seconds, I realised the lyrics were really really offensive. A lot of people reading this blog aren’t Tamilians, so I’ve translated the lyrics.
The lyrics of the actual song, along with my rough translation below in English:
[Song starts with this chorus which repeats several times]
We coming crazy .. Every body !
club le mubbu le thiriyara pombala
ennadi nadakuthu senthamizh naatilla
[Drunken women roaming around in clubs... What the hell is happening in traditional Tamil Nadu?]
ladies !
ellarukkum vanakkaminga
[Vanakkams and namaskarams to all the ladies]
ladies!
maanam parakuthinga
[Ladies! Our pride has flown away!]
Hi girls !
how are you ya
pathu maasam pazhagina pinne
who are you da
[Girls initially saying, 'How are you da?'; and after 10 months of speaking to you 'Who are you da?']
moondre sorttkal
i love you thaan
atha kartha kooda unnake theriyala
[Just 3 words - I love you. And you don't even know the value/meaning of these words]
sheena leena veena meena
konjam konjam tamil theriyum
vetti scenu vaenaam
[Don't act as if you know just basic tamil]
tamizh naata vittu puttu foriegnikku pona
thai mozhi tamizhinai maranthida vaenam
[Don't forget your mother tongue after leaving to a foreign country]
be it rohini mohini yamini kamini
figurinnu nenaichittu seiyarathu comedy
ambalaiya kora sollum vetti vela vaenam di
enna thaan paarkiraan !!
intha pozhapunakku ennadi
[You spend all your time complaining that men are looking at you and finding fault with men..What the f*** is this life?]
Ella pooningalaiyum kora solla villaenga
enna paetha deivamum pombala thaaninga
ella paasangalum ippa enga pakkam vaangam
ungalayum saernthu keduthiduvaanga
[I'm not finding fault with all girls.. the angel who gave birth to me is also a woman. All boys, come to this side.. else the girls will spoil you too!]
noorila ambathavathu ippadi thaan alayithu
clubla mubbula dam adichu thiriyuthu
kanjada kaathu kalam ellam maari
oooooossss… aiyo adikithinga kandravi
[Atleast 50 out of 100 girls are always drinking and smoking in clubs.]
club le mubbu le thiriyara pombala
ennadi nadakuthu senthamizh naatilla
ladies !
ellarukkum vanakkaminga
ladies!
maanam parakuthinga
club le mubbu le thiriyara pombala
ennadi nadakuthu senthamizh naatilla
ladies !
ellarukkum vanakkaminga
ladies!
maanam parakuthinga
[Chorus Repeat]
azhagaana ponnu thaan
athukaetha kannu thaan
avakitta irukuthu
ara bottle rum thaan
[She's a pretty girl... with pretty eyes. And she has with her, a half bottle of rum]
azhagaana ponnu thaan
athukaetha kannu thaan
rum kooda irukuthu
ara packet dum-u thaan
[She's a pretty girl... with pretty eyes. And along with the half bottle of rum, she has with her, a half packet of cigarettes]
devathaiyathe ne thevaillai
aadiriyeh samma bodhayillaeh
lets go ! ah
[Girls are no longer angels... only smoking]
nagaiya poata kaalam poyi
pogaya poatu thallithinga
[The time when girls wore jewels is gone, now they wear only smoke]
kanchi patta vittu puttu
kerchief kettithinga
[The Kanchi silks have been discarded, 'kerchiefs' are worn these days]
Peace out !!
You can watch the video here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7r5MiwGMTA
Listening to this song made me furious. And I was introduced to it by a girlfriend, who told me ‘Its awesome di!’ When I pointed it out to her that the lyrics were so sickening and demeaning of women, I was told to ‘Chill’ and ‘Its just a song! Don’t be such a prude!’
I’ve never been a bra-burning feminist, but this song is taking it too far. Its not about feminism – it sickens me that I’m living in a world where ‘making fun of girls’ is ‘cool’, and where eve-teasing a girl would make her eventually fall in love with the guy, and where we don’t even think of protesting against such despicable songs. I was told, ‘Dude, its just a song.. not even a film song, just a hit single. If you don’t like it, don’t listen to it!
I’m all for freedom of expression, etc, etc.. but there should be something we can do.
I’m not able to think of anything at the moment, but are there similar such songs in other languages? Unfortunately, I can think of plenty in Tamil alone. I’m making this a tag, although maybe not a fun one. If you’re reading this and you can think of some song in any language that you find offensive, please write about it. Hopefully we can create some awareness, and music directors/composers/lyricists will realise that we aren’t a bunch of fools who are willing to make a hit out of lyrics that should be thrown into the gutter. And hopefully my friends would realise it isn’t a ‘cool song’. I shudder to think of guys and even young children who would grow up listening to this, and thinking that its okay to sing this way/think this way.
P.S.
For those who are totally turned off from Tamil music after listening to these songs – all is not lost! We still have poets amidst us who have written and continue to write the most beautiful of lyrics. Hopefully someone should come up with a classic number soon enough, to throw this garbage off the top of the radio/music channel hits.
