07. Mary Hopkin impersonators and Finnish mods: The adoption of British Invasion-era pop music in Finland

KARI KALLIONIEMI


 

1. Teijo Joutsela and Humppaveikot, “Hän sinun on”

From: “Hän sinun on” (original, “She Loves You”, Beatles) / “Kaikki rakkauteni” (original, “All My Loving”, Beatles), Scandia ks 578, 1965, 45 rpm.

 

Discogs

 

Recording of a sympathetic and gentle-spirited humppa (the trad-jazz-flavoured fast fox, developed first in the turn of the 1950s and 1960s as the musical parody of interwar brass band jazz) cover version of Beatles song “She Loves You”, made at the height of Beatlemania in Finland.


 

2. Renegades, “Thirteen Women”

From: “Cadillac” / “Thirteen Women”, Scandia ks 1009, 1966, 45rpm.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

Birmingham beat group Renegades performing in the Finlayson knitting factory (Tampere) in Finnish television show Loco-Motion (1966).


 

3. Wigwam, “Häätö”

From: Fresh Garbage – Wigwam Rarities, Love Records LXCD 626, 2000, original Love Records LRS 1047, 1970.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

The de-anglicization of Finnish rock, happening in the case of Wigwam by finding inspiration from the Finnish national epic Kalevala in the shamanist chant “Häätö”.


 

4. Fredi (Matti Siitonen), “Muukalainen”

From: Rakkauden sinfonia, Finnlevy SFLP 9546, 1973.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

Exemplary cover version of British glam-rock-era hit made originally by David Bowie and recorded by mildly innovative middle-of-the road Finnish schlager artist Fredi.


 

5. Jimi Sumen Projekt, “Neon Life”

From: Between Orient and Accidents, DIGLP16, 1981.

 

Discogs

 

Finnish guitarist Jouko Tapani ‘Jimi’ Sumén and his band Jimi Sumen Projekt, once a member of British new-wave synth-band Classix Nouveaux, and his adoption of British synth-pop, influenced heavily by David Bowie’s Berlin-album-trilogy and British art-pop band Japan.