The Finnish Polka
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Säkkijärven Polkka, or Finnish Polka
The Säkkijärven polka is a well-known tune in Finland. It is also very popular among the Finnish accordeonists, to that extent that it could be called their national anthem. The tune often is attributed to Vili Visterinen, but he himself learned it from others. Anyhow, the melody was first recorded in Säkkijärven, now Kondratyevo in the Leningrad Oblast, Russia. Sometimes the words sung to the song, point out that the Finns may have lost Säkkijärven to the Russians, but that the polka remained theirs. Very interesting about this polka is that it also was used in the military history of Finnland, during the Continuation War (which refers to the hostilities between Finnland and the Soviet Union during world war II). As the Finns re-captured the city of Viipuri which the Soviet army had left, they were surprised by several mystirious explosions, that caused much damage and losses. They discovered Russian mines, each with a mysterious box, containing three iron paths. After lots of research the Fins discovered how this genious mechanism worked: the radio-controled mines went off when a three note chord was played on the frequency the radio was tuned to: as the chord was played, the iron paths vibrated, which caused the explosion of the mine. Each mine had a unique combination. |
Once the experts of the Finnish army and the Yleisradio (the Finnish broadcasting company) had discovered this, they figured out that the Säkijärven Polkka, played by Visterinen, must contain enough notes for not making a three-note chord combination that could cause an explosion. So they brought a mobile transmitter to Viipuri and they let play the Finnish Polka on the same frequencies the mines used. The polka was played continuously from August 1941 till February 2nd 1942, for over 1500 times: it had been calculated that it would take at least three months for the batteries of the mines to be empty.
The "Sarkkijarven Polkka" was played in the film ""Leningrad Cowboys go America" (1989), by the Leningrad Cowboys.
Sources: www.en.wikipedia.org; www.suomensotilas.fi;
http://lyricstranslate.com/nl/s%C3%A4kkij%C3%A4rven-polkka-s%C3%A4kkij%C3%A4rvi-polka.html
The "Sarkkijarven Polkka" was played in the film ""Leningrad Cowboys go America" (1989), by the Leningrad Cowboys.
Sources: www.en.wikipedia.org; www.suomensotilas.fi;
http://lyricstranslate.com/nl/s%C3%A4kkij%C3%A4rven-polkka-s%C3%A4kkij%C3%A4rvi-polka.html
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Finish lyrics
On kauniina muistona Karjalan maa, mutta vieläkin syömmestä soinnahtaa, kun soittajan sormista kuulla saa, Säkkijärven polkkaa! Se polkka taas menneitä mieleen tuo ja se outoa kaipuuta rintaan luo. Hei, soittaja, haitarin soida suo Säkkijärven polkkaa! Nuoren ja vanhan se tanssiin vie, ei sille polkalle vertaa lie! Sen kanssa on vaikka mierontie Säkkijärven polkkaa! Siinä on liplatus laineitten, siinä on huojunta honkien. Karjala soi - kaikki tietää sen - Säkkijärven polkkaa! Tule, tule tyttö, nyt kanssani tanssiin, kun polkka niin herkästi helkähtää. Hoi! Hepo surkoon ja hammasta purkoon, kun sillä on ihmeesti suurempi pää! Tule, tule, tyttö, nyt kanssani tanssiin kun meillä on riemu ja suvinen sää! Säkkijärvi se meiltä on pois, mutta jäi toki sentään polkka! Kun rakkaimmat rannat on jääneet taa, niin vieraissa kulkija lohdun saa, kun kuuntelee soittoa kaihoisaa: Säkkijärven polkkaa! Se polkka on vain, mutta sellainen, että tielle se johtavi muistojen. On sointuna Karjalan kaunoisen: Säkkijärven polkka! Nuoren ja vanhan se tanssiin vie, ei sille polkalle vertaa lie! Sen kanssa on vaikka mierontie Säkkijärven polkkaa! Siinä on liplatus laineitten, siinä on huojunta honkien. Karjala soi - kaikki tietää sen - Säkkijärven polkkaa! Tule, tule tyttö, nyt kanssani tanssiin, kun polkka niin herkästi helkähtää. Hoi! Hepo surkoon ja hammasta purkoon, kun sillä on ihmeesti suurempi pää! Tule, tule, tyttö, nyt kanssani tanssiin kun meillä on riemu ja suvinen sää! Säkkijärvi se meiltä on pois, mutta jäi toki sentään polkka! Kun rakkaimmat rannat on jääneet taa, niin vieraissa kulkija lohdun saa, kun kuuntelee soittoa kaihoisaa: Säkkijärven polkkaa! Se polkka on vain, mutta sellainen, että tielle se johtavi muistojen. On sointuna Karjalan kaunoisen: Säkkijärven polkka! |
English translation
The land of Karelia is only a beautiful memory, but music still sounds from the heart, when the musician's fingers let you hear, the Säkkijärvi Polka! That polka brings past times to mind and creates a strange longing in the chest. Hey, musician, let the accordion play the Säkkijärvi Polka! It takes the young and the old to dancing, nothing compares to that polka! With it even living without a roof is Säkkijärvi Polka! It has the rippling of the waves, it has the waver of the pine trees. Karelia sounds - everybody knows it - the Säkkijärvi Polka! Come, come girl, dance with me now, when the polka jingles so delicately. Hoi! Let the horse lament and clench its teeth, when it has a weirdly larger head! Come, come, girl, dance with me now when we have joy and a summerly weather! We have lost Säkkijärvi, but we still have the polka left! When the dearest strands have been left behind, a wanderer in foreign places finds solace, when listening to the wistful music: the Säkkijärvi Polka! It is only polka, but the kind, that leads to the path of memories. The sound of the beautiful Karelia is: the Säkkijärvi Polka! It takes the young and the old to dancing, nothing compares to that polka! With it even living without a roof is Säkkijärvi Polka! It has the rippling of the waves, it has the waver of the pine trees. Karelia sounds - everybody knows it - the Säkkijärvi Polka! Come, come girl, dance with me now, when the polka jingles so delicately. Hoi! Let the horse lament and clench its teeth, when it has a weirdly larger head! Come, come, girl, dance with me now when we have joy and a summerly weather! We have lost Säkkijärvi, but we still have the polka left! When the dearest strands have been left behind, a wanderer in foreign places finds solace, when listening to the wistful music: the Säkkijärvi Polka! It is only polka, but the kind, that leads to the path of memories. The sound of the beautiful Karelia is: the Säkkijärvi Polka! |
