Maustetytöt [Anna Karjalainen, Kaisa Karjalainen]
Album: Eivät enkelitkään ilman siipiä lennä
Release Date: 2020
Finland
You can see it in their faces / Oh, there’s no limit to their joy” goes the chorus to one song on Finnish pop duo Maustetytöt’s hit 2023 album Maailman Onnellisin Kansa, which translates as The Happiest People in the World. But scanning the faces of Kaisa and Anna Karjalainen for signs of exultation – or any emotion whatsoever – can be a challenge.
The two sisters, already stars in their native country, announced themselves to the rest of the world this winter with a performance of one of their songs in Fallen Leaves, veteran arthouse director Aki Kaurismäki’s Oscar-shortlisted deadpan comedy. It’s the pivotal scene in an understated feelgood hit that has topped many end-of-year lists, but Maustetytöt’s performance could not be more minor-key: the pair performing their song in a dimly lit karaoke bar, hardly moving their bodies nor their facial muscles as they diligently play their instruments. [More on Guardian by Philip Oltermann]
Lyrics (English): Syntynyt suruun ja puettu pettymyksin
[Verse 1]
Moldy coffee in the pan
And a plate on the floor
The rain washes the windows
Don’t have to wash them on my own
Nothing stops me from leaving anymore
[Pre-Chorus 1]
But it’s like I’m cast in concrete up to my knees
An invisible burden of a thousand kilos on my back
Even if there was only one stop in front of me
I don’t know if I’ll make it until the grave
[Chorus]
I’m imprisoned here forever
The graveyard is also surrounded by a fence
As this earthly job would end
But you only dig deeper into the ground
I like you but I can’t stand myself
I don’t need others, I don’t know about you
I admit if I leave
I only do it for myself
[Verse 2]
Summer shoes and an oversized hoodie
(As i go) to the store in the freezing cold
I only pick up a few beers
If I need more, I’ll go again
[Pre-Chorus 2]
As otherwise I’ll mostly just be laying down
I don’t leave the house at least without a reason
Forget me, I want to be alone
I was born into sadness and dressed into disappointments
[Chorus x2]
[Outro]
I admit if I leave
I only do it for myself
Tracklist: Eivät enkelitkään ilman siipiä lennä
01. “Eivät enkelitkään ilman siipiä lennä”
02. “Ne tulivat isäni maalle”
03. “Taksilla Vaalaan”
04. “Syntynyt suruun ja puettu pettymyksin”
05. “Jos jäisin onnibussin alle”
06. “Jos mulla ei ois sua, mulla ei ois mitään”
07. “Äiti älä huoli”
08. “Tee se itse”
09. “Jos vain pääsisin pääsi sisälle”
10. “Vuoden pimein yö”
When you watch the bar scene in Fallen Leaves, you want it to last forever. Please tell us how your wonderful collaboration with Aki was born.
We were asked to be the jury of a student film festival held in Karkkila (city in Finland) where Aki’s movie theater is. First we said no cause we were busy doing our third album but then they said we might meet Aki there, and we changed our minds immediately because we are huge fans of his work. So we went and met Aki and soon after that Aki booked us to play a whole gig in his movie theater. I think that’s probably the moment he decided to use our music in his movie.
Will you please tell us what the song is about?
For me it’s about depression, giving up and approving your failure in life.
It really blows my mind how beautifully the song fits into Aki’s cinematic style. I know the song came out a few years before Fallen Leaves but how did you all make this work out so well?
That is due to Aki. He is talented to choose music in his movies and make them work magically in particular scenes. For us playing in shoots wasn’t any different compared to our normal performing. Aki told us that ”we should act as we normally do” meaning no acting at all.
There is really little dialogue in the movie, so it feels like Aki had you do all the talk with your song. How important do you think is the bar scene for the whole story?
Aki knows how to say all essential without useless words and that’s a great talent. For me the bar scene is the point where Holappa decides not to give up and stop drinking so it’s a so called ”turning point”.
It is such a cinematic track. Did you ever think it would be in a movie when you first wrote it?
Never. We were really surprised when Aki decided to use that song. We never saw any bigger potential in it. It is not commercial at all. But it is probably the most depressing song in our repertory.
Speaking of writing, I am really curious about your favorite authors.
When we were kids the only band we listened was The Beatles. After that we have listened plenty of old music from 60’s and 70’s both English and Finnish. When writing in Finnish probably the most relevant song writers for Maustetytöt has been Gösta Sundqvist from Leevi and the leavings and Eppu Normaali. From Finnish authors I like Timo. K. Mukka, Mika Waltari and Pentti Saarikoski for example. We have also read plenty of Bukowski and Kaisa also puts Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita and John Fante’s production high on her list.
Infected Ear: I suppose for a lot of people who saw the movie, ‘I’m a prisoner here forever, even the graveyard has fences’ will be a line to remember since it perfectly captures the lives of Ansa and Holappa.
Anna: The lyrics came to Kaisa ́s mind while she was doing normal housework and was fitted to the melody I had composed before. The ”graveyard and fences” is actually an idea from a Bukowski book where the character wonders why fences surround graveyards.
Anna on the writing of Syntynyt suruun ja puettu pettymyksin
When was the first time you saw the movie and what was your reaction to your scene?
We saw it in Cannes in last May. We were so excited that it was hard to concentrate. There was this little doubt ”what if we ruined the whole movie”. Luckily that didn’t happen. It was also really touching because playing in Aki’s movie was something you never thought could happen.
How was it to work with him? Was that scene shaped by him 100%, or did he give you any kind of wiggling room? How did you end up wearing bathrobes which was an incredible idea in terms of the mood of the scene?
Aki knows what he’s doing so working with him was easy. Our scene was filmed during one day in a local bar of Helsinki. There were waiting and watching other scenes to be filmed. When it was our turn, Aki just told us, ”Be as you always are and play”. So we played the song maybe four times while it was filmed in different positions and views. The bathrobes are clothing that we normally wear in gigs and Aki let us choose them by ourselves.
What did you think about Fallen Leaves missing out an Oscar nomination? It has obviously won so many awards in the most prestigious film festivals but why do you think it was left out by the Academy?
I don’t know. I hope the Jury does.
Have your lives changed at all after your appearance in Fallen Leaves?
We had never expected to play any gig outside Finland, so touring abroad is certainly something new and exciting. Also answering these interviews feels absurd sometimes.
