Carola: Jerusalem [Yerushalayim shel zahav]

Carola’s soulful “Jerusalem” is a Finnish adaptation of “Yerushalayim shel zahav” (Jerusalem of Gold), written by the Israeli songwriter and musician Naomi Shemer. The song was successfully recorded for the first time by Shuly Nathan in 1967. The brilliant Finnish lyrics were written by Saukki.

Carolan sielukas ”Jerusalem” on muunnelma israelilaisen lauluntekijän ja muusikon Naomi Shemerin kirjoittamasta ”Yerushalayim shel zahav” -kappaleesta, josta Shuly Nathan teki vuonna 1967 ensimmäisen, maailmalla hyvin suositun version. Loistava suomalainen sanoitus on Saukin.

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Jerusalem [Yerushalayim shel zahav]
Sung by Carola (artist name of Carola Standertskjöld)
Lyrics by Saukki (pen name of Sauvo Puhtila)
Arranged by Jaakko Salo
Accompanied by the Jaakko Salo Orchestra
Recorded in 1968, Scandia Record Company, Helsinki, Finland

Music and original lyrics by Naomi Shemer

Photo: iStock

CAROLA STANDERTSKJÖLD (1941–1997) was a well-respected Swedish-speaking Finnish jazz and pop singer. She performed in nine languages and a wide variety of styles, including chanson, schlager, Latin, rock and roll, blues and soul. In the 1960s, she toured in several European countries and performed on television programmes. Her most famous track in the jazz genre was the swinging “The Flame”, composed and arranged by Esa Pethman and lyrics by Carola herself. In 1985, Carola was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

JAAKKO SALO (1930–2002) was a distinguished Finnish producer, composer, conductor, musician and arranger of music. Salo has had a great impact on the development of Finnish popular music. With his creative work, choices and guidance, he influenced the creation of some 9,000 recordings. He also created music for 44 films, about twenty revues and numerous entertainment programmes on television and restaurant shows.

From the 1950s, Salo worked for the Scandia record label. He wrote more than a thousand arrangements registered by the Finnish copyright organisation Teosto. As a composer, Salo was nowhere near as prolific: there are only 84 recorded tracks attributed to him.

According to the statistics of Gramex, Salo participated as a musician in more than 2,500 recordings. His main instruments were the piano, accordion and vibraphone.

(This article about Jaakko Salo is based on Juha Henriksson’s work “Musiikki: Jaakko Salo”, 2014. – Translated by Taina Pemberton.)

SAUVO PUHTILA (b. 1928) is one of the most eminent post-war lyricists today, both in terms of original lyrics and adaptations. His life’s work as a lyricist has been singularly complex and broad-ranging. Although he has produced a huge number of original lyrics, Puhtila is even better known and more esteemed for his adaptations, which his knowledge of languages has allowed him to produce from the originals written in various languages. He has adapted lyrics for operas, operettas, musicals, choir songs, solos, various hits, pop and rock songs and ditties, as well as gospel, Christmas, children’s and folk songs.

Puhtila’s extensive production of original lyrics includes, for example, hits, ditties, songs for various representatives of Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest and songs for musicals, films, choirs, children and church services.

His career extends from the 1950s to the 80s, and we can safely assume that Puhtila is the most productive lyricist in Finland. More than 2,500 of his lyrics have been released on disc, while the number of his individual lyrics is roughly double that. [He himself reported that he had written the lyrics to over 6,000 songs.]

Sauvo Puhtila has always been – and continues to be today – highly regarded and respected among both experts and colleagues due to his superior technique and rich expression, as well as his unique style, which permeates his work throughout.

(This article about Sauvo Puhtila is part of a wider article titled ”Sauvo Puhtila receives Honorary Award for a life’s work”, and was published in issue 3/2002 of the Selvis magazine. – Translated by Taina Pemberton.)

SANAT / LYRICS

Jerusalem

1. Nyt öljypuutkin unelmoivat
taas luona temppelin,
ja iltakellot hiljaa soivat
noin yli Siionin.
Ne paimen kuulee kedollansa
ja päänsä taivuttaa,
ja kaupungissa kaikki kansa
nyt lepoon käydä saa.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, sä ikinuori, ikuinen.
Sun kunniaasi tahdon laulaa, Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, sä maja rauhan ainaisen.
Sun kunniaasi tahdon laulaa, Jerusalem.

2. On lähde juoda janoovaisten,
on torit ennallaan,
ja monet muistot muukalaisten,
ne joista vaietaan.
On paikallansa kivet muurin,
se meille aikoinaan
on ollut toive kaikkein suurin,
kun kyynel kastoi maan.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem...

3. Ken Jerikoon käy tietä pitkin,
hän mitä tunteekaan.
Nuo tuskat, joita ennen itkin,
nyt on kuin tuhkaa maan.
Ei sanat pienet ihmiskielen
nyt riitä kertomaan,
mä kuinka kiitollisen mielen
ja syvän rauhan saan.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem...

By Saukki