Leevi and the Leavings was a popular Finnish band that operated from 1978 t… Read Full Bio ↴Leevi and the Leavings was a popular Finnish band that operated from 1978 to 2003.

The band consisted of Gösta Sundqvist, Risto Paananen, Juha Karastie and Niklas Nylund. Sundqvist was the leader of the band, he composed and wrote all the band's songs as well as being the vocalist. Sundqvist was also an interesting character, he rarely gave interviews or appeared on television, although he hosted a radio program for YLE, the Finnish national broadcasting company.

The band's music relied heavily on Sundqvist's tragicomedic lyrics and catchy choruses. The best example of the band's style is the song "Teuvo, maanteiden kuningas" ("Teuvo, the king of the highways"). The song tells the story of a reckless driver dreaming about being a rally driver. Other famous songs include "Rin Tin Tin", a bitter-sweet reminiscence of a long lost romance, "Unelmia ja toimistohommia" ("Dreams and office work"), "Pohjois-Karjala" ("North Karelia") and "Itkisitkö onnesta" ("Would you cry of happiness"). Many people rate Sundqvist's lyrics the best pop lyrics in Finland, and even a tv-play based on the characters of his songs was produced and broadcasted in Finnish TV.

The band was extremely popular, and many of their songs are sung by Finns in karaoke bars. Leevi was also famous for never performing live. On August 15, 2003, Sundqvist passed away at the age of 46, and the band decided to call it a day.

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Jerusalem
Leevi and the Leavings Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tämä levoton hiljaisuus
Epätoivoista pelkoa synnyttää
Oi, Jerusalem

Mihin jäänyt on laupeus
Epäluuloko meistä sen pois myrkyttää
Oi, Jerusalem

Kuka tarttuu kiveen viimeiseen
Kuka kipeämmin lyö
Kuinka selittäisi lapsilleen
Että nyt on jouluyö
Missä rauha on maailman
Missä taitomme toisia ymmärtää
Oi, Jerusalem

Voiko rauha tullakkaan
Väkivaltaan niin helppo on yllyttää
Oi, Jerusalem

Kuka tarttuu kiveen viimeiseen
Kuka kipeämmin lyö

Kuinka selittäisi lapsilleen
Että nyt on jouluyö

Overall Meaning

These lyrics are from Leevi and the Leavings' song "Jerusalem". The song speaks about the restlessness and fear in the world and how it is leading to despair. The opening line "Tämä levoton hiljaisuus" (This restless silence) sets the mood for the song, which talks about the lack of mercy and understanding in the world, symbolized by Jerusalem, a city with a long history of conflict and violence.

The lyrics question the state of the world, asking "Missä rauha on maailman?" (Where is peace in the world?) and wonder whether it is even possible to achieve peace, given the ease with which violence can be stirred up. The repeated refrain "Kuka tarttuu kiveen viimeiseen, kuka kipeämmin lyö" (Who will pick up the last stone, who will strike the hardest) highlights the sense of hopelessness in the face of violence and aggression.

Line by Line Meaning

Tämä levoton hiljaisuus
This restless silence

Epätoivoista pelkoa synnyttää
Breeds desperate fear

Oi, Jerusalem
Oh, Jerusalem

Mihin jäänyt on laupeus
Where has kindness gone

Epäluuloko meistä sen pois myrkyttää
Or has suspicion poisoned it away from us

Kuka tarttuu kiveen viimeiseen
Who will grab the last stone

Kuka kipeämmin lyö
Who strikes it harder

Kuinka selittäisi lapsilleen
How to explain to their children

Että nyt on jouluyö
That this is Christmas night

Missä rauha on maailman
Where is peace in the world

Missä taitomme toisia ymmärtää
Where is our skill to understand each other