High-energy Baila track exploring class disparity and the struggle for romance across social boundaries.
Song Lyrics
කටු කොලියේ බන්ඩාරේ
කම ගන්නවා
අත්දිගට සුදු කමිසේ මං අදිනවා
ගෙඩි කඩන රස්සාව අත හරිනවා
සුදු හාමිනේ ගැනම මං හිතනවා
කටු කොලියේ බන්ඩාරේ
කම ගන්නවා
අත්දිගට සුදු කමිසේ මං අදිනවා
ගෙඩි කඩන රස්සාව අත හරිනවා
සුදු හාමිනේ ගැනම මං හිතනවා
දොඩවන්න මං ලගට එනකොට දොලේ
කළු වලට මං පැන්නේ බයකට නොවේ
ලොකු හාමු පිරිමදින විට ගිනි බටේ
ආලෙට වඩා ඒක ඇත මගේ හිතේ
ඇත මගේ හිතේ
ඇත මගේ හිතේ
ආලෙට වඩා ඒක ඇත මගේ හිතේ
කටු කොලියේ බන්ඩාරේ
කම ගන්නවා
අත්දිගට සුදු කමිසේ මං අදිනවා
ගෙඩි කඩන රස්සාව අත හරිනවා
සුදු හාමිනේ ගැනම මං හිතනවා
සුදු අල්ල මල්පොත්ත වාගේ ඇගේ
අල්ලන්න බෑ කරගැටයි මගේ අතේ
පිල්ලම් නොගහ ඇස්වලින් පෙම් කලේ
දුප්පත් වෙලා මොකද මං ඉපදුනේ
මං ඉපදුනේ
මං ඉපදුනේ
දුප්පත් වෙලා මොකද මං ඉපදුනේ
කටු කොලියේ බන්ඩාරේ
කම ගන්නවා
අත්දිගට සුදු කමිසේ මං අදිනවා
ගෙඩි කඩන රස්සාව අත හරිනවා
සුදු හාමිනේ ගැනම මං හිතනවා
Song Information
Song Title: කටු කොලියේ (Katu Koliye)
Artist: Chamara Ranawaka
Lyrics: Chamara Ranawaka
Genre: Baila / Folk Fusion
Language: Sinhala
Release Year: 2017
Song Summary
“Katu Koliye” is a rhythmic and storytelling-driven Baila track that narrates the bittersweet romantic aspirations of a working-class man. The mood is upbeat yet carries an undertone of social frustration. It portrays “Bandara,” a laborer who decides to quit his manual job of harvesting fruit and wear a clean white shirt to appear worthy of “Sudu Hamine,” a woman from a higher social standing. The song depicts the tension between his genuine affection and the looming threat of the girl’s father (Loku Hamu) and his “firearm” (gini bate).
Song Meaning
The song functions as a commentary on the “caste” or class barriers that still influence romance in rural Sri Lanka. The lyrics analyze the physical markers of poverty—the narrator’s “calloused hands” (karageta) compared to the girl’s soft, “flower-petal-like” palms—which prevent him from even holding her hand. Themes of fear and defiance are mixed; while he jumps into the water out of necessity rather than fear, the image of the “Loku Hamu” stroking his gun serves as a grim reminder of the consequences of crossing social lines. Ultimately, it captures the existential lament of a man questioning why he was born poor (duppath vela mokaada man ipadune), turning a danceable Baila into a story of systemic inequality.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does the title “Katu Koliye” refer to?
It likely refers to a specific locality or the thorny environment of the laborer’s workplace, setting the stage for Bandara’s story.
Who wrote the lyrics for this song?
The lyrics were written by Chamara Ranawaka himself, showcasing his ability to blend catchy folk rhythms with relatable social narratives.
What is the significance of the “white shirt” (sudu kamise)?
It symbolizes the narrator’s attempt to shed his identity as a laborer and look respectable enough to pursue a woman of a higher class.
How does the song describe the barrier between the lovers?
The song uses the physical contrast between the narrator’s rough, calloused hands and the woman’s soft, white hands to show that they belong to two different worlds.