{"id":77870,"date":"2022-06-12T01:11:15","date_gmt":"2022-06-12T05:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=77870"},"modified":"2022-06-12T17:17:06","modified_gmt":"2022-06-12T21:17:06","slug":"que-sera-sera-what-will-be-will-be-doris-days-signature-song-of-cheerful-fatalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=77870","title":{"rendered":"“Que Sera Sera” (What Will be, Will be): Doris Day’s Signature Song of Cheerful Fatalism"},"content":{"rendered":"

By
\nD.B.S.Jeyaraj<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first part of my article on Ranil\u2019s return was published in the \u201cDaily Mirror\u201dof May 21st 2022. In that I made a brief reference to the song \u201cQue Sera Sera\u201d sung by the American singer com actress Doris Day. This was in the context of speculation about Ranil Wickremesinghe\u2019s political future. This is what I wrote then \u2013 \u201cHowever as Doris Day sang in \u2018The man who knew too much\u2019 movie- \u201cQue Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be.\u201d<\/p>\n

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When I wrote those lines I had assumed that – most if not all – readers would know about the song and the memorable line. However I was totally surprised by some of the mails I received. Several readers wrote to me asking for more details of the song, about the singer Doris Day and the movie \u201cThe Man who knew too much\u201d. Some had googled and viewed Video Clips featuring \u201cQue Sera Sera\u201d. A few said they liked the song and thanked me for bringing it to their notice.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Once again the painful realisation dawned on me that there was a whole new generation with which, I was not in sync. For me and many of my generation in Sri Lanka ,\u201dQue Sera,Sera\u201d was an evergreen favourite. But now things had changed. I then asked some of my friends in Sri Lanka about the song\u2019s current status in the Island and how the youngsters related to it.<\/p>\n

The answers were quite stunning. A friend who is a few years younger to me replied,\u201dIt is not known by the younger generation. It is not relevant to them. Last generation to sing it would be ours.\u201d I asked another friend whether the song was sung at events or parties. Her reply was \u201cNot really, I’ve not heard it in years\u201d.She went on to say that it was definitely not in vogue with the younger crowd. A third friend\u2019s response was \u201cNope.Most don\u2019t seem to know it . It\u2019s a nice song for children to learn though\u201d.<\/p>\n

It is against this backdrop therefore that this column focuses on Doris Day\u2019s signature song \u201cQue Sera Sera\u201d(what wil be,will be) and the film \u201cThe man who knew too much\u201d. this week. Devoting the article on the first Saturday of each month to a film, film personality or film-related topic is a practice being followed by this column. Perhaps knowing more about the song , described as one that exudes \u2018cheerful fatalism\u201d may be of some use in the trying times we are experiencing nowadays. I have written about this song earlier and shall be drawing from those writings in this article. The third part of the article on premier Wickremesinghe will appear next week.<\/p>\n

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Doris Day (born Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 \u2013 May 13, 2019)<\/p><\/div>\n

The Que Sera Sera song begins with the words \u201cWhen I was\u201d at the beginning of each verse. I shall commence this article by mentioning in the same vein about what this song meant to me during different stages of my life.<\/p>\n

When I was just a little kid enrolled at the Santa Maria Montessori school in Wattala, a song we sang without knowing its meaning then was \u2018Que Sera Sera\u2019;<\/p>\n

When I was a boy studying at S. Thomas\u2019 Preparatory School in Kollupitiya, a song we were taught the meaning of and sang loudly in our singing class period was \u2018Que Sera Sera\u2019;<\/p>\n

When I was growing up, passing through various phases of adolescence, a song we frequently sang and heard being sung was \u2018Que Sera Sera\u2019;<\/p>\n

When I entered adulthood and participated in many a high-spirited sing-song session, one song that was sung repeatedly at such gatherings was \u2018Que Sera Sera\u2019;<\/p>\n

When I departed from Sri Lanka and relocated to Canada, a favourite number regularly sung at parties organised by nostalgic Sri Lankans was \u2018Que Sera Sera\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Man Who Knew Too Much\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

The above passage relates what this song has meant to me over the years. Now let me write more details about the song and how it evolved.<\/p>\n

\u2018Que Sera Sera\u2019 pronounced \u2018Kay Sera Sera\u2019 means \u201cWhatever will be, will be\u201d or \u201cWhat will be, will be\u201d. It is one of the most popular songs to be featured in an English film. It was the well-known singing actress Doris Day who sang it in the film \u2018The Man Who Knew Too Much\u2019 released in 1956. The film was directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock. It was a revised version of a film, by the same name, made in 1934 by Hitchcock. The song written and composed by the American duo Jay Livingston and Ray Evans became an instant hit.<\/p>\n