Kulkuripoika [English translation]

As a drifter1 boy in the world

I once visited lands of the west

On a quiet autumn

Hey, on a small freeze

From farmer masters I asked for work,

Laid nights in a stable's attic

A blanket under my side

Hey, in a longing mood

Jobs had ended from farmers

Incomes from stevedore guys

An icy winter threatened

Hey, grey-haired freeze

The house was Finnish-Swedish2

Whereto the traveller straid

On a dark night3

Hey, in a vile mood

In the house dance's swinging was heard

And fine singing's voices

All the way to the manor

Hey, Sweden's victorious

I knocked on the door with a beating heart

I thought I might get hit

But you can't be timid

Hey, poor drifter boy

The door was pushed open for me

And asked in Sweden's language

That "Vad ska du vara min poijken?"4

I answered to that in Finland's language

A little bit of drink I'm longing for

Water I'm lacking

Hey,(I'm) thirsty as hell

A Finnish-language answer from me

Woke joy's fire in the house

Every single one asked

Hey, "Komma du hit min hyysi" 5

The master is gripping my hand

"Come, come in, you fucking Finn"

Offered vodka with a (sauna-) pail

Hey, thirst doesn't torment us

In the house it had just been harvested

From which that joy was this big

A beer barrel on the floor

Hey, whiskey under the table

There wasn't but a few souls in the house

The master and the mistress and a maid and a farmhand

Everybody was drunk

Hey, crouching in the corner

The mistress offered beer for me

Like for a best invited guest

Showed her favouring

Hey, there was a smile on her lips

I guzzled beer and I guzzled vodka

I danced with the mistress and I danced with the maid

And I was quite alot

Hey, without sense and reason

The clock had stroked two already

Tiredness and sleep came as a guest

Arriving to our company

Hey, numbing our excitement

In the mistress's eyes the world wobbles

The farmhand and the maid were sitting in the corner

In full dream

Hey, having a snoring competition

The master tried to swear" in Swedish" a bit

But be like in your "home"

Hey, take "my Emma" to a dance

The master sunk to a rocking chair already

Dream stamped it's seal to the eyelids

Snoring filled the house

At least it looked like that

Mistress, that wiggly round lady

Laughter-mouthed, happy and young

Turned more familiar

Hey, but there was just the two of us

Finally she was catched by dream too

When she came to my hug teetering

Offered a hand to (my) neck

Hey, without asking

But the master was half-sleeping

Damned, twisted in the heart

Jumped standing

Hey, let out a bad roar

Hey, what are you trying to, what "the cursed"

Guzzle "my" beer and hug "my wife"

Still the master was yelling

Hey, "gather your bones already" 6

I twisted my blanket bunch from the corner

Longing I turned my back to the mistress

I left to a journey again

Hey, to a long unpleasant one

But early in the morning when the sun shone

The trip tasted well to the guy

On a wide highway

Hey, with a light mood, hey!

1. or hobo2. Finnish-Swedes are the Swedish-speaking population of Finland3. evening4. In Swedish: "What are you doing, my boy?"5. In Swedish: "Come here to my house". From this on I use quotes where there is Swedish words to avoid too many footnotes6. A phrase, means "get out"

• Artist:Tapio Rautavaara
• Album:Kulkurin taival CD 12 1970-1973