Wellcome to get to know Finland and Finnishness, as well as the world of childhood memories, dreams, dance, gymnastics, baking and other interesting topics. Jump along the dance girl's journey!
The dutch tv-program format, orig: ”De beste zangers van Nederland” has also been very popular in Finland. We know it by name: ”Vain elämää” as ”Only life”.This program have also been shown in Sweden, Norway, Estonia and Denmark and it’s my enduring favorites. The idea is that on every season a group of artists come together for about a week and they present versions of each other’s songs. Everyone in turn has their own day. On that day, others will perform his/ or her songs. The artist’s day also goes through her/ or his life. What a great idea this is!
This fall we saw the 11th season of the program and we heard again many wonderful versions of songs by popular finnish artists. Here you can listen some of those songs.
Mariska: ”The double bed sheets” A very touching song of divorce (orig. by Herra Ylppö).
A song remastered by Mariska: ”Sami Kuronen”. The song from a popular, charismatic finnish speaker/radio reporter who’s name is: Sami Kuronen. Sami is hosting Finnish version of Temptation Island and this theme is ingeniously incorporated into the song. A very funny conversion from the original song which was made from ex-miss Nina Autio! The song name was orig.also ”Nina Autio”, sang: Vesku Jokinen.
Mariska: ”Princesses dancing to the stars”. A more touching version of the song by Ressu Redford, orig: ”Princess”
Chorus: ”If you stay by me I don’t promise a moon from the sky, only my love nothing else, if you stay by me…”
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Hän lentoon lähti siivillään. Unesta voinut ei enää herättää. Nyt taivaalta meitä katselee ja läheisiään suojelee.
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With her wings she rose up, flied to the heaven. Couldn’t be waking up, watching us from there. Guarding all her loved ones, always and forever.
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Hanna-Riikka Siitonen were singer, most remembered of the 90’s girl duo: ”Taikapeili” (magic mirror) where she song withNina Tapio (maker of that memory clip).
I was a teenager and big fan of them. I also had their album (on c-cassette). Specially I loved their cover song: ”Mitä yhdestä särkyneestä sydämestä” (What from a broken heart-orig.by Mamba) and also song named: ”Enkelin siivet” (Wings of an angel).
Still their most biggest hit and the first one of their hits were: ”Jos sulla on toinen” (If you got other one). Those days my friend got a school mate called: ”Jossu”. She were teased by that song cause if you say ”Jossu have” in finnish, it’s the same as ”Jossulla”.It sounds the same as ”If you (have)” – ”Jos sulla (on)”. So it’s like ”Jossulla on toinen” (Jossu have other one).
Oh, those days…It’s like ages ago…Hanna-Riikka left too early. Now she’s also in angels choir, like so many others…
This is very tasty kebab made with humour. ”Dorka” means ”dumb” or ”dork” in finnish. It’s used as fake Greece cause it sounds Greece. There is also a funny story on this packet.
”Niin aikaisin”/”So early”
”Nopeimmat junat”/”The most speedy trains”
This song reminds me of my childhood and my youth happy summerdays at summercottage.
There (in Helsinki) have been way too hot for my taste last days. It’s been about 30c. On Tuesday the highest temperature was 32c(/89,60F). If this heat is continuing I’m not sure how can I handle with this. I can’t sleep (well) and I can’t think because of this heat. Even we have had window open every day and night it’s still too hot. It’s quite hard even write these posts cause I can’t concentrate…
Beautiful sky one day nearby our home…
Today it was tolerable but now on the night our house is like sauna again…This is so rare in Finland that I know we should be happy…I promise to try my best!! 😁
Here’s the best songs (or atleast most of those) from ”Vain elämää” all seasons. (English lyrics below videos (except some of those where I didn’t find the lyrics.))
Season 1
Original: Katri Helena. This is an old classic. Cheek updated it to this day.
My last videos didn’t work. (Thanks for Cindy Knoke I realised that.) Those seemed to be working at first so I didn’t know those don’t anymore. Anyway, here is my new links (some extras too). These are from net tv and should be working! By the way, under every song link there is a link for english translation (except those songs where I didn’t find the lyrics). Enjoy!
This song: (Evacuees song) is very touching song about Finland’s continuation War and those evacuees of Karelian after loosing it. It came my mind my grandpa who lost his childhood home at Vyborg (and his parents also). Their home were totally destructed.
This version was surprising. It’s very different than the original version. Sanni wanted Apocalyptica to play this song. What a super great idea! This is an art peace (though I like the original too). Touching song!
Vain elämää is one of my favorite programs. If you don’t know the idea, I’ll tell you. This program is originally from Netherlands and it’s also shown in Sweden (where it came here), Norway, Danish and in Estonian.
VAIN ELÄMÄÄ-FINNISH VERSION
There is a group of popular finnish singers in every season (about 7). They spend 8 days in ”Satulinna” (fairy tale castle) at beautiful area called ”Hirvensalmi” (except at season 6 wegen they where at Spain.) There they perform the songs of each other. Every day is possessed one of them when that one who’s day it is, is telling his/her story. They gather together at lunch and later at dinner. Everybody choose one of her/his songs to perform on her/his own way. (First part is performing at lunch and second part at dinner.) Between the lunch and the dinner they do something together, something which is decided by person who’s day it is. It’s lovely to watch how they get to know to each other and get closer, share emotions, thoughts, music, everything…and those song versions are usually great!
In this season participants where: pop singer Juha Tapio, pop/rock singer Kaija Koo, pop singer Sanni, tango King 1995: Jari Sillanpää, rap-artist: Cheek, ”art pop” singer: Jenni Vartiainen, punk artist: Toni Virtanen.
This is also quite different version compared to the original Apulanta punk band’s version. I like this. It’s so like Kaija Koo’s own song…but I like the original too. Both are great!
I’m confused how great performs all singers in all season’s could do even big part of them have said how they panic those performs. (Someone even said that shed been shaking). I can’t understand how is it possible to perform with strong panic. I so respect and also envy them because of that talent. I couldn’t do that. I have sometimes performed at karaoke bar but as I grew older it always needed some drinks before I could do that and there were no tv-cameras just ”few” drunken people at the bar. Still I have been nervous.
Kaija Koo even have been suffering very bad panic disorder and still she got her way back to stage. She said she thought she couldn’t come back and she was gonna stay retirement but here she is again. She seem to be so confident. I really respect her and love her music! (I do respect those all) but my special favorites in this season with Kaija where: Juha Tapio, Tony Wirtanen and our most successful tango King ever: Jari Sillanpää. He’s big, charismatic showman! By the way, he did once represent Finland at esc with the song: ”It Takes Two To Tango”. Maybe you do remember!
Did you know that singer-song writer: Lee Hazlewood (who made songs for example to Nancyn Sisarta) did record with -earlier years popular- finnish singer: Anna Hanski? I guess not. I didn’t either before I while a go saw one interview of Anna where she told the story behind that collaboration.
It’s an an interesting story. Anna made at 90’s finnish version of the song: ”Summer wine”(”Kotiviin”) and that’s the reason they met. Lee realized he got royalty from Finland from some unknown girl. He called famous finnish show business expert ”Pertsa” Reponen and asked about Anna. After that conversation Lee wanted to meet Anna and the result of the cooperation was the record included their duetto of the song: ”Summer Wine”. (Originale version was performed by Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra.) Anna and Lee became friends but Anna said that when she met Nancy Sinatra she was acting quite arrogant to Anna. Maybe she was jealous…or just typical diva. Lee fell in love to Finland and enjoyed his time there.
Anna also told that some time later Anna went to Spain to could meet Lee once again. She did heard that Lee is there but he wasn’t anymore when Anna came there. Anna left a note to him. Later Anna heard Lee was dead and so they didn’t have a chance to meet again. Remembering that all made Anna very touched in that interview.
I think Anna sounds great on that record. Her voice is very good. She definitely plays not the second fiddle compared to Nancy! Good job! Like Anna said the record is really under rated. I think not very many even knows about that record like I didn’t before that interview.
There is three more songs by Kirka and two songs by his great sister Muska. ”Jari ja Mari” is my favorite of her songs. I guess most of these are quite well known for all with original versions.
For the honor of 100 hundred year Finland, (I have made and) will make some more posts of Finnish notable people. This time I gonna make a post of one finnish legend: ”Kirka” (1950-2007). He was very talented singer! He’s voice was awesome (very national) and he was also versatile singer!
Kirka started as a vocalist at 60’s and became very popular. In autumn 1967 was recorded his breakthrough hit: ”Hetki lyö” which was a translation of The McCoys band song: ”Beat the Clock”.
In 1984 Kirka did take a part to Eurovision song contest with the song: ”Hengaillaan” (let’s hang around) and did place 9th. In 1988 Kirka won Finnish classical song contest: ”Syksyn sävel” (autumn melody) with the song: ”Surun pyyhit silmistäni” (Sadness in your eyes). That became very big hit! The album with the same name is all time 3th sold album in Finland (over 214 000 piece).
Four of Kirka’s siblings were also musicians. One of siblings did drown at the age of two. Also other of siblings (brother ”Sammy” (1948-1973) dyed very young at car accident). Sister ”Muska” (1952) have succeeded as a singer quite well. She also have great, rough voice like her brother Kirka. I specially like her one song named: ”Jari ja Mari” (Jari and Mari).
In 2007 Kirka was going to take part to the Finnish version of the tv-show ”Dancing with the stars” but the destiny decided it other way. Kirka got an heart attack and passed away 10 years ago, 31.1.2007. but he still lives in our heart and he always will!
