Master Sir
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"Master Sir" is a classic song in Sinhala/English written by the Sri Lankan singer/songwriter, Nimal Mendis, who is resident in the United Kingdom. Nimal Mendis was born in Ceylon(Sri Lanka). The song was composed by Nimal Mendis and released in Sri Lanka.
The song, 'Master Sir,' was first featured in the early 1970s on Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia. It still receives extensive airplay on the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and other commercial radio stations in Colombo. Mendis has also played his classic hit 'Master Sir' in front of capacity crowds in concerts organised in Colombo.
'Master Sir' reached new audiences in London when the Sri Lankan broadcaster Vernon Corea featured it on his BBC Radio London program, ' London Sounds Eastern.'[1]
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[edit] History
'Master Sir,' is probably one of the all time great songs from the island of Sri Lanka. The song was a number one hit in South Asia for Nimal Mendis. It has been covered by several Sri Lankan musicians. Some have breached international copyright laws - including new copyright laws in Sri Lanka, by not crediting the composer.
'Master Sir' was written by Nimal Mendis in the 1970s for the popular Sri Lankan film, Kalu Diya Dhahara(A column of black water).[2]
[edit] Music
The song is a musical ballad in Sinhala - with a traditional outlook. The rhythm is very traditional- hence its popularity around the world among expatriate Sri Lankan communities. The song is still being featured in international concerts sung by Sri Lankan artists.[3][4]
[edit] Lyrics
Master Sir is set in colonial Sri Lanka; the words tell a story about the dignity of labour, a story not about wages but about social justice. The song was recorded both in English and Sinhala, and has remained a hit in Sri Lanka for over thirty years.
