It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Vuoden vaan saan Joulua odottaa

Let's present another track from Timo T.A. Mikkonen's Christmas Album "Joulusydän" (Christmas Heart). "Vuoden vaan saan Joulua odottaa" (It's only a year till next Christmas). The Finnish lyrics for this one were provided by famous Finnish poet and writer Tarleena Sammalkorpi. The original carol was called "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" written in 1963 and recorded and released that year by pop singer Andy Williams for his first Christmas album, The "Andy Williams Christmas Album".

Just 28 Finnpicks to go.

Here's the pair:

Let It Snow!, Let It Snow!, Let It Snow! - Lunta saa tuiskuttaa

As we all know so very well, Christmas is near. There's been quite exceptional weather conditions in Finland - especially in Southern Finland - this winter. No snow, but water everywhere. Finnpicks sends now this Christmas Wish to weather gods: "Lunta saa tuiskuttaa" (Let the snow fall). Timo T.A. Mikkonen recorded the song with that title in 1989 for his Christmas Album "Joulusydän". Timo has many years been a prominent figure in Finnish entertainment - in various ways. This album was his one of his rare attempts in singing. For it, he selected many famous Christmas songs not covered in Finnish before. The original version of today's Finnpick was "Let It Snow!, Let It Snow!, Let It Snow!". It was written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne already in 1945. It was first recorded by baritone singer Vaughn Monroe (sometimes called "the Baritone with Muscles") and has since been covered countless times by many artists. It is commonly regarded as a Christmas song - but despite the song's winter holiday feel, it is a love song that never mentions Christmas.

Just 29 Finnpicks to go.

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Give Me Hope Jo'anna - Toivotaan Jo'anna

Arja Saijonmaa (see earlier entry) recorded this "Toivotaan Jo'anna" (Let's hope Jo'anna) in 1989. It was released just as an album track on his album "Yhteinen taivas ja maa". The original song "Give Me Hope Jo'anna" was written and performed in 1984 by Eddy Grant. Eddy was the founder and leader of the beat pop group The Equals in the 60's and 70's and later launched a successful solo career. He often wrote songs with openly political tendencies, especially against the then-current apartheid regime of South Africa. And this 'Jo'anna' -song is the anthem amongst all those. "Jo'anna" stands for Johannesburg, and as one might guess, the song was banned in South Africa. In UK, it became a Top Ten hit, and in Netherlands it hit number one.

55 Finnpicks to go.

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Twist In My Sobriety - Rakkauden muistomerkki

This piece of music is among my favourite songs of the 80's. Meiju Suvas recorded "Rakkauden muistomerkki" (Monument of love) in 1989. It was released on her album "Sydän tietää" and also as a single, being a minor hit for her. The Finnish lyrics were written by Turkka Mali. The original song "Twist In My Sobriety" was a worldwide hit fot Tanita Tikaram. Tanita was a British pop/folk singer who startedperforming in nightclubs while she was still a teenager, and made her debut album "Ancient Heart" in 1988 when she was oly 19 years old. This "Twist" was the second single release - the first one was "Good Tradition" - from that album. Tanita got her exotic name and looks from a Malaysian mother and a Fijian father.

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California Blue - Aikaan täysikuun

Now we have reached the last stop (for now) of our journey accross USA. And there we meet two great late singers. Kari Tapio recorded "Aikaan täysikuun" (When it's full moon time) in 1989 for his eponymous album. The song cecame a radio hit. The Finnish lyrics were written by Kari himself.  The original song "California Blue " was on the "Mystery Girl" -album, the last album recorded by Roy Orbison, posthumously released in 1989. It was also a minor hit when released as a single. The song was written by Orbison with Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty.

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These Boots Are Made For Walkin - Saappaat ampuu lujaa

Anna Hanski (see earlier entry) is mostly known of her slow ballads. But she can rock too. Anna recorded "Saappaat ampuu lujaa" (Boots shoot fast) in 1989 and I bet you have never heard a version quite like this of the original song "These Boots Are Made For Walkin''. This was a mammoth hit for Nancy Sinatra in 1966. The song was written by Lee Hazlewood. Eventually, Lee wrote "Boots'' for himself. But Nancy told him that 'It's better for a girl to sing it, because when you sing it, it sounds mean. When I sing it, it will be sexy and cute.' Well - let's now hear Lee's tongue-in-cheek version, on which he throws comments on the original.

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Bylo no proshlo - Tule poika uimaan

Anna Hanski is the daughter of Seppo Hanski (see previous entry). She had her first great hit with "Tule poika uimaan" (Boy, come on and swim) in 1989. Anna was very popular in the first years of 90's having many big hits and best-selling albums. She has a special intimate style of singing not quite insimilar to Nancy Sinatra's and eventually she did several covers of Lee Hazlewood songs, which got her into collaboration with Lee. They even recorded an album together in 1993. I'm sure we hear a lot of more of Anna in future Finnpicks. The original song came from former Soviet Union. It was called "Bylo no proshlo" (It was, but it is gone) and was performed by Sofia Rotaru (full name Sofia Mikhaylivna Yevdokymenko-Rotaru). Sofia was born in Soviet Ukraine and is a singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, film producer, fashion designer, dancer, author and actress (person of many talents, isn't she!). She is known for combining a lyrical deep rich voice, sex appeal, and social or religious themes in her songs. In 2000 she was named "The Singer of the XXth Century" - that must be in the Eastern Europe, I guess ...

Here's the pair: