Pajolaine – Raitilla

1. Tatuoitu taksikuski

trad., text Kuittinen & Tammela

A runo-song abouta tattooed taxi driver and a road trip taken with him to Petroskoi, Karelia. It is based on a true story tahta happened to pajolaine. The song was recorded at Emmi’s car while driving.

2. Raitilla

trad.

Girls singing on the village street. This traditional ingrian song was taught to pajolaine by an ingrian woman named Impi. She wanted to sing us a song about two young girls like us. ”We are two young girls singing and walking , and when we met two handsome boys we started to walk with them, telling some secrets.” Recorded on Mannerheimintie, the main street of Helsinki.

3. Kävelinpä kerran

trad., arr. Kuittinen & Tammela

A cheerful love song, learned from the grand old karelian folk singer Helmi Rekina. ”Once I walked with my love by the riverside. Then I heard a bird singing and and asked his name, but the bird wisely answered that friendship, affection and love last only a day or two…”

4. Oi kuldaine

trad., arr. Kuittinen & Tammela

A ludian song sung in the swing about love and other important things. Oh mother, open the window so I can see my love.

5. Kaunis Karjala

Iivana Ljovkin

Beautiful Karelia, where the Cuckoo sings, the Maiden meets her groom and the shepherd plays his flute.

6. Rosunka (Hyvä täs on nuoren noissa)

trad.

A veps song with finnish lyrics, traditionally sung in the forest. A forest by the lake and the sea is a good place for a girl to grow up in. Pajolaine also sang this song there.

7. Onpa Kanani

trad., arr. Kuittinen & Tammela

A viena Karelian yoik, sung by Maria Vasiljena Malkina (B. 1886). A maiden grew up on a beautiful shore. She has been proposed to, but can she please her new mother-in-law Muaire? Recorded by the lake.

8. Kazvatti

trad., arr. Kuittinen & Tammela

A ludian folk song from Kuujärvi. I was brought up with my mother in a beautiful garden, but when I got married I got four sorrows: new mother & father, sisters- and brothers-in-law, a drunken husband, and the fact that I am living in a strange place. I wish swallow could take me back to my mother.

9. Annahan mie

Kuittinen & Tammela

A lament to a bride on the last evening before the wedding, sung in the sauna. Let me talk to you for the very last time. Your voice will not be heard here any longer. I hope the ancestors and gods will help you in your new land.

10. Kokko

trad.

A traditional runo wedding song. An eagle, the Groom, is catching the most beautiful chicken, the maiden, from the brood to be his bride. How does he find her? Trying to hide a beautiful girl proves to be difficult.

11. Jettan prata

trad., arr. Kuittinen & Tammela

A traditional polka with many variations of the lyrics . Topics vary from going to St. Petersburg to going to the sauna, and finally to driving a fast car. Pay attention!

12. Petroskoi

Iivana Ljovkin

Everybody’s driving to Petroskoi! To the beautiful city by the lake Onego! Cars are driving there, so let’s buy the tickets! A live recording from a concert at the Seurasaari museum.

13. Tiirininna

trad.

Ludian short songs. These songs are called ”pajo”, and as a derivatite of this word pajolaine means a really small song. ”Sing, girls, make a wad of your songs. After you marry, girls, lock up your songs.” The back-up choir is the audience from the concert at the Seurasaari museum.