Desmond Kelly | Sooriya Records

Melroy de Silva “GUITAR-JOHN” (REMEMBERED)

August 16, 2020 by shamilka

Desmond Kelly, Melroy De Silva

He was eighteen when I first met him at his Davidson Road home in Bambalapitiya. Handsome, rather chubby, as I remember him, already with the reputation of being an extremely good “guitarist”, Melroy De Silva was living right behind our little tenement home at 38, Lorenz Road, and if I remember correctly, it was his constant guitar-picking I heard, practically right over our back wooden fence, that made me want to meet this guy, so, one sunny day I decided to walk over to this house in Davidson Road and introduce myself to this guitar-picker. It was 1950, I had just turned fourteen in July of that year, played the Ukelele, and would sing to anyone who would listen, and loved music, especially what was termed “Country & Western”, in those good old days.

Found out that Melroy also loved the same type of music, and soon, we became very good friends. I have already written a well deserved tribute to this “Firefly”, now at rest, in Canada, so I do not intend to repeat myself. Still, I cannot believe that it is almost 1 year since John Melroy de Silva has passed-on. He was born on the 31st of December, 1932 and died on the 28th of January, 2018. As well as being the former leader of the “Fireflies” group in Ceylon, at that time, Melroy went on to be fondly remembered as “Guitar-John” in Vancouver B.C., where he continued to entertain everybody with, not just his guitar-picking, but also an endearing “Personality” who could make people smile.

As a guitarist, there have been, and there are still many players of this instrument who are considered to be “top-class”, and I would not doubt it for one second, BUT!!, It was a special “Latin-American” strum on any acoustic Spanish Guitar, that I remember Melroy de Silva for. NOBODY, and I mean NO-ONE would ever be able to match it. I consider myself to be a fairly good guitarist, quick to learn, etc., but I do remember watching this man’s right hand work magic on his “six-stringer” (at the time), watching for hours at a time, did, in fact learn to play these Latin/ Spanish songs, but was never able to accomplish that “special-strum” that Melroy seemed to manage so easily.

Melroy, as I have already said loved his C & W music, so while passing on his “memories” to his loved ones in Canada, I have decided to add two songs, recorded by the late great Hank Snow. Eventually, we ended up, thousands of miles apart, but Melroy, I will never forget you and the good times we had together, chasing all the pretty girls at the Lindsay Girls School in Bambalapitiya, serenading them, writing songs for them, etc., those WERE the days, I always say. God bless you, Melroy. eLanka AND Sri Lanka are proud of you.

Desmond Kelly
(Editor-in-Chief).

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“THE GOOD OLD DAYS” – By Des Kelly

May 21, 2020 by shamilka

Desmond Kelly

We go around these days, complaining about this & that, the latest being Corona Virus, the lockdown, the inability of going abroad on holidays, the this, & the that, WHY must this happen to US ???, etc., etc.,& most of us hark on what was termed the good old days, myself included, and yet, thinking about it, in fact, thinking about what people in general had to put up with, just from the date my dear Mother was born, is something else again.

This might shock some of you more sensitive readers, but, once read, you will have a much different perspective on what is happening all around you right at the moment.

The more you read folks, the more you learn. Covid 19 has already taken a big toll, and will continue to do so, until a Vaccine is found to combat it, but with the technology around today, it’s only a matter of time before we “ease the squeeze”, so to speak. Viruses will always be around however, they will never be wiped out, but they can, and they will be contained, provided we learn how to do this.

It is a whole different World out there, at the moment folks, but let me take you now, to what was supposed to be

“The good old days”.

Desmond Kelly.
(Editor-in-Chief) eLanka.

The Nightingale Sings

August 15, 2018 by admin

Des Kelly, Desmond Kelly, Nightingale, Rukmani Devi

What a beautiful title, especially for this songbird of Ceylon, Rukmani Devi, born Daisy Rasammah Daniels, a proud combination of Tamil(Rasammah), Daniels(Burgher), & the Colombo-Chetty Christian tradition, on the 15th of January, 1923, in the Central Province Village of Ramboda, Nuwara Eliya.

She was the second child in a family of six, loved music and singing from a very early age, spending most of her time standing by the family gramaphone and singing along with the songs that emanated from it. The very first song that she sang, in the presence of (Master) Rupasinghe, her music teacher, I suppose, was titled “Siri Buddha-gaya Vihare”, a classical Sinhala-song, when she was just 13 years old. He, the master, had a keen eye for talent, and before her professional singing career was launched, it was decided that she took the name RUKMANI DEVI(meaning Rukmani, Goddess of song), this career “took off”, and, as she became an adult, she began to look more beautiful, with each passing year, paving the way to a “Movie” career as well.

It was by no means easy, but when you are blessed with both beauty & talent, as Rukmani was, the result was that she became the first “Star” to grace the silver-screen of Ceylon. She was also the first “Sinhala movie queen to be featured in a showbiz magazine called “Film-fare”

She then married Eddie Jayamanne, whose elder brother, B.A.W.Jayamanne was a film director who used his sister-in-law as the “main-lead” in many of his films. In addition to all this, Rukmani Devi was cast as “Mayavathi” in a stage drama produced by Charles Dias. What interested me here, was that Mayavathi was in fact, Juliet, from Shakespeare’s

“Romeo & Juliet”, only, this time, a beautiful Ceylonese one.

Rukmani Devi went on to doing everything she wanted to do, singing, recording, acting and becoming world-famous.

She achieved many things, in what was eventually a tragically short life. She died in a motor accident, on the 28th of October 1978, at 55 years of age. To me, Rukmani was easily one of the loveliest women of that era, in Ceylon, and in addition to her film & stage roles, her public appearances, where everyone who saw her, loved her, for who she was, to me, “the nightingale sings” and this one, will never be forgotten. This is my tribute to her on behalf of eLanka.

Desmond Kelly.
“Squire of Sooriya”

ROCK N ROLL-COUNTRY STYLE

July 25, 2018 by admin

Des Kelly, Desmond Kelly, Rock N Roll

Australia, as a Country, is the great brown Land that many of us, Lankan/Aussies are lucky to be living in, at the moment. How it will be, in the future, is anybody’s guess.

Australia’s”Country Musicians”, while getting better, “As time goes by”, still have a long way to go, in comparison to their American counterparts. America, while boasting some of the greatest “names” in Country Music, also has had dozens of singers, bands & instrumentalists who were simply just “wannabes”, coming in from all over the World to “record”their songs in the U.S.of A, where, I believe, there are now more than 150 Radio Stations dedicated totally to “Country Music”. Tune in 24/7 for Country Music.

How wonderful, excepting for the fact that, right now, it is no longer called by it’s original name. It is now, dear reader,

“Modern-Country”, There is a song, strangely, but very well recorded by a Modern “Country-Man” named Alan Jackson.

He sings these words “Someone killed Country music, there on “Country Row”. How true it is.!, ” they even told the Possum, pack up & go on home, they’ve committed murder, right there, on Country Row”.

As I’ve done before, & will hopefully keep on doing, for eLanka, making our top website well worth watching and reading, I will choose “songs”that hopefully, will entertain our members even for a few minutes. This time, I have picked a song entitled “Fear of falling”. Donna Fisk, daughter of Gene Bradley Fisk, another Australian music fanatic, very popular in an earlier genre of Aussie Country music, and Michael Christian, a young singer/songwriter & superb guitarist, gives us this song, introduced by Bert Newton on the Channel 10 morning t.v.show. I cannot imagine a “sexier” beautiful Aussie female singing so well, accompanied by her partner, a handsome goodlooking young guy who also strums & plays his guitar, as I did, in the old days, two-stringed harmony “lead” & all, in a song I think, she wrote, a song you will want to hear (& SEE) over and over again. If any reader of eLanka wishes to “fantasize” on “Vertigo”, watch “The fear of falling”, Rock n Roll Country-Style.

Desmond Kelly.
“Squire of Sooriya”

A FIREFLY AT REST | Milroy De Silva

February 1, 2018 by admin

Desmond Kelly, Milroy de Silva, The Fireflies

He led “The Fireflies” band in Ceylon from 1963, a personal friend of mine, Milroy de Silva has passed on, in Vancouver, Canada, after a long illness, leaving family, friends & fans, deeply saddened by his death, at the age of 84. Milroy was indeed, a superb guitarist, self-taught, as most of us were in the good old days.

I remember the time when he lived in Davidson Road, Bambalapitiya, practically right behind our little tenement home in Lorensz Road, and this is where I first heard a “special-style” of acoustic guitar playing which left me spell-bound with the skill & expertise he displayed. A “latin-rhythm strum”that was as individualistic as the man himself, to be quite honest about it, I have never seen a “strum” like it. In addition, Milroy was a superb “lead-guitarist” as well. At the time, during the early 50’s Arthur “Guitar-Bogey” Smith played “Guitar-Bogey” just as well as Milroy de Silva. Note for note/chord for chord, there was no difference whatsoever. I would go to Milroy’s , sit there with him, watching those hands, playing his music, in absolute fascination. It was all acoustic “stuff” then. Electric guitars would be imported by “Harmonics” & Papa Menizies later, but Milroy & “yours truly” decided to manufacture our own amplifier in order to increase the sound of his “acoustic”.

We managed to find a couple of old “pakis-petti”, Melroy used his electronic ability, he had two old “speakers” from an ancient radio-gram and together, we produced the very first, not too handsome looking “amplifier” that Lorensz Road had seen. Melroy then took his acoustic guitar to Papa Menizies & Papa, always wanting to help people, put in the “finishing touch” to Milroy’s old acoustic, turning it into what was possibly the first electric/acoustic in Bambalapitiya. Milroy loved that guitar & not too much later his number one “fan” was going to use this same treasured instrument, to join a Circus Group that would be touring the Country for Donavan Andree. This was later though, but first,

There used to be a famous “girls’ school” named after some bloke by the exalted name of “Lindsay”. This was a Christian School where the “Head-Mistress” suddenly decided to run a Thursday afternoon “special” programme called the “Band of Hope” which would consist of around two hours of “Religous-Teachings” to the girl-students, some of whom had no hope at all, but were welcome there anyway. After the Band of Hope, the girls would be permitted to encourage any talented entertainers they knew to entertain them with music before they left for the evening to go home. There were several pianists, piano-accordian, & even a “mouth-organist” or two, known to various lasses at this School, to provide the said entertainment. Now & then, there would be a “vacant” Thursday afternoon, but Milroy de Silva & Desmond Kelly needed no encouragement to fill the vacancy. Milroy, with his guitar & Desmond with his Ukelele

would happily go down there, sing to, and entertain the girls, who, like any normal females of the time enjoyed being entertained. We had nearly all of the Lindsay Girls’ School lasses around us for the afternoon requesting their favourite songs and Milroy & Des enjoyed the attention they were getting, but had to sneak “out”, over the rear wall of the School, guitar, uke, & all to escape some of the boy-friends of some girls, waiting impatiently outside the front gate, to give these two imposters an unmerciful thrashing for taking up “their girls’ time”.

It was also here, where Milroy de Silva met a girl named Celonia and asked Desmond Kelly to write him a song dedicated to her. Desmond wrote it, titled “Celonia” of course, and Milroy loved it. He sang it to her, but eventually married a very pretty girl named Carmen. Desmond dated another very pretty girl named “Aloma”, but also ended up with another beauty (from another School) named Cynthia.

Milroy de Silva & Desmond Kelly were always very good friends. Then in 1952, Desmond Kelly was afforded the chance of joining this English Circus group to tour Ceylon with them. He had to audition for them before he got the job. However, the Circus Owner needed a guitar-playing singer on-stage, so what to do, men?, Desmond Kelly then borrowed that same old guitar from Melroy, for the weekend, taught himself to play the two extra “strings” involved, passed the audition and got the job. Milroy carried on in Colombo. He was already a very popular entertainer and found himself working, in the showbiz- industry egularly. There was hardly a large hotel or nightclub in Ceylon at the time, that we didn’t work for.

Unfortunately, I lost touch with him after our Circus show named The Continental Non-stop Revue ended, i joined the Royal Ceylon Navy, getting out in 1962 to migrate to Melbourne.

In the meantime, Milroy, still doing what he loved, formed his own band and called them his “Fire-flies”. He was indeed a superb musician, still, someone to whom many upcoming musicians went to, for advice, freely given. He was also an ardent fan of the old Country & Western icon Montana Slim,

singing and playing in the old style to the delight of hundreds of fans, wherever he performed.

He eventually left “Our Lovely Island Home”, like so many of us, to settle in Vancouver Canada. Here he was affectionately known as “Guitar John”, entertained, as we music-lovers do, until it becomes physically impossible to do so, and has finally “passed on” to continue singing and playing his guitar for the angels in heaven . A “personal” apology from me to you, Milroy, is that, although I did my very best to keep in touch with you, latterly, it became impossible to telephone you because you were frequently unavailable, in hospital, or just not home. No excuses on my part, but after coming to Australia, trying to do two & even three jobs at a time, working “shifts, 24/7, although I would have loved to have come to Canada, just to join your band and play the music we both loved, it was only wishful thinking on my part. Rest easy now, my friend. We had some great times together but now let me ask God to bless you & keep you, my sincere condolences to your entire family and this, my dedication to you, Milroy de Silva will show you that “Music & Memories” always go hand in hand.

Your pal, always,
Desmond Kelly.
“Squire of Sooriya”

Comedy is, as comedy does

May 4, 2017 by admin

Comedy, Des Kelly, Desmond Kelly

In what is termed “social-media” today, comedy, as such, takes a “back-seat” unfortunately. “porno- comedy” is very much in the forefront, everywhere. “butts, boobs, hookets & nudes”, transvestites and “gay dudes”, not “comedy” anymore, just crude.

My most recent “brush” with porno-comedy was when “someone out there”, quite probably a “Lankan” who liked “baila” took it upon themselves to include a female porno-model “dancing her butt off” to a recording of mine, done as a tribute to the “King” of Baila himself, the late great Wally Bastiensz.

I did this particular tribute to Wally, entitled “Baila Sellama (the baila-game), which included a few “Waada-Baila” verses, because Wally himself, taught me to sing baila (in competition) even before I became a teenager. He lived in Moratuwa, as I did, possibly “saw”, that here was a young “Lansia” who loved to entertain, and took it upon himself to teach me to sing these very popular baila verses, some of which I then sang to audiences who laughed as loudly as they applauded my efforts because, although I had no idea as to what I was singing about, the soft-kunuharapa verses kept my audiences happy. As I always say, people pay to see “entertainers”. The least we can do is to keep them happy, laughing & entertained.

This particular “baila-enthusiast” “borrowed” my tribute to Mr. Bastiensz (which is already featured in my “Especially for you” CD on e’Lanka you-tube), & featured a rather “tacky” female stripper “dancing” to Mr. Music’s singing! I am no prude, never have been, but I would like this person to know that “full nudity”, male or female, has never interested me. There I went, singing my heart out, especially for you, you idiot, “on-na ithin patangattha, baila-sell-ama” & it wasn’t “baila”, this sheila was doing. Her “movements” indicated that she was not al all interested in baila-dancing & this is what I take umbrage to. Wally (RIP), would probably be turning in his grave at this outrage.

Sorry, Wally, I’ve done my best, but the “prostitution” of your “baila-sell-ama”, as a close Mate of mine said, has been both tacky & rude. Now, had this “model” been wearing a “neglige”, it would have been far more interesting.

To go on, with comedy is, as comedy does, something else is happening with our social-media, these days. E’mails, abundantly featuring “jokes” that one has to “tickle” themselves, to laugh, are flying around, helter-skelter. There is nothing wrong with a joke that makes you crack a smile. These are sorely needed nowadays, but “subtle” jokes are the best ones. This being the case, “your’s truly” will endeavor to bring you, our readers a couple or three subtle jokes to brighten up your life. Here goes:-

“I keep fit by having a pint of milk every day. I also have this habit of bathing in milk.” Someone said

“pasturised’? I said “no, just up to my knees”.

A song, sung by a lout, about to be sent back to his own Country, from Australia. “I never felt more like singing the blues, (cos I never thought that I’d ever lose your love), I did, and now await deportation”.

English Comedian Les Dawson once said, “Clint Eastwood and I are so much alike, butch in the face of danger and utterly fearless. If, for instance, if I am threatened by such awesome thugs as my wife or her mother, I resort to the old Apache Indian trick of screaming abd begging for mercy”.

Source: http://elanka.com.au/comedy-comedy-des-kelly-star-elanka/

Poetry for Peace, Old Ceylon, my Island of dreams, The Butterfly

January 10, 2017 by admin

Ceylon, Des Kelly, Desmond Kelly, my Island of dreams, Old Ceylon, Poetry for Peace, Sri Lanka, The Butterfly

The predecessor of “song-writing” for me, has been “poetry”. From a very early age, not only did I enjoy reading good poetry, I started writing my own. Proudly, after coming to Australia, my poetry has not only been “accepted” Internationally, it has been “published” in a beautiful hard-back volume, “The Tide of Hours” featuring the best poets & poetry of 2003. As a result, I was “invited” to the U.S.of A. many times but, because of an extremely busy “work schedule” it was impossible for me to make it to America.

The following were a trio of “poems” of mine, submitted. One was “Poetry for Peace”(my advice to the World), & the other” Old Ceylon,my Island of dreams” (later composed as a song, with music added) & to begin with, was “The Butterfly”. Please read and hopefully, enjoy :-

“THE BUTTERFLY”
Like the wings of a butterfly, emerging at last
From it’s golden chrysalis, cocoon of the past
Comes the “getting of wisdom”, as I read a good book
Yes, they’re still available, if one cares to look
And watch, from our Planet, beautiful and vast
The wings of a butterfly, emerging at last

Now, see how this butterfly flutters-by, away
It’s life on Earth short, not much time to “stay”
But fulfils it’s reason for existence on Earth
Still, it’s beauty alone, to the beholder, is worth
More than treasures & wealth, mere money can buy
Is this, God’s creation of one butterfly

He’ll flutter his beautiful wings, till a mate
Flies directly below him, and she seals his fate
They “touch wings” together, & then, bye & bye
A golden chrysalis holds a new butterfly
The “moral” of this story, what man should aim for
Is to strive to continue, make love & not war

D.K.

“MY ADVICE TO THE WORLD”

Words are inadequate, phrases, too small
A World without peace, is a World, not at all
We live and we die, in a life-span too short
To “not love our neighbour”, as we have been taught
Matters not, in which Country, a person is born
Their homeland’s too precious, by strife, to be torn

Cause war means just one thing, insatiable greed
The desire for power, to own more than we need
Thus, millions have died, with more deaths to come
If we fight senseless battles, that can never be won
It’s high time the great flag of PEACE is unfurled
And that’s why I write, my “Advice to the World.

My “Advice to the World’, is an anthem of Peace
Only God is all-powerful, it’s Him we displease
When we glorify war, with it’s suffering & pain
Would you rather not sing a love-song again
With lyrics unending, music, sweet and true
I dedicate “Advice to the World”, and to you.

D.K.

“OLD CEYLON, MY ISLAND OF DREAMS”

Oh, to walk once again
On those sun-kissed white sands
Of that tropical Island shore
To feel the warm clasp
Of friendly brown hands
In welcome, wherever I go
This is my one & dearest wish
Impossible, though it now seems
To revisit the Country
In which I was born
Old Ceylon, my Island of dreams

To wander through Pettah
And it’s milling crowd
I know I’d be happy again
And though I’d be soaked
To the skin, I’d be proud
To stand in her monsoonal rain
To taste once again
Sweet “Kaju-pulung”
And gaze on a “cats-eye” that gleams
To hear Kandyan drums
And those sweet native songs
Of old-Ceylon, my Island of dreams

“CHORUS”(Sung)

These are my memories, sweet precious memories
These are my memories of yore
These are my memories, wonderful memories
I’ll take them with me, when I go

To see the clock-tower
In Colombo Fort
And walk all along
Galle-Face green
To watch all the lasses
Who now seem to sport
The brightest of
Bright colours seen
What I would’nt give
For a walk in the night
Neath a sky full of stars
And moonbeams
To watch a fire-fly try
To spread all it’s light
On old Ceylon, my Island of dreams

To reminisce gently
And, once again meet
All the old friends
I’m longing to see
And hear, once again
The fast rhythmic beat
Of the “Ruhunu Kumari”
As she wends her long way
Thru Lanka’s green Vales
By the rush of meandering streams
It’s a Country, so small
With a beauty, so rare
It’s old Ceylon, my Island of dreams.

“CHORUS” (Repeat)

The years of my child-hood
Were second to none
But have all slipped away
Far too fast
A million memories
I remember each one
My only regret? , they are past
The leopard, the elephant
The swift “flying-fish”
The smart fox & his wily schemes
I see them again, as I now close my eyes
Back in Ceylon, my Island of dreams.

Please Note Edited Lyrics & music to above song by:-

Desmond Kelly.

STRIFE OF THE SRI LANKAN HOUSEWIFE

October 15, 2016 by admin

Des Kelly, Desmond Kelly

How many times have we heard “stories” like this?!!

“My biscuits were too hard
Not like HIS Mother used to make
He didn’t like my curries
Or even the love-cake
The coffee wasn’t brewed right
Nor was HIS herbal-tea
The biryani was “not nice”
Nor was the mulligatawny
Shirt-buttons “missed” the button-hole
Tie knotted on askew
I didn’t mend his socks
Just like HIS Mother used to do”
I stood there, quite dumbfounded
While HE kept finding fault
“The eggs are NOT boiled right
Where IS the pepper & the salt”?
“I think I’m getting tired” I said
“I’m going to take a nap
Can’t blame your Mum for giving you
A thundering bloody slap
You’re just a great big grumble-bum
Who knows sweet bugger-all
And you can go and get your sleep
On the couch, out in the hall”
I’ve heard this lament, many times
It cuts just like a knife
When made by other women-kind
But certainly NOT my wife
Everything I’ve said above is true
I’m sure you will agree
The strife of many Lankan wives
Make them clamor to be free!

Desmond Kelly. K.F.C.
K.F.C. (Not an award, simply “Kelly From Colombo”)

Source: http://elanka.com.au/desmond-kelly/

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