The Finnish language is the biggest question-mark revolving around Teräsbetoni’s prospects right now.
At the triumphant press briefing after Saturday’s finals, the band’s front man Jarkko Ahola came out and stated that he did not think much of Teräsbetoni’s chances of winning in Belgrade in May. The language in which the band are singing is not exactly common coin in Europe.
By Sunday, Ahola was beginning to change his tune.
The metal warrior was not heading into battle with defeat in mind. And there are no plans to translate the winning song - Missä miehet ratsastaa (“Where Men Ride”) - into English for the occasion.
“Of course we’ll try to win, but Finnish as a language of choice is a bit of a burden. The whole idea of the song would get trashed in English, the rhymes and the rhythms are made with Finnish in mind”, says Ahola by way of justifying the decision.
Finland’s success in Serbia come May is likely to depend on one crucial question.
Will Europe be impressed by “Huh Hah”?
Because nobody is going to understand anything else of the song.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 3.3.2008
