Juha Vainio
Encyclopedia
Juha Harri "Junnu" Vainio, also known as Juha "Watt" Vainio (10 May 1938 in Kotka
, Finland
– 29 October 1990, Gryon
, Switzerland
) was a Finnish
lyricist
, singer, composer and teacher. With the lyrics or music to over 2,400 songs to his name, Vainio is as one of Finland's most prolific lyricists along with Reino Helismaa
and Vexi Salmi
. Vainio enjoyed a short professional career as a teacher at Kymenranta Primary School.
Vainio began writing songs in the early 1960s and continued until his death. Apart from his home town Kotka, he lived for several years in Helsinki
and Espoo
. In his last years Vainio lived in Gryon, Switzerland, where he died of a heart attack in October 1990. He is buried in the family grave in Helsinki.
He was given the nickname "Watt" on account of a song on his first solo record, the 1964 Paras rautalankayhtye ("The Best Rautalanka
Band"). Never used by itself, the nickname was always part of "Juha Watt Vainio".
. his two siblings were Marja (born 1944) and Markku (born 1946).
Vainio's grandfather, Emil Alajääski (born 1881), changed his name to Vainio soon after the turn of the century. Vainio's family on his father's side boasted many athletes whilst Kaarina Vainio had some athletic background. After becoming engaged to Kaarina in 1937, Tauno Vainio worked in Vuoksenniska as a regional head of the White Guard
, and was known as a man of principle. Kaarina Vainio had a middle school
education, and Tauno Vainio had graduated as a trade technician.
As a child, Juha Vainio loved singing and the family's neighbours often asked him to come over and perform. When the Winter War
started in 1939, Juha was too young to understand events. After his father went to war as a captain of the military reserve force
, Juha moved with his mother to Metsola, Kotka. As an adult, the only thing Juha Vainio remembered from the war were the air-raid sirens and people's anxiety. He once said that he was more afraid of the women next door than the war, but on the other hand admitted that the war left him with emotional scars. His song Eräänlainen sotaveteraani ("Some Kind of War Veteran"), on the album Sellaista elämä on ("That's How Life Is"), echoes these sentiments. Because Kotka was a harbour town and often bombed, Juha and his mother had to often evacuate. Sometimes they went to stay at her mother's cousins during the evacuations where Juha became friends with Olli Miettinen, a cousin of his mother. The two had an age difference of six years. The only brother of Kaarina Vainio, Mauno, was killed in the war.
In 1945, the Vainios moved into a detached house in Metsola where they lived until 1950 before moving again to Kotkansaari, in the centre of Kotka. Juha Vainio recalled that the most beautiful years of his childhood were spent in Metsola. It was there that he met Nestori Miikkulainen, four years his senior and who later featured in Vainio's song Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä
("Moustached Bachelors"). Vainio often spent time in the harbour of Kotka with his friends. He was fond of the sea throughout his life.
As a child Juha Vainio was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, causing his lips to turn blue, and the onset of rapid breathlessness. He underwent a heart operation in early 1949 at the same time as his mother suffered an attack of tuberculosis from which she later recovered. Juha was at first kept in the adults' ward due to the serious nature of the operation, but later transferred to the children's ward to recover. He soon went home and began to get better.
in Kotka. At the same time his family moved from Metsola to Kotkansaari. During his school years, Vainio's best friend was Risto "Tiso" Warjus, two years his senior. They both sang in the Kotka Gymnasium choir. Vaino's music teacher at the gymnasium, Arvo Vainio, was nicknamed "Junnu" on account of his big nose resembling that of a comic book character of the same name. Later on the name was given to Juha Vainio because he had the same surname as the teacher.
When he was fifteen, Vainio felt sure he would become a writer. As a young man he read a book about poetics, and later said that the rules were easy to break once he had learned them. It became apparent in essays written whilst at the gymnasium that Juha had talent as a writer. However, teachers sometimes had mixed feelings about his writing; at one time he received no grade for a lighthearted column-like text he had written, because the teacher felt that it could not be graded as an essay. Although essays were his strong point, school was uninteresting for Juha. He considered quitting school, but the principal persuaded him to change his mind. He was transferred to another school and was later joined there by his friend Risto Warjus. In the end, the only school subjects in which Vainio excelled were singing and sports.
Around 1957 Vainio's family moved from the centre of Kotka to near the harbour. After a few years they moved again, this time to a neighbourhood near Sibeliuspuisto. From childhood, Juha Vainio practiced sport even though before surgery he had suffered from heart problems. He liked football and basketball, which were very popular in Kotka and also practiced high jump together with Tiso Warjus. After his heart operation, Juha's physical condition deteriorated, but doing sport helped him improve it.
music in Kotka was the restaurant Fennia where performers including Keijo Laitinen and the cousin of Vainio's mother, Olli Miettinen played. Although Vainio was under-21 and classed as a minor, he managed to slip into the restaurant where he presented his lyrics to the musicians and was occasionally allowed to play the piano. Vainio recalled that his friends remembered him as being always penniless. He started drinking more and more, often asking his friends for a drink.
In late 1956 Vainio lived next door to one of his musician friends, Heikki Kauppinen, who was three years his senior. Vainio also became acquainted with drummer Erkki Liikanen. The friends had different tastes in music with Olli Miettinen and Reijo "Rempo" Tani listening to jazz, while Vainio liked schlager
music. Vainio later named and described many of his friends in his song lyrics.
Vainio was called up
in 1957 for service in the Finnish army. He was 19 years old and in the penultimate grade of gymnasium. However, he did not want to start his military service right after the matriculation exams, because he wanted to find a profession first. The next spring, the last year of gymnasium, he decided to go to Paris for the holidays with his friend Pekka. Vainio was supposed to pass his matriculation exams in the spring of 1959, but he failed the Swedish
exam and had to wait until the autumn to pass it.
when Juha started his studies there. He studied at the Yhteiskunnallinen korkeakoulu (School of Social Sciences, which later became the University of Tampere
) and later the Opettajakorkeakoulu (School of Vocational Teacher Education) where he graduated as a school teacher.
Juha Vainio taught higher classes at Yläpää Primary School where the pupils informally called him "Junnu". His teaching methods were relaxed, such as making the pupils sing a children's song instead of a hymn in the morning. The pupils could also eat and watch television with Vainio. In 1964 he had a temporary absence from teaching due to military service. Already having some reputation as a lyricist, whilst in the army Vainio was assigned to write the lyrics for the new cadence
of the Karelia Brigade
. Vainio finished his military service in the autumn of 1964, at the age of 26.
, Georg Malmstén
and Henry Theel. As a young man he trained to play music because he wanted to become a professional musician. He started writing lyrics for friends' bands, and his texts brought him some fame. Vainio was above all a lyricist; he wrote lyrics or music for over 2,400 published songs, the majority of which were recorded by others. Many of Vainio's lyrics were written for Toivo Kärki
's compositions. He translated popular foreign songs into Finnish, work that he later abandoned since translators only received a fixed payment for their work rather than royalties
.
At the beginning of his career, comedian Spede Pasanen
asked Vainio and his friends to play in a radio show called Ruljanssiriihi ("Thrashing House of Rigmarole"). The band accepted, and after Pasanen gave up the radio show to start his television career, the musicians followed him. They played in Pasanen's shows including Speden saluuna ("Spede's Saloon") and 50 pientä minuuttia ("50 Small Minutes").
With the help of his friend Erkki Liikanen, Vainio got a record deal with recording company Finndisc. His debut single, Paras rautalankayhtye was recorded in 1964. At the same time Vainio received the nickname "Watt", which was printed on the front cover of the single. Vainio wrote lyrics for several performers, including Katri Helena
. In 1965 his parents and siblings moved to Helsinki, and at about the same time Vainio and his family moved to Espoo
, where they lived for over 25 years. In 1966 he lost a good friend when Olli Miettinen died at the age of 34.
Vainio's songs Mistä löydän ystävän ("Where Do I Find a Friend") and Maanantaitango ("Monday Tango") had already been recorded by Katri Helena in 1963 before Vainio's military service. After leaving the army, Vainio befriended composer and music journalist Sauvo Puhtila (known to the Finnish public by the pseudonym Saukki), who told him that Yleisradio
was in need of lyricists. Eager to leave his job as a teacher, Vainio quit and started collaborating with musician Reino Markkula. Their song Sä kuulut päivään jokaiseen ("You Belong in Every Day"), composed by Markkula with lyrics by Vainio, was given to Eino Grön who made it into a hit.
Vainio worked at Fazer Music as a lyricist with monthly salary and at the same time wrote his own songs. He translated several international hits into Finnish, including Piilopaikka ("Hideout", originally "You've Got Your Troubles
") by Danny
and Nyt meni hermot ("Now I'm Furious"), which became the breakthrough recording of pop group "The First". Vainio was often late for arranged studio sessions, which irritated the bands and the company's management. At 30, Vainio wrote one of his best-known translations, Fredi
's Kolmatta linjaa takaisin ("Back along Kolmas Linja"). Another success was his translation of The Beatles
' "Penny Lane
", recorded by Pepe Willberg as Rööperiin ("To Rööperi
"). Although Vainio's version is set in Helsinki, he has said he was thinking about Kotka when he wrote the lyrics.
In addition to writing songs for others, Vainio became a popular solo artist. He also wrote the music to several of his songs, despite never considering himself a singer or a composer but above all a lyricist. At first he worked with Pertti Metsärinne's orchestra, recording the song "Hum-Boogie" (wordplay on the word humpuuki, meaning "humbug"). Among his first recorded songs were Jos vain saisin nastahampaan takaisin ("If Only I Would Get the Spike Tooth Back") from 1964 and Suolaa, suolaa, enemmän suolaa ("Salt, Salt, More Salt") along with Juhannustanssit ("Midsummer's Ball") from 1965. All were included on Vainio's debut album, Juha "Watt" Vainio.
In the mid-1960s Vainio had success with Sellanen ol' Viipuri ("Such Was Vyborg"), Turistit tuppukylään ("Tourists Arrive in the Small Town") and a song written with Erik Lindström, Herrat Helsingin ("Big Shots of Helsinki"). When the Finndisc company was sold to Scandia, Vainio and Lindström's collaboration ended. Vaino soon afterwards became acquainted with composer Jaakko Salo, who was introduced to him by Saukki. He started writing lyrics for composer Toivo Kärki
, who had lost his primary lyricist Reino Helismaa
in January 1965.
Well-known songs from the late 1960s and early 1970s included Suomi–Ruotsi ("Finland–Sweden") and the 1971 release Matkarakastaja ("Travelling Lover"), which met with criticism. While Vainio's early albums were collections of singles, he recorded his first proper studio album in 1972. The album Viisari värähtää ("The Pointer Twitches") included the song Kaunissaari (a reference to a place in Finland), which Vainio recorded several times during his career. It was also included on his next album, Tulin, näin ja soitin ("I Came, I Saw, I Played"), which was released in 1975. Although Matkarakastaja and Viisari värähtää were Vainio's earliest published compositions, it was not until late 1970s that he began to compose music more actively.
In 1966 Vainio befriended Vexi Salmi
and Irwin Goodman
. The trio made a summer tour called Kansalle mitä kansa haluaa ("Give People What the People Want") but at times Vainio was too intoxicated to perform. Vainio and Reijo Tani made a collection of singles in 1968 called Juha "Watt" Vainio ja Reijo Tani. The album included Vainio's Kauhea kankkunen ("Horrible Hangover") and Vanha salakuljettaja Laitinen ("Old Smuggler Laitinen"), which were both collaborations with Toivo Kärki. The latter song was named after Keijo Laitinen, a good friend of Vainio's. In 1970 Vainio started writing causerie
s with Gunnar Mattsson.
Often late and in the habit of leaving a lot of paperwork unfinished, shortly before he quit teaching Vainio organized an excursion for the pupils to express his gratitude for the time he had spent with them.
in case he ran out of something to drink. Vainio's deteriorating family relationships are considered to be one reason for his drinking. Many of his friends were heavy drinkers as well but despite his drinking problem, he always managed to finish his lyrics on time.
Vainio's friends Heikki Kauppinen and Reijo Tani quit drinking in 1972, and at first Vainio found their decision odd. When Vexi Salmi was hired by Fazer in 1970, Vainio and Salmi started drinking together often and sometimes even came to work with hangovers. On one occasion, Vainio forgot that he was supposed to have finished the text of an advertising tune. When the deadline arrived, Vainio was too hung over to finish the lyrics and eventually Salmi agreed to help by writing the lyrics for Vainio's composition. Vainio's alcohol use increased in the 1970s, and his parents watched without being able to do anything about it. It is reported that Vainio would not go to sleep at night unless he had liquor under his bed, and he always kept a bottle with him. Vainio began to realize that he could not live like this forever. By summer 1975 he decided that he needed to stop drinking altogether. He was especially helped in this decision through his meeting footballer Kai Pahlman
, who told Vainio that he was surprised he was still alive. In late 1975, Vainio stayed sober for four months, but then caved in for a short time. In January 1976 he finally managed to quit drinking for good.
Vainio was supported by his friends who had quit drinking a few years earlier, such as Osmo "Osku" Kanerva. Eino Grön, a friend of Vainio's, decided to follow his example and managed to quit a year and a half after Vainio. Vainio never wanted to be called a teetotaler and considered himself a recovered alcoholic. After he quit drinking, Vainio's songs became more serious and more sensitive, although he still wrote humorous lyrics as well.
Although Vainio himself did not consume alcohol, he was tolerant about others' alcohol use and could spend time with his friends even if they drank, keeping alcohol in his house in case his friends came over. He also began discussing the topic of drinking in his lyrics. Getting rid of his alcohol problem did not solve Vainio's domestic problems; he and Taina ended up divorcing.
In 1976 Vainio's Jawohl, jawohl from Kansi kiinni ja kuulemiin ("Shut the Lid and Goodbye") was criticized for its commentary about German tourists who visit Lapland. The album also featured a sensitive song, Mä uskon huomispäivään ("I Believe in Tomorrow"). Other well-known songs from the album are Playboy 60 v ("Playboy 60 yrs"), Suomi–Ruotsi and Taas lapsuuden maisemiin ("Back Again to Where I Grew Up").
Vainio began composing actively in the late 1970s, although he had already published his own compositions at the beginning of the decade. His earliest compositions include Matkarakastaja and Viisari värähtää. Among his most popular songs from the late 1970s is Käyn ahon laitaa ("I Walk by the Side of a Glade") from the 1979 album of the same name. Even though Vainio had already quit drinking, he still occasionally sang about alcohol. Vainio started writing more sensitive songs, a trend which became evident in his next albums. 1981's Albatrossi ja sorsa ("The Albatross and the Duck") contains one of Vainio's most well-known songs, Albatrossi. The topic of the song was lost youth. Another sensitive song on the album is Apteekin ovikello ("The Pharmacy Doorbell"), the idea for which Vainio got from Tapio Rautavaara
. Other well-known songs were Panaman konsuli ("The Consul of Panama") and Kun mä rupesin ryyppäämään ("When I Started Drinking").
In 1976, Vainio was hired to write a number of bawdy songs which were later released on cassette tape. Vainio wrote a part of the songs and sang on the record with all musicians using pseudonyms, Vainio's being Junnu Kaihomieli. Many of the songs were based on a familiar melody whose copyright had already expired; for example, the song Kumi-Roope ("Rubber Roope") was an obscene version of the folk song Rosvo-Roope ("Roope the Robber"). In 1979 Vainio participated in another recording of similar songs. The songs were released on compact disc in 1992 and 1997 as Pahojen poikien lauluja 1–2 ("Bad Boys' Songs 1–2") and Porno-ooppera / Pahojen poikien lauluja 3 ("Porn Opera / Bad Boys' Songs 3"). Both records went gold.
In 1982 Vainio collaborated with bodybuilder Kike Elomaa
when they sang together on the single Kunto nousee sullakin ("You'll Get in Shape Too"), with lyrics by Vainio. The B-side of the single was Pokkana ja paikallaan ("Serious and Still"), sung by Elomaa alone. A compilation album called Sellaista elämä on ("That's How Life Is") followed in 1983, consisting of the most popular songs Vainio had himself recorded. 1985's Elämää ja erotiikkaa ("Life and Erotica") was Vainio's last finished studio album. Popular pieces from the album included Aleks ja Jaan ("Aleks and Jaan"), Heiskasen kanssa kun heiluttiin ("When We Hung Out with Heiskanen") and Yksinäinen saarnipuu ("Lonely Ash Tree").
After his divorce, Vainio had started dating Pirkko Heikkala. The couple were married on 27 December 1981 in Kuusamo. In 1983 they had a daughter, Suvi. The couple moved to Switzerland
in the late 1980s. In 1988 Katri Helena
, Eino Grön, Pave Maijanen
and other popular artists performed at a concert organized to celebrate Vainio's 50th birthday.
s. Vainio had eaten too much of the medicine by accident, and his heartbeat started to slow down. Once a stewardess found out what had happened, she saved Vainio's life by quickly forcing him to vomit.
Vainio gave his last performance on 12 October 1990. He died of a heart attack in his home in Gryon, Switzerland, on October 29, 1990, in the arms of his wife. He was 52 years old. A burial ceremony was held in the town of Vevey
, and Vainio's body brought back to Finland and buried in the family grave in Hietaniemi graveyard in Helsinki.
The day before he died, Vainio had become friends with ice hockey coach Juhani Tamminen
and dined with his family. According to Tamminen, Vainio had been in good condition at the time. The following week Tamminen learned of Vainio's death from a friend who had read about it in a Finnish newspaper.
The record Vainio had worked on during the final years of his life was released posthumously by Scandia in 1991 as Viiskymppisen viisut ("Tunes of a Fifty-year-old"). Especially important for Vainio had been the song Kauan sitten ("Long Ago") which he had recorded in the early 1970s. Vainio's most important collaborator during his last years was producer Jaakko Salo.
Among the pseudonyms used by Vainio were Junnu, Junnu Kaihomieli, Jorma Koski, Ilkka Lähde, Mirja Lähde, Kirsi Sunila and Heikki Ilmari. The name Junnu Kaihomieli was used for Vainio's bawdy songs in the late 1970s.
regards Vainio as the pioneer of Finnish 1960s humorous songs since he began their composition before Irwin Goodman
. Producer Jaakko Salo commented that Vainio's career found a new start once Vainio quit drinking. According to him, it is evident from Vainio's texts that his songs are based on his own experiences.
According to writer and film director Jukka Virtanen, Vainio usually wrote his lyrics at the same time as the music. This is evident in the song Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä, written as a waltz
and whose lyrics feature an aged bachelor who never got to dance at his own wedding. Virtanen has said that while Vainio worked at a fast pace, songs were never easy for him to write. His work did not become easier when he quit drinking, but it did become more emotional.
's anthem Tappara on terästä ("Tappara Is Made of Steel"), which was composed by Reijo Lehtovirta in 1976. Tappara's manager Mikko Westberg asked Vainio to write a song for the team, requesting that the lyrics contain the phrases "Tappara is made of steel" and "rye bread". Vainio became a lifetime fan of Tappara after writing the song.
Vainio was fond of the sea and sailing. He often took his family and friends sailing in his boat, and in 1987 bought an island in Österskär
with his wife Pirkko. His love for sailing is evident in the song Kaikki paitsi purjehdus on turhaa ("Everything But Sailing Is Pointless"), which was composed by Lasse Mårtenson
.
The "Juha Vainio Award" (Juha Vainio-palkinto) for writers was introduced in 1991 and is given annually to notable Finnish lyricists with yearly prize money of 5,000 euros (previously 30,000 Finnish markkas). In December 1994, a club named Junnun Lauluseura (Junnu's singing club) was established. Its members include Vainio's friends Keijo Laitinen, Pertti Metsärinne and Reijo Tani. The club has published two books entitles Junnun laululipas 1 and Junnun laululipas 2.
Vainio's work continues to have major relevance in Finnish popular music, an example of which being two Vainio cover albums by Vesa-Matti Loiri
in 2003 and 2004.
All of the songs that Vainio recorded were published in 2008 in a CD boxed set Legendan laulut – Kaikki levytykset 1963–1990 ("Songs of the Legend – All Recordings 1963–1990"). It included his advertising jingle
s, bawdy songs and a book. A compilation album released with the boxed set called Legendan laulut – 48 mestariteosta ("Songs of the Legend – 40 Masterpieces") reached second place in Finnish album charts. Juha Vainio's son Ilkka Vainio is in the music business and works as a music producer and songwriter.
Kotka
Kotka is a town and municipality of Finland. Its former name is Rochensalm.Kotka is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of Kymi River and it is part of the Kymenlaakso region in southern Finland. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
– 29 October 1990, Gryon
Gryon
Gryon is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle.-Geography:Gryon has an area, , of . Of this area, or 28.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 52.3% is forested...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) was a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, singer, composer and teacher. With the lyrics or music to over 2,400 songs to his name, Vainio is as one of Finland's most prolific lyricists along with Reino Helismaa
Reino Helismaa
Reino Vihtori "Repe" Helismaa was a Finnish singer-songwriter, musician and scriptwriter, mainly known for his humorous, yet homely songs. One of his best-known interpreters was Tapio Rautavaara.-Works:...
and Vexi Salmi
Vexi Salmi
Veikko Olavi "Vexi" Salmi is a Finnish lyricist. He has written the lyrics to numerous popular songs for several prominent artists, including Irwin Goodman, Jari Sillanpää, and Katri Helena. His career as a lyricist began in the 1960s, and continues to the present day...
. Vainio enjoyed a short professional career as a teacher at Kymenranta Primary School.
Vainio began writing songs in the early 1960s and continued until his death. Apart from his home town Kotka, he lived for several years in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
and Espoo
Espoo
Espoo is the second largest city and municipality in Finland. The population of the city of Espoo is . It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen....
. In his last years Vainio lived in Gryon, Switzerland, where he died of a heart attack in October 1990. He is buried in the family grave in Helsinki.
He was given the nickname "Watt" on account of a song on his first solo record, the 1964 Paras rautalankayhtye ("The Best Rautalanka
Rautalanka
In common usage the Finnish word rautalanka means instrumental rock in general. Some enthusiasts use the term more narrowly to refer to the somewhat distinct style of playing it that has developed in Finland over the years...
Band"). Never used by itself, the nickname was always part of "Juha Watt Vainio".
Family and childhood
Juha Harri Vainio was born on May 10, 1938, in Kotka, the first child of Tauno and Kaarina Vainio. He spent much of his early childhood in Vuoksenniska, ImatraImatra
Imatra is a town and municipality in eastern Finland, founded in 1948 around three industrial settlements near the Finnish–Russian border. In the course of the last 50 years, this amorphous group of settlements has grown into a modern industrial town dominated by Lake Saimaa, the Vuoksi River and...
. his two siblings were Marja (born 1944) and Markku (born 1946).
Vainio's grandfather, Emil Alajääski (born 1881), changed his name to Vainio soon after the turn of the century. Vainio's family on his father's side boasted many athletes whilst Kaarina Vainio had some athletic background. After becoming engaged to Kaarina in 1937, Tauno Vainio worked in Vuoksenniska as a regional head of the White Guard
White Guard (Finland)
The White Guard was a voluntary militia that emerged victorious over the socialist Red Guard as part of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War of 1918...
, and was known as a man of principle. Kaarina Vainio had a middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
education, and Tauno Vainio had graduated as a trade technician.
As a child, Juha Vainio loved singing and the family's neighbours often asked him to come over and perform. When the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
started in 1939, Juha was too young to understand events. After his father went to war as a captain of the military reserve force
Military reserve force
A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
, Juha moved with his mother to Metsola, Kotka. As an adult, the only thing Juha Vainio remembered from the war were the air-raid sirens and people's anxiety. He once said that he was more afraid of the women next door than the war, but on the other hand admitted that the war left him with emotional scars. His song Eräänlainen sotaveteraani ("Some Kind of War Veteran"), on the album Sellaista elämä on ("That's How Life Is"), echoes these sentiments. Because Kotka was a harbour town and often bombed, Juha and his mother had to often evacuate. Sometimes they went to stay at her mother's cousins during the evacuations where Juha became friends with Olli Miettinen, a cousin of his mother. The two had an age difference of six years. The only brother of Kaarina Vainio, Mauno, was killed in the war.
In 1945, the Vainios moved into a detached house in Metsola where they lived until 1950 before moving again to Kotkansaari, in the centre of Kotka. Juha Vainio recalled that the most beautiful years of his childhood were spent in Metsola. It was there that he met Nestori Miikkulainen, four years his senior and who later featured in Vainio's song Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä
Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä
Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä is a Finnish song composed and performed in by Juha Vainio. Released as a single in 1982 and the opening track to his 1983 album Sellaista elämä on , and remains one of his most popular songs to this day.The song's lyrics tell the sad life stories of Nestori...
("Moustached Bachelors"). Vainio often spent time in the harbour of Kotka with his friends. He was fond of the sea throughout his life.
As a child Juha Vainio was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, causing his lips to turn blue, and the onset of rapid breathlessness. He underwent a heart operation in early 1949 at the same time as his mother suffered an attack of tuberculosis from which she later recovered. Juha was at first kept in the adults' ward due to the serious nature of the operation, but later transferred to the children's ward to recover. He soon went home and began to get better.
School
Juha Vainio's education did not start well. Frustrated with school he was once absent for three weeks without permission. After primary school he attended a gymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Kotka. At the same time his family moved from Metsola to Kotkansaari. During his school years, Vainio's best friend was Risto "Tiso" Warjus, two years his senior. They both sang in the Kotka Gymnasium choir. Vaino's music teacher at the gymnasium, Arvo Vainio, was nicknamed "Junnu" on account of his big nose resembling that of a comic book character of the same name. Later on the name was given to Juha Vainio because he had the same surname as the teacher.
When he was fifteen, Vainio felt sure he would become a writer. As a young man he read a book about poetics, and later said that the rules were easy to break once he had learned them. It became apparent in essays written whilst at the gymnasium that Juha had talent as a writer. However, teachers sometimes had mixed feelings about his writing; at one time he received no grade for a lighthearted column-like text he had written, because the teacher felt that it could not be graded as an essay. Although essays were his strong point, school was uninteresting for Juha. He considered quitting school, but the principal persuaded him to change his mind. He was transferred to another school and was later joined there by his friend Risto Warjus. In the end, the only school subjects in which Vainio excelled were singing and sports.
Around 1957 Vainio's family moved from the centre of Kotka to near the harbour. After a few years they moved again, this time to a neighbourhood near Sibeliuspuisto. From childhood, Juha Vainio practiced sport even though before surgery he had suffered from heart problems. He liked football and basketball, which were very popular in Kotka and also practiced high jump together with Tiso Warjus. After his heart operation, Juha's physical condition deteriorated, but doing sport helped him improve it.
First contact with music
Juha Vainio became interested in music and started socializing with musicians in the mid-1950s. The centre of jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music in Kotka was the restaurant Fennia where performers including Keijo Laitinen and the cousin of Vainio's mother, Olli Miettinen played. Although Vainio was under-21 and classed as a minor, he managed to slip into the restaurant where he presented his lyrics to the musicians and was occasionally allowed to play the piano. Vainio recalled that his friends remembered him as being always penniless. He started drinking more and more, often asking his friends for a drink.
In late 1956 Vainio lived next door to one of his musician friends, Heikki Kauppinen, who was three years his senior. Vainio also became acquainted with drummer Erkki Liikanen. The friends had different tastes in music with Olli Miettinen and Reijo "Rempo" Tani listening to jazz, while Vainio liked schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
music. Vainio later named and described many of his friends in his song lyrics.
Vainio was called up
Conscription in Finland
Conscription in Finland is part of a wider, general "national defense duty" defined in the 127§ of the Constitution of Finland.Conscription can take the form of military or of civilian service. Currently, c.66% of males reaching military age do their military service, while a growing number of ...
in 1957 for service in the Finnish army. He was 19 years old and in the penultimate grade of gymnasium. However, he did not want to start his military service right after the matriculation exams, because he wanted to find a profession first. The next spring, the last year of gymnasium, he decided to go to Paris for the holidays with his friend Pekka. Vainio was supposed to pass his matriculation exams in the spring of 1959, but he failed the Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
exam and had to wait until the autumn to pass it.
Fatherhood, teaching and military service
In Fennia, Juha Vainio met his future wife Taina Kaukonen. When Taina became pregnant in early 1960, Juha's parents scolded the young father. As a result the couple married in the summer of 1960 and a son Ilkka followed in October of the same year. Juha and Taina had three more children: Sami in 1961, Kalle in 1963 and Kati in 1967. At first the young couple lived at Juha's parents', but moved to HelsinkiHelsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
when Juha started his studies there. He studied at the Yhteiskunnallinen korkeakoulu (School of Social Sciences, which later became the University of Tampere
University of Tampere
The University of Tampere is a university in Tampere, Finland. It has 15,400 degree students and 2,100 employees. It was originally founded in 1925 in Helsinki as a Civic College , and from 1930 onwards it was known as a School of Social Sciences...
) and later the Opettajakorkeakoulu (School of Vocational Teacher Education) where he graduated as a school teacher.
Juha Vainio taught higher classes at Yläpää Primary School where the pupils informally called him "Junnu". His teaching methods were relaxed, such as making the pupils sing a children's song instead of a hymn in the morning. The pupils could also eat and watch television with Vainio. In 1964 he had a temporary absence from teaching due to military service. Already having some reputation as a lyricist, whilst in the army Vainio was assigned to write the lyrics for the new cadence
Military cadence
In the armed services, a military cadence or cadence call is a traditional call-and-response work song sung by military personnel while running or marching...
of the Karelia Brigade
Karelia Brigade
Karelia Brigade is one of the three Finnish Army readiness brigades. It is located in the Eastern Command at Valkeala. With some three thousand soldiers it is the second largest brigade in Finland...
. Vainio finished his military service in the autumn of 1964, at the age of 26.
Breakthrough
Vainio's musical influences included Tapio RautavaaraTapio Rautavaara
Kaj Tapio Rautavaara was a Finnish athlete, singer and movie actor.-Early life:...
, Georg Malmstén
Georg Malmstén
Georg Malmstén was a Finnish-Swedish singer, musician, composer, orchestra conductor and actor. He was one of the most prolific entertainers in Finland of his time, producing over 800 records in numerous genres. In late 1930s, owning a record company, he made about half of his releases under the...
and Henry Theel. As a young man he trained to play music because he wanted to become a professional musician. He started writing lyrics for friends' bands, and his texts brought him some fame. Vainio was above all a lyricist; he wrote lyrics or music for over 2,400 published songs, the majority of which were recorded by others. Many of Vainio's lyrics were written for Toivo Kärki
Toivo Kärki
Toivo Pietari Johannes Kärki was a Finnish composer, musician, music producer and arranger. He is especially remembered for his collaboration with Reino Helismaa....
's compositions. He translated popular foreign songs into Finnish, work that he later abandoned since translators only received a fixed payment for their work rather than royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
.
At the beginning of his career, comedian Spede Pasanen
Spede Pasanen
Pertti Olavi "Spede" Pasanen was a Finnish film director and producer, comedian, humorist, inventor, TV personality and practitioner of gags....
asked Vainio and his friends to play in a radio show called Ruljanssiriihi ("Thrashing House of Rigmarole"). The band accepted, and after Pasanen gave up the radio show to start his television career, the musicians followed him. They played in Pasanen's shows including Speden saluuna ("Spede's Saloon") and 50 pientä minuuttia ("50 Small Minutes").
With the help of his friend Erkki Liikanen, Vainio got a record deal with recording company Finndisc. His debut single, Paras rautalankayhtye was recorded in 1964. At the same time Vainio received the nickname "Watt", which was printed on the front cover of the single. Vainio wrote lyrics for several performers, including Katri Helena
Katri Helena
Katri Helena is a Finnish singer who has been performing since the 1960s. She has been married three times and is now living as a single mother....
. In 1965 his parents and siblings moved to Helsinki, and at about the same time Vainio and his family moved to Espoo
Espoo
Espoo is the second largest city and municipality in Finland. The population of the city of Espoo is . It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen....
, where they lived for over 25 years. In 1966 he lost a good friend when Olli Miettinen died at the age of 34.
Vainio's songs Mistä löydän ystävän ("Where Do I Find a Friend") and Maanantaitango ("Monday Tango") had already been recorded by Katri Helena in 1963 before Vainio's military service. After leaving the army, Vainio befriended composer and music journalist Sauvo Puhtila (known to the Finnish public by the pseudonym Saukki), who told him that Yleisradio
Yleisradio
The Finnish Broadcasting Company , abbreviated to YLE , is Finland's national broadcasting company, founded in 1926. YLE is a public-broadcasting organization which shares many of its characteristics with its British counterpart, the BBC, on which it was largely modelled...
was in need of lyricists. Eager to leave his job as a teacher, Vainio quit and started collaborating with musician Reino Markkula. Their song Sä kuulut päivään jokaiseen ("You Belong in Every Day"), composed by Markkula with lyrics by Vainio, was given to Eino Grön who made it into a hit.
Vainio worked at Fazer Music as a lyricist with monthly salary and at the same time wrote his own songs. He translated several international hits into Finnish, including Piilopaikka ("Hideout", originally "You've Got Your Troubles
You've Got Your Troubles
"You've Got Your Troubles" is a song by written by Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook which became a number two hit for The Fortunes in the United Kingdom and a number seven in the United States in August 1965. This was the fifth single for the group. It was included in the album The Fortunes...
") by Danny
Ilkka Lipsanen
Ilkka Johannes Lipsanen , also known as Danny, is a Finnish singer and guitarist. He started his career with the band Islanders who released a couple of singles, among them Danny's first recording which was in English: East Virginia by Joan Baez in 1964...
and Nyt meni hermot ("Now I'm Furious"), which became the breakthrough recording of pop group "The First". Vainio was often late for arranged studio sessions, which irritated the bands and the company's management. At 30, Vainio wrote one of his best-known translations, Fredi
Fredi (singer)
Fredi, born as Matti Kalevi Siitonen is a Finnish comedic actor and singer/songwriter. Domestically he is best known as a member of the comedic variety ensemble Kivikasvot...
's Kolmatta linjaa takaisin ("Back along Kolmas Linja"). Another success was his translation of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "Penny Lane
Penny Lane
"Penny Lane" is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney. It was credited to Lennon–McCartney.Recorded during the Sgt. Pepper sessions, "Penny Lane" was released in February 1967 as one side of a double A-sided single, along with "Strawberry Fields Forever". Both songs were later included...
", recorded by Pepe Willberg as Rööperiin ("To Rööperi
Punavuori
Punavuori is a neighbourhood in Helsinki, the capital of Finland.After the new location and growth of Helsinki in the 18th century, Punavuori became the area next to the center. During the 19th century the district had a seedy reputation. Most of the brothels and beerhouses were found in Punavuori...
"). Although Vainio's version is set in Helsinki, he has said he was thinking about Kotka when he wrote the lyrics.
In addition to writing songs for others, Vainio became a popular solo artist. He also wrote the music to several of his songs, despite never considering himself a singer or a composer but above all a lyricist. At first he worked with Pertti Metsärinne's orchestra, recording the song "Hum-Boogie" (wordplay on the word humpuuki, meaning "humbug"). Among his first recorded songs were Jos vain saisin nastahampaan takaisin ("If Only I Would Get the Spike Tooth Back") from 1964 and Suolaa, suolaa, enemmän suolaa ("Salt, Salt, More Salt") along with Juhannustanssit ("Midsummer's Ball") from 1965. All were included on Vainio's debut album, Juha "Watt" Vainio.
In the mid-1960s Vainio had success with Sellanen ol' Viipuri ("Such Was Vyborg"), Turistit tuppukylään ("Tourists Arrive in the Small Town") and a song written with Erik Lindström, Herrat Helsingin ("Big Shots of Helsinki"). When the Finndisc company was sold to Scandia, Vainio and Lindström's collaboration ended. Vaino soon afterwards became acquainted with composer Jaakko Salo, who was introduced to him by Saukki. He started writing lyrics for composer Toivo Kärki
Toivo Kärki
Toivo Pietari Johannes Kärki was a Finnish composer, musician, music producer and arranger. He is especially remembered for his collaboration with Reino Helismaa....
, who had lost his primary lyricist Reino Helismaa
Reino Helismaa
Reino Vihtori "Repe" Helismaa was a Finnish singer-songwriter, musician and scriptwriter, mainly known for his humorous, yet homely songs. One of his best-known interpreters was Tapio Rautavaara.-Works:...
in January 1965.
Well-known songs from the late 1960s and early 1970s included Suomi–Ruotsi ("Finland–Sweden") and the 1971 release Matkarakastaja ("Travelling Lover"), which met with criticism. While Vainio's early albums were collections of singles, he recorded his first proper studio album in 1972. The album Viisari värähtää ("The Pointer Twitches") included the song Kaunissaari (a reference to a place in Finland), which Vainio recorded several times during his career. It was also included on his next album, Tulin, näin ja soitin ("I Came, I Saw, I Played"), which was released in 1975. Although Matkarakastaja and Viisari värähtää were Vainio's earliest published compositions, it was not until late 1970s that he began to compose music more actively.
In 1966 Vainio befriended Vexi Salmi
Vexi Salmi
Veikko Olavi "Vexi" Salmi is a Finnish lyricist. He has written the lyrics to numerous popular songs for several prominent artists, including Irwin Goodman, Jari Sillanpää, and Katri Helena. His career as a lyricist began in the 1960s, and continues to the present day...
and Irwin Goodman
Irwin Goodman
Irwin Goodman was a popular Finnish rock and folk singer. In the late 1960s he was widely known as a protest singer. He recorded over 300 songs, most of which were his own compositions, with lyrics written by Vexi Salmi...
. The trio made a summer tour called Kansalle mitä kansa haluaa ("Give People What the People Want") but at times Vainio was too intoxicated to perform. Vainio and Reijo Tani made a collection of singles in 1968 called Juha "Watt" Vainio ja Reijo Tani. The album included Vainio's Kauhea kankkunen ("Horrible Hangover") and Vanha salakuljettaja Laitinen ("Old Smuggler Laitinen"), which were both collaborations with Toivo Kärki. The latter song was named after Keijo Laitinen, a good friend of Vainio's. In 1970 Vainio started writing causerie
Causerie
Causerie is a literary style of short informal essays mostly unknown in the English-speaking world. A causerie is generally short, light and humorous and is often published as a newspaper column . Often causerie is a current opinion piece, but it contains more verbal acrobatics and humor than a...
s with Gunnar Mattsson.
Back to teaching
Vainio returned to teaching in the early 1970s. Vainio made up nicknames for all his pupils, who in return called him Junnu. He had a habit of coming up with very unorthodox methods of punishment but in general got on well with his pupils.Often late and in the habit of leaving a lot of paperwork unfinished, shortly before he quit teaching Vainio organized an excursion for the pupils to express his gratitude for the time he had spent with them.
Alcohol use
As time went by, Vainio consumed more and more alcohol. In the late 1960s he frequented Tapion Tuoppi with Gunnar Mattsson and Aarre Elo. He often carried a hip flaskHip flask
A hip flask is a thin flask for holding a distilled beverage; its size and shape are suited to a trouser pocket.-Description: Hip flasks were traditionally made of pewter, silver, or even glass, though most modern flasks are made from stainless steel...
in case he ran out of something to drink. Vainio's deteriorating family relationships are considered to be one reason for his drinking. Many of his friends were heavy drinkers as well but despite his drinking problem, he always managed to finish his lyrics on time.
Vainio's friends Heikki Kauppinen and Reijo Tani quit drinking in 1972, and at first Vainio found their decision odd. When Vexi Salmi was hired by Fazer in 1970, Vainio and Salmi started drinking together often and sometimes even came to work with hangovers. On one occasion, Vainio forgot that he was supposed to have finished the text of an advertising tune. When the deadline arrived, Vainio was too hung over to finish the lyrics and eventually Salmi agreed to help by writing the lyrics for Vainio's composition. Vainio's alcohol use increased in the 1970s, and his parents watched without being able to do anything about it. It is reported that Vainio would not go to sleep at night unless he had liquor under his bed, and he always kept a bottle with him. Vainio began to realize that he could not live like this forever. By summer 1975 he decided that he needed to stop drinking altogether. He was especially helped in this decision through his meeting footballer Kai Pahlman
Kai Pahlman
Kai Pahlman is a Finnish former international footballer who earned 56 caps at international level between 1954 and 1968, scoring 13 goals...
, who told Vainio that he was surprised he was still alive. In late 1975, Vainio stayed sober for four months, but then caved in for a short time. In January 1976 he finally managed to quit drinking for good.
Vainio was supported by his friends who had quit drinking a few years earlier, such as Osmo "Osku" Kanerva. Eino Grön, a friend of Vainio's, decided to follow his example and managed to quit a year and a half after Vainio. Vainio never wanted to be called a teetotaler and considered himself a recovered alcoholic. After he quit drinking, Vainio's songs became more serious and more sensitive, although he still wrote humorous lyrics as well.
Although Vainio himself did not consume alcohol, he was tolerant about others' alcohol use and could spend time with his friends even if they drank, keeping alcohol in his house in case his friends came over. He also began discussing the topic of drinking in his lyrics. Getting rid of his alcohol problem did not solve Vainio's domestic problems; he and Taina ended up divorcing.
Changes
After his divorce, Vainio's life slowly began to change. Creatively he was more prolific than ever in the late 1970s and 1980s. He began composing in addition to writing lyrics. He worked a lot with Veikko Samuli and Jaakko Salo, and Salo started arranging songs Vainio had written.In 1976 Vainio's Jawohl, jawohl from Kansi kiinni ja kuulemiin ("Shut the Lid and Goodbye") was criticized for its commentary about German tourists who visit Lapland. The album also featured a sensitive song, Mä uskon huomispäivään ("I Believe in Tomorrow"). Other well-known songs from the album are Playboy 60 v ("Playboy 60 yrs"), Suomi–Ruotsi and Taas lapsuuden maisemiin ("Back Again to Where I Grew Up").
Vainio began composing actively in the late 1970s, although he had already published his own compositions at the beginning of the decade. His earliest compositions include Matkarakastaja and Viisari värähtää. Among his most popular songs from the late 1970s is Käyn ahon laitaa ("I Walk by the Side of a Glade") from the 1979 album of the same name. Even though Vainio had already quit drinking, he still occasionally sang about alcohol. Vainio started writing more sensitive songs, a trend which became evident in his next albums. 1981's Albatrossi ja sorsa ("The Albatross and the Duck") contains one of Vainio's most well-known songs, Albatrossi. The topic of the song was lost youth. Another sensitive song on the album is Apteekin ovikello ("The Pharmacy Doorbell"), the idea for which Vainio got from Tapio Rautavaara
Tapio Rautavaara
Kaj Tapio Rautavaara was a Finnish athlete, singer and movie actor.-Early life:...
. Other well-known songs were Panaman konsuli ("The Consul of Panama") and Kun mä rupesin ryyppäämään ("When I Started Drinking").
In 1976, Vainio was hired to write a number of bawdy songs which were later released on cassette tape. Vainio wrote a part of the songs and sang on the record with all musicians using pseudonyms, Vainio's being Junnu Kaihomieli. Many of the songs were based on a familiar melody whose copyright had already expired; for example, the song Kumi-Roope ("Rubber Roope") was an obscene version of the folk song Rosvo-Roope ("Roope the Robber"). In 1979 Vainio participated in another recording of similar songs. The songs were released on compact disc in 1992 and 1997 as Pahojen poikien lauluja 1–2 ("Bad Boys' Songs 1–2") and Porno-ooppera / Pahojen poikien lauluja 3 ("Porn Opera / Bad Boys' Songs 3"). Both records went gold.
In 1982 Vainio collaborated with bodybuilder Kike Elomaa
Kike Elomaa
Ritva Tuulikki "Kike" Elomaa is a retired professional female bodybuilding champion and pop singer from Finland....
when they sang together on the single Kunto nousee sullakin ("You'll Get in Shape Too"), with lyrics by Vainio. The B-side of the single was Pokkana ja paikallaan ("Serious and Still"), sung by Elomaa alone. A compilation album called Sellaista elämä on ("That's How Life Is") followed in 1983, consisting of the most popular songs Vainio had himself recorded. 1985's Elämää ja erotiikkaa ("Life and Erotica") was Vainio's last finished studio album. Popular pieces from the album included Aleks ja Jaan ("Aleks and Jaan"), Heiskasen kanssa kun heiluttiin ("When We Hung Out with Heiskanen") and Yksinäinen saarnipuu ("Lonely Ash Tree").
After his divorce, Vainio had started dating Pirkko Heikkala. The couple were married on 27 December 1981 in Kuusamo. In 1983 they had a daughter, Suvi. The couple moved to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in the late 1980s. In 1988 Katri Helena
Katri Helena
Katri Helena is a Finnish singer who has been performing since the 1960s. She has been married three times and is now living as a single mother....
, Eino Grön, Pave Maijanen
Pave Maijanen
Pekka Juhani "Pave" Maijanen is a famous Finnish musician, who has acted as a singer, songwriter, bass player, keyboard player, drummer, guitarist and producer during his long career...
and other popular artists performed at a concert organized to celebrate Vainio's 50th birthday.
Death
Vainio's childhood heart problems surfaced again in 1990 with his sister Marja recalling that he often placed his hand over his heart. He had even finished writing his will. At one time Vainio was travelling to Florida with his friend, composer Veikko Samuli. Vainio had to go to the bathroom during the flight, and soon there was a call for a doctor from the flight crew. Vainio had kept his heart medicines in his pocket, where the box had opened and mixed with his pastillePastille
Pastilles are a type of candy or medicinal pill made of a thick liquid that has been solidified and is meant to be consumed by light chewing and allowing it to dissolve in the mouth...
s. Vainio had eaten too much of the medicine by accident, and his heartbeat started to slow down. Once a stewardess found out what had happened, she saved Vainio's life by quickly forcing him to vomit.
Vainio gave his last performance on 12 October 1990. He died of a heart attack in his home in Gryon, Switzerland, on October 29, 1990, in the arms of his wife. He was 52 years old. A burial ceremony was held in the town of Vevey
Vevey
Vevey is a town in Switzerland in the canton Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne.It was the seat of the district of the same name until 2006, and is now part of the Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut District...
, and Vainio's body brought back to Finland and buried in the family grave in Hietaniemi graveyard in Helsinki.
The day before he died, Vainio had become friends with ice hockey coach Juhani Tamminen
Juhani Tamminen
Juhani Tamminen is a Finnish retired professional ice hockey player who played in the SM-liiga and World Hockey Association. He played for TPS, HJK, HIFK, Cleveland Crusaders, and Phoenix Roadrunners...
and dined with his family. According to Tamminen, Vainio had been in good condition at the time. The following week Tamminen learned of Vainio's death from a friend who had read about it in a Finnish newspaper.
The record Vainio had worked on during the final years of his life was released posthumously by Scandia in 1991 as Viiskymppisen viisut ("Tunes of a Fifty-year-old"). Especially important for Vainio had been the song Kauan sitten ("Long Ago") which he had recorded in the early 1970s. Vainio's most important collaborator during his last years was producer Jaakko Salo.
Nicknames and pseudonyms
Juha Vainio's best-known nicknames were Junnu and Juha "Watt" Vainio. Junnu was a familiar name also used in connection with his last name as Junnu Vainio. The name Juha "Watt" Vainio was used on the cover of several albums and was a name he was publicly known by. Vainio's friends never used the nickname Watt – for them he always remained Junnu.Among the pseudonyms used by Vainio were Junnu, Junnu Kaihomieli, Jorma Koski, Ilkka Lähde, Mirja Lähde, Kirsi Sunila and Heikki Ilmari. The name Junnu Kaihomieli was used for Vainio's bawdy songs in the late 1970s.
Critical commentary
Peter von BaghPeter von Bagh
Kari Peter Conrad von Bagh is a Finnish film historian and director. He currently works as a professor of film history in the University of Art and Design Helsinki. He has written around 20 books about film and worked as a presenter for numerous television and radio programs about film and other...
regards Vainio as the pioneer of Finnish 1960s humorous songs since he began their composition before Irwin Goodman
Irwin Goodman
Irwin Goodman was a popular Finnish rock and folk singer. In the late 1960s he was widely known as a protest singer. He recorded over 300 songs, most of which were his own compositions, with lyrics written by Vexi Salmi...
. Producer Jaakko Salo commented that Vainio's career found a new start once Vainio quit drinking. According to him, it is evident from Vainio's texts that his songs are based on his own experiences.
According to writer and film director Jukka Virtanen, Vainio usually wrote his lyrics at the same time as the music. This is evident in the song Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä, written as a waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
and whose lyrics feature an aged bachelor who never got to dance at his own wedding. Virtanen has said that while Vainio worked at a fast pace, songs were never easy for him to write. His work did not become easier when he quit drinking, but it did become more emotional.
Hobbies
Vainio frequently played football and basketball in his youth and later on remained an enthusiastic spectator. He wrote the lyrics for ice-hockey team TapparaTappara
Tappara is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga. They play in Tampere, Finland at Tampereen jäähalli. The team have won 15 league championships ....
's anthem Tappara on terästä ("Tappara Is Made of Steel"), which was composed by Reijo Lehtovirta in 1976. Tappara's manager Mikko Westberg asked Vainio to write a song for the team, requesting that the lyrics contain the phrases "Tappara is made of steel" and "rye bread". Vainio became a lifetime fan of Tappara after writing the song.
Vainio was fond of the sea and sailing. He often took his family and friends sailing in his boat, and in 1987 bought an island in Österskär
Österskär
Österskär is eastern part of Åkersberga, Österåker Municipality in Sweden. It hosts the terminal station of the Stockholm suburban railway Roslagsbanan....
with his wife Pirkko. His love for sailing is evident in the song Kaikki paitsi purjehdus on turhaa ("Everything But Sailing Is Pointless"), which was composed by Lasse Mårtenson
Lasse Mårtenson
Lars Anders Fredrik "Lasse" Mårtenson is a Finnish singer who performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964 with the song "Laiskotellen" . He placed 7th with 9 points. He is best known in his home country as the composer of "Maija from the Storm Skerries", a lyrical tune arranged primarily for...
.
Legacy
Since Vainio's death many tribute concerts have been staged, with an event to celebrate his 70th birthday taking place in May 2008. Vainio's friend, songwriter Jukka Virtanen, wrote a play called Albatrossi ja Heiskanen ("The Albatross and Heiskanen") based on Vainio's songs. It was first performed in his hometown Kotka in 1992 and has been performed many times since. The Finnish film Keisarikunta ("The Empire") describes the youth of Vainio and his friends in Kotka during the 1950s.The "Juha Vainio Award" (Juha Vainio-palkinto) for writers was introduced in 1991 and is given annually to notable Finnish lyricists with yearly prize money of 5,000 euros (previously 30,000 Finnish markkas). In December 1994, a club named Junnun Lauluseura (Junnu's singing club) was established. Its members include Vainio's friends Keijo Laitinen, Pertti Metsärinne and Reijo Tani. The club has published two books entitles Junnun laululipas 1 and Junnun laululipas 2.
Vainio's work continues to have major relevance in Finnish popular music, an example of which being two Vainio cover albums by Vesa-Matti Loiri
Vesa-Matti Loiri
Vesa-Matti "Vesku" Loiri is a Finnish actor, musician and comedian, best known for his role as Uuno Turhapuro, whom he portrayed in a total of 20 movies between the years 1973 and 2004....
in 2003 and 2004.
All of the songs that Vainio recorded were published in 2008 in a CD boxed set Legendan laulut – Kaikki levytykset 1963–1990 ("Songs of the Legend – All Recordings 1963–1990"). It included his advertising jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s, bawdy songs and a book. A compilation album released with the boxed set called Legendan laulut – 48 mestariteosta ("Songs of the Legend – 40 Masterpieces") reached second place in Finnish album charts. Juha Vainio's son Ilkka Vainio is in the music business and works as a music producer and songwriter.
Discography
- Juha 'Watt' Vainio (1966, compilation of singles)
- Juha 'Watt' Vainio ja Reijo Tani (1968, compilation of singles) (Translation: "Juha
'Watt' Vainio and Reijo Tani") - Viisari värähtää (1972) (Translation: "The Pointer Twitches")
- Tulin, näin ja soitin (1975) (Translation: "I Came, I Saw, I Played")
- Kansi kiinni ja kuulemiin (1976) (Translation: "Shut the Lid and Goodbye")
- Käyn ahon laitaa (1979) (Translation: "I Walk by the Side of a Glade")
- Albatrossi ja sorsa (1981) (Translation: "The Albatross and the Duck")
- Sellaista elämä on (1983) (Translation: "That's How Life Is")
- Elämää ja erotiikkaa (1985) (Translation: "Life and Erotica")
- Viiskymppisen viisut (1991) (Translation: "Tunes of a Fifty-year-old")