Charlie Wasn't There - Villestäin vain selän näin

Pirkko Mannola recorded "Villestäin vain selän näin" (I saw only the backside of my Ville) in 1961. It was on the B-side of a Buck Owens cover. The Finnish lyrics for this happy-go-lucky song were written by Kari Tuomisaari. Althousgh Pirkko was quite popular at the time, this particular single wasn't a hit. The original tune was called "Charlie Wasn't There" and it was a minor US hit for here in Finland lesser known songstress Barbara Evans. Barbara scored one very big hit with "Souvenirs" (which is also covered in Finnish, maybe I could find it for tomorrow's finnpick :-)) This "Charlie" song was written by famous songwriting duo Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss.

Here's the pair:

Do It Over Again - Tee kaikki tuo uudelleen

Pirkko Mannola recorded "Tee kaikki tuo uudelleen" (Do that all over again) in 1963. This was one of the records she was accompanied by vocal group Four Cats. The Finnish lyrics were provided by Sauvo "Saukki" Puhtila. Although Pirkko was very popular singer at the time, this particular single was not a hit for her. The original song came from Sweden. Jerry Williams (b. Sven Erik Fernström) and The Violents was a very popular beat group in Scandinavia in the beginning of the 60's and they had a hit with the song in 1963. Jerry - "The Swedish King Of Rock'n'Roll" - was the lead singer in the Violents before going solo. We have already presented Jerry and the band in Finnpicks, see 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:

Der Mann Im Mond - Kuu-ukko

We interrupt the Finnpicks Country Jamboree for a special announcement. Now is the 40th anniversary of the Man In The Moon! We celebrate it with Pirkko Mannola (see previous entry) who recorded several records with the vocal group Four Cats (see previous entry). And one of those was "Kuu-ukko" (Mister Moon) in 1962. The original song "Der Mann Im Mond" (The Man In The Moon) was composed by an Austrian composer and musician Carl "Charly" Niessen, who wrote over 1000 songs. Best known of his schlager -songs is perhaps the "Banjo Boy" fron the 1959. "Der Mann Im Mond" was performed by our old Finnpicked friend Gus Backus (see previous entry), who once was one of the members of the famed vocal group Del-Vikings. This 'moon song' was his third huge hit in Germany for in 1960. He did also a version in English "Queen of the Stars", but it sunk without trace. Perhaps he should have stuck with the moon instead of stars ...

Little Devil - Paha poika

Pirkko Mannola (see previous entry) released "Paha poika" in 1961 in the B-side of a Paul Anka cover. "Paha poika" (Bad boy) was an extraordinary title for a pop song those days, but the lyrics (by Kari Tuomisaari) of course were quite innocent. Pirkko and his male colleague Lasse Liemola were practically the only singers in Finland those days doing POP COVERS, targeting the youth. The rest of the singers were into 'schlager' format that attracted the adult people. The original song "Little Devil" was a product from Greenfield-Sedaka song factory and performed by Neil Sedaka himself. It was a modest hit for him in 1961.

Who Put the Bomp - Maailman paras levy

Pirkko Mannola (see previous entry), singer, actress and former Miss Finland, recorded lots of songs in the beginning of sixties. Most of them were very popular, and most of them were cover versions. One of those was "Maailman paras levy" (World's best record), released as a single in 1962. The lyrics of the song reflect interesting change of roles, as compared to the original song. The girl in Pirkko's song thinks the record is great mainly becouse she got it from the boy she loves, and the boy in the original thanks those who put the 'bomp' in the record that made the girl fall in love with him. The original song was performed and co-written by Barry Mann (born Barry Imberman). Barry Mann was a staff songwrtiter, and did most of his work with his wife Cynthia Weil. Perhaps the most famous song written by them is "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" for Righteous Brothers. In 1961 Mann sang this novelty "Bomp" -song that made the Top 10, which parodied the nonsense words of the then recently popular doo-wop songs.

Updated on 01.01.2010: added Pirkko's German language version "Bam-schi-bam" as Pirko Manola.

Here's the triple:

Adam And Eve - Kuinka rakkaus alkoi

Pirkko Mannola was crowned Miss Finland in February 1958. In that same year she came 4th runner-up in Miss Europe paget. And in no time she was also a singing pop star recording her first single in that same year. In the following year she amde her first movie and couple of years later she was voted as The Best Finnish Film Actress. It really was happening for Pirkko. With a slightly mofified name Pirko Manola she also cut records in Germany. As it happens, in 1962 she was in the national preliminaries of Eurovision Song Contest for both Finland (as soloist) and Germany (duetting with Wyn Hoop). Pirkko recorded "Kuinka rakkaus alkoi"(How the loving started) in 1960. She recorded quite a bunch of covers in those days, so I guess we will hear more of her in future Finnpicks. The original was totally Paul Anka's song, sung and written by him. Paul was as popular in Finland those days a he was all over the world. And his songs were quickly finn-covered. This "Adam And Eve" was not one of his megahits, becouse it was hidden in the B-side of "Puppy Love" released in 1960.

Here's the pair: