Songs of Protest: How The Gypsies Helps Cultivate An Understanding of Sri Lankan Heritage
The biggest band to ever come out of the island nation of Sri Lanka, The Gypsies addresses its beloved country’s major social and governmental issues on the laid back song, “I Don’t Know Why.” The group’s hit single has broken international borders, showing people from all over the world what it’s like to be Sri Lankan.
Music is one of society’s best teachers. In Songs of Protest, writers analyze some of music’s greatest hits, using their findings to make sense of the world around them.
Written by Dhiren Wijesinghe
Photo courtesy of Know Sri Lanka
Sri Lankans love three things more than anything else in life: dancing, booze, and The Gypsies. Formed in the early 1970s, The Gypsies has been my own ticket into truly understanding my heritage as a Sri Lankan-American who has struggled with my cultural identity my whole life.
I’ve never spoken my parent’s native language, I hate cricket, and I can’t remember the last time I went to our local temple. Straight out of the suburbs of Texas, I was born and raised an American. But if there’s one thing I can relate to with my “aunties” and “uncles,” it's my love for The Gypsies.
The band’s biggest hit, “I Don't Know Why,” is a satirical protest about Sri Lanka’s corrupt politicians and social issues. The track sounds like a laid back beach resort tune. With its groovy beat and reggae-like keys, it’s a typical Sri Lankan party song commonly known as Baila music. The moment the song is played at a Sri Lankan party, everyone hits the dance floor. To non-Sinhalese speakers, the song’s English chorus that repeats the phrase “I don’t know why” sounds fun and comical. The band’s lead singer, Sunil Perera, has a voice that makes you feel as if you’re talking to an old friend full of wisdom, while the song manages to perfectly capture the essence of Sri Lankan island life.
Map of Sri Lanka, courtesy of CDC
Even more, the music video for “I Don’t Know Why” may be the most bizarre sight on YouTube. With its eccentric visual effects that look like a rendition of 2005’s “Sharkboy and Lavagirl,” the video shows Perera transforming into various mammals, traveling through space, and dressing up like prominent Sri Lankan politicians. Yet the indescribable video adds to the comedic satire of the entire song. Every aspect of it was very intentional.
At first glance, The Gypsies’ No. 1 hit in Sri Lanka is a nonsensical song with no meaning. However, with the help of my Dad as translator, I soon learned that it covers heavy topics about issues that have plagued Sri Lanka for decades. Since the country got its independence from England in the ‘40s, Sri Lanka has seen countless corrupt politicians harm the nation. Perera covers this in the first verse, singing about how the nation’s leaders have eaten the country alive with their greed and selfishness. As he sings “Dinapuwama morawage mahath wenne ai” (When you win you become big like a whale, why), he comically turns into a whale in the music video to symbolize how bloated politicians become with lies. Ironically, he finishes the verse claiming that he doesn’t “know why” this happens so often.
The band doesn’t stop at criticizing politics, though. They also address classism and the education system in Sri Lanka. A major issue in the country is the poverty gap between the working class and educated upper class. Although the nation’s literacy rate is above the world average at 91%, The Gypsies explains that many Sri Lankans who cannot afford higher education are often left in a cycle of poverty while children of wealthy families can easily climb up the social ladder because of their advanced degrees. Yet again, Perera and his band claim that they “don’t know why” the classism in Sri Lanka exists.
Photo courtesy of Torana
Another aspect of Sri Lankan life that the group satirizes in “I Don’t Know Why” is the country’s high alcoholism level. It’s no secret that Sri Lankans love their alcohol. According to the World Health Organization, 5.9% of Sri Lankan men have some form of alcohol disorder. The band talks about how people drink like dogs, and can’t control themselves in public. They offer an alternative, claiming that one shot will do the trick.
Despite starting in the early ‘70s, The Gypsies still continues to release new music every year as the single highest paid band in Sri Lanka. The group often tours the United States and Canada for Sri Lankan events and parties. Selling out venues is typical for them.
The Gypsies is a unique band that comes off as an eccentric group who know how to party. However, below the surface, they are staunch critics of major issues in Sri Lanka that are often swept under the rug. The band has taught me about my heritage in ways I never would have thought of. They’ve opened up a window into problems I would have faced if my parents chose to raise me in Sri Lanka. They’ve given me a common interest with my relatives and family friends, some of whom I cannot even converse with because of language barriers.
“I Don’t Know Why” has made me realize what it means to be Sri Lankan and connect with my roots. The group has somehow managed to link nonchalant beach-goer music with deep topics that unearth greed and corruption. Still going strong after 50 years of touring between the United States and Sri Lanka, if The Gypsies can’t make you dance, “I Don’t Know Why.”