Witty Sinhala classic using rural metaphors to warn against marriage.
Song Lyrics
එක යායේ කකා වැටී
එකා වගේ එකට හිටී
එක පවුලේ උපන් ලෙසේ
කල ආරස්සා
නාස් ලණුව දමනවාලු
කරත්තයක බඳිනවාලු
අපට හිටිය ළපටි කැකුළු
නාඹර වස්සා
ගෙට ආ කල ටිකිරි ලියා
නුඹ වේවිලු කබර ගොයා
ළිඳට ගියත් අවසරයක්
ගන්නට වේවී
දළ ගලවා අතේ තියා
නුඹ නටවයි ඒ ළමයා
පනවාලා දරුණු දණ්ඩ
බන්ධන නීතී
එක යායේ කකා වැටී…
වළට වැටුණු එකා යකා
වළටම ඇද ගනු මිසකා
වළෙන් උඩට එන්නට
අත දෙන්නට කැමතී
නෑදෑ හිතවතෙක් නැතී
ඒ ගැන හිතුවොත් යෙහෙකී
කසාදෙ නං කසාය හරි
තිත්ත බේතක
එක යායේ කකා වැටී…
Song Information
Song Title: එක යායේ (Eka Yaye)
Artist: Sunil Edirisinghe, Edward Jayakody & Bandula Wijeweera
Lyrics: Premakeerthi de Alwis
Genre: Folk Pop / Sarala Gee
Language: Sinhala
Release Year: 1980s
Song Analysis
Song Summary
“Eka Yaye” is a popular folk-infused track featuring three of Sri Lanka’s most distinctive male voices. The song presents a humorous and cynical take on marriage, framed as a warning from friends to a young man about to wed. Using rustic, agricultural metaphors, the mood is lighthearted yet biting, portraying marriage as a loss of freedom and the end of carefree youth spent together in the fields.
Song Meaning
Written by the legendary Premakeerthi de Alwis, the song employs brilliant rural imagery to critique the domestic constraints of marriage. A young man is compared to a “young calf” (nabara wassa) about to be “bound to a cart” with a “nose rope.” The lyrics warn that his wife will control his every move—even a trip to the well will require permission. The final verse uses a clever pun on the word “Kasada” (marriage), comparing it to “Kasaya” (a bitter herbal medicine), suggesting that while it might be a social necessity, the experience itself is harsh and restrictive.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who are the three singers of Eka Yaye?
The song is a collaboration between Sunil Edirisinghe, Edward Jayakody, and Bandula Wijeweera.
What is the central metaphor used for marriage in the song?
Marriage is compared to a young calf being tethered to a cart and a snake having its fangs removed to be made to dance.
Who wrote the witty lyrics for this track?
The lyrics were written by the iconic Premakeerthi de Alwis.
What does the phrase “Kasade nan Kasaya hari” mean?
It is a play on words suggesting that “marriage is like a bitter herbal medicine,” emphasizing its restrictive or unpleasant nature.
What is the musical style of Eka Yaye?
It is a blend of Sinhala folk music and Sarala Gee, characterized by its rhythmic beat and storytelling approach.