OF SONG & MUSIC
Apart from his acting and directing, P. Ramlee was also noted as a composer, lyricist and arranger. This is really what sets him apart as a multi-talented artist without equal. In composing his songs he often received help from his many contemporaries, including his songs he often received help from his many contemporaries, inclusing lyricists such as S. Sudarmaji, Jamil Sulong, HM Rohaizad and Ainol Jamal..
For musical arrangements his artistic influences included Osman Ahmad and Yusof B. In all, P. Ramlee wrote some 1000 songs during his lifetime.
As mentioned earlier, his early musical interest centred around the violin and the ukulele. The piano only came into his path a little later. Apart from Azizah his original compositions were Mi Jawa, Joget Malaysia and Di Padang Kota.
The open-minded P. Ramlee was fond of injecting his music with a variety of beats. Certain traditional Malay dance beats such as the inang, asli zapin, masri and joget were popular choices. Alternating with these traditional beats he chose the waltz, rumba, cha cha, the twist. Middle Eastern, Chinese and Hindustani rhythms, he deemed appropriate for his films.
The stories in his songs do not depict sweet love in their entirety. There are sad songs such as DI MANA KAN KU CARI GANTI, ENGKAU LAKSANA BULAN, TOLONG KAMI BANTU KAMI and JANGAN TINGGAL DAKU. His ‘beauty’ melodies include the popular AI AI TWIST, BUNYI GITAR, APA GUNA BERJANJI, MADU TIGA and SELAMAT PENGANTIN BARU.
Melodious comedy can be appreciated in ACI ACI BUKA PINTU, NASI GORENG, MENCECEH BUJANG LAPOK, APEK & MARJINA, BILA MAMA PAKAI CELANA, YANG MANA SATU IDAMAN KALBU and DENGAR INI CERITA. Songs such as GELORA, TIADA KATA SECANTIK BAHASA, DALAM AIR TERBAYANG WAJAHMU, SERI BULAN and SAAT YANG BAHAGIA are romantic songs rejoicing the happiness of couple in love.
One of his many advantages was his ability to deliver his own songs personally, either in solo or in duet with other singers such as Saloma and Normadiah. This had the effect of leaving a greater impact on the audiences.
If AZIZAH was his first song, then his swansong must surely be AIR MATA DI KUALA LUMPUR, written not long before he took his final breath.
LOVE & MARRIAGE
P. Ramlee was married three times. His first wife was Junaidah, daughter of actor Daeng Haris. Married in the early 50’s after the film BAKTI, their relationship fell apart even though they had a child, Nasir.
In February 1955, he married the second time to Norizan. This marriage too was shortlived and ended in divorce.
P. Ramlee later took to a singer named Salmah Ismail whose stage name was Saloma. They got married in November 1961. In Tembeling Road, Singapore. This third marriage was considered an ideal match because they were so right for each other, even in their duets.
The marriage lasted till his death. On the 29 of May 1973, a solemn calm settled upon the Malay arts community, as the nation’s ‘ARTIST SUPREME’ was laid to rest.
It is true that language sometimes cannot express the greatness that P. Ramlee has sowed for the nation. Even in death the legend of P. Ramlee shall long be remembered.
AWARDS & TITLES
P. Ramlee’s stature in the arts is evident in the variety of awards he received at national and international levels. His earliest success came when he was named BEST SONGWRITER at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival in Hong Kong in 1956 for the film HANG TUAH which was directed by Phani Majumdar.
In acting, his first accolade came in the form of BEST ASIAN ACTOR for the film ANAKKU SAZALI in 1957. A year later, his film direction of SUMPAH ORANG MINYAK bagged the trophy for BEST PHOTOGRAPHY, also at the Asia level.
P. Ramlee reached the peak of his fame when he was named THE MOST VERSTILE TALENT at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival in Tokyo in 1963. He received this honour for the film IBU MERTUAKU.
The unstoppable man further made history when three of his directions – PENDEKAR BUJANG LAPOK, NUJUM PAK BELALANG and MADU TIGA – were proclaimed BEST ASIAN COMEDY in 1959, 1960 and 1964 respectively.
In honour of his invaluable service to the arts, P. Ramlee was awarded the AHLI MANGKU NEGARA (AMN) by the third Yang di Pertuan Agung of Malaysia, HM Tuanku Syed Putra Alhaj ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail, in 1962.
In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the honoured title of PANGLIMA SETIA MAHKOTA (PSM)‘ARTIST SUPREME’ a national role model for the country’s artistic community. which carries the title ‘TAN SRI’, from the ninth Yang di Petuan Agong of Malaysia HM Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Yusuf Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-Lah. With this second royal recognition, he is now undoubtedly the nation’s
The Nationel Archieves did not forget his immense contributions. In 1984, his final home along Jalan Dedap in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur was renovated and extended to become the P. RAMLEE MEMORIAL LIBRARY. Also refurbished was the humble home where he was born in Penang, which today is a subject of study by his fans and students of art alike. The Malaysian government has also named several roads after him in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Kuching.
Apart from that, his name adorns the hallways of several important buildings such as the P. RAMLEE AUDITORIUM at Angkasapuri (the nation’s broadcasting centre), the P. RAMLEE MINI-THEATRE at the National Film Corporation (Finas) as well as the RAMLEE MALL in the Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest building in the world.
Specially for the music lovers, a business group, Renong Berhad together with EMI Malaysia jointly produced a special instrumental album called THE BOLSHOI BALLET ORCHESTRA PRESENTS TAN SRI P. RAMLEE in 1998. This was the very first time an orchestra of such high international recognition recorded pieces of P. Ramlee’s ‘ evergreen’ melodies into an album with high quality.
On 15 August 1998, the P. RAMLEE FAN CLUB was launched to bring together the many followers and lovers of his work, as well as to ensure that the treasures left us by the great man be preserved.
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