OUR “SHANGRI-LA” – by Des Kelly

As I have always said and written, a song can depict a story in a few verses and a chorus or two, in comparison to a book, which takes many chapters, thousands of words, and perhaps hundreds of scripted pages, in order to convey the message needed. However, while a good book is an essential attribute in anyone’s life, and once you have learned to read, an education in it’s own right, there is one little problem here. Books do not contain the enhancement of Music in them, and good music with meaningful lyrics in a song is what this article is all about.

Recently, while I was watching “You-tube”, I was very impressed in a song performed by Mark Knopfler and Emmy Lou Harris, another duo extraordinaire of Showbiz.

I have always admired Mark, both as a Vocalist and Guitarist, and Emmy Lou who also plays guitar as she sings in her own inimitable fashion. Together, in this song, they bought back many memories of “OUR SHANGRI-LA”.

Memories of the CEYLON I had to reluctantly leave, to migrate to Australia. As in the lyrics of one of my songs featured recently on e’Lanka, Calypso d Ceylon, I decided that it would be prudent to edit just one word in order to help many thousands of eLanka members all around the World to reminisce on the Land we had to leave, for one reason or another. My “edition” thereby fits in perfectly, thus

“THIS LOVELY LITTLE COUNTRY, THAT WE LIVED IN,

FILLED WITH NATURAL BEAUTY, UP TO THE BRIM,

IT ATTRACTED TOURISTS FROM NEAR AND FAR,

IT WAS SIMPLY CALLED OUR OWN SHANGRI-LA”

See what I mean, folks ?, now, please enjoy the song by Emmy and Mark, as they sing “OUR SHANGRI-LA”