Ran Yaye Lyrics by Rookantha Gunathilaka

On a cold night my hand was bound to those soft hands,
the love-songs of a far-off world wrapped around my heart,
in blue eyes, the flower-smile of a love was bound,
and by fortune’s own intention, flower and fruit were gained

In the golden field..

To be entwined in the chain of love, from what world did she come?
did she sing that song to bewitch my feelings?
laying nectar-honey in my palm, did she place it in my hand?
was she a celestial maiden, come in search of love?

In the golden field, the silver vale,
her beauty comes floating,
and in those eyes, the lines of silver
meet and join with my own gaze

A tender, wondering love song about a night that felt like fate. On a cold night, the singer recalls, his hand was bound to a pair of soft hands, and the love-songs of a far-off world wrapped around his heart; in her blue eyes a love’s flower-smile took hold, and, by fortune’s own intention, flower turned to fruit, the meeting bore real love. The whole verse has the hush of something meant to be.

The refrain, ran yaaye, in the golden field, opens onto a run of awed questions. To become entwined in love’s chain, from what world did she come? Did she sing that song deliberately to bewitch him? Did she place nectar-honey in his palm? Was she, perhaps, a sura anganak, a celestial maiden, come down in search of love? He can hardly believe an ordinary woman could feel so heaven-sent.

The close is a single shimmering image. In the golden field, the silver vale, her beauty comes floating toward him, and in her eyes lines of silver meet and join with his own gaze, two people’s eyes locking as love passes between them. Sung by Rookantha Goonatillake to words by Hemasiri Halpita, it is a soft, romantic song about a love that arrives on a cold night feeling less like chance than like a gift from the heavens.