Super stars may come & go, but he remains the undisputed super star for all time & the unchallenged king among playback singers. He has rested for exactly 21 years to date in his tomb, but what is the magic & the attraction of this charismatic man that makes him the most popular vocalist even today ? It is his humaneness & simplicity that endeared him to generations of his fans. He walked with kings but never lost the common touch. He was equally @ ease in the President's house (during President Premadasa's rule ) , & in the poor man's hut sharing a meal with them. A man completely devoid of envy & vanity, who was not given the recognition he deserved as he did not represent the elite class, but never bore any ill will towards his critics, & continued undaunted to mesmerize a whole nation with his dream voice. His entire life was a song of celebration for the sake of the common man.
Hettiarachige Reginold Jothipala ( Jothi to all his fans ) was born on the 12th February 1936, & died on the 7th July, 1987, aged 51, exactly 21 years to date, a life he virtually threw away, not fully aware of his own worth.
He has sung several thousand songs ( no one knows how many ) & did play back for over 350 films. In one instance he had recorded as many as 18 songs in a single week during the peak of his career, which shows the demand he had for his screen voice. No other singer either before or after him has been able to match his deep, husky most colourful romantic voice.
He is said to be the only male vocalist who was equally fluent in all 3 languages, sinhala, tamil & english
His favourite among all his songs was, " Tajmahalak ". He also dearly loved his first film song " Siriya me' sara ", which he sang for the film " Surathalee ". His final performance was @ the " Gam Udawa " stage, on the 3rd. July, 1987, singing " pruthugeesikaraya" , just 4 days before de died.
Although we are @ a loss by his demise, we are privileged that he has left behind such memorable songs which will last for another 100 years or more.
Sadaadara Jothi, obe' pembara handa, obe' dukbara handa, obe' preethimath handa, obe jothimath handa, sadahata apage' hadawath thula rewdenu etha. Obata sama kala heki thawath handak bihi nowanu etha. Oba miya giye netha. Miya yanneda netha.
"Apa hinda gee geuwe', apa hinda jeewathwe'
jaya temba hamuwe' netha oba kisida umathu wune'
minisun pamanai oba lada dhanaya awasaane'
miyena thuraa oba gee gaya, pisadaa apage' waedana
rasa gee gayanna saemada "
Hettiarachige Reginold Jothipala ( Jothi to all his fans ) was born on the 12th February 1936, & died on the 7th July, 1987, aged 51, exactly 21 years to date, a life he virtually threw away, not fully aware of his own worth.
He has sung several thousand songs ( no one knows how many ) & did play back for over 350 films. In one instance he had recorded as many as 18 songs in a single week during the peak of his career, which shows the demand he had for his screen voice. No other singer either before or after him has been able to match his deep, husky most colourful romantic voice.
He is said to be the only male vocalist who was equally fluent in all 3 languages, sinhala, tamil & english
His favourite among all his songs was, " Tajmahalak ". He also dearly loved his first film song " Siriya me' sara ", which he sang for the film " Surathalee ". His final performance was @ the " Gam Udawa " stage, on the 3rd. July, 1987, singing " pruthugeesikaraya" , just 4 days before de died.
Although we are @ a loss by his demise, we are privileged that he has left behind such memorable songs which will last for another 100 years or more.
Sadaadara Jothi, obe' pembara handa, obe' dukbara handa, obe' preethimath handa, obe jothimath handa, sadahata apage' hadawath thula rewdenu etha. Obata sama kala heki thawath handak bihi nowanu etha. Oba miya giye netha. Miya yanneda netha.
"Apa hinda gee geuwe', apa hinda jeewathwe'
jaya temba hamuwe' netha oba kisida umathu wune'
minisun pamanai oba lada dhanaya awasaane'
miyena thuraa oba gee gaya, pisadaa apage' waedana
rasa gee gayanna saemada "
