Arto Sotavalta (see previous entry) recorded "Rock & roll (sait parhaat vuodet)" (Rock'n roll, you got the best years) in 1975. It was not the only Finnish cover of this song but perhaps the most touching and sincere. The original song was written and performed by an Australian singer and songwriter Kevin Johnson in 1973. This is by far Kevin's best known song. It charted in several countries. According to him "the song reflected his frustration with his own stagnation, and the futile attempts of Australian artists trying to break into America or England". US singer Mac Davis had a big hit in USA with the song in 1975 (charted in Billboard at number 15).
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4 comments:
Great to find your blogs - much founds made till now yet! This song is covered by Kai Hyttinen in the year 1975 too with the name "Rock`n`roll - sen teit" http://aanitearkisto.fi/firs2/kappale.php?Id=Rock+n+roll+sen+teit . This version is to hear on Musicme at least.
Hei! Your blog is great, but I an really trying to find a Finnish-language cover version (from around 1980 I think) of Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll". Please can you help me? Kiitos!
Thank you for kind words. The cover version you are referring to, is probaly the one by a Finnish rockker named Kari Peitsamo. He recorded "Rock and Roll" in 1983. I'll try to locate it for you. There's also another Finnish version, by the legendary Eläkeläiset band, made in the 1990's.
That would be great, thanks! I'd love to hear the Kari Peitsamo version - he seems to be quite a character.
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