Melody

The melody of Muistot karkaa is derived from Leevi and the Leavings’ Jos Helsinki on kaunis, as numerous YouTube commenters have noted. Jos Helsinki on kaunis is about destitute alcoholics in Helsinki.

“They drift away, memories of yesterday”

Some liberty is taken here interpreting “drift away” from “karkaa.” This word is more directly translated as “escape” or “run off.” So more literally this song is “Memories escape” and this line “They escape, memories of yesterday.”

The “drift away” translation nods to the Aki Kaurismäki film Drifting Clouds and its translation of the same root Finnish verb (“karata”) to the same root English one (“drift”).

As lilli m noticed, there is an echo of the film in Muistot karkaa. A subsequent iteration of the chorus ends, “They drift away, the clouds stay in place.” Just as the English film title is embedded in that translated lyric, so is the Finnish title in the Finnish lyrics. “Where else have I seen ‘karkaa’ and ‘pilvet’ together?” asks lilli m. In Kauas pilvet karkaavat, the Finnish name of the film.

It is unclear if Maustetytöt made a conscious homage to Drifting Clouds. But it is worth noting a slight similarity between the chorus of Muistot karkaa and that of the Badding song that closes Drifting Clouds, Pilvet karkaa, niin minäkin. The Badding chorus begins lines with “But the clouds drift far away” and “The clouds drift far away,” an echo of Maustetytöt beginning lines with, “They drift away.” And the Badding chorus ends, “so do I,” an inversion of Maustetytöt’s “I stay where I am.”

“did we meet”

Literally, “did we see,” from “nähtiin,” but with this meaning. (Credit: lilli m)

“hit on the head with a log”

A Finnish saying (credit: lilli m) roughly equivalent to “hit me like a ton of bricks:” A sudden moment of shock or realization.

“regular bar”

This, your “kantabaari,” as lilli m explains, “is like your second living room, you are there often. The staff knows you.” Not necessarily the same as your favorite bar, or “lempibaari,” which you may go to infrequently.

“if it still needs a guitarist”

“It” presumably refers to the band. (Credit: lilli m.)

“the clouds stay in place”

Possible nod to the Aki Kaurismäki film Drifting Clouds, as explained at greater length in a previous note.

“Is it a family defect if our memory doesn’t glide”

“Glide”

“Glide” is from the Finnish “luistaa,” which literally is closer to “slide” or “slip” but which is used to describe, as lilli m puts it, “when the skis go fine, fast, and surely.”

Reference to Veikko Lavi song

As discovered by lilli m, this whole line refers to an old song by Veikko Lavi, “Sukuvika - suksi ei luista,” or, “A family defect - the ski doesn’t glide.” (Lyrics.)

Lilli m notes the legend describing how this song is said to have been born:

The songwriter was relative of a famous (female) skier, who participated in the Olympics. Unfortunately she didn’t manage well. We can say that her skis did not glide/slide/slip. That’s how the songwriter got the idea to compare his life with skiing:

It is a family defect when the ski doesn’t glide, I noticed it on the ski tracks of my life.

Like Maustetytöt, Veikko Lavi performed in an Aki Kaurismäki film, in his case 1994’s Take Care of Your Scarf, Tatiana, which I describe in more detail elsewhere. With Pertti Husu, he performed the song Tanssi, Anjuska. Stills:

Teach yourself Finnish with Maustetytöt!

by Lilli m

With the word “baariini”, you can learn a lot. First, in Finnish we create new words of a foreign language (English, Swedish) by adding an i to the end - and maybe a letter or two to make the pronunciation easier.

b a a r i = the bar

b a a r i n i = my bar

b a a r i i n = to the bar

b a a r i i n i = to my bar