Life Nestling

The not so lay lyrics of Ramlee

Many Malaysians will remember the late P Ramlee as a man of many talents - an accomplished Singer and Musician with the charming baritone voice, an Actor par excellence of both the satirical/melancholic and humorous genres, as well as arguably the finest Film Director Malaysia has ever had.

As a Musician, it is said that he composed more than 250 songs with many of the lyrics also to his credit. While some of these lyrics have, in the course of the popularity of the films in which they were sung and/or made the musical score, received much attention and admiration, as was the case with "Getaran Jiwa" (Tremors of the Soul), on the whole, lyrics came second to melody.

I am not aware of any serious study that has been done on the lyrics as a means of studying the man. In my humble observation, at least for the songs that I know, I detect a subtle attempt at projecting higher ideals through what seems to be simple ballads - "forms" leading up to "essence", and "human love" to perhaps a deeper yearning of the Soul. Some lyrics by Sudarmaji and Jamil Sulong also bear the same imprint. This compels me to believe that Ramlee had a hand in influencing their work, or maybe, that they were working in league.

Lest I be accused of reading too much into the simple lines, below are samples of such lyrics. My personal feeling is that as one delves deeply into one's self for the means of expressing love or beauty of a form, one will be drawn to the inexplicable state of trying to express that which is beyond the form.... ABA

(The English rendition of below lyrics are mine)

engar Oh, jeritan batinku
                Memekik-mekik
                Memanggil-manggil
                Nama mu selalu
                Sehari rasa sebulan
                Hati ku tiada tertahan
                Ku pandang kiri
                Ku pandang kanan
                Dikau tiada

                Risau
                Batin ku menangis risau
                Makin kau jauh
                Makin hatiku bertambah kacau
                Mengapa kita berpisah
                Tak sanggup menahan asmara
                Oh dengarlah
                Jeritan batinku

     isten to my Inner Self
       As it calls upon your Name
       A day's separation feels like a month
       My Heart is weary of this yearning
       I look with me eyes to the left
       and to the right
       You are not there...

       My Inner Self cries in longing
       When at times I feel your distance
       Why this separation ?
       I can't resist this fire for union
       O Listen to this lamentation...

ikalau ku tahu
                Di sini ada Melati
                Tak payah merantau
                Tak payah kucari-cari

                Melati pujaan
                Berilah harum harapan
                Kan ku simpan
                Selagi hayat kandung badan

                Jikalau ku tahu
                Rembulan jatuh ke riba
                Walau pun ku tunggu
                Jatuhnya bintang berderai

                Rembulan oh rembulan
                Berilah sinar gemilang
                Kan ku tunggu
                Hingga badan cerai tulang

Melati pujaan
Idaman harapan

                Rembulan kilauan
                Harapan hidupku
                Hemm hemm hemm

                Jikalau ku tahu
                Hidupku akan berbahagia
                Ku bersyukur kepada
                Tuhan Maha Esa

f I but know
That which I seek is near
Would I not have travelled
Would I not have sought
Flower of my devotion
Grant me your fragrance of hope
And will I treasure it
As long as life resides in this body
If I but know
That the Moon will fall on my lap
Would I not wait for the stars
To fall in pieces
O Moon !
Grant me your shining light
And will I truly live
Till my flesh leave my bones
Flower of my devotion
My Desire, My Hope
Reflective Moon
Hope of my life

If I but know
That my life will be a bliss
Would I be thankful
To the One and only

anya sama hati
Apa asal sayang
Adakah tandanya nampak dipandang
Kumbang rayu bunga
Bulan dan bintangnya
Punya tanda-tanda hubungan mesra
Tanya sama hati
Pernahkah merindu
Ingat masa lena apa mimpimu
Masa berjauhan
Apa nan dikenang
Bila difahamkan itulah sayang
Jikalau tidak kerana sayang
Kuntuman kasih tak mungkin kembang
Andainya jemu mengganti rindu
Jambangan mesra tentulah lavu
Tanya sama hati
Apa asal sayang
Adakah tandanya nampak dipandang
Kumbang rayu bunga
Bulan dan bintangnya
Punya tanda-tanda hubungan mesra

sk Thy Heart
What is the origin of love
And will it's signs be seen
The bee begs for the flower
And the moon, the stars
These are signs of intimacy
Ask Thy Heart
Has it tasted longing
Remember, in your sleep, what do you dream
Or when you are afar
What do you remember
If you fathom this, THAT is love
If it is not because of love
The flower of nearness will not bloom
If distrust replaces longing
The garland of intimacy will wither
Ask Thy Heart
What is the origin of love
And will it's signs be seen
The bee begs for the flower
And the moon, the stars
These are signs of intimacy

P Ramlee has a lot of fans, one of whom is Farah Aqil. She has an excellent web site dedicated to the Artist. Click on below icon to get you there.

Above photo plus the nice letter heads were taken from her web page.

Salim's tribute to P Ramlee. May Allah bless his soul.

HOME
>>NEXT

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws