"Cha Cha Cha" Explanation and Analysis

Are you an introvert who secretly dreams of being the life of the party? Oh boy, do we have a song for you. TRIGGER WARNING: Icky Ikke in blackface at 4:00.
"That's How You Write a Song" piano cover is from Renate Saluste, used with permission:
• Alexander Rybak - That...
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[@Aquelll]

Finnish language has no gendered pronouns so we also have no gendered drinks. Alcohol is alcohol. 😅

[@evipevi1973]

And sadly Alcoholism is Alcoholism with no gender.

[@Shannis75]

But "real men" drink beer, and cocktails are "girly" drinks. Of course it's not that clear cut in reality, but that is STILL the stereotype.

[@Zeetana1]

@Shannis75 As it should be.

[@ItsAweeb]

​@@Shannis75I'm above all of that, I just wish to be drunk the medium I achieve this is irrelevant.

[@Shannis75]

@@ItsAweeb As is proper.

[@neconeconeco]

in a way, i think Käärijä himself has become a pina colada for some Finnish people. :') it's strangely heartwarming to see this little nation of introverts get their cha cha cha on.

[@Hairysteed]

As a Finnish metalhead, who also loves opera and jazz I can relate!

[@LM-rs5yy]

He was like this emotional explosion to this small nation 😊thanks to all of europe loving him with us ❤ we’ve all been there in that path of mind he is expressing

[@LM-rs5yy]

To me it looks like : With the ropes he is crying for help (attention) from the chachacha dancers, ”get me out” , he lets go of the ropes, he starts dancing, and then the dancers start dancing with him. I think it is beautiful

[@LM-rs5yy]

And when he lost. The nation still loves him

[@sagamaraia]

Käärijä actually doesn't drink himself at least not that much, more water than anything else. He started to drink alcohol when he became of age but as he had a severe colon disease, it flared up and he almost died in consequence. So after that he has really had to think about the need to drink and our societal need for drunkedness. He tries to convey with this song that you don't need to drink in order to enjoy things as yourself. As a masculine man who also feels like women do, as MEN are thought of being people without need to feel or express them. It's been really inspiring to see that everyone seems to like the softer side of Käärijä and his IRL antics and open character seems to make everyone love him even more, as a person and as an artist. Nobody seems to think people should be like the first part version. Maybe we are ready to start dancing without piña coladas.

[@blauerengel9648]

well said

[@nineteenfortyeight6762]

Unfortunately, this dong promotes the idea that men need the excuse of alcohol. It's a reactionary song.

[@girlwhomustnotbenamed4139]

@@nineteenfortyeight6762 OP just explained how it's doing the opposite... 💁‍♀

[@michaelgates991]

@@nineteenfortyeight6762 You don't get it. The song is meant to be ironic. It's supposed to evoke thought about why (Finnish guys in particular) we are so inhibited that we need to get drunk in order to find the courage to let go and stop worrying about other people. I live here and happen to dance in clubs quite a lot. Most guys stand around next to a wall even after downing 10 shots (used to be me too). The ones who do dance just sort of shuffle around awkwardly and it's obvious they're holding back. Such is the nature of our people.

[@MiniMuon]

@@nineteenfortyeight6762 It's pointing up, that toxic men (and women) needs alcohol for having fun and enjoy the dance floor. In Finnish culture ppl drink theirself unconcious to deal the pressure of life, and drinking is a huge problem in Finland, not only affecting to drinkers health, but affecting those who will be attacked by a violent drunk, which is mostly sweep under the carpet, specially if the victim is their spouse. So this cheerful song hits good to the sensitive point.

[@MyBroSux24]

Now onto Käärijä: This song is exactly what Europe needs in a time of desperation, ongoing war, energy crisis, post-covid and more. The one moment where you can be "That Guy" that Käärijä sings about and forget all the troubles of the world for just 3 minutes. Its like a emotional explosion when the song flips and even the introverts join in and dance and sing their heart out. A well crafted escape from reality, social norms and distraction from our current situation.

[@evipevi1973]

Ok so in these hard times we need someone who glorifies alcohol so that we can increase alcoholism statistics too?😢

[@evipevi1973]

@@tuuliajohannabbruno9212 he sure got me fooled by singing about how much he wants to drink and how great he feels after drinking.

[@SaraW013]

​@@evipevi1973 Did you even watch the video??

[@evipevi1973]

@@SaraW013 yes...did you?

[@MyBroSux24]

@@evipevi1973 I don't drink to have fun and dance, even at Parties and i love this song.

[@Aquelll]

Metal people are gentle and artistic. The Finnish police statistics clearly show that the specifically metal festivals have the least disorders of all music festivals.

[@kanpeki]

That's interesting. Thanks for sharing :)

[@bertilhatt]

I’d love to see *you* try to commit crimes when the Security team is a dozen 6’7 people which red-eye lenses who clearly know their way around a chainsaw, wearing t-shirts with references to Medieval torture and cannibalism… Sure, it’s for show, but you probably won‘t try to risk sneaking that beer from the bartender. You never know.

[@Jazzisa311]

It's true... I was majorly into metal when I was a teenager. Went to all the metal concerts and dove into moshpits, the whole 9 yards.... And I'm talking here, as a little 15-yo girl basically, so I always immediately fell down. And as ppl who've ever been in a moshpit know, if you fall down, it's near impossible to get back up. But every single time, before I even hit the ground, I'd feel some strong arms picking me back up. I'm 33 now, and I've been to all kinds of concerts and festivals... but I can say, I've never felt safer than at metalconcerts or festivals.

[@jamesbernadette6216]

@@bertilhatt nah, just the same hired security guards than in any other event or mall lol. sorry to burst your bubble

[@j.lahtinen7525]

I used to drive the taxi at night, and when a metal festival was on, that would be my favorite destination to pick up customers. Very nice people!

[@jaketus]

You forgot one interesting thing about the stage: They're using euro-pallets. Pallet translates in Finnish to "lava", which also means stage. So he's surrounded by "eurolava", Euro(vision) stage.

[@apinakapina]

I'm a dad from Finland, and yes I've had to explain "pina colada" and "rata" to my kids. (The latter word means track/route/path/course/range and so forth, and "to be on rata" refers to drinking at bars - to be in the district where the local bars are.) But that's not the point of the song. He wants to destroy his frozen exterior, forget the worries, and let himself loose on the dance floor even for just a bit. In a nutshell, it's the age-old story of a reserved Finnish man. So can confirm what's said here, because I am one.

[@heikkiheinonen6745]

There is so many little things to find out from the whole song and show. Example at the first part the cha cha dancers dance very traditionally and are in singers control. First they are released from this control but still dances traditionally but comes closer the singer. Finally when the pop part starts the dancers also starts to dance freely and silly. I would say that they reflect singers inner thoughts and feelings.

[@overthinkingit]

Great point! One aspect of the song we talked about behind the scenes but didn't articulate in the script is whether this story looks very different to the other people in the bar. From the singer's perspective, he's the life of the party, the center of attention in a good way. But is he? He also mentions pouring piña coladas all over himself! So you have to wonder, is Käärijä actually embarrassing himself and weirding everyone else out and he doesn't even realize it? The Cha Cha dancers getting more and more disorganized seems like evidence for this.

[@Marios_Gr]

You try desperately to find "deeper meanings" in a nonsense, like it's about Carmina Burana... It would be entertaining if it wasn't actually sad, how much people have been addicted to any garbage the music industry impose on them.

[@edonveil9887]

​@@Marios_Gr One doesn't need to be a genius to recognize one but it could help.

[@sagamaraia]

Also Käärijä is performing on EUR-pallets, which are named eurolava in Finnish. Lava meaning pallet and also stage. So he is going to perform on eurolava (EUR-pallet) on an Eurolava (European stage).

[@tuulalehtola9283]

@@Marios_Gr Everyone feels music differently and have their own taste of music. You are not an expert to say which music is garbage or not. It’s sad if you think so.

[@jesustyronechrist2330]

This song especially hits home as a Finn, as there's this pretty depressing and common idea that "Can't have fun without a drink", that you need to be drunk for that shell to open up and "allow" yourself to have fun. I've heard this being talked about, I've seen this in people. Hell, I've even had friends like that. And it's not fun. It's frustrating, making you feel like there's no real trust between you and the "normal" version of others.

[@donnaquixote7538]

Especially since many people actually become quite obnoxious rather than just relaxed when drunk. 😿 Another Finn here.

[@alfski]

If we're overthinking it.. I believe the shipping pallet staging is also a Finnish word play... "Europallet = Eurolava = euro stage > Eurovision stage"

[@TurmoilDot]

Yes, and a dance stage is "tanssilava" in Finnish... Maybe because the floor of it is usually wooden, like Eurolavas. 🤔

[@LM-rs5yy]

He is just a regular, lovable Finnish dude, who decided to walk into spotlight one day. He is completely authentic in his art and being. He’s the friendly neighbourhood guy ❤🎉

[@tapio_m6861]

Finland isn't a country full of introverts. Our culture just pushes the stoic attitude and has a built-in feature where we show respect by not bothering others.

[@mariaangelica4353]

I wish I were Finnish sometimes 😢

[@tamarat9735]

that's interesting, because i think that sometimes cultures that value extroverted behavior a bit more like the Americans, as well as the southern European cultures, sometimes interpret that as being introverted. I'm from south-eastern Europe and it seems like our baseline understanding of what social interaction is different, so when someone just quietly minds their own business we think it means they don't want to engage or are just shy.

[@Greenteabook]

That sounds so nice. Each time I learn more about Finland, it convinces me a little more that I need to visit... or maybe move there depending on the trip.

[@donnaquixote7538]

@@Greenteabook Welcome! 💗🤗💗

[@barbarusbloodshed6347]

The whole concept of introverted and extroverted is nonsense if you really think it through. That someone is shy and "introverted" in all situations is practically impossible, same goes for someone being nonstop open and "extroverted". If a test contains a question like "Would you rather spend time amongst people or be alone?" I would always choose "be alone", but only because it wasn't specified who those people are. Would I rather be alone or spend time with my friends? That's where it gets more realistic. But that still isn't the complete picture. Now you'd have to ask what the situation is. Would I rather be alone or with my friends after one of my parents just died? I'd rather be alone and grieve for myself. Would I rather spend time with my friends or be alone when I am in a good mood and feeling optimistic about my future? Then I'd rather spend time with my friends. And someone who'd generally like being among people might also prefer to be alone while they're feeling shitty. And I am sure there are some people who generally prefer to be alone, but don't wanna be alone in those moments when they're down. If you ask me all those tests that try to determine whether you're one or the other are complete bullshit. People aren't like that.

[@Masaim6]

Wow you summarized why finnish people like Cha Cha Cha perfectly. Very well done.

[@swimatnight]

You don't have to be Finnish to like the song. I'm from Mediterranean culture and I loved the song!

[@Masaim6]

@@swimatnight I just meant that it's a very Finnish song and they explained the meaning very well.

[@clevomon]

It might have been nice to compare and contrast Malta's song this year. The story starts basically the same, but the protagonists resolve their problems in completely different ways.

[@overthinkingit]

Oooooh I like this!

[@emmalilliestam1817]

This song is perhaps the best storytelling ever in Eurovision! Learning the lyrics only deepens your understanding that the visuals and the synthesizers already told you. And this is the best analysis I've seen in 2023! It really warms my heart to see that also Americans have deep interested in understanding other cultures ❤

[@AammaK]

Nice job! Couple notes though: About the staging: The song starts with Käärijä lamenting what a tough and long week he's had. You could interpret the "europalettes" as a symbol for work. They are pretty direct imagery comming from this sort of "men's work" and general manual labor aesthetic. That's not uncommon in popular music here, to sing about regular "nine to five" (or maybe seven to three in this case) instead of the typical luxurious "work hard play hard" type of a thing in a lot of American music for example. For me it isn't only a symbot for breaking free from this introverted cage you've built yourself, but also the contrast between your work life everyday self and your free time self. You have to understand that not only is it a national metastereotype to think of ourselves as withdrawn and reserved, it's also a culturally coded thing. It's considered polite to respect people's personal space both physically and emotionally or socially. It is, in fact, impolite in a lot of situations to be very polite and familiar. The day to day life is where most of it is visible, especially commuting, doing groceries, all that. It actually takes effort to break free from that midset on your time off even in a space where it's allowed and expected. In a sense it's quite a tragic image of us, because for some that does mean heavy consumption of spicy water. But in a more light hearted sense it can just be about that little bit of letting loose. Also, with nothing but respect, I'd say it would really elavate content like this if you took the time to ask for help pronouncing Finnish words! Finns would love to help you with it, I'm sure. If it's a name, checking an interview where the name is mentioned could be a fast way to check, and even Google translator's "listen" function is useful :)

[@overthinkingit]

First of all, this is good stuff about the staging. Some people have pointed out the pallets might be a "euro" pun, but they are also definitely evocative of a certain type of manly work, like the boxing ring of the music video. I hope he doesn't change things too much for Liverpool. Secondly, I DID actually get help pronouncing the Finnish words, I'm just bad at it. 😀 How'd I do with "Välikuolema," I practiced that one a bunch.

[@soundslikesushi]

​@@overthinkingitYou did a great job on Välikuolema!🎉

[@eurovego]

As a swede (with a lot of finn blood in my veins) I must agree with the polite reservness beeing part of both our cultures. I constantly smile towards strangers when passing, maybe even put my hand up, and they look like I've slapped them in their faces. I don't know about finn's but swedes are famously known for getting obscenely drunk when we let ourself's be happy and free (violent and disrespectful) whilst going to vacation-countries. But that's common for a lot of nations. Btw. Didn't like Käärijäs song at all in march but know it's in my top-3 (or top-5, depends on moodboard) and I'll be happy if you do win 🇸🇪♥️🤗🦖💃🏾🥐🇫🇮

[@saturated3821]

I'm Finnish, and I don't usually follow Eurovision. My husband played Cha Cha Cha for me right before the national selection competition and on the first listen, I wasn't hugely into it, then the tone shift came in at the end and I was a little more intrigued. I listened to the song a couple of times and watched the music video and when I thought of the lyrics, my immediate understanding was that it was denouncing toxic masculinity, specifically a (very Finnish) aspect of it where men are expected to be stoic and sort of unmoved by anything, happy or sad. I don't know how people can hear it multiple times and think it's simply about partying. Even if they don't understand the lyrics, the shift is enough I think to signal there's something more going on. The hype? Totally deserved.

[@rageguy311]

Never had a Pina colada until I heard this song. And I used to live in Hawaii for 5 years! Now play Ja Ja Ding Dong!

[@danielaf1487]

Måneskin's win in 2021 brought so much joy because it wasn't an obvious win for Eurovision and was a show of pure talent, charisma and uniting people by music. The song was in Italian (again, not a concession to Eurovision), which was a plus. Käärijä was 2023's EQUIVALENT of Måneskin in terms of specialness, in terms of really standing out, being out of this world charismatic and unique and would have brought exactly the same amount of joy as 2021. Käärijä would have been a win for the heart, whereas Loreen was a win for the brain. It just isn't the same... it doesn't give you the same joy. Maybe we need to ask ourselves what the point of Eurovision really is. With this I am not meaning to diss Loreen, for whom I have a deep respect.

[@AlexeyIgnatov0]

Finns work hard and party hard. And for many people it's almost unimaginable for any sort of partying to go without hard drinking to break out of their everyday shell of introversion and quietness. People often drink not to enjoy the drink and have a good time in the process, but with a determination to get drunk quickly so they can feel free and uninhibited. As a foreigner in Finland, for me it's a very noticeable trait of the local party culture compared to other places where I've had a chance to observe the night life. Käärijä did a very good job capturing this aspect, probably that's why the level of craze around this song inside the country is so insane, I have not seen the entire Finland following Eurovision closer than an ice hockey championship before.

[@Shannis75]

Wow. I am impressed. I am Finn, and IMO you got the song spot on. You even picked up the gender role/ toxic masculinity thing, which most Finns don't get, maybe because it hits too close home. Regarding that, hair in Finland isn't similarly strictly gender-coded as in the US: Short hair for women (pixie cut) is very popular (I'd say close to 50% women have short hair), whereas a lot of "rebel" and "rocker" type men have long hair (at least 30 %, maybe even more), BUT everything else about his released, true personality's style is very gender-neutral and borderline coded female; the colours, the slim outline of his outfit, the nail polish and the BANGS (men don't wear bangs, like EVER). Also, interestingly enough, outside this song, Käärijä as a character seems to be very in touch with his feminine side (he wears tailored clothing, dangly earrings, jewelry and nail polish and has flamboyant style), and when interviewed, Jere/Käärijä is quite soft-spoken and gentle, and clearly has a lot of empathy and emotional intelligence.

[@tuulalehtola9283]

Thank you for a great analysis! I get frustrated when people often think that Cha cha cha is a drinking song. It’s so much more! It’s quite a Finnish state of mind and I love that he sings it in Finnish too.

[@lindonesc]

Austria here. Finland my number one. What would we do this year if we hadn't Cha Cha Cha and Poe Poe Poe. Finland and Austria, the two party-nations of Europe.

[@JustSaying001]

Cha Cha Cha - post pandemic anthem ❤

[@katriina6831]

Käärijä follows the canon of Finnish ironic party rap which has been really popular in Finland for past ten or fifteen years. Finnish male rappers besides (Rähinä record artists) present themselves as non-masculine loosers, direct opposite to American hip hop. Finding confidence in alcohol is also a reaccuring theme because that is an actual Finnish cultural practice, we drink to be confident and social.

[@BritInvLvr]

The more I hear this son, the more I love it.

[@hajosiko]

Käärijä is directly translated to "The Wrapper", I really wish the song could be better translated to english but since its a play on words and kind of a rap song its impossible. It also has many finnish words in it which means a lot o different things at the same time but still works either way you interpret them. For instance "Rata" is translated "Bar", but it actually also mean "The (running)track". But in general a very good and accurate description and analysis of the song, its spot on tbh.

[@JadedKate]

wait what other words in the lyrics are also play on words ? we already know the eurolava staging is also a double meaning

[@hajosiko]

@@JadedKate In addition to those two for instance "Kumota" means to chug(drinks) and also to knock out(in boxing /fighting) two things he represents in the performance and the singing. "Parketti" means both parquet and the dancefloor. "Lukossa" means to be in a locked position in a fight or to be mentally uncomfortable or locked in a way, not wanting to go dancing(its a very common problem every Finn has :D ), which both could be true

[@Axunen]

The Wrapper as a person who wraps. Not a wrapper as cany wrapper or such. This is mostly referring to wrapping a joint or "gathering" something. In an interview it was said he was once jokingly nicknamed Wrapper as won on a slot machine. In Finnish it "wrapping" can be translated to Kääriä, which is the act of wrapping but can also refer as gaining money on the expense of others or with work. In this case gaining wins from a slot machine. Kind of like wraping up wins.

[@JudeJadeJune]

This song is abdoulte bop tempting me to learn the whole song. Introvert metal forever!

[@MyBroSux24]

Desmond Child also wrote Poison by Alice Cooper. That's probably the most similar song to Jezabel.

[@ESCSteph]

I have been loving Cha Cha Cha (like most people) but hadn't looked up the translation of the lyrics so I actually didn't know what the song was about, so this video was interesting. It made me think of Malta's entry a lot since they start out the same, story wise, but go in completely different directions. (BTW speaking of Malta, they also have a fun, seemingly silly song that is about something deeper and is deeply personal - yet much of the fandom hasn't embraced the song.) I have to admit I didn't know about the plagiarism accusations for Cha Cha Cha. I'm glad the singer of that band really enjoys it! (Also liked the use of That's How You Write a Song when you were listing all the songs that have been accused of copying others.)

[@heroizumi]

Great video breaking down this song. I've really fallen hard for Käärijä and have been delving into as much stuff as I can get my hands on. I was surprised to see how many people were trying to claim he copied We Got The Moves. As you said, they're quite different songs. I also really appreciate that you used the clip of Nico from Finnish TV saying he enjoys Cha Cha Cha and doesn't think they're too similar either. Käärijä seems to be an Electric Callboy fan too considering he was at one of their recent shows in Helsinki and occasionally can be seen wearing EC's Choo Choo t-shirt. XD Only thing I'd change about this video is the image you used for EC considering it was an old one with their former vocalist Sushi rather than Nico.

[@ristoravela652]

Musically, both artists are obviously influenced by Rammstein. (Käärijä even has a Rammstein tattoo over his heart.)

[@Makapaa]

The more I dig into the song, the performances of it and the lyrics, the more I admire and understand it - and unfortunately see A LOT of myself in it. That almost manical need for a breakaway; even for a one night that 'will' end up in bad way is something so real. The character here goes about it with alcohol, ends up breaking their ice, has "the fun" and all that happy fun stuff BUT to me the way Käärijä plays the character both in music video and in the Stage Performance looks to me like a man that's hurting BECAUSE he knows this hard-earned and worked-for burst of psychological and social freedom won't last long and ends up just hurting them more - the cycle just starts over. It leaves you with the question "Is it (really) worth it?" and also gives you an answer of "Of course! Why would it not?!" - and it's up to a listener to decide if that OFC! is a positive or negative (both?).

[@MatthewWrather]

My OTHER favorite Overthinking Eurovision video not hosted by me.

[@patrickuotinen]

I have paid attention to the dancers. Obviously they are doing some things, which Käärijä did in the video, but can't do during a live performance. Käärijä had a couple of fanatic smiles in the video, so I think in the live performance they have taken this, and connected it to the way how latin dancers often have forced smiles, and overdone it for purpose. I love their false teeth. You can also see the oiled hair of the dancers, and the fake tan. These are stereotypical characteristics among latin dancers. I think I heard Käärijä imply in some interview, that the dancers might be even more exaggerated in Liverpool. The change in ambience is of course also visible in the expressions of the dancers. Though they are smiling all time through the song, after the ambience changes, the smiles become less murderous.

[@marsjfields]

Well explained why this deserves to win over Loreen.

[@eurovego]

But it didn't.

[@iphone8756]

​​@@eurovego Finland deserve this win, is i must to see this only in my dreams and i'm only who wants that he will win?

[@eurovego]

@@iphone8756 Yes! Finland absolutly deserves to win. But that wasn't what he said in the analysis. Ps. Sweden loves Käärijä and Suomi 🌬♥️🦖🦖🦖♥️🇸🇪💋🇫🇮

[@elinahamalainen5867]

@@eurovego We will see. Sweden is always the one that we hope for some points because we are neighbors after all but you usually leave us high and dry when it comes to points.

[@eurovego]

@@elinahamalainen5867 But this year you have a great artist and song and a superperformance so I hope the swedes dosen't leave you hangin' in the wind...

[@knusprigeschuhsohle7939]

Okay but this is actually such a nice analysis and you cant tell me otherwise this should be taken seriously 😭

[@joaovitormatos8147]

During the plagiarism part, the background music it's "that's how you write a song". The level of effort for a little joke in this channel is inspiring

[@overthinkingit]

We almost used "Copycat" (Belgium 2009) but that's much less recognizable and almost no one would get it.

[@DrgPng]

What's the connection between Käärijä and Rammstein? His tattoo is reminiscent of Rammstein's logo. Song also, tongue and hand gestures?

[@sairhug]

@@DrgPng They're his favourite band since the age of 8 when his cousins showed him the Live Aus Berlin video (what a performance for a child to see ...😂😂😂 ... but it clearly made an impression!). An English interviewer recently asked him what his favourite Rammstein song was and he said "Bück Dich" ... then she asked him to sing a bit!!

[@pamelakilponen3682]

About those pallets, they used Euro-pallets because eurolava (Euro-pallet in Finnish) can also be translated as euro(vision) stage.

[@alionele]

Wow such a well put together analysis. This is why I love Käärijä. 🎉🎉🎉

[@ristoravela652]

Who listens to this song and thinks "oh, I want to be that guy, the guy who is anxious and repressed and needs to drink to relax"? The whole point of the song is that it's not great being that guy, even if you can let loose sometimes with the help of a few drinks. The idea that this is promoting drinking is kind of like saying songs about being in a toxic relationship glorify or promote being in a toxic relationship. Yes the guy drinks, but he's not happy to be that guy who needs it. Käärijä himself has mentioned that he hopes the song makes people ask questions about do they really need to drink to relax. But yes, sometimes people do drink to relax. It's a thing, a real thing in the real world people can relate to, and the idea that it's somehow bad to discuss that in a song is promoting alcoholism is more than a little smallminded. Of course the song isn't judgmental about it either, he's there with you, you sympathize with the character. But the character in the song is in no way aspirational. This is why most people understand that the song isn't really about drinking, it's primarily about social anxiety, and more subtly, about the way masculinity can be a prison that just makes it harder to enjoy your life and be who you are. Messages a lot of people understand and relate to.

[@jasminejou1273]

such an awesome and multidimensional song 😍💚!

[@imageez]

This is a weird side, but after watching the live performance with the cha cha dancers, I think this song would be perfect if Disco Elysium got made to a movie or something. It fits to the background of "the expression", a face of eternal dead grin the main character had after years of drinking, and it's literally a game quest to try removing it.

[@rutgert3322]

Cha cha cha being the anti-safety dance is why I subscribed 😂

[@renskedunnewold1995]

It is not my personal top favorite, but how fun would it be if this won! And very well deserved

[@koala1234ish]

I didn't think one could possibly overthink 'Cha Cha Cha' for 18 minutes straight but I was wrong! Great analysis!

[@lilibueta]

My winner this year 😁

[@Aaron_Sievers]

Great analysis! I guess I kind of felt the deeper meaning, but you found so much proof of it, that it is really undenieable. The feeling of introverts wanting to party is a complex topic. Malta also sended a song about that, but the lyrics weren't as subtle and good over all, so they failed in the semi-final. Considering all indications "Cha Cha Cha" would definetly have been the deserved winner song this year!

[@overthinkingit]

I do wish I'd made the pretty obvious connection to Malta here!

[@genericchannelname8374]

Listing all the allegedly plagiarized songs without mentioning the 4+ songs people claim to hear in Tattoo. Jail.

[@overthinkingit]

Excellent point! And the real reason is that we were brainstorming this list before "Tattoo" was selected on March 12, and we forgot to update it later.

[@LeafHuntress]

@@overthinkingit But bonus points for every esc song that refers back to another esc song.

[@evipevi1973]

People are crazy with all plagiarism accusations!! Stop it already. And this comment shading Tattoo is low.

[@overthinkingit]

@@evipevi1973 I don't think the comment is shading "Tattoo", only pointing out (correctly) that it should have been on this list. I feel like almost all musical plagiarism accusations are baseless. If hypothetically Käärijä was a big fan of "We Got the Moves" and set out to write his own spin on it, good for him. Nobody should have to apologize for being inspired by other musicians as long as they are bringing their own originality to the table and he CERTAINLY is.

[@evipevi1973]

@@overthinkingit I fully agree!! Well said! And thank you for a great video. Enjoyed it!!

[@matt-thorn]

As a Finn I just feel sorry for Käärijä because most people in the audience won't be able to understand the lyrics, and without them the song suffers greatly.

[@GrazianoAltieri]

What a work with this video! A lot of references..and the analysis is very detailed. Well done!

[@paziwork]

It's ESC finals day, and the stores in Finland are getting emptied out of pineapple juice. This is crazy, no matter the outcome. Oh, BTW, excellent analysis. I think this is exactly the story behind the song. Complemented by his awkward moves when he finally decides to hit the dance floor (love the sidesteps!). He can't dance, but at that point he just doesn't care (enough) any more.

[@oscarn-]

Damn, this was awesome deep dive! Only thing maybe missed was the joke in the stage build: it was created using "euro pallets", and the Finnish word for that means also "stage in Europe". 😉

[@BKeaton]

I’m amazed at how well you understand the Finnish people from your research! I moved to the US a couple of years ago and I still run into situations where my Finnish nature takes the lead and I’m having to explain that I’m not trying to be rude, it’s just how we are. I try every day to put on a more social face and I just find myself exhausted by the end of the day 😄 And my husband feels he would never make it in Finland because the people are quiet and you have months of darkness in the winter. It’s wild how different our cultures are despite both being highly developed westernized societies.

[@overthinkingit]

Somebody on the Discord told me about the Scandinavia and the World comic strip, in which Finland barely talks at all: satwcomic.com/the-world

[@jinxshadow5218]

Wait, people are saying Cha Cha Cha plagiarized We got the Moves? I mean, both artists have very silly styles and a mix of metal and dance music. That’s why they’re both so fun.

[@jussim.konttinen4981]

Bunny Lebowski says, "Uli doesn't care about anything. He's a Nihilist". Mucha Mu-ChaCha by Esquivel is playing in the background. Käärijä chooses the Piña Colada, instead of a White Russian. Both are what you would expect from a euro "polka".

[@dee-ux4dz]

Love this channel but I'm surprised no mention was given to the musical, costume and choreographic similarities to Rammstein (not to mention Jere's tattoo)!

[@complainingperson2883]

This is my favorite channel on KZbin right now.

[@georgeloyal2051]

like a cha cha cha

[@mekelius]

"There's only bar and piña colada on my mind" really doesn't capture what he's saying there. He doesn't say "bar" he says "rata". Literally it means something like "racetrack/runway", but it refers to nightlife. Paints a pretty different picture.

[@Raev222]

Racing to the Finnish line? 🥲

[@sagal8620]

I love him ❤

[@eetu7725]

Singing about pina coladas has more to do with the finnish language, it rhymes well structurally with the rest of the singing.

[@laurajones2307]

I have to admit I only first heard it when I watched the semi-final. I didn't warm up to it but by the final I did start enjoy it more as the song went on. I have been watching the performance more and this video has helped me understand it more because I took the time now to learn about it. Next year I'm going learn the context of the songs so I have more of a open mind for when I have my Eurovision tradition of which songs will go into the final. Thank you Overthinking It for helping me appreciate this song.

[@madinagoodway]

This was an amazing analysis! Thank you 💚🇫🇮🌴🍹🕺🏻

[@RockiesSweden]

OMG Amorphis is in an Overthinking Eurovision video LETS GO

[@AlexandraBryngelsson]

"You can't have a hole nation just of introverts..." said no one that has been to Finland ever

[@aprilhoy4010]

The gender stuff with the pivot 2/3 of the way into the song is interesting. It kinds reminds me of the way A Strange Loop uses a symbol of the "inner white girl" as a stand-in for having the power to be uninhibited, carefree, and consequence-free. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2fao5Rrf9l4rJY

[@Feethei]

An excellent analysis on every point, and your pronounciation of Käärijä is fine - not perfect, but understandable - but you butchered Lauri's name 😂... Without context I'd have 0 clue what you said there...

[@elamakuineuroviisu]

Great video!

[@kurkkupastillitjalammintee]

ooo mukava nähdä tuttuja* (*tuntemattomia joita olen nähnyt internetissä) täällä :D

[@are3287]

the similarities in the vocals in that part of cha cha cha and that other band are due to their industrial nature, industrial being a niche music genre popular in mostly Finland and Germany. Rammstein is by far the best known band that represents this, and Käärijä happens to have a very visible Rammstein tattoo on his chest. It's quite certain that this was inspired by them, and not that other band.

[@tomate3391]

Funny that most people who reacted to this , and myself had similiar feeling, that the strings which were attached to the dancer is to control these, in fact we asumed quite the opposite what it was supposed to be. But I liked it anyways.

[@MsMeyara]

I think Sweden is overrated this year and Finland underrated by the bookies. It's gonna be Lordi all over again, being the underdog to win and yet they did! I'm guessing Finland is gonna win this year

[@markusmiikkulainen8064]

Although it might be true that pina colada is picked up as a drink for other reasons too, the main reason is according to Käärijä, that it is a word that sits nicely in to the song with its syllables, and he personally never drinks it.

[@Latexi_LMX]

Awesome analysis, great job!

[@heidiedarwit]

De ser una cancion oscura de rock pesado pasa a ser Everything is awesome de la película Lego 😅😂😅🫶🏻

[@justinspencer4472]

Loved this. Exactly what I needed to watch. God that song’s brilliant. Joyous and beyond larger than life. Love it, and your take on it.

[@hauskalainen]

spot on with the analysis. You missed the costumes which mirror metamorphosis in the insect world. Pupae are often green and shaped thicker at one end and thinner at the other. Like 💚. There is the caterpillar stage (we see the dancers become a caterpillar and Kääriä joins them. One and the same And at the end we end up with the final metamorphosis to a butterfly. I think that will be the surprise ending on stage in Liverpool. Colourful butterflies!! I do hope so.

[@overthinkingit]

Is this your theory? This seems like a stretch but I want it to come true!

[@deadzoo]

Whaaat? I also want to believe this 😅 Perhaps it might be a little OTT though

[@ristoravela652]

Omg, now that you say it it's so obvious!

[@hauskalainen]

​@@overthinkingit I have no inside knowledge but I do think this song is about transformation and the costumes definitely mirror that. The dancers definitely transform to a caterpillar/centipede, and käärijä himself transforms. Cha Cha Cha is just the hook and his funny sideways dance is a different dance altogether but then the professional dancers end up doing HIS dance. They become HIM. Complex on many levels like you said.

[@AureWaxman]

Guys, you're brilliant. Thank you so much.

[@nightwind6515]

Absolutely amazing brake down. You nailed the Finnish mental scenary. Well done good sir.

[@tiskihuora]

I think the lyrics in Cha cha cha are kinda tragic. It's about finnish drinking culture: how drinking and getting absolutely wasted is the only way for a lot of finnish people to relax and loosen enough that you are able to socialize and be vulnerable with others, esp for men. The part with "en pelkääkään tätä maailmaa", "And I´m not afraid of this world no more" tells it all. On surface it's a fun party song but beneath there is some profound sadness: how the only way for the person in the song to get in touch with their true self is to get black-out-drunk.

[@liinukka3109]

😂aaahha, thx a lot of overthinking of Käärijä's Cha Cha Cha. It was so good and so much same kind of thoughts I have thought abt😊 ❤

[@TheNashNetwork]

I seriously hated Jezebel last year. That plus Desmond Child's ASC output made it seem like he forgot English was his first language in his effort to write awful mass appeal music.

[@itzelgc4637]

He is just turning 30? Forget the over analyzing, this just gave me an existential crisis

[@sebastianniittyvuopio5017]

Very nice points❤

[@Mucrush]

Its CRAZY, its PARTY!

[@memecita]

Wow, the channel name doesn't lie. I'll just leave you with an old joke: How can you tell when a Finn is an extrovert? They look at your shoes instead of their own.

[@HOusu88]

There is also a little pun intended in those pallets of his show that he uses as a stage and the cage. We call them "eurolava" in here and a straight translate for it would be "euro stage", obviously referring to eurovision stage

[@janiriekki1012]

Your analysis is spot on and very specific.

[@MarioLanzas.]

The irony of the basic eurofans calling this song ¨childdish and superficial¨ 💅

[@sispijl]

Still awesome!! People were all "omg human centipede" but I see it as the point where he becomes master of his fears (hence the fake teeth and intense faces). At first he is restained and dark, then he starts to lose control and the dancers break out, they look and dance intimidating, he tries to leash them back but he cannot control them, then he eventually lets go of the leashes and they still chacha, and then the "woahhhh" and the song changes, he gains their control without needing leashes and they stop chacha-ing & join his dance and they are 1.

[@overthinkingit]

Ooooh I like.

[@alexm9148]

Congratulations guys, another video that I love although it is about a song that I absolutely don’t like! I’m so happy I discovered you!

[@ApolloRR]

My winner. But it's Käärijä not Kéérija!

[@overthinkingit]

I saw all those vowels and dots and panicked. Bringing Wrather back next week. 😀

[@herttapur]

@@overthinkingit your pronunciation was not the worst ive heard, trust me👍🏻

[@overthinkingit]

I will accept this as a compliment. 🙏

[@herttapur]

@@overthinkingit It was ment as a compliment, loved this video btw, good work!❤️

[@LisuLoysa]

wow, great and thoughtful analysis

[@hauskalainen]

Did you see the reggae version of the song? That is quite melodic but based on the same words.

[@patrickuotinen]

There is also a ballad version.

[@TN-bp2cf]

Thank you for overthinking it! It's actually spot on like 90%+

[@mkborda]

The Hulk-like clothing could also represent the metamorphosis in the song 🟢

[@HellaParadoxial]

that's a pretty old photo of electric callboy lmao. hasn't even got their new singer in it who joined in 2020

[@overthinkingit]

Gonna get educated about Electric Callboy over the summer. So far I've only heard that one song but I love it so much. Been desperately looking for a clean version so I can listen to it in the car with my kids.

[@donnaquixote7538]

1:25 Yup, as a Finn I can agree that Lauri the lead singer with the balloon and strong make up kind of gave me IT vibes and wasn't the best choice, even if he's an attractive guy. 😆 I did vote for Jezebel to win UMK last year but now that I think about it, maybe Ram Pam Pam by Bess would have been a better choice, even if The Rasmus gave a banger performance. Our last year's entry was yellow, this year with Käärijä it was green, I wonder if we'll go through the full colour scale and end up with blue next year. 😏

[@nicolelujan8068]

Thanks for pointing out about the plagiarism issue. For me had many industrial music elements but it's like 2 songs in one at the end for me what's makes it so interesting. Thanks for giving answers to my questions about this song! My mom and I loved even without understand a word 😂

[@hippopotamusbosch]

4:00 Trigger warning: Blackface depiction 🤦‍♂️

[@dasmysteryman12]

This is why I never wanted him to represent Germany

[@Elessar543]

@@dasmysteryman12 right? and now he's whining about being robbed by the producers, when german public clearly voted for the very nice glam/goth rock band that just had the better performance and probably never did blackface

[@evilgayjester2997]

It's so funny to me that the main plagiarism accusation for Finland was Electric Callboys (which imo, doesn't really sound that similar), when Cha Cha Cha's riff is SO similar to Tattoo by Rammstein -- a band which Käärijä openly loves so much that he has a Rammstein tattoo! To be clear, I don't think it's plagiarised -- the songs are still pretty different, but considering the near-identical riffs and the chantable choruses, it's a much more obviously similar song, from a bigger band, with direct connections to Käärijä.

[@Raev222]

Apparently people were crazy about tattoos this year.. Loreen's song and her hands, the chest tattoo on Käärijä, and the inspiration from another Tattoo song.. 😅

[@jonathanbrett-warren2031]

I loved Jezebel!!!