☝️ Key Points
- The song is about a young woman named Ieva who loves to dance and be admired.
- The lyrics are written in an old Finnish dialect and contain outdated words.
- Ieva's mother sings songs in the back room while Ieva is courted by a neighbor.
- The chorus consists of nonsensical sounds and syllables that emphasize the rhythm and melody.
Interpretation
"Ievan Polkka" by
Loituma is a Finnish folk music song that is about a young woman named Ieva. The song tells the story of Ieva and her lover who makes her dance. The lyrics are written in an old Finnish dialect and contain many words and expressions that are no longer used in modern times.
The song begins with Ieva being watched by her mother while she dances. Although she is being watched, she doesn't mind because she enjoys dancing from one end of the room to the other. This is expressed in the lyrics with the line "Salivili hipput tupput täppyt äppyt tipput hilijalleen".
The lyrics also describe how Ieva is admired by the people in her surroundings. Her mouth is covered with wheat, indicating that she is successful and happy. The line "Ievan suu oli vehnäsellä ko immeiset onnee toevotti" means something like "Ieva's mouth was covered with wheat as people wished her happiness".
It is also mentioned that Ieva's mother sings songs in the back room while Ieva is courted by a neighbor. The line "Ievan äiti se kammarissa virsiä veisata huijjuutti, kun tämä poika naapurissa ämmän tyttöä nuijjuutti" means "Ieva's mother sang songs in the back room while this boy from the neighborhood courted the old woman's girl".
The chorus of the song consists of nonsensical sounds and syllables that don't have a specific meaning. They serve to emphasize the rhythm and melody of the song."