Lyricist with immense inspiration
Ishara JAYAWARDANE
Have you ever walked through a rose garden? There are so many wild
roses. So many colors and fragrances. Saman Chandranath Weerasinghe is
one such man. Whether he has walked through one or not, I don't know.
But he can be compared to such a rose garden because he is a man of many
talents: a journalist, a lyricist and bit of a philosopher.
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Saman Chandranath Weerasinghe. Picture
by Lalith C Gamage |
"My father was an outstanding journalist at Lankadeepa in the
capacity of editor and assistant editor. When I went to school, I had a
friend who encouraged me to take up music and I wrote a couple of songs
subsequent to entering a competition. I also took an interest in writing
to the papers. I wrote a column on social and economic matters. Mahanama
Dissanayake sensed my talent and encouraged me to pursue this line.
Later on I joined Lake House as a senior sub editor in Dinamina. I was
also at SLBC and wrote a couple of songs there as well. I had the
fortune of my song being selected by Sarath Dassanayake and having it
sung by Victor Ratnayake," said Saman Chandranath Weerasinghe
A concert on September 30 at John De Silva Theatre will be held to
felicitate Saman for 40 years of service to the arts in Sri Lanka by a
committee comprising of Buddi Keerthisena, Sanath Gunetill- eke, Bandara
Ehiliyagoda, Edward Jayakody and Gunaratne Ariyawansa. Two CDs of Saman
will be launched. The music will be done by Sarath De Alwis with 35
singers performing Saman's songs. The dance items will be done by
Kulasiri Budawatta and Chandana Wickramasinghe.
"This is all done for the love of me. Because they hold me in great
esteem. I have always wanted to do something new. Whatever field I have
been involved in I have tried to do something novel. To do it in a new
way, an innovative way. My entire family is involved in the arts," said
Weerasinghe.
Saman has composed more than 1000 songs and some of these songs will
be performed by Sanath Nandasiri, Latha Walpola, Mario Ananda, Victor
Ratnayake, Dayaratne Ranatunga, Ranjani Perera, Chandrika Siriwardene
and Sunil Siriwardene, Edward Jayakody, Chandrani Gunewardene, Sunil
Edirisinghe, Mithra Kapuge and Dhammika Bandara
"As a journalist the most difficult thing to do is to have a
backbone. In this field there are difficulties. To be a journalist you
need courage. If you cannot face obstacles you cannot be a good
journalist. The reigns of journalism are in the hands of the owners of a
newspaper be it government or private so while respecting this you have
to maintain your individuality," stated Weerasinghe.
Some of the songs that will be played here are Gautama Budu Pada,
Hima Renu, Suranganawak, Samakoni Thrikonaya, Bidhak Radhi, Hathara
Watin, Randu Wevi, Latha Madullak, Wadakayaneni, Sadha Madalay Sita,
Nabara Goyamata and Kavikariye
"A song is not only the literature but there is a literary aspect to
this. A good song becomes more meaningful when there is good literature.
In this country there is no sound analysis of songs. We are heading in a
wrong direction because we have a wrong analysis or misunderstanding of
songs. You can't just take out a few lines from a song and call it good.
There has to be a flow. For the continuation of the song someone has to
sing it.
That is very important. There is no problem for a son to do his
father's song or for a daughter to do her mother's song. But this must
be done only if the son or daughter has the capacity and ability to do
so. Also it is fine if an outsider wants to sing the song as long as he
or she can sing it. So you must not expect to hear for example Jothipala
in one of his songs that someone else sings," elaborated Weerasinghe.
Where does he get his inspiration? Weerasinghe emphasised that he
does not care about creed or race but the sensitivity of the heart.
Weerasinghe also stressed in the natural order of things and the course
of nature by pointing out that you cannot curb the natural growth of
tree. You can cut the tree but you cannot prevent its nature to grow.
Likewise you cannot prevent love. The conception of love is the
important thing. The thought arising is the important thing.
"I am a person who embraces challenges. I have my own individuality.
I am not a pundit. However what I know I use. You cannot teach a person
how to write songs. You can teach singing. But not the creation of
lyrics. You can teach language but not the creation of lyrics. My future
expectation is to write a memoir about my journalistic life and music,"
concluded Weerasinghe. |
