Kolaveri D, ‘soup boys’ and their love-rage: an instant hit, a bathroom classic!
Chennai/Mumbai: How and why did the song ‘Kolaveri D’ reach its height of popularity is a question that may never be answered to everyone’s satisfaction. But the clues to its super success that have taken it across the 1 crore mark of viewing [and rising] on YouTube are there for all to see. ‘Kolaveri’, the word means mad rage of the one who is deprived, the red hot anger of the ‘soupboys’ [ones considered good for nothing], the impotent angst of the powerless that is capable of imploding the world of the lucky and the blessed. Unlike the ‘angry young man’ of the familiar Bachchan era this one is not known for intense, bloodshot, eye-popping rage! Kolaveri indeed sounds like a song hummed in the bathroom by someone who cannot even sing properly and is reduced to some under the breath humming.
The level of vocabulary in the song may anger an English teacher for sure and is intellectually as minimalist as an expletive uttered by someone upon banging his toe.
But the song that has cut through the south-north divide in India and become a youth anthem for the country will now have Rajnikanth himself in its official music video. Superstar Rajinikanth whose first reaction upon hearing the song is said to be a loud guffaw is quite likely to star in the new ‘Kolaveri Di’ video. Why not? With daughter Aishwarya and son-in-law Dhanush involved in the project ‘3’, Rajnikanth is sure to make some time for the shoot, even though he spends a lot of his time with his grandchildren these days! As they put it in filmy journalism, a source told the press ‘He is still resting in Chennai and these days he is highly preoccupied with his grandkids. They happily dance to Kolaveri too!’
Notably, the “Kolaveri phenomenon”, has inspired scores of versions and translations over the internet. Type “Kolaveri” on the Youtube search engine, to view more than 25 videos inspired by it. A Gujarati version goes ‘Why this chokri kharcha-di’ [Why does this girl make me spend a so much?]. A popular version called the Pawar Slap Song for which the lyrics go, ‘I am singing song, chamaat song, slap-u song…’ and shows video grabs of Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, getting slapped got more than eight lakh views.
The music composer Anirudh Ravichander says ‘For the past week, my only job in the morning is to switch on the computer and check out the activity on Youtube. I have seen most of the versions, and I am quite happy that our song has inspired so many others. My personal favourites are the Gujarati chokri version and the Slap song!’ Add to this a Marathi Kolaveri song, called the Kolhapuri mix, a Konkani version, and a Chipmunk version.
To wind up on a theme that will stay with us for some time, ‘Kolaveri Di’ has also become a rage amongst the member of the underworld. As the title of the song contains the letter ‘D’, the letter used for Dawood Ibrahim, informers and associates of D Company based in Nagpada, Mira road and Mumbra have set the track as the ringtone and caller tune on their cell phones.
A senior IPS officer who has followed the underworld closely feels that the gang members or operators are often lured with bollywood hit tracks. ‘Tracks like ‘Goli maar bheje mein’, ‘Khallas’ and ‘Character dheela’ in past have been used as ring and caller tones by the informers and associates of underworld so Kolavari di is not a big deal,’ he said.
Text [courtesy: http://aahsome.com/blog/why-this-kolaveri-lyrics-english-translation/]
Yo boys, I am singing song… Soup song, flop song.
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
Rhythm correct. Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl? Maintain please.
Why this killer rage, …, …, girl?
The moon is in the distance, the moon. Moon’s colour is white.
Night’s background is white, the night, Night’s colour is black.
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
She’s a fair-skinned girl, girl, Girl’s heart is black, Her eyes and my eyes met, My future is now dark.
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
Buddy, take notes, and take the saxophone in your hand.
“pa pa paan pa pa paan pa pa paa pa pa paan” Play it right.
Super, buddy! Ready? Ready? 1… 2… 3… 4… Whoa, what a difference buddy!
Alright buddy, now tune changes… “Kaila” glass… Only English, eh!
Glass in hand, Scotch in glass, Tears in eyes, Life’s empty, Girl shows up, Life’s going downhill. Love, love, oh my love, You stood me up. Cow, cow, holy cow, I want you here now!
God, I’m dying now, But she’s happy, how?
This song is for the soup boys, We don’t have a choice.
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
Why this killer rage, killer rage, killer rage, girl?
and finally if you haven’t already, listen to it here