populärkulten

söndag 19 december 2021

Julkalendern (Christmas Calendar) Dec 19

Slot 19: Kylan ligger över hela stan (cd-single version)/Lustans Lakejer

(The Cold is all over town)

From today, Sunday, the weather turns colder again. And there’s a true Nordic winter feeling - freezing cold, dark and blue - in this cd-single from legendary Swedish New Romantic/Synthpop group Lustans Lakejer.

Kylan ist die Kälte auf Deutsch.

I found this specific cd-single many years ago in a small, obscure record store in Stockholm that I never located again. The single is from 1999, and I think I bought it the following year. Perhaps the shop closed very shortly thereafter. It focused strongly on singles and club-12”s, no less.

And this single-version was worth bying, it is (slightly) better than the album version.

lördag 18 december 2021

Julkalendern Dec 18

Slot 18: 1972/Anssi Kela

The years pass us by…

Anssi Kela’s fine hit 1972 (from 2003) is a reflection on school class reunions and what happens over time, how different life turns out for classmates, 10, 20 years later.

Anssi Kela’s classic debut album Nummela came out on cd 2001, and now, 20 years on, the album for the first time is also available on vinyl (2 LP, orange-coloured vinyl). I like.

fredag 17 december 2021

Julkalendern Dec 17

Slot 17: Stad i Ljus/Måns Zelmerlöv & Per Andersson

(City in Lights)

The videoclip is called Vartannat ord-duett (The every second word duet).

It should have been just one more duet in a row of ex tempore duets that have been performed on tv music game shows. But then actor / comedian Andersson and singer Zelmerlöw decide to challenge themselves just for fun and take turn singing every second word of the lyric. A recipe for disaster, you may think. The studio staff is excited, and the (studio and tv) audience just can’t believe their ears as the song builds up. A one-off, but what a moment, when a prank turns into pure magic.

Bonus Slot 17b: Stad i Ljus/Tommy Körberg

The original version. A Eurovision song contest contribution for Sweden in 1988, and a massive hit for good-voiced singer Körberg.

torsdag 16 december 2021

Julkalendern Dec 16

Slot 16: 11th Street Kids/Hanoi Rocks

The most famous and legendary cult band from Finland on the international scene, Hanoi Rocks, were mega-big in Finland and friends with for example members of Mötley Crue, who like other international glam-metal bands idolized Hanoi Rocks. 11th Street Kids is from first, break-through, album ”Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes - Hanoi Rocks”. One of several great songs.

Band leaders, singer Michael Monroe and guitarist Andy McCoy, both started long-term solo artist careers after Hanoi Rocks split up.

onsdag 15 december 2021

Julkalendern Dec 15

Slot 15: Viidestoista Yö/Juice Leskinen

(Fifteenth Night)

Juice Leskinen was one of the greatest rockpoets in Finland, a legend with clever and often ambiguous lyrics, as well as a writer of touching poetry and insightful notes.

His intact personal library is nowadays on display as meeting-room Juicen Kirjasto in Viola-koti, Tampere. The song Viidestoista yö, about an approaching Fifteenth night and the hope for tranquility, after a worried, roistering fortnight, is one of his most popular evergreen-hits.

Very Juice.

tisdag 14 december 2021

Julkalendern Dec 14

Ruta/Slot 14: Ängeln i rummet/Laleh

A frisky, warm and touching live cover version of Eva Dahlgren’s Swedish megahit, performed in front of a live/tv audience at Skansen, Stockholm.

Laleh (Pourkarim) was born in Iran and moved with her family to Sweden when she was 10. A good representant for a new (and already established) generation star musicians in Sweden - and a great pop singer and songwriter.

JulRockKalendern (halvtid, del 1-13/halftime part 1-13)

Först, beklagar den långa pausen,

sorry for a long break!

Christmas is approaching and I have a Christmas RockCalender going on for a few good friends. And then a simple, obvious question was raised, why not post that playlist here? Yes, why not, indeed.

So starting at about half time I will bring you up-to-date with the calender. The idea was to present one example of fine Finnish and Swedish popular music each day 1-24 December. That is, a short introduction to Finnish and Swedish popular music in general, not specifically to Christmas-celebrating songs, a certain genre or time.

Och samma på svenska,

JulRockKalendern var först bara en passning till några goda vänner, ett dagligt tips på bra finsk och svensk musik 1-24 december. Tanken var en kort introduktion till finsk och svensk populärmusik, inte en specifik lista med jul-tematiska sånger, ingen enskild genre eller tidsperiod.

Och på frågan varför inte kalender-playlisten körs på bloggen blev ju svaret givet: ja, varför inte.

Så, med en försenad start från omkring halvtid kör vi igång.

The story thus far….

JulRockKalendern / ChristmasRockCalender

Part 1-13

Dec 1: Lev nu dö sen/Miss Li

Dec 2: Jag har vänner/Mikael Wiehe

Dec 3: Leevi & The Leaving/Vasas Flora och Fauna

Dec 4: Sportti voittaa!/Klamydia

Dec 5: Raparperitaivas/Leevi & The Leavings

Dec 6: Suomirokkia/Aknestik

Dec 7: Höstvisa/Von Hertzen Brothers