[3] He left school in 1941 and worked as a clerk in a Maliban Street office of a rubber exporter.
[7] In 1991, Somapala went to India for eye surgery where he later died of cancer on 26 March 1991 at the age of 69.
It was during his time at rubber company, he learned music from musicians T. Sandarasekara and Lionel Edirisinghe.
His first song was recorded with renowned musicians Sunil Santha and Surya Sankar Molligoda.
[4] The duo later made several popular songs in the early classical song history such as: Lalita Kalā Opa Karanā, Sīgiri Landunē æyi Oba Thanivī, Dambulu Galē, Dunhinda Hælenā, Sukomala Banda Lelavā, Uḍaraṭa Kandukara Siriyā Paradana, Sarasamu Lankā Naḷavamu Lankā, Isurumuṇiyehi Pætali Galeka, Dakuṇu Lakē Aga Nagarē Gālu Purē Siri, Nuvara Alankārē, Nuvara Vævē, Pembara Mātā and Raṭa Raṭa Ekkoṭa.
Some songs such as Katharagame, Pem Geethe and Sumihiri Paane were recorded twice in Sri Lanka and in Madras for commercials.
In the film, he produced the popular songs: Peradiga Muthu Atayay Me and Goviyawe Rataka Bale.
Somapala directed music for 51 films of many genre which include the blockbusters Deyiyannē Raṭē, Deepaśhikā, Hathara Maha Nidhānaya, Kinkiṇi Paāda, Sudu Duva, Akka Nagō, Pravēsam Venna, Dæn Matakada, Hathara Denāma Sūrayō, Adarē Hitenava Dækkama, Abhirahasa, Suhada Pætuma, Thuṣhārā, Sūrayā Sūrayāmayi, Lassana Kella, Damayanthi, Pembara Madhū and Chaṇḍi Shyāmā.
Somapala and Chitra won the Swarna Sankha Award for Popular Film Music Director in 1966.
On Sunday, 18 May 1952, Somapala wrote an article in Lankadeepa entitled 'Why do I do hybrid music?'