Geetha Lowe Lyrics by Nalin Perera

Here in the music world, the most popular game,
is cutting throats, laughing all the while,
why so jealous?
when someone gives a fresh new-style hit,
does the flying cradle start to shake?…..//

The stars who’ll shine in the future are in view,
and they think, “he’ll get a knife in the belly,”
they call out, “come here, little brother,”
the elder-brothers kiss, for fun, the hand they cannot cut off

Here in the music world, the most popular game……

A sorcerer hired to cut limes,
unlicensed men who cut down jak trees,
someone who cut off big sister’s long blue hair,
this cutting is no good for the music world….

Here in the music world, the most popular game……

Were we not all born in the same country?
everyone plays the same sa-ri-ga-ma-pa,
now the applause lands on those who deserve it,
and it is those who come to cut who now get cut

Here in the music world, the most popular game……//
does the flying cradle shake?
oh, is the flying cradle getting hot?

A witty, biting satire of the music industry itself, aimed at the backstabbing and jealousy behind the scenes. In the music world, the singer says, the most popular game is cutting throats, laughing all the while, betrayal dressed up as friendliness. And the pointed question runs through it: why so jealous?, when someone delivers a fresh new-style hit, does the established order (the flying cradle) get rattled?

The middle sketches the players. Rising future stars are spotted and quietly resented, he’ll get a knife in the belly, while smiling seniors call them little brother and kiss, for fun, the hand they cannot cut off. Then a run of sardonic images of pointless cutting, a sorcerer hired to cut limes, unlicensed men felling jak trees, someone lopping off a sister’s long hair, before the verdict: this cutting is no good for the music world.

The close turns to a plea for fairness and a warning. Were we not all born in the same country? everyone plays the same sa-ri-ga-ma-pa, we share one craft, so let the applause land on those who deserve it. And the twist of justice at the end: it is those who come to cut who now get cut. Sung by Nalin Perera to words by Ananda Senaviratne, it is a sharp, humorous protest song about jealousy and backstabbing in the music industry, and a call to let real talent, not sabotage, win.