Sundar Popo’s Nani & Nana Lyrics

For those who wondered what were the opening lines to Sundar Popo’s ‘Nana Nani’. Here are the lyrics, which are in modern standard Hindi, and the English translation. Reference – Trinidad Hindi: Its Genesis and Generation profile; Tej K. Bhatia, from the book entitled Language Transplanted: The Development of Overseas Hindi edited by Richard K. Barz and Jeff Siegel.

Please note the corrections Caribbean Hindustani made:
Madira ke dukaan – the tavern or rum shop
Donon jaa ke baițhe – on going they sit
Dhire dhire chalte hai – they walk slowly

[Hindi Intro]
Aga aga nana chale nani going behind
Nana drinking white rum
and nani drinking wine

Aga aga nana chale nani going behind
Nana drinking white rum
and nani drinking wine

Nana riding bicycle and
Nani ringing bell
Nani lock the handle
they fall inside ah well

Nana riding bicycle and
Nani ringing bell
Nani lock the handle
they fall inside ah well

Nana so dam careless
He dont care nani down
He jump in the bike boy
He hold on to white rum

Aga aga nana chale nani going behind
Nana drinking white rum
and nani drinking wine

Nana smoking tobacco and
nani cigrette
The rain started falling
the both of them get wet

Nana smoking tobacco and
nani cigrette
The rain started falling
the both of them get wet

Meh nani tell meh nana
Man ah feeling cold
Give meh some white rum
to warm up meh sole

Aga aga nana chale nani going behind
Nana drinking white rum
and nani drinking wine

Nana and meh Nani the
went to tie ah goat
Meh nana make ah mistake
and cut meh nani throat

Nana and meh Nani the
went to tie ah goat
Meh nana make ah mistake
and cut meh nani throat

The police hold meh nana
He couldn’t get no bail
The police hold old man
and put him in the jail

Aga aga nana chale nani going behind
Nana drinking white rum
and nani drinking wine

When I get the message
I fall down in a drain
For I know I had no nani again

When I get the message
I fall down in a drain
For I know I had no nani again

Nani dead and gone
Meh nana gone to hang
So I had to take one
For my companion

Nani dead and gone
Meh nana gone to hang
So I had to take one
For my companion

So I had to take one
For my companion

So I had to take one
For my companion

Ending Nana and Nani Lyrics by Sundar Popo