Powerful songs rendered powerless

Kularatne Ariyawansa, creator of words who nurtured Sinhala songs with his lyrics for almost four decades laments on the current situation

 

Pic by Chandana Wijesinghe

 

 

 “Once there was this song played in the bus in which I was traveling. It was one of Sunil Edirisinghe’s and barely two or three lines in to the singing I noticed a difference. It made me reflect that there must have been a problem when Sunil recorded this song. Not a minute passed he jumped into another song, and then to another song, then did I realize that it was someone else singing Sunil’s songs. It was cassette bought off the pavement containing non-stop pre recordings. I don’t understand how a person could enjoy such great songs when transmitted like that, it is to this level that songs of this country have descended.” Kularatne Ariyawansa, creator of words who nurtured Sinhala songs with his lyrics for almost 40 years, expressed his regret about the current situation.

Deno Dahak Nuwan Athare, Sithak Kelesada Me Lesin, Pawena Nil Walawe, Chandikamata Randuwak Wela, , Mata Mulu Lowama Obai, Aa Maga Ketiy, Sanda Maha Sinasuna, Raththaran Neth Dekin … are some in a long list of Kularatne Ariyawansa’s most popular songs. Because of these words are hummed by song lovers he doesn’t need a long introduction. Commenting on the ‘Collection of 66 selected songs’ launched in 2006, fellow lyricist Prof Sunil Ariyarathne had said, that one will get to know the competence of Ariyawansa by just glancing at the collection. And also because of variety the songs could never bore anyone.

There is a claim in contemporary society that songs with meaningful lyrics is dying and that the new generation does not value them. Some question the basis of evaluation between good songs and bad songs. “I think songs giving out an acceptable message to the listener through its words as well as the melody are called as fine songs (subhawitha geethaya). A song is not only for the aesthetic feeling. It also conveys a message. As I see, a song which has both these qualities could be characterized as such,” he opined.

 According to him there is a clear distinction in the quality of a good song and a poor one. “One might have a different opinion on this. A fine song for one, may not make sense for anther one. It’s true that the taste differs from what we eat, what we wear to what we listen. Some don’t like songs of the same pitch, rhythm and style. That is all right. But it doesn’t say that we could approve all songs as first-class,” he said.

Song is the first aesthetic experience of a person. In any part of the world, first thing a baby hears is the mother’s lullaby. Singing is also a strong way of communicating ideas and messages. “As the listener doesn’t have to get prepared to hear a song, he becomes familiar with songs spontaneously. It doesn’t take much force for a song to get into the listeners head,” he pointed out. “A song has the potency to relieve tension, stress or depression. It is a natural remedy. We were 70s children. We had the essence of the best songs. Therefore we know the power of a song,” he highlighted.

 According to him the song creators were able to maintain quality and standards of a song despite the rhythm or the type of songs. “It’s not that all the songs in that era were in the same style. There were Baila songs too. See MS Fernando’s Baila. His rhythm was different from Amaradeva’s calm music but its meaning did not harm anyone; not the listeners or society,” he stressed. “Singers like Clarence Wijewardene or Milton Mallawarachchi also had their unique styles which were also not damaging. All the singers were concerned about the communication through sound variations and words,” he continued.

Kularatne Ariyawansa held the cassette traders who came along with the open economy and the initiation of private radio channels were responsible for the downfall of Sinhala songs. “When we first started writing lyrics, the main responsibility of songs was held by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. 90 percent of the songs were created under their authority. Only about 10 percent was made in other ways like films and the four-song discs,” he said. “Singers like Clarence Wijewardane and Indrani Perera who sidestepped Broadcasting Corporation into the music industry were introduced through these four-song discs. When they present their discs to the SLBC, there was a procedure to approve the songs before playing,” he explained.

When a song is written it had to be submitted to a board for approval, which included veterans like Wimal Abeysundara and Madawala S Ratnayaka. “If the lyrics get approved then the song can be recorded for a Sarala Gee program. But the recorded song has to undergo another screening to determine whether the rhythm or the tune is suitable for the particular song. People from many fields used to come to the Broadcasting Corporation once a week for this,” he explained the procedure.

According to Ariyawansa this continued until 1977. “During the times of Ridgeway Tillakeratne, the singers were encouraged to do autonomous songs. Singers like H R Jothipala, Latha Walpola, Mohideen Baig or Milton Perera who used to sing along to Hindi melodies also started to make songs of their own. That’s why it was called the golden era,” he said.

When song production went in to the hands of cassette traders with the open economy it became a business. “That is where the standards started to drop. All they cared was about money and they didn’t have to follow the rules of the Broadcasting Corporation. Their fine-quality songs were allowed to be played on radio but they could always sell the rejected songs in the market,” he pointed out.

“Then the private radio channels were started where those poor quality songs could go on air without a fuss. Song production became easier and the lyrics writers didn’t have to be as responsible as they write anymore. The value of the songs started to fade away,” he further said.

According to him, the attitude of the country also changed following these changes. People started to question the value of literature. Children were encouraged to study science or math rather than studying literature or languages. Education system became very competitive and the child didn’t have time to spend reading. “When we were kids we had the freedom to read and to build a close relationship with nature. Suddenly everything changed for the child and they had to face the battle of education. They didn’t have time to develop their aesthetic senses,” Ariyawansa mentioned. He stated that it is another reason for the lack of aesthetic state in the population including the taste in music.  

He lamented that the music is now treated as a slave in Sri Lanka. “There are more than 30 radio stations in the country. The time allocated for songs is very high compared with the time allocated for songs when there was only one radio station. Now there are channels which run for 24 hours a day with nothing but songs and the chit chats of the announcers,” he said. “When you walk on the road you are forced to listen to songs of the sweep ticket seller, when you get into a bus you are forced to listen to the bus songs. A song is used for everything as a slave. They give prominence to the temporary satisfaction over morals. Just listen to the songs played in the majority of private channels. I worry about the future of song,” he added.

During the golden era it seems the singers had tried to develop an identity of their own. “If you listen to a song sung during those days, you could identify whether it is Latha Walpola, Nanda Malini or Indrani Bogoda. Can you do that with the new generation of singers?,” he raised a question. “If the announcer didn’t mention the name the listeners won’t be able to recognize the voice. A song is a work of art, not everyone can do it. But some don’t seem to understand that. Today anyone who knows how to write would write songs. Anyone who could talk would sing songs and sell. There is no need for skill, talent or experience to create melodies for a song. They will just tap here and there and produce music,” he criticized some new songs.

According to Ariyawansa, this has happened because of the freedom with no limitations and correcting this would not be simple. “I suppose a song registry would help a little. There is a registry to keep records on published books. But there is no such thing for songs. Therefore anyone could produce a cassette without any details of them. There is no wonder if there would be filth recorded and sold in the market since there aren’t any laws preventing that,” he pointed out. “There are people who sing other’s songs and make money. If you can remember the instance where a man sang Nanda Malini’s songs, you’ll know how unpleasant it could get,” he added.

He also mentioned that, if the Cultural Affairs Ministry could initiate a procedure like that with the help of some institute to register songs when a cassette or a CD is released that would be a solutions to many issues at the present and the future of the song industry. “Also if some guidelines and standards to define the quality of the songs and usage when permits are issued for the radio channels, that would also ensure some discipline,” he opined.

According to him a process like this would also help the preservation of songs as well as ownership issues. “According to the Performing Rights Act, the lyricist holds a right for the ownership of the song, when he finishes writing. Since these information are not recorded anywhere a Sri Lankan lyricist could be challenged about his right in a couple of years. There isn’t a proper way to prove his right,” he stated. If there is a place where the track, notations and lyrics could be submitted and recorded these issues will never occur. No one would be able to claim a false right to the song. In fact the songs will be preserved automatically,” he said.

 Ariyawansa also explained how this system would help to detect fake CDs and Cassettes which is rampant in the market. “Who would want to pay more when they could buy hundreds of songs for just 150 rupees on the payment? It’s no surprise that there is no place for the original music CDs and cassettes now,” he mentioned. “It’s just these simple methods. The problem is that nobody is bothered to do anything about it,” he added.

He also expressed his grief about the damage some private radio channels cause. “Look at the way these kids speak in some radio channels,” Ariyawansa said speaking about the language used in FM channels today. “I remember one senior announcer saying how careful he was in front of the microphone how he was reminded of his school teachers, the chief priest in the temple and the headmaster of his school. How he spoke with self-discipline, thinking that they might be listening. The kids today speak as if they are talking only to people in their own mental state,” he said.

A song is made up contributions from main people; the lyricist, the music composer and the singer. Yet the song is popularly known by the vocal artiste’s name as the radio doesn’t seem to give the necessary credit to the other two. Kularatne Ariyawansa said that it is an opportunity to pass over the lyricist’s responsibility. “A song writer could write anything just pretend as if it was not his fault. We were introduced to the listeners through the Broadcasting Corporation. We were told about the responsibility we hold. Since it was mentioned with our name we were automatically made responsible,” he said. “Do you know who wrote which song today?” he raised a question.

Kularatne Ariyawansa said he is not certain whether there will be another golden era in Sri Lankan song. “It’s the children I am worried about. They are hypnotized by worthless songs, that they don’t know what they are doing. Don’t you think there is a connection between the reported stabbing incidents, murders or violence reported and musical shows?” he questioned. “A song or music is the best medicine to ease the human mind, in the reverse it could also make people violent if it was used in that way. If anyone has enough guts, they should sue all these radio channels for making a bad influence on their children and the transgression committed,” Ariyawansa challenged.