Sunday, July 6, 2014

Fare Thee Well Sharifah Aini



Star Q

Yes, she started her singing career with the cover version of the late Normadiah's song, Seri Dewi Malam and many have said that this song launched her into the world of stardom  Everyone is entitled to his own opinion.  I on the other hand is of the opinion that Normadiah did better with the original version.  But that doesn't mean that the late Sharifah Aini could not sing well.  In fact, among the many local songstresses, she is my absolute favourite where melodious voice is concerned.  And there were very few of her songs that I did not like.

My earliest memory of Sharifah Aini was when I heard her singing Jangan Ku Disalahkan.  It was by chance really!  We were all having dinner and the television set happened to be on.  There was a new show that night (something like the tv version of Top 40!) and Sharifah Aini was singing the song with huge replicas of records hanging behind her as the backdrop. The show was in black and white and the set had much to be desired.  But there was nothing wrong with the singer's voice.  It was so melodious, that it alone compensated for the dreary and insipid background in the tv set.

Many more songs followed after that and I saw myself saving my meagre pocket money that my father gave to me to take to school, just to buy her records every time they came out.  Living in Port Dickson forty years ago did not allow me the luxury of going to town every so often for recreation but whenever Sharifah Aini's record was on sale, I was off to town to purchase one for myself.  I would be playing her songs over and over again on my father's old and run down blue National turntable which ran on batteries; so often that the turntable eventually broke down!  

When I was in form three and my family had moved to Petaling Jaya, Sharifah Aini released her first Asli album, or at least that was the time I bought it, a cassette that is, which consisted of songs like Kasihnya Ibu and Patah Hati.  I sang the songs over and over again like I was hypnotised probably because of the way she sang them.  They were not original songs but she made them original in her own special way.

And in many ways,  Sharifah Aini is a special person; one whose singing talent can never be replaced.  Farewell Sharifah Aini, from now on I shall try to remember you for the many Al-Quran verses that you recited including the ones read in your one and only Malay drama.  Al-Fatihah.



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