Nypykät, "The Kings of Polkka", was formed in Heinola, Finland in 1986. It … Read Full Bio ↴Nypykät, "The Kings of Polkka", was formed in Heinola, Finland in 1986. It was active until about 1993.

The orchestra had its heyday in the early years, touring and recording singles Lastenlaulu and Jazzilla taivaaseen/Kanuunaralli. The orchestra had fun on stage, and the audience found it fun. After recording the first album Kanuunaralli for Poko Records, the boys found it too much to be professional musicians, had some traumatic times, new starts with little success, and at last broke up.

The other guitar player Kalle Vastamäki put it in 2001: "Everyone should have as fun youth as we did. And we should get another as fun youth. But it's not possible in Finland. The government is to blame."

Official Homepage

Lastenlaulu
Nypykät Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

refrain:
Venäjänmaa toi lapsilleen vanhoja mummoja
Ja niiden sisällä on uusia mummoja. (3x)

Ruotsinmaa toi lapsilleen kauniin kuninkaan
Joka kuitenkaan ei kukaan olekaan

refrain2:

Mutta Suomi soi, Suomi soi,
Suomi soi lapsilleen puhuvan kissan

Tanskanmaa toi lapsilleen lego-autoja
Ja kielen jollaista ei pysty puhumaan

Norjanmaa toi lapsilleen öljylauttoja
Ja kyvyn nauttia sillin hajusta

refrain2

Pohjanmaa toi lapsilleen
Kansantanhuja, jotka menee näin:
"Ranttantali-jali-jallallei,
Rai-riia rallallei,
Ranttantali-jali-jallallei,
Rai-riia rallallei,
Hyvästi nyt vanha kulta,
Hyvästi nyt vanha kulta,
Taas on tytöllä,
Ja taas on tytöllä,
Ja taas on tytöllä tauti!"

USA toi lapsilleen kumipalloja
Ja soivia leluja ja paljon karkkia

Kiinanmaa toi lapsilleen sata miljoonaa
Leikkikaveria. Kiina on kehitysmaa

refrain2

refrain

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Nypykät's "Lastenlaulu" include different countries bringing gifts to their children, but the gifts are not always what they seem. For example, Russia brings old grandmothers with new grandmothers inside of them, Sweden brings a beautiful king who is actually no one, and Norway brings oil rigs and the ability to enjoy the smell of herring. However, Finland brings a speaking cat, which is a gift that is unique and valuable to children.

The song continues with Denmark bringing Lego cars and a language that cannot be spoken, and the United States bringing rubber balls, musical toys, and candy. China brings millions of playmates, but the reminder that it is a developing nation. Lastly, Pohjanmaa brings traditional folk dances, which are described with lyrics and a lively rhythm.

The overall theme of "Lastenlaulu" seems to be that not all gifts are what they seem, and that the best gifts are often the simplest ones. By contrasting the different countries' offerings, the song provides a humorous but thoughtful commentary on the importance of valuing what we have.

Line by Line Meaning

Venäjänmaa toi lapsilleen vanhoja mummoja
Russia gave its children old grandmothers

Ja niiden sisällä on uusia mummoja. (3x)
And inside them are new grandmothers.

Ruotsinmaa toi lapsilleen kauniin kuninkaan
Sweden gave its children a beautiful king

Joka kuitenkaan ei kukaan olekaan
Who really isn't anyone

Tanskanmaa toi lapsilleen lego-autoja
Denmark gave its children Lego cars

Ja kielen jollaista ei pysty puhumaan
And a language that can't be spoken

Norjanmaa toi lapsilleen öljylauttoja
Norway gave its children oil rigs

Ja kyvyn nauttia sillin hajusta
And the ability to enjoy the smell of herring

Pohjanmaa toi lapsilleen Kansantanhuja, jotka menee näin:
Pohjanmaa gave its children folk dances, which go like this:

"Ranttantali-jali-jallallei, Rai-riia rallallei, Ranttantali-jali-jallallei, Rai-riia rallallei, Hyvästi nyt vanha kulta, Hyvästi nyt vanha kulta, Taas on tytöllä, Ja taas on tytöllä, Ja taas on tytöllä tauti!"
"Ranttantali-jali-jallallei, Rai-riia rallallei, Ranttantali-jali-jallallei, Rai-riia rallallei, Goodbye now, old dear, Goodbye now, old dear, Now the girl has it again, And again, the girl has the sickness!"

USA toi lapsilleen kumipalloja
The USA gave its children rubber balls

Ja soivia leluja ja paljon karkkia
And musical toys and lots of candy

Kiinanmaa toi lapsilleen sata miljoonaa
China gave its children one hundred million

Leikkikaveria. Kiina on kehitysmaa
Playmates. China is a developing country

Mutta Suomi soi, Suomi soi, Suomi soi lapsilleen puhuvan kissan
But Finland plays, Finland plays, Finland plays a talking cat to its children

Contributed by Lucy P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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