Reino Vihtori "Repe" Helismaa (12 July 1913, Helsinki – 21 January 1965) 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. He also scripted the comic strip Maan mies Marsissa, drawn by Ami Hauhio.[1]

Reino Helismaa
Esa Pakarinen (left) and Helismaa (centre) and Jorma Ikävalko (right)

Works

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Song lyrics: Helismaa wrote over five thousand song lyrics. Some of the most famous include:

  • Balladi Villistä Lännestä (A ballad of the Wild West)
  • Daiga-daiga-duu (Diga-diga-doo)
  • Hiljainen kylätie (A quiet village street)
  • Kaksi vanhaa tukkijätkää (Two old lumberjacks)
  • Kulkuri ja joutsen (The tramp and the swan; translation of originally Swedish song Vagabonden och svanen by Lasse Dahlquist)
  • Kulkurin iltatähti (The tramp's evening star)
  • Lentävä kalakukko (The flying kalakukko)
  • Meksikon pikajuna (The Mexico Express, original: Orient Express)
  • Päivänsäde ja menninkäinen (The sunbeam and the goblin)
  • Rakovalkealla (At the campfire)
  • Reppu ja reissumies (The knapsack and the travelling man)
  • Rovaniemen markkinoilla (At the Rovaniemi fair)
  • Suutarin tyttären pihalla (At the shoemaker's daughter's yard)

Other works by Helismaa include 8 plays, 10 revues, 32 film manuscripts and 104 radio plays.

References

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  1. ^ "Ami Hauhio".
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