Stop The Music - Soitto seis

Yesterday we presented the last waltz in Finnpicks. Well, today is the Last Tango in Finnpicks. The Finns have for long time been a 'Tango Nation'. This was especiaklly true in the first part of the 60's. There was even some bad conflicts between the fans of tango and fans of the aspiring beat anf pop music. Here's an example how a pop tune was turned to a Finnish tango. Eino Grön recorded "Soitto seis" (Stop playing) in 1964 to the Finnish lyrics of Saukki Puhtila. Since then this song has been versioned in Finnish many many times. But the most popular version, which also was a big hit Finland, was done by the Swedish pop group Lenne & The Leekings in 1965. Of the numerous Finnish beat covers we present here the latest one, done by Anza Mertaranta All Stars, featuring our famous sports commentator Antero Mertaranta in drums. The original "Stop The Music" was hard to find. And I'm not sure if this one from 1963 by British pop singer Dick Jordan is the original one. Dick released several cover somgs in the end of 50's and in the beginning of 60's on a budget record label. This was his first attempt to break through with original material. Well, he didn't do it in UK, but.was it was a number one hit in Turkey ...

Only 3 Finnpicks to go.

Here's the triplet:

Many Moons Ago - Kaikki entinen

As I have noted before, Danny had an uncanny habit to pick up obscure - but good - songs to cover. This "Kaikki entinen" (All that was before) was an early example of those. It was released in 1964 on Danny's first single as a solo artist. Prior to that he had cut a couple of singles under "Danny & The Islanders" moniker. It was also his first recorded song sung in Finnish. The original song was performed by a Canadian teen rocker Bobby Curtola in 1964 and was titled "Many Moons Ago". Bobby was a 60s rock'n roll legend in Canada creating even 'curtolamania' when touring. However he was largely unknown outside his home country, except for one song, "Fortune Teller", that became a moderate international hit. Today's finnpick was a track on his "12 Tickets to Cloud 9" album.

Just 16 Finnpicks to go.

Here's the pair:

Washington Square - Washington Square

The vocal group Neljä Penniä ("Four Pennies") recorded in 1964, in the wake of folk music boom the song "Washington Square". This was their one and only single, but they sang backing vocals in many Finnish records at the time. The group onsisted of Ritva Mustonen, Heikki Laurila, Rauno Lehtinen and Raimo Henriksson. They all were renown singers/musicians. This song continued the fine Finnish tradition of doing vocal covers of instumental hits. The original "Washington Square" was a number 2 US hit for The Village Stompers. They were a dixieland music group originating from Greenwich Village, New York. Washington Square Park is one of the best-known of New York public parks. It is the landmark of Greenwich Village and since the end of World War II, folksingers had been congregating on Sunday afternoons in the park.

31 Finnpicks to go.

Here's the pair:

Sveriges elektriska ståltrådorkester - Paras rautalankayhtye

Juha Vainio's (see earlier entry) first big hit as a singer was this "Paras rautalankayhtye" (The best steelwire band) in 1964. Juha did not do much covers, but in the 60's he covered some Swedish novelty songs. This one was originally called "Sveriges elektriska ståltrådorkester" (The electric steelwire orchestra of Sweden). Vainio's Finnish version gave name to the distinctive era of Finnish guitar-driven pop music in the first part of the 60's. Prior to that the bands that played (imitating The Shadows) guitar pop, were called guitar bands, or instrumental bands, but since then they've been known as 'rautalanka' bands. The co-writer and performer of the oringinal Swedish record was Sören Andersson. He was famous in Sweden especially for his musical parodies of contemporary issues. We present here also a newer Finnish version of the same song, done by Kontra for their "Ei kontrollia" -album in 1977.

Here's the triplet:

Please Don't Talk To The Lifeguard - Vartiomies

Markita Mattson (see earlier entry) recorded "Vartiomies" (The guardsman) in 1964 together with vocal group Four Cats. It was released on the B-side her second - which turned out to be her last - single. Unfortunately it was as unsuccessful as the first single. The original song "Please Don't Talk To The Lifeguard" was a minor hit (charted at number 31) in USA in 1963 for pop and rock and roll singer Diane Ray (not to be confused with another songstress Diane Renay). This was her one and only charted record.

Here's the pair:

Do Wah Diddy Diddy - Do Wah Diddy Diddy

Just prior to breaking through with "Tango Pelargonia" in 1964 Kari Kuuva (see earlier entry) recorded this "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" with the group Islanders (Danny's backing group) using the obvious name Kari & The Islanders. The song was on the B-side of their cover of Searchers' "Don't Throw Your Love Away". The Finnish lyrics were written by Kari himself. In 1977 Seppo Närhi did another cover with different lyrics using the title "Meikäläinen makaa niinku petaaki" (I lie in my bed as I have made it). The original "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" was written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and originally recorded in 1963 by the American vocal group The Exciters. They are best remembered for their Top 10 hit "Tell Him" (US number 4)in 1962. (finnpicked here) The "Diddy" song was monster hit for Manfred Mann when they covered it in 1964. You can see them perform it, here.

Here's the triplet:

Gotta Travel On - Nyt nostan kytkimen

Carola released the single "Nyt nostan kytkimen" (Now I'll release the clutch) in 1964. It was a minor hit but her most successful years were still to come. Thr lyrics were provided by Johan "Mosse" Viksted., who is best known for being a legendary boss of a record company and helping to build the career for such artists as Lasse Mårtenson and Carola. The covered song was called "Gotta Travel On". It was made popular by Billy Grammer, an American country music singer and noted guitar player. The song was million-selling single in 1959 and made it onto both the country and pop music charts.

Here's the pair:

Soul Dance - Hippojen jälkeen

As the New Year parties should now be over, this song "Hippojen jälkeen" (After the party) is well in place, And at the same time we start the 2011 Finnpicks Year with style. This 1964 song was recorded by a group of the Finnish finest 60's singers. Eino Grön, Vieno Kekkonen, Laila Kinnunen, Brita Koivunen and Kai Lind - all presented in the earlier Finnpicks entries - sing this song with immacukate style. The original tune was called "Soul Dance" and was performed by Tommy Leonetti (b. Nicola Tomaso Lionetti). Tommy was an American pop singer-songwriter and actor of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970, who had no big hits.. This "Soul Dance" bubbled under Billboard Hot 100 in the beginning of 1964.

Here's the pair:

Johnny (Is the Boy for Me) - Jussista saan miehen armaan

We continue with another timeless piece of music. Metro-tytöt was an all girl vocal group from Kitee, Finland. The group comprised of sisters Anna-Liisa and Hertta Väkeväinen and their cousin Annikki Väkeväinen. Annikki was later replaced by Tamara Dernjatin (b. Tamara Hramova). Metro-tytöt was the most popular Finnish vocal group of the 50's along with Harmony Sisters and Kipparikvartetti. This "Jussista saan miehen armaan" (Jussi will be my dear man) was one of their classics from 1954. Ten years later a vocal group called Tytöt had a hit with the same song. Tytöt was a one-off group, whose members were Finnish top models / beauty queens at the time, fronted by Lenita Airisto. The song that these both groups covered was a 1953 hit "Johnny (Is the Boy for Me)" for Les Paul (b. Lester William Polsfus) and Mary Ford (b. Colleen Summers). Les Paul was a famous guitar builder anf Mary a country singer. The couple made several hits in the 50's with featuring Les's distinctive electric guitar and Ford harmonizing with herself. BTW, Les Paul was the godfather of rock guitarist Steve Miller of the Steve Miller Band. In later years, Romanian light music composer Richard Stein sued Les Paul for plagiarism, charging that "Johnny" was taken from Stein's 1937 song "Sanie cu zurgalai" (Sledge with Bells). And as you can hear yourself after hearing the Romanian original version sung by Maria Lataretu, he was right ...

Here's the bunch:

Green Green - Maantie

Georg Dolivo was a member in the popular vocal group Kivikasvot, and recorded only four songs as a solo singer. "Maantie" (Country road) was released as a single in 1964 and it was on the flipside of our earlier Finnpick "Pieni palanen kultaa" (see here) The original song was performed by American folk group The New Christy Minstrels. The lead vocals in the song were delivered by Barry McGuire (yes, he of "Eve of Destruction" fame), who also co-wrote it. Minstrels sold millions of records in USA and were in constant demand at concerts and on television shows. They also launched the musical careers of several musicians (in addition to McGuire), including Kenny Rogers, Gene Clark, Kim Carnes and Jerry Yester. "Minstrel" show, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface (i.e. their faces painted in black). N.C.M took their name after Christy's Minstrels, a blackface group formed by Edwin Pearce Christy, a well-known ballad singer, in 1843. You can see New Christy Minstrels perform "Green Green" live, here.

Here's the pair:

Johnny Loves Me - Johnny pitää minkä lupaa

Pirkko Mannola recorded "Johnny pitää minkä lupaa" (Johnny keeps his promise) in 1964 and it was released as a single. On the flipside was "Nasta Mesta" (finnpicked here). Not a great success but a nice upbeat song in Pirkko's inimitable style. The original song was written by Larry Finnegan (who had a hit as a singer with "Dear One"). It was performed in 1963 by Dutch/Swedish singer Suzie (b. Maria Pereboom). Suzie was born in Netherlands, but was a Swedish citizen and recorded in Swedish, English, Danish, Dutch, German, French, Italian and Spanish. Later in the 60's she also fronted the Swedish girl group Suzie and the Sunnygirls. You can see her perform the "Johnny" -song in television, here.

Here's the pair:

Sloop John B - Hurja vaari

Finntrio (see earlier entry) sang about "Hurja vaari" (Outrageus grandpa) in 1964 to Juha Vainio's lyrics. It was relased as a single but wasn't a hit at all. The covered song was old Bahamian traditional song "The John B. Sails" that has been covered by numerous artists; Weavers, Kingston Trio, Jimmie Rodgers, and most notably, the Beach Boys. I guess the version that Finntrio covered was that of Kingston Trio. It appeared on their 1958 LP "The Kingston Trio". The "John B." was an old sponger boat whose crew were in the habit of getting notoriously merry whenever they made port. It was wrecked and sunk at Governor's Harbour in Eleuthera, The Bahamas, in about 1900. You can see Kingston Trio perform the song in 2005, here.

Here's the pair:

500 miles - Viimeinen vihellys

Well, the numbers keep getting bigger and bigger. This time we keep an old promise. On the flip side of the 1964 single "Sitruunapuu" (see earlier entry) by vocal trio Anki, Bosse and Robert, was the song "Viimeinen vihellys" (The last whistle). It was a cover of the well-known country classic "500 Miles". The first version was recorded by an US vocal group called The Journeymen. The group consisted of John Phillips, Scott McKenzie and Dick Weissman. Their version of "500 Miles" went nowhere, even if the group got some potential; John Phillips was the future Mamas & Papas leader, and Scott McKenzie was of course the 'San Francisco' -man six years later. The song has been successfully covered many times, most notably by Peter, Paul & Mary and Bobby Bare. The song was written by Hedy West, a folksinger and songwriter. This was her most famous song, and was put together from fragments of a melody she had heard her uncle sing to her back in Georgia . She copyrighted the resulting patched song, and the rest is history ...

Dominique - Dominicus

Marion released "Dominicus" as one of her first singles and it resulted a minor hit in 1964. The lyrics were done by old stalwart Reino Helismaa. The original "Dominique" (Dominique was "great singing traveller who talks only of the Good Lord") was written and recorded in 1963 by Belgian singer Jeanine Deckers. As she was a nun in the Dominican Fichermont Convent in Waterloo, Belgium, she actually was Sister Luc-Gabrielle. But she performed with the stage name of Soeur Sourire (Sister Smile). The song was an international hit and even reached the first place in the Billboard Top 100 chart after it was released in the USA with the artist name 'The Singing Nun'. In 1966, a movie called The Singing Nun was made about her, starring Debbie Reynolds. In 1967, Jeanine recorded a song entitled "Glory Be to God for the Golden Pill" - a pro-contraception song - under the name Luc Dominique. It is easy to understand that it was a commercial failure ...

Here's the pair:

Meu limão, meu limoeiro - Lemon tree - Sitruunapuu

Anki (see ealier entry), Bosse & Robert (see arlier entry) released "Sitruunapuu" (Lemon tree) as a single in 1964. On the crest of the blooming folk music wave it became a hit, together with the cover of another classic "500 miles" on the flip side (we will present that later). It is not generally known that the song is of Brazilian origin. This old folk song was called "Meu limão, meu limoeiro" (My lemon, my lemon tree) and it was recorded first time in Brazil in the 30's. In some sources US writer and lyricist Will Holt appears as writer of the song but he only made the English lyrics. He also recorded it himself (with Dolly Jonah) in 1960. The song was made popular by Peter, Paul and Mary on their hugely successful debut album in 1962. The most known version is of course the one in 1965 by Trini Lopez. Now we proudly present the first original recording of the song made by Jorge Fernandes in 1937, and the first popular English language version by Peter, Paul & Mary.

Here's the triplet:

My True Carrie Love - Pieni palanen kultaa

The group Kivikasvot from yesterday's Finnpicks were not primarily a recording oufit. They concentrated in TV work. But the members of the group all cut solo tracks. Most notably Matti 'Fredi' Siitonen, but also the other three original members. One of those was Georg Dolivo who recorded two singles. This "Pieni palanen kultaa" (A small nugget of gold) was on the second one in 1964. Georg was in the vocal group Kukonpojat (see previous entry) before joining Kivikasvot. The original is a rare song by Nat 'King' Cole (b. Nathaniel Adam Coles). It was the B-side of his 1964 single. Sadly - for being a such good catchy tune - it usually is omitted from Cole's compilation albums. This must be one of his last recordings, as he died in February 1965.

Here's the pair:

Sugar Shack - Nasta mesta

Pirkko Mannola (see previous entry) recorded "Nasta mesta" (Groovy place) in 1964. It wasn't such a big hit for her. Maybe becouse Pirkko's activities were already more on acting side (on TV and on stage) at the time. The original song was called "Sugar Shack" and was performed by US group Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs. The Fireballs were at first an intrumental group but in the early 60s, they added solo vocalist, singer, and pianist Jimmy Gilmer in the line-up. "Sugar Shack" reached #1 on the Billboard chart and earned the group a Gold Record Award for "Top Song Of 1963". BTW - by definition a 'sugar shack' is a small cabin or shack where sap collected from sugar maple trees is boiled into maple syrup.

p.s. I'm taking a Holiday trip, so no Finnpicks for 10 days.

Here's the pair:

You Really Got Me - Paha tyttö

Anki (see previous entry) recorded "Paha tyttö" (Bad girl) in 1964. Anki was in those days in close collaboration with Österberg Brothers, Bosse and Robert (see previous entry), and the Finnish lyrics in this song are by Bosse. The song is quite different from the original, with an exciting arrangement and magical performance by Anki, which is miles away from her folk song offerings. The original was the first smash hit for The Kinks , "You Really Got Me" . It was released as the group's third single, in August 1964, and reached Number 1 on the UK singles chart. This song was heavily influential on later rock and roll musicians, particularly in the heavy metal genre. It even has been said that this track "invented heavy metal".

p.s. this is FINNPICK number 200!

I'm the lonely one - Olen yksinäinen

Ann Christine released "Olen yksinäinen" (I'm lonely) in 1964 on the flip side of a former Finnpick "Odota en" (see previous entry). The tune has become very popular and versioned many times since. The original song was performed by Cliff Richard. "I'm The Lonely One" gave Cliff a Top 10 success in 1964. Gordon Mills, songwriter and later also succesful manager, wrote the song.

Here's the pair:

Farmer John - Farmer John

Enough with that soft stuff! Here's an entry that some consider to be the first Finnish Punk Record. Antti "Andy" Einiö recorded "Farmer John" in 1964. Antti was not a singer (and perhaps you can hear it on the record), but music business man and TV music program host. This was his first and only (well, amost) try in the pop singing. He cut a couple of other rock'n roll songs, but a career as a pop star wasn't his ambition. Antti has especially been known as a promoter, and has frequently given Finns the first opportunity to see the big world stars performing live. In his early years Andy was also an active sportsman, winning Finnish Championships both in hockey and bandy. The original "Farmer John" was delivered with more subdued fashion by American rock'n roll duo Don & Dewey in 1959. Don was Don Bowman (later better known as "Sugarcane" Harris) and Dewey was Dewey Terry. Although Don and Dewey did not have any hits of their own, several of the songs that they wrote and/or recorded would appear on the charts later, performed by other artists. Dewey penned "Farmer John", and it became a hit for the group The Premiers in 1964. Antti Einiö most probably covered Premiers' version.

Here's the pair: