LOITUMA: IEVAN POLKKA - Music video

IEVAN POLKKA - Music video
Music: traditional
Lyrics by Eino Kettunen
Arrangement & additional lyrics by Loituma: Hanni Autere, Sari Kauranen, Anita Lehtola-Tollin & Timo Väänänen
Video written & directed by Elina Oikari
Producer & set organizer: Hanni Autere
Sound design by Mika Autere
Thanks to every performer on the video! Special thanks to Elina Oikari.
Loituma website: www.loituma.fi
IEVAN POLKKA - THE STORY
The storyteller is a young lad, who has a crush on a girl named Ieva (a Savonian version of Eeva, the Finnish Eva). The couple wants to dance together, no matter what. It’s a story about affection and the importance of dancing.
There is a sound of polka rhythm drifting from the neighbour (it might be Ieva’s house where people have gathered to dance). The lad says his feet long for dance. Ieva has her mother guarding her, but Ieva fools her and gets to dance with the lad. He’s saying: ”We don’t care about any restrictions when we are dancing all over the floor”.
Ieva is smiling widely as people wish her good luck. (Not sure, but maybe ’cause they had noticed the young fine lad being interested in her and people look at her with an implying gaze.) Everybody has their hair wet from sweating on the dance floor, and the fiddle is howling and wailing. In the end the lad says: ”I don’t mind being wet when dancing to and fro”.
Well, now Ieva’s mother is singing hymns in her own room (she probably didn’t like the idea of having a ball in her house). In the meantime the lad is wooing Ieva in the room next door (having a break from dancing). And the lad says that he doesn’t care about what any old women say as long as he can dance.
”We had fun after the dancing, and I got to canoodle once”. (It’s not obvious what Kettunen is saying here, but he alludes presumably to making love somewhere.) When they get home, Ieva’s mother is angry and Ieva starts to weep. The lad says: ”I told Ieva that it doesn’t matter and we’ll be dancing again”.
The lad continues: ”I told the mother: you shut your mouth, or else I won’t guarantee your health. You’ll stay healthy if you grab your bones and have a rest in your room”. He also tells that he doesn’t care for being so gentle when he’s taking the ladies all over the dance floor.
The lad is speaking to Ieva’s mother: ”I’ll tell you, you need to chew, ’cause I’m not to be swallowed just like that. (meaning that he won’t give up easily.) You can go from east to west, but I’m not giving up Ieva.” And he continues: ”For this lad doesn’t care for being too modest, when dancing to and fro”.

[@rparello]

Are you kidding me? After all these years, we finally have a music video? Amazing.

[@Soilefne]

It’s very scary when you look at people 20 years later. I smile looking at these people and I’m very scared of how quickly life flies, because I heard this performance 20 years ago when I was a teenager. I wish you good health and longevity and continue to maintain friendly relations. Sorry for my English, I am from Ukraine.

[@martinrocket1436]

Twenty years ago, we listened to that ten years old song. What we've heard and seen had happened before. We thought, we were holding a piece of time but it was sand flowing from our hands.

[@HanniAutere]

We have been performing this since 1992. And the most viral video is from 1996, so almost 30 years ago. =)

[@pfinhulk6726]

@@HanniAutere It is so wild seeing videos from before I was born and seeing the people now. The generation of my parents was as young as me once. Hard to imagine. I hope they can remember how it feels to be young and searching for ones place in life. But the smile in your faces makes me confident that life might get even better :)

[@HanniAutere]

Yeah, it's really cool to be at this age. =) @@pfinhulk6726

[@DONGWONLEE-ie7ib]

우크라이나에 전쟁이 종식 되기를😊

[@jeffymooch]

I left a similar comment in 2021 when you posted the COVID version separately. Your voices have grown richer and more emotional over the years. Thank you for being here.

[@user-wu6gc4hy7m]

I love this

[@lenaaaaaaaa78]

@@user-wu6gc4hy7mme too

[@bilalgulact3343]

Tumakatu rimktu apyerdan

[@Esponcho]

Saluditos desde México❤

[@FauzulRizal]

From 1996 to 2024, glad seeing that Loituma's member still in touch and in a good relationship with each other!

[@jalenjackson740]

I cannot believe its been 3 years since you're last recording and even back then you couldn't even see each other now you're reunited and singing with gold once again

[@xixXxxXxix]

I'll never get sick of this song. Great Video 🤘

[@Rejtan]

Love you so much, it was very wholesome experience to see you together after so many years, touched my soul

[@ConnorLynxx]

I love how the animals were mentioned in the credits too

[@HanniAutere]

But of course! =D

[@insanity_gaming2927]

Finally, long waited moment has come🎉🎉😍

[@didogou]

This song has finally got its own music video. What else can you ask for in life?

[@hajimestudio008]

This song (with more precision, the scat part of this song) was popular on the internet in japan 10 or 20 years ago. I could not understand finnish and now can't either. But I feel the music video tells me the story, the scenery, the atmosphere of this song. Thank you for producing this.

[@tanlil9005]

In a very short, the story is about a girl who is confronted by family members bc of her bf. The lyrics and translation is easy to find. I remember that the Japanese popular clip was based on an cartoon (anime) figure which seems a distant association.

[@hajimestudio008]

@@tanlil9005 Thank you for summarise. I'll look for some translation. Yeah, the animation's content is not much related to that of this song. It's an accidental meet on the internet .))

[@Uddbaga]

When I have watched your old videos, the same picture of you has formed in my mind. I like the way you sing when you sing in a group. Love from 🇮🇳India

[@LyokoKowalski]

I found this song back when I was a preteen, and I’ve loved it ever since Seeing such a wonderful music video makes me think of my youth. Much love from Louisville, Kentucky, United States!

[@buleonpl6436]

Dziękuję za tę nową wersję mojej ulubionej piosenki wraz z nowym teledyskiem. Pozdrowienia z Polski dla Was wszystkich :)

[@skullslace2426]

And when the world needed them most They returned

[@reddit.spicy.stories]

Hanni! Support from Bangladesh 🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩=)

[@mousepotato4220]

Это просто шедевр! Уже столько лет эта песня в сердцах людей. Буквально каждый день включаю её для поднятия настроения. А тут еще и клип сняли. Очень трогательно. Огромное уважение, с любовью из России.

[@UlrichRoss]

I still don't understand a single word and I'm still happy while hearing your song. It seems to be sung with a brighter smile than the old version. Great video - it matches the song perfectly. Thank you very much!

[@sameeradhanushke1272]

What an amazing thing to watch this video. This seems like a fabulous thing for me because I've been listening to this song for over six years

[@saintberry6460]

beautiful! I teared up when the train station scene happened. thank you for that lovely video!

[@bertramspielt]

So many Levan Polkkas on KZbin.... But Loitumas versions are so much better than the others! You are amazing! Thank you so much! Greetings from Austria 🇦🇹!

[@HanniAutere]

The name of the song is IEVAN POLKKA, not LEVAN POLKKA! =)

[@meenster2008]

Ievan Polkka music video?! Life is now complete!

[@user-mq4dj1be3f]

After 28 years you guys back with my childhood song🥲

[@HanniAutere]

=)

[@diegospimenta]

How great you all gather this amount of people. Thank you for this incredible video.

[@_grayven1202]

I didn't expect this to pop up in my recommended tab but I'm very glad it did. This is very awesome and it makes me want to move to Finland

[@hottiemess]

Omg guys i love you since my childhood. It touched me to see you together like this. This song never gets old 🥰🌸💖🌳🌷

[@Dephire]

Seeing you all reunite at the 2:00 mark was so precious! I like that this music video represents the story behind the lyrics of the song - I haven't seen that done before for it! Great work, LOITUMA!!!

[@WatashiWannabe]

A beautiful update to the gold standard rendition of this classic. If there were a Hall of Fame for international folk music, I'd nominate this for it. Fantastic work!

[@chota.cabras]

This song needs to be in all the internet all over again :)))

[@omerfaruksesiguzel9247]

So glad you guys are still doing stuff together! Your original acapella was so popular in Turkey in early 2000s that it was used as the ending theme for a TV series. For me, this song will forever represent the joyful, charming days of the internet of early 2000's.

[@TurkishMapper_34]

NO WAY THEY DID IT 30 YEARS LATER AGAIN !! WE LOVE YOU GUYS CONTINUE LIKE THIS ! love from the great nation of Türkiye !

[@Shir0iOkami]

This is amazing how this song conquered the world. No instruments, no business staff, no managers, no advertisments... just 4 talents. Its amazing to see after this years you still having fun singing this song, and your track is so unique that i always listen to it with nostalgy 😊

[@patrik9729]

It's not their song, its much older

[@rubenpaimon]

i love you guys so much, all your versions of this song, please never stop being this happy

[@foxtrotplays501]

Me see original - me happy Me see remastered - me still happy. Amazing work. The tone, the notes, the vibes. Just phenomenal 😍

[@Mostrichkugel]

This is so wonderful. After all those years, great reunion and beautiful movie.

[@BeSanya810930]

When I first heard the song around 2009-2010, I imagined this kind of visual world for the video. It was beyond all my imagination! Congratulations from the bottom of my heart! I love the video! 🇭🇺❤🇫🇮

[@kennethmartinez2465]

The video was absolutely beautiful. I feel a part of the culture. Love you guys been watching you guys for about 18 years now

[@royalmaist9385]

Glad to know that many years after listening to you all when i was much younger, that you are all continuing with your group and adding to the legacy 💙 Keep doing what you are doing

[@GERdeathstar]

Future generations will not understand just how important this song is

[@chandrajitkarmakar2333]

This will never get old. Thanks for creating this masterpiece. Greetings from India.

[@BrettWMcCoy]

Never get tired of this song!

[@inc297]

National anthem of internet! 🎉

[@rees7770]

Wake up babe Ievan Polkka music video finally dropped

[@HanniAutere]

=)

[@gemsling]

What a production! Great concept and execution. I love the cut to the train station, where you're all meeting up again. And I love that this is titled "Music video 2024", as if to suggest that this could be an annual tradition we didn't know we needed!

[@user-nw5fg2mw8b]

One of my ancestors is Finnish I love this song and video I salute you hopefully one day I get to get to Finland this is a dream My ancestors live in me uralic people ancestry memory's thanks for the video

[@Coolyoghurt22]

I am really happy to hear this. I love Loitumas music I find it absolutely fascinating Love from UK ❤.

[@cloudenvying]

that set in the beginning is top notch. lots of love from USA!

[@Klishevska]

Very beautiful and atmospheric visualization of the favorite song from even more favorite Finland. Любим вас и скучаем! ❤‍🩹

[@MegaBronsky1]

Los 4 cracks originales ❤, saludos de Chile a Finlandia 🇨🇱🇫🇮

[@wesleybilly8097]

This was amazing. So happy to see this video right now.

[@luketech3767]

You can not guess how happy I am to see you perform this song again! ❤

[@Maria_lis123]

It was amazing 😍 Thank you Hanni 😘

[@PumpFansMain]

Finally an official video of the Loituma version

[@kadirardic441]

This video made me so emotional. When I was a little child I adored you guys. I played this song and tried to memorize the words in it. After 10 years, I realized that I did it.❤❤❤

[@smysrbh]

Made me cry. Feels like I had been waiting for this version since eternity 😭 Tankyou Loituma and Hanni Just perfect no words

[@MuratC..]

Years after its so nice to hear this epic song from you again.Greeting from Turkey.

[@verakjullenen2483]

Thank you. I'm from Russia. My husband's grate-grandfather was from Finland, from Oulu. His name was Uuno Kyllönen. Uuno and his father Juhan moved to USSR. Uuno's mother, brothers and sisters stayed in Oulu. We don't know anything about their descendants.😢

[@wombatua]

Having seen this back in the olden times, well, now, I'm old.

[@gabrielmiel545]

I like the music and you really show the culture in your country, Wonderful!!❤

[@draatrom]

I stumbled upon your 90s song many many years ago. don't even remember when, but some years ago i saw your 2021 version and it amazed me, how you guys could reach each other with modern technology and helped many people through some though times. Today i just wanted to listen to some IEVAN POLKKA again and saw this video. I love it. It makes one nostalgic and happy. You're the best. Love you guys

[@aymznsn]

Aftet a longtime they are all together ❤❤

[@zeynepbeyzaa.2439]

Such a beautiful song deserved such a beautiful video❤❤❤

[@DrunkenAussie76]

A comeback song for the ages, you guys are truly amazing. Thanks from some bloke on the other side of the world Stay amazing 🍻

[@alajit]

I watched your video in 2006 and I still love it as much till date. I wish to see you posting again at this age singing u all again take all the edits u want considering the age. Much love from India

[@brookechang4942]

This is so wonderful, Hanni and Loituma! Much love from Canada!

[@chromosomes_keeper]

It’s very nice that your team, decades later, gets together and performs, performing this song, which has become truly legendary. Happiness and health for you!

[@MrNohab]

We all aged! So good to see them again! 28 years went by......

[@eduardoshepard417]

Muchas gracias por esta hermosa canción y las demás del disco. Saludos desde Chile

[@komischeskind]

Sometimes, the Internet is a magical place! Kiitos!

[@pablopinto5327]

thanks for this beautiful interpretation and work, i love it

[@zsiraftarolo]

this was a nice surprise, I'm so glad you stilll sing this song, and finally made a video!

[@ElliLavender]

I genuinely feel so happy for you guys, this must have been so much fun! When I was younger I actually created a KZbin playlist with different versions of this song because I loved it so much, but the original performance by you was always one of my favorites

[@shivamshukla955]

I love this song ❤

[@edgarjdq]

You guys look always so happy when you are together. I loved to see part of the traditional Finnish life too.

[@DiscoveryBOOM]

Very gooood . Love you all ..❤

[@artura5720]

Perfect, great!!! Greetings from Poland ❤

[@aras9268]

This video, your energy and smiling faces made my day.❤ What a great chance to know this lovely group.🌻

[@rudyguitarelecon7311]

Un grand plaisir de vous revoir, tout les 4, dans cette vidéo, Vous êtes charmant. Au plaisir de vous revoir, Bises 😘

[@davdav3945]

Whenever I am really desperate, a new video of yours is released. Thank you so much ❤

[@mdepfl]

I CANNOT STOP SMILING!

[@ameurmustapha6942]

really the same sensation

[@NiGHTSaturn]

Hanni, I want to say how grateful I am that in this new recording, you did your part incredibly close to the original studio version. I know you always improvise, but having this recent one so close was so satisfying. I’m a musician, and my ear is pleased. I’m also very VERY glad that you guys finally made an official music video exactly the way you wanted to do it. Kiitos!!! ❤️

[@HanniAutere]

Yes, I tried to make the solo in the original way. Of course it's difficult to do it perfectly the same way... =) I'm glad you noticed!

[@Lesnam20]

The pride of making an universal song must be priceless. Love you guys!

[@qvinnyc]

Today I wanted to show the children the song that my husband and I used to listen to years ago and there is a new video. Such a lovely surprise! ❤

[@dominikwab9612]

Wow, awesome. I'm so glad you all decided to make this fantastic video. When I discovered Loituma some random day few years ago, I didn't expect that after some time of enjoying your music I would also enjoy your music videos ;D Now I want to study Finnish! To understand your songs and your beautiful Finnish culture and traditions. In some aspects I think it might be similar to my Polish traditional culture also (those hens at the beginning really remind me of those of my grandfather :P) Thank you!

[@sahilbholane5535]

This is the most peaceful, ethereal music video / visuals I’ve ever seen , been listening to you guys since Covid 19 love you guys I’m 16 years old and my sister is 11 and we enjoy it a lot thanks guys, lots of love 🥰❤️

[@HanniAutere]

Greetings to your sister too. =)

[@sahilbholane5535]

@@HanniAutere 🥹❤️

[@scuoladicanto594]

Дякую, ви молодці) Ваше відео створює гарний настрій))))) Продовжуйте) Вітання з України ❤

[@HondaDCT]

It's good to see (hear) you again!

[@heinzkrix9455]

Still awesome after years Love you always ❤❤❤❤❤

[@jean-marcdumas-perrin5324]

👍⭐️⭐️⭐️👏 Rakastan tätä biisiä, todella hyvää! Kiitos paljon!

[@TheSuperSpaceSquid]

So many memories, so much smiling with this song! Thank you for this!

[@FeryAndrianus]

Finally they have a music video!

[@HanniAutere]

=)

[@AyushKumar88]

This video is a treat to eyes😍, so beautifully made. This new rendition lifts up the spirit 🙂. Well done.

[@KwanLowe]

This is exactly what this video does for me... it brings me immense joy. Thank you thank you thank you!

[@papabell4831]

The beginning of the video gave me huge Gandalf is back in the shire vibes ❤❤❤

[@Aleks62.]

prawdziwa gratka. Bardzo mi się podoba. Dziękuję za tę przyjemność. Pozdrowienia z Belgi

[@dennismazur7826]

I learnt the lyrics from Hanni the other day and I don't even speak finnish. Wasn't that hard though because polish and finnish both share the way letters and words are pronounced!

[@NantokaNejako]

Do you also have the long consonants in Polish? How cool! I didn't know!

[@dennismazur7826]

@@NantokaNejako yes, we do. However, they're not native to slavic languages. Most, if not all of them were adapted into polish from other languages. For example - Polish term for a bath tub is "wanna" (pronounced as van - nah) :)

[@kamikadokensuke]

from turkey we love you and your song that is perfect

[@testacount7324]

This one was gold. It has a feeling of Scandinavian "hygge" to it. A beautifully green and cold scene, with lushness, and the traditional rural setting with wooden cabins.

[@eduardomolinov]

Glad to see so many nationalities giving some love to Loituma and the Ievan Polkka. Truly music unites us all.

[@martinmartin8940]

I am completely blown away! This is such a nice video! And as far as I understand, it reflects the lyrics as well! So sweet! (I got to know this song only a few months ago - I know, I'm really late - but I listen to it every day now)

[@HanniAutere]

You can find this also in Deezer, Tidal, Amazon Music and Apple Music. =)