GEORGE SENANAYKE AN UNSELFISH MULTI TALENTED MUSICIAN,MUSIC COMPOSER DIRECTOR, SOUND ENGINEER AT APEX OF FAME FOR DECADES –By Sunil Thenabadu
George Senanayake was born in the family with two brother siblings a native in Dehiwala area close to the Zoo. When he was around ten years old his father had decided to sell the properties to evade close relatives around settled to live in Homagama area, Has had had his education in Homagama area.His father who had worked in the Ceylon Electricity Board has had a craze for music often playing a ‘harmonium’ which comprised of pedals ,had been during leisure playing the ‘harmonium ‘ had singing many types of old songs.Young George had learnt to play the ‘harmonium’as a novice was able to grasp the manner of playing. There had been a ‘box’ guitar too at home.George has had friend who could play ‘bass’ guitar very well. When George approached him for help he had said it is cumbersome process not that easy initially.
By looking how he played the guitar carefully how he moved the fingers, had tried to play at home which he found to be difficult initially. But with perseverance he had managed to play the ‘box’ guitar perhaps having hereditary affiliations from his father’s capability. George had gradually improved on his ability to play the guitar having learnt all notes well. However to date George has via persistence cum determination has become not only a guitarist but a well acclaimed vocalist, composer, music director and a sound engineer.
Initially George with his two brothers and two other friends had formed a band named ‘Nanvians’ one elder brother had played the ‘harmonium’, one other elder brother had played ‘drums’ while George had played the ‘Hawaian guitar” termed ‘thay petti music’. After a while George had joined a band in ‘Salawa’ area comprising of four members where he played the ‘lead’ guitar. At that time organs were rare, most bands consisted of only guitars and drums only as musical instruments. The owner had bought a ‘Bonelk’ keyboard from the band belonged to famous musician Mignnone Ratnam which made the band with a better flair.
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Thereafter George was invited to play in the band termed ‘Mount Chimes’, a very popular band then like today’s ‘Marians’, ‘Sunflowers’ and Flashback’. which was a definite turning point in his music career. Thereafter after the band got dismantled George had joined the band ‘Reflex’ afterwords had joined Upali Sannasgala’s ‘Super Seven’ band afterwords had joined the ‘Dynamite’ band of musician Sarath de Alwis. Hence George had developed his music skills by playing in these bands, But George confessors that it was when playing for ‘Mount Chimes’ that he had learned a lot on recordings of songs as they backed for many song recordings. He recollects contributing his guitar music for about forty cassettes of Nihal Nelson.It was by sheer coincidence that George had bounced into Clarence Wijewardena during these recording stints where George had played for the recordings and for his concerts becoming a close associate of the legend Clarence Wijewardena.
He had learned from Clarence to compose music which he completes via chords not with musical notations. He had been humming and record his compositions to a cassette. George remembers well when he composed the music for ‘Thaneevi Sittinne Man’ which he accomplished to precision.This experience, George attributes had been an enormous assistance when he composed music for songs. His first songs had been ‘Sithe Susum’ and ‘Re Tharakawo’ both ‘hits’ and immensely popular to date.He had added that though he did made the music melody , the music composition was completed not found in his as interludes had to be made in between to make the tune to be successful.The music composition of the song to his melodies was by Clarence Wijewardena who sang the song too.It is learnt that Clarence had changed some words to make the lyrics more ideal for the song which too is s hit even today.
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There had been five songs in the teledrama ‘Susima’ two melodies had been of George while the other three had been by Clarence Wijewardena’s, however George recollects that it was legendary Clarence had made all music compositions been a legend in the music arena. George had been responsible for the background music for this Tele drama.In a television dialog George Senanayake had acknowledged that it was the director of the Tele drama Rohan Welivita who had entrusted with confidence the back ground music of the Tele drama to him.George claims that though he had sung songs while in bands his ability had not been known but only after he sang the songs in ‘Susima’ teledrama.George also had acted in several teledramas like ‘Susima’ where even Jackson and Palitha had begun their acting careers along with him in this tenure.George recollects that this song “Desa Piya Gath Kala’ song was to be a solo by George only as instructed by Clarence Wijewardena, but it was suggested by George to sing as a duet.Then only Clarence had said if it is your wish sing the song as a duet.He recollects that the song was to be sung in the note ’F’, as it was too high the note was lowered to a lower note ,It is also recollected that Clarence had corrected the word pronounced as ‘Lakshana’ by George to rectify as ‘Lassana”. But George had continued to mispronounce this word which Nadeeka Guruge had recollected in a book on Clarence he had published lately.
In a television dialog it was questioned from Geoge on his habit of giving or sharing the work he receives in regard to his aptitude to another who is not having much work.When a cassette producer had approached him to do a cassette he had refused and recommended a friend in the ‘reflex’ band Marceline to sing in the alternative also that he will compose music and even play free for the recordings, so was George! .He was a rare species of a musician a similar of such cannot be found.It is heard that many not so talented and popular have been brought to fame by George. He has to date composed melodies for around two thousand songs some for himself and for others of course not all had become ‘hits’.
George had made many music melodies for Mercelline, Namel Udugama (about eighteen melodies) Subhani Harshini. Roy Peiris, Ajith Ariyaratne, Damith Asanka ( many),Ajit Muttukumara ,Priyantha Rathnayake, Somasiri Medagedera,Lalith Ponnapperuma, Punsiri Soysa,Baby Shanika, Mangala Dilrukshi, Chandana Liyanarachchi , Kingsley Peiris etc etc..George recollects the lyricist late Shantha Deshabandu was familiar for making lyrics very abruptly for many songs especially lately for Damith Asanka’s songs which were hits.George recollected him as a wonderful lyric writer, who is not living now, which were recorded with the help of Lalith Wasantha who worked at Nilwala Company producing cassettes. One of his latest hits is the song ‘Beedi Kote’ which could be seen in a music video with very meaningful lyrics relating to the poor folk.
From the foregoing it could be easily confirmed that George the accomplished unselfish unassuming humble musician having made a major contribution to our music industry via singing as a music composer, director and sound engineer has made an indelible imprint in Sri Lanka’s music tradition.
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Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane
e mail sthenabadu@hotmail.com
