Muistot karkaa (2019) by Maustetytöt - English lyrics translation

Memories escape

Video: Maustetytöt - Muistot karkaa @ O'Connells, Tampere 2019-2-9

Finnish lyrics Transcribed by Kiisseli (@Kiisseli1337) in a comment on YouTube. Corrections by lilli m.	English lyrics Song made legible and important pieces translated by lilli m, including most of the first stanza, key word in the chorus, clarification of wallet/debt situation, ideation vs ideas at night, clarifying the hunt for the guitarist, and much more as in the notes. Original machine translation by YouTube, Google Translate.
Nyt vieläkö muistan sen baarin ja pöydän Myös muistelen hetken, kai eilisen löydän Ne lupaukset mitkä, hei anna kun mietin Missä helvetissä eilen yöni taas vietin	Do I still remember that bar and table I also think back for a moment, I guess I’ll find yesterday Those promises that, hey let me think Where in hell did I spend my night yesterday again
Ne karkaa, muistot eilisen Ne karkaa, mä vaikka muistelen Ne karkaa, mä paikoilleni jään	They escape, memories of yesterday They escape, even though I look back They escape, I stay where I am
Ai eilenkö nähtiin, no saattaapa olla Oon jälleen kuin päähän ois lyöty halolla Vai velkaako jäin, kaipa takaisin maksan Jospa jostakin lompakon etsiä jaksan	Oh, did we meet last night, well can it be Again I feel like I’ve been hit on the head with a log Or did I owe you a debt, I guess I’ll pay it back If only I can find my wallet somewhere
Ne karkaa, muistot eilisen Ne karkaa, mä vaikka muistelen Ne karkaa, mä kantabaariini jään	They escape, memories of yesterday They escape, even though I look back They escape, I’ll stay in my regular bar
Ai bändi taas koottiin, niit onkin jo monta Ideointi on aina öisin tauotonta Jos kitaristin vielä tarvitsee se Niin ei auta kuin baarista lähteä etsiin	Oh, the band was put together again, there are already many of them Ideation is always non-stop at night If it still needs a guitarist There’s no choice but to go and search in the bar
Ne karkaa, muistot eilisen Ne karkaa, mä vaikka muistelen Ne karkaa, pilvet paikoilleen jää	They escape, memories of yesterday They escape, even though I look back They escape, the clouds stay in place
Missä mä oon, sä kuka oot mä en muista Sukuvikako sekin jos muisti ei luista Enää riittää kun vain kantabaariini löydän Tilaan tuopin ja nurkassa nään vapaan pöydän	Where am I, who are you, I don’t remember Is it a family defect if our memory doesn’t glide I only need to find the way to my regular bar I order a pint and see a free table in the corner
Ne karkaa, muistot eilisen Ne karkaa, mä vaikka muistelen Ne karkaa, mä kantabaariini jään	They escape, memories of yesterday They escape, even though I look back They escape, I’ll stay in my regular bar
Ne karkaa, muistot eilisen Ne karkaa, mä vaikka muistelen Ne karkaa, mä paikoilleni jään	They escape, memories of yesterday They escape, even though I look back They escape, I stay where I am
Mä paikoilleni jään Mä paikoilleni jään	I stay where I am I stay where I am

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

(There is more on bars in the notes.)

Notes

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.

“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 neccesarily 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.)

“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 skiis 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 skiis 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:

Corrections

Corrections or other notes welcomed at ryantate@ryantate.com!

Ryan Tate