Synkkä, synkempi, synkin
On a cheerful note
Helsingin Sanomain nettisivujen keskustelu-osastolla etsittiin Suomen synkintä laulua. Minusta se on tämä kansanlaulu:
Sä lumi lentävä,
hautani kylmennä,
mun rintain lämpimä
halaa jo jäähtyä.
(...)
Se jota rakastin
käy yli hautani
kylmästi miettien
se oli loppu sen.
Tuohon väliin sijoittuu pari säkeistöä, jossa kerrotaan, miten haudalle eivät vieri siskon eivätkä äidin kyyneleet, eivätkä isä ja velikään välitä.
Luin Annie Proulxin Brokeback Mountainin ennakoiden elokuvailtaa tulevan viikon varrella. Haikeahan se oli kuin mikä ja voimakkaita hajuja tulvillaan (hikeä, hevosia, tupakansavua, spermaa) On kuulemma niin, että dialogia on englanninkielisenkin joskus vaikea seurata. Voin uskoa kyllä, sillä painettunakin piti miettiä tovi jos toinenkin sentapaisia ilmauksia kuin "Friend of mine got his oil checked with a horn dipstick and that was all she wrote." (Kysymys on rodeo-onnettomuudesta.)
Crantockin hautausmaalla Cornwallissa kuvatut hautakivet taitavat tulla juhlauusintana, mutta menköön.
***
The chat group participants on the website of the main Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat are looking for the gloomiest Finnish song. Needless to say there is any amount of candidates. Mine is a folk song in which a woman (or a man, you can't tell) is lying in her grave, waiting for her burning breast to cool down. Meanwhile no sister, brother, mother or father bothers to come and see her grave, let alone to shed a tear. The last verse goes:
The one I loved
Steps over my grave
Thinking coldly to himself:
That was the end of that one.
I read Annie Proulx's Brokeback Mountain, thinking I'd have a better chance of understanding any of the dialogue in the film (in Bowral cinema this week). Quite a melancholy story it was, full of strong smells - sweat, horses, smoke, semen. I am glad Sarah advised me to read it first (and lent the book), since even in print some of the text was hard to grasp:
"Friend of mine got his oil checked with a horn dipstick and that was all she wrote."
We are talking about rodeo here.
Picture I might have used already, but these graves from Crantock, Cornwall seemed to fit the cheerful mood of the Finnish song.
Comments - Kommentit
DATE: 1:39 AM
Olipas hyytävä lauluteksti! Täytyy panna talteen tulevia siteeraus- ym. fiilistelytarkoituksia varten.
Posted by: Tosikko | February 23, 2006 06:17 PM
DATE: 9:29 AM
Niin, jos ei tämmöinen sovi Tosikon pirtaan, niin mikäs sitten!
Posted by: ah | February 23, 2006 06:17 PM
DATE: 5:46 PM
Aivan upean, jyhkeän kylmät sanat!Runosta tuli mieleeni siirappisempi versio liki samasta teemasta (paiti että näkökulma on toinen eikä sävy ole yhtä jylhä. Mutta on siinäkin hauta:)Vuonna 1975 opiskelin minnesotalaisessa collegessa "Oral interpretation of fiction". Ensimmäisenä harjoituksenamme teimme robottimaisesti lukien Sara Teasdalen tekstin:When I am dead and over me bright AprilShakes out her rain-drenched hair,Though you should lean above me broken-hearted, I shall not care.I shall have peace, as leafy trees are peacefulWhen rain bends down the bough;And I shall be more silent and cold-heartedThan you are now.
Posted by: Sun äitis | February 23, 2006 06:17 PM
DATE: 8:11 PM
Hi AnniI showed Zoe your blog to Zoe, with the lovely poems you and "sun aitis" included. She was inspired to offer a Sinead O'Connor lyric: "Stretched on your grave"Verse 1I am stretched on your graveand will lie there foreverif your hands were in mineI'd be sure we'd not severmy apple tree my brightnessit's time we were togetherfor I smell of the earthand am worn by the weather....verse 4the priests and the friarsapproach me in dreadbecause I still love youmy love and you're deadI still would be your shelterthrough rain and through stormand with you in your cold graveI cannot sleep warm.There must be something special about cold, wet, northern climates.....
Posted by: Denis Wilson | February 23, 2006 06:17 PM
DATE: 10:25 PM
Sun äitis, tuossahan on tosiaan näkökulma jännittävästi päinvastainen - paitsi että päähenkilöllä taitaa olla vasta se toinen jalka haudassa...I think we'll ask Andy to post some lyrics for the folk song Unquiet Grave.
Posted by: ah | February 23, 2006 06:17 PM
DATE: 10:32 PM
Indeed. I think Ms O'Connor's song owes something to this . . .The Unquiet GraveCold blows the wind to my true love,And gently drops the rain,I never had but one sweetheartAnd in greenwood she lies slain.I'll do as much for my sweetheartAs any young man may.I'll sit and mourn all on her graveFor twelve months and a day.When twelve months and one day were past,The ghost began to speak:"Why sittest here all on my grave,And will not let me sleep?""There's one thing that I want, sweetheart,There's one thing that I crave,And that's a kiss from your lily-white lips,Then I'll go from your grave.""My breast it is as cold as clay,My breath is earthly strong;And if you kiss my cold clay lips,Your days they won't be long.""When shall we meet again, my love?When shall we meet again?""When all the leaves that fall from the treesSpring up and grow again."
Posted by: Andy | February 23, 2006 06:17 PM
DATE: 4:38 AM
I'd much rather be in one of the two latter graves than in one of the two first ones!The third poem is incredibly beautiful and the rhythm in the fourth makes me want to hear it sung.
Posted by: Sun äitis | February 23, 2006 06:17 PM