Irwin Goodman
Encyclopedia
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
. Irwin Goodman started as a protest song singer in the folk boom of the mid-1960s, his humorous songs, often mocking the authorities, became favorites of the Finnish people; to such extent that small "Irwin singalike" contests are continuously arranged by some pubs for entertainment. Goodman had continuing troubles with Finnish tax authorities and had ever-worsening problems with alcohol. His escapades were eagerly followed by sensationalist magazines such as Hymy
.
Goodman died of a heart attack
while on the way from Vyborg
to Hamina
, Finland. The story of his life was turned into a feature film, Rentun Ruusu
, in 2001.
Irwin's most famous songs include "Poing Poing Poing" (1971), "Haistakaa Paska Koko Valtiovalta" (1976) , "Rentun Ruusu" (1988), "Ei Tippa Tapa" (1966), "Työmiehen lauantai" (1965), "En Kerro Kuinka Jouduin Naimisiin" (1965) and "Tyttö Tuli" (1978). He won the Syksyn Sävel contest twice.
Common themes on his songs were drinking
and alcoholism
("Ei tippa tapa", "Vielä yhdet", "Kieltolaki", "Homma käy", "Soittajan maanantai", "Rentun ruusu"), bashing immigrants and racism ("Mutakuono ja lakupellet," "Marcellino magaroni") and problems with money ("Raha ratkaisee", "Kun ei rahat riitä", "Meni rahahommat pieleen", "Manu vippaa muutama markka"). He protested the government with songs like "Juhlavalssi," and "Haistakaa paska koko valtiovalta".
In 1971, Irwin released an album featuring actor Esa Pakarinen. His 1972 album Kohta taas on joulu consists of Christmas carols. The later songs ("Suruton nuoruusaika", "Maailma on kaunis", "Ai, ai, ai, kun nuori ois" and "Viimeinen laulu") were often dark when compared to songs from the 1960s and 1970s.
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...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer. In the late 1960s he was widely known as a protest singer
Protest song
A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre...
. He recorded over 300 songs, most of which were his own compositions, with lyrics written by 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...
. Irwin Goodman started as a protest song singer in the folk boom of the mid-1960s, his humorous songs, often mocking the authorities, became favorites of the Finnish people; to such extent that small "Irwin singalike" contests are continuously arranged by some pubs for entertainment. Goodman had continuing troubles with Finnish tax authorities and had ever-worsening problems with alcohol. His escapades were eagerly followed by sensationalist magazines such as Hymy
Hymy
Hymy is a Finnish magazine, which was launched in 1959 by publisher Urpo Lahtinen and was named after his wife Hymy Lahtinen. In the 1960s and 1970s Hymy became a success with sensationalist stories containing lots of sex and gossip about Finnish celebrities, often verging on the invasion of privacy...
.
Goodman died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
while on the way from Vyborg
Vyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
to Hamina
Hamina
Hamina is a town and a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Kymenlaakso region. The town has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is...
, Finland. The story of his life was turned into a feature film, Rentun Ruusu
Rentun Ruusu
Rentun Ruusu is a 2001 Finnish biographical film drama directed and written by Timo Koivusalo.The film won an award and nomination at the Jussi Awards....
, in 2001.
Irwin's most famous songs include "Poing Poing Poing" (1971), "Haistakaa Paska Koko Valtiovalta" (1976) , "Rentun Ruusu" (1988), "Ei Tippa Tapa" (1966), "Työmiehen lauantai" (1965), "En Kerro Kuinka Jouduin Naimisiin" (1965) and "Tyttö Tuli" (1978). He won the Syksyn Sävel contest twice.
Common themes on his songs were drinking
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
("Ei tippa tapa", "Vielä yhdet", "Kieltolaki", "Homma käy", "Soittajan maanantai", "Rentun ruusu"), bashing immigrants and racism ("Mutakuono ja lakupellet," "Marcellino magaroni") and problems with money ("Raha ratkaisee", "Kun ei rahat riitä", "Meni rahahommat pieleen", "Manu vippaa muutama markka"). He protested the government with songs like "Juhlavalssi," and "Haistakaa paska koko valtiovalta".
In 1971, Irwin released an album featuring actor Esa Pakarinen. His 1972 album Kohta taas on joulu consists of Christmas carols. The later songs ("Suruton nuoruusaika", "Maailma on kaunis", "Ai, ai, ai, kun nuori ois" and "Viimeinen laulu") were often dark when compared to songs from the 1960s and 1970s.
Albums discography
- Irwinismi (1966)
- Ei tippa tapa (1966)
- Osta minut (1967)
- Reteesti vaan (1968)
- Irwin Goodman (1969)
- Työmiehen lauantai (1970)
- St. Pauli ja Reeperbahn (1970)
- Lonkalta (1971, feat. Esa Pakarinen)
- Poing, poing, poing (1971)
- Kohta taas on joulu (1972)
- Las Palmas (1972)
- Si Si Si (1973)
- Häirikkö (1976)
- Kolmastoista kerta (1977)
- Cha Cha Cha (1977)
- Inkkareita ja länkkäreitä (1977)
- Tyttö tuli (1978)
- Kulkurin kulta (1979, feat. Hanne)
- Keisari Irwin I (1979)
- Härmäläinen perusjuntti (1984)
- Dirly dirly dee (1985)
- Rentun Ruusu (1988)
- Vuosikerta -89 (1989)
- Hurraa - Me teemme laivoja (1990)
- Ai ai ai kun nuori ois (1990)