Johnny Depp once said: “Music touches us emotionally, where words alone can’t.” How true. I certainly felt that when I went with my brother Vernon and sister Ouida to a Hela Sarana “Back to the 70s concert” held at the Watford Colosseum in the United Kingdom.
My brother, sister and I were very emotional when Sri Lankan music legend and influencer, Annesley Malewana opened the event walking down the isle from the back of the Colosseum, singing “Piyaneni.” This song is known the world over as an iconic composition of the great Clarence Wijewardena. It swept us back to our childhood, when we were living at Maha Nuge Gardens in Kollupitiya. In our house there was a real buzz when all manner of people walked in to meet our father, Vernon Corea who was a pioneering broadcaster with Radio Ceylon and subsequently the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.
I still remember them - Clarence Wijewardena and Annesley Malewana in bright shirts and white trousers, they were very thin in the early 1960s. My uncle Sangabo Corea had discovered them in Ratnapura and he had offered to be their Manager. He soon contacted Dad and asked if he would mentor them and play their music for the first time on the English Services of Radio Ceylon. Clarence and Annesley and the Moonstones really hit it off with Dad and they became close friends until his death in Surrey, UK, in 2002.
Clarence and Annesley also kept in touch with us. One of the saddest moments for me was to hear that Clarence was seriously ill and was in hospital, I was in Sri Lanka on a short visit. On hearing the news, I located the hospital in Colombo, it was just before closing time of the visiting hours of the hospital and I remember racing up the stairs to see my Father’s friend. Clarence was in a bed in a ward, awaiting an operation. We spoke for a while and I hugged him and bade him goodbye. That was the last time I saw Clarence alive. It was a poignant moment.
A few years earlier, Clarence and Annesley were headlining a concert in London, England. Clarence turned up at my house in Crystal Palace, my father and mother, brother, sister Ouida and her family joined us for dinner and an impromptu concert. Clarence picked up my guitar at home and sang some of his memorable compositions, including “Piyaneni.” We listened spellbound to him.
Clarence wrote “Piyaneni,” in memory of my grandfather. I remember in 1972 Clarence and Annesley and the group went to Auggie Ranaweera’s recording studio in Bambalapitiya. Dad took my brother Vernon Jr and I with him on the way a lorry transported an organ belonging to Helen Lucas from her home and brought it to Auggie’s studio. That amazing musician Helen Lucas played the organ for “Piyaneni” in that historic recording.
Memories came tumbling inside my head as Annesley walked by and shook my hand singing “Piyaneni.” It touched us emotionally. After the song Annesley spoke about it and the history behind “Piyaneni,” talking about my father and he turned to the three of us and said: “It was written about your Grandad.” We were deeply moved.
During the interval we met Annesley and in 2020 we hugged each other as adults when he had hugged us as children in the 1960s. Also present at the event was the Queen of the Sri Lankan cinema, Dr. Malini Fonseka.
It was a very emotional night and what brought us together was the music of Clarence Wijewardena and Annesley Malewana. I sincerely hope a high honourwill be bestowed to AnnesleyMalewana. Hundreds turned up to hear him and the other distinguished musicians in Watford.
Annesley, all I want to say to you is “thank you for the music.”