While other folk metal bands began with metal before adding folk music, Korpiklaani started with folk music before turning metal. The roots of Korpiklaani can be traced back to a Sami folk music group under the name of 'Shamaani Duo', an "in-house restaurant band" created by Jonne Järvelä in 1993. An album of folk music (Hunka Lunka) was released under this name before Järvelä relocated and "Shamaani Duo" morphed into "Shaman". Shaman was the second incarnation of Korpiklaani, formed in 1996 which is notable for the heavy use of original native Sámic music elements and lyrics in Northern Sámi. The band's music was based on the folk music of Shamaani Duo. The most widely used elements are the shamanic drum, yoik and humppa. Besides yoik, the vocals vary from clean to rather aggressive growling.
The musical style of Shaman is quite distinctive, especially in the slow songs, due to its entrancing atmosphere created by the monophonic, "narrow" synth sound making the deep contrast to the spacious sound of the acoustic guitar, the shamanic drum and yoik singing. The first recording released under the name of Shaman was the demo single Ođđa máilbmi (New World in Northern Sámi). The video clip shot for the song featured a wolf breaking free from its cage and running into the forest. Besides the single CD the song was included on the band's first full-length album Idja (Night in Northern Sámi, 1999) as well. The band released another album, Shamániac, in 2002. The band underwent another evolution in 2003, and "Shaman" became "Korpiklaani" (with only Järvelä and drummer Samu Ruotsalainen remaining from the last "Shaman" lineup), with the music style to a more conventional folk metal with folk/thrash vocals instead of yoiking. Shamániac had already featured a strong resemblance to the future Korpiklaani style. In fact, the song, "Vuola lávlla", has the same music as the Korpiklaani song, "Beer Beer".
The change in name was accompanied by a change in the music. The traditional yoik vocals and the use of the Northern Sámi language were dropped while the synthesizer was replaced with real folk instruments. Jonne Järvelä credits his work with Finntroll as the catalyst for the shift in emphasis from folk to metal. Their song lyrics are often related to alcohol and partying. According to Jonne Järvelä, Korpiklaani's music would be seen as "old people's music with heavy metal guitars" in Finland.
There has been some collaboration between Korpiklaani and Finntroll, as Samu Ruotsalainen of Finntroll provided session drums for their debut album Spirit of the Forest and Järvelä provided the yoiking for the title track of Finntroll's album Jaktens Tid. Juha Jyrkäs has written some Finnish lyrics to Korpiklaani and from 2011 lyrics are written by poet Tuomas Keskimäki, who writes lyrics in the old Finnish "kalevalametre".
In September 2011 Korpiklaani announced that Jaakko "Hittavainen" Lemmetty would be leaving the band due to personal health issues which made the constant touring and recording impossible. First his replacement was violist Teemu Eerola and later, nowadays permanent member, Tuomas Rounakari. In 2013 accordion player Juho Kauppinen left Korpiklaani and the new accordion player is Sami Perttula.
Wooden Pints
Korpiklaani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who have never seen the sun
But they really know how to party
Little men from underground
Who have never seen the sun
But the really know how to party
[Chorus:]
And they fight and dance 'till the morning
Tables full, reindeer meat
And the camp fire shines and the brick walls are full candles
Tables full, wooden pints
They don't care about their sins
They just wanna get drunk and party
[Chorus]
Long war is now past
Only good men have lasted
They need women, meat, beer and rom
Fight battle full of blood no thoughts about god they just slaughtered killed and tormented
[Chorus]
Korpiklaani's "Wooden Pints" is a celebration song of the lifestyle of the little men living underground who knows how to party and enjoy themselves, despite not having seen the light of the sun. The song depicts a scene where these underground men come aboveground to party with their drinks in wooden pints, eating reindeer meat by the campfire as the brick walls shine from candlelight. The men are not concerned about their sins and only live in the moment, wanting to drink and dance until morning.
The song establishes a contrast between the dark and damp place where the men live their daily lives and the festive atmosphere above ground where they can drink and forget about everything else. This contrast is emphasized by the rise of their wooden pints and their yoik and song - a traditional form of Sami singing - representing a release of emotions and the carefree nature of the moment.
The chorus of the song repeats several times, signifying the unification and togetherness of the men, who come together to fight, dance and celebrate their lives. The song ends by speaking about the past wars and the need for the men to have women, meat, beer, and rum to continue fighting without too much thought about God or other sacred beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
There's men, underground
There are people living underground
Who have never seen the sun
They have never been exposed to sunlight
But they really know how to party
Despite their living conditions, they know how to have a good time
Little men from underground
Short individuals from underground
The rise their wooden pints and they yoik and sing
They lift their wooden cups and sing a traditional Finnish song
And they fight and dance 'till the morning
They vigorously dance and fight until sunrise
Tables full, reindeer meat
Tables are full of reindeer meat
And the camp fire shines and the brick walls are full candles
The campfire illuminates the room and the walls are decorated with candles
Tables full, wooden pints
The tables are crowded with people holding wooden cups
They don't care about their sins
They are not concerned with ethical or moral violations
They just wanna get drunk and party
They only desire getting intoxicated and having a good time
Long war is now past
A lengthy battle has ended
Only good men have lasted
Only the honorable men have survived
They need women, meat, beer and rom
They require females, meat, beer, and space to celebrate
Fight battle full of blood no thoughts about god they just slaughtered killed and tormented
In the heat of the battle, there was excessive bloodshed and no consideration towards divine judgment as they ruthlessly fought and inflicted pain on one another.
The rise their wooden pints and they yoik and sing
They lift their wooden cups and sing a traditional Finnish song
And they fight and dance 'till the morning
They vigorously dance and fight until sunrise
Contributed by Colin H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@EvangelionPower
The proper lyrics:
Eesdrnn, awreram,
Hoowareve sinnra san,
Badde rivino hawrte parrthe.
Innderevveravvadram,
Hoowareve sinra san,
Badde rivino hawrte parrthe.
CHORUS:
Bederestepudapaiste erijokaiswin
Eddepoida estinre maarnn. (×2)
What can't you understand in this?
@neverxmind_3644
+Lajos Cumeláger Actually it's :
There's men, underground
Who have never seen the sun
But they really know how to party
Little men from underground
Who have never seen the sun
But the really know how to party
[Chorus:]
The rise their wooden pints and they yoik and sing
And they fight and dance 'till the morning
@vslav_dm
Lyrics:
There's men, underground
Who have never seen the sun
But they really know how to party
Little men from underground
Who have never seen the sun
But the really know how to party
The rise their wooden pints and they yoik and sing
And they fight and dance 'till the morning
Tables full, reindeer meat
And the camp fire shines
And the brick walls are full candles
Tables full, wooden pints
They don't care about their sins
They just wanna get drunk and party
The rise their wooden pints and they yoik and sing
And they fight and dance 'till the morning
Long war is now past
Only good men have lasted
They need women, meat, beer and rum
Fight battle full of blood
No thoughts about god
They just slaughtered killed and tormented
The rise their wooden pints and they yoik and sing
And they fight and dance 'till the morning
@xgiaco2000
There's men, underground
Who have never seen the sun
But they really know how to party
Little men from underground
Who have never seen the sun
But the really know how to party
[Chorus:]
The rise their wooden pints and they yoik and sing
And they fight and dance 'till the morning
Tables full, reindeer meat
And the camp fire shines and the brick walls are full candles
Tables full, wooden pints
They don't care about their sins
They just wanna get drunk and party
[Chorus]
Long war is now past
Only good men have lasted
They need women, meat, beer and rum
Fight battle full of blood
no thoughts about god
they just slaughtered killed and tormented
[Chorus]
@fardreaming
I had to try and find this again after all these years, partially to make sure it wasn't actually just a strange dream.
@maksphoto78
Finnish people know how to do stuff! They raise their wooden pints, and they yoyk and they sing, and they fight and dance till the morning.
@guitar.enjoyer2
Exactly my feeling man, this is incredible ;))
@kennethc4391
I laughed the shit out of me when the violin guy got out of Frodo's house.
@alessandrabernaccino8040
I laughed the shit out of me for that and also after reading your comment, exactly my thoughts.
@sobek
Did someone say Frodo?
@gamesmaker1
that's a shitter m8
@joseluiscastillo4730
Naaaaazguuuuuul!!!!!!! D:
@naomid.5062
Kenneth C I’ve literally just done the same! 😂😂😂
@kspruce1991
Ahh man when that guy busts out of the outhouse playing the shit outta that fiddle.. still fucking bangs in 2021!!