Vexi Salmi
Encyclopedia
Veikko Olavi "Vexi" Salmi (ˈʋeksi ˈsɑlmi; born 21 September 1942) is a Finnish lyricist
. He has written the lyrics to numerous popular songs for several prominent artists, including Irwin Goodman
, Jari Sillanpää
, and Katri Helena
. His career as a lyricist began in the 1960s, and continues to the present day. During his prolific career, he has written the lyrics for over 4,000 songs, more than 2,400 of which have been recorded. In addition to song lyrics, he has authored several novels and one collection of poetry. Salmi's recent work also includes collaborating with Ilkka Lipsanen
on a 60th anniversary album, and he also acts as a judge in a television programme on music lyrics.
Salmi was awarded the Juha Vainio Writer's Award in 1993 for his long and successful career as a lyricist. Another music writer's award, the Vexi Salmi Award, was named after him in 2003.
, Finland, on 21 September 1942. His father was a carpenter and his mother a factory worker. He was their second child, and his sister was five years older than he was. Salmi's father died in 1951 after having begun construction on a house, leaving his wife to finish the project.
At an early age, Salmi became friends with Antti Hammarberg. They grew up together on the same street, and while children, their first song together was "Humalamäki", a joking song they wrote about their neighbour. Hammarberg later changed his name to Irwin Goodman
and became a popular Finnish folk and rock singer. Salmi wrote the lyrics for most of Goodman's compositions and acted as his manager, and their friendship lasted until Goodman's death in 1991.
, reluctantly took the beginning lyricist under his wing and taught him for five years, making him at first read Aristotle
's Poetics and learn musical notation
. During his time at Fazer, Salmi wrote numerous hit songs, including two consecutive winners of the Syksyn sävel song contest for Goodman. In 1974 he also wrote the lyrics for three Eurovision Song Contest
candidates. The most successful of these songs was "Anna kaikkien kukkien kukkia", composed by Kärki and performed by Markku Aro
.
Yleisradio (YLE), the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation, censored or banned several of Goodman's songs, due to lyrics, often written by Salmi, that they considered to be of a "suspicious nature". One of Salmi's songs to be censored was "Ei tippa tapa" ("One Drop Doesn't Kill"), a song which YLE viewed as a glorification of alcohol and drunkenness.
Salmi left Fazer in 1977, after not getting a position as a production manager as he had hoped. He founded a record company, Levytuottajat Oy, and a number of well-known artists recorded for his label. In the 1980s, the label produced several albums that achieved gold records, for artists including Vesa-Matti Loiri
and Jörgen Petersen.
When Irwin Goodman made a successful comeback in 1984, Salmi once again provided lyrics for his songs. In 1988, Goodman's most popular album Rentun ruusu was released. The same year, Salmi also collaborated on Kirka's Surun pyyhit silmistäni, which became the best-selling album in Finland at the time with 210,000 copies sold.
The economic depression of the early 1990s was a difficult time for Salmi and his production companies, both Levytuottajat Oy and his other record company, Flamingo Music, went bankrupt in 1996. Since then, Salmi has made his living as a freelance writer and lyricist, authoring multiple novels, biographies, and a book of poetry.
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
. He has written the lyrics to numerous popular songs for several prominent artists, including Irwin Goodman
Irwin Goodman
Irwin Goodman was a popular Finnish rock and folk singer. In the late 1960s he was widely known as a protest singer. He recorded over 300 songs, most of which were his own compositions, with lyrics written by Vexi Salmi...
, Jari Sillanpää
Jari Sillanpää
Jari Sillanpää a Finnish singer. With over 820,000 records sold, he is the fourth-best-selling music artist and best-selling solo artist in Finland....
, and Katri Helena
Katri Helena
Katri Helena is a Finnish singer who has been performing since the 1960s. She has been married three times and is now living as a single mother....
. His career as a lyricist began in the 1960s, and continues to the present day. During his prolific career, he has written the lyrics for over 4,000 songs, more than 2,400 of which have been recorded. In addition to song lyrics, he has authored several novels and one collection of poetry. Salmi's recent work also includes collaborating with Ilkka Lipsanen
Ilkka Lipsanen
Ilkka Johannes Lipsanen , also known as Danny, is a Finnish singer and guitarist. He started his career with the band Islanders who released a couple of singles, among them Danny's first recording which was in English: East Virginia by Joan Baez in 1964...
on a 60th anniversary album, and he also acts as a judge in a television programme on music lyrics.
Salmi was awarded the Juha Vainio Writer's Award in 1993 for his long and successful career as a lyricist. Another music writer's award, the Vexi Salmi Award, was named after him in 2003.
Early life
Salmi was born in HämeenlinnaHämeenlinna
Hämeenlinna is a city and municipality of about inhabitants in the heart of the historical province of Häme in the south of Finland and is the birthplace of composer Jean Sibelius. Today, it belongs to the region of Tavastia Proper, and until 2010 it was the residence city for the Governor of the...
, Finland, on 21 September 1942. His father was a carpenter and his mother a factory worker. He was their second child, and his sister was five years older than he was. Salmi's father died in 1951 after having begun construction on a house, leaving his wife to finish the project.
At an early age, Salmi became friends with Antti Hammarberg. They grew up together on the same street, and while children, their first song together was "Humalamäki", a joking song they wrote about their neighbour. Hammarberg later changed his name to Irwin Goodman
Irwin Goodman
Irwin Goodman was a popular Finnish rock and folk singer. In the late 1960s he was widely known as a protest singer. He recorded over 300 songs, most of which were his own compositions, with lyrics written by Vexi Salmi...
and became a popular Finnish folk and rock singer. Salmi wrote the lyrics for most of Goodman's compositions and acted as his manager, and their friendship lasted until Goodman's death in 1991.
Career
Salmi worked for the Musiikki-Fazer record company in the mid-1960s and became a professional lyrics writer as well as a translator of international hits into Finnish. The company's production manager, Toivo KärkiToivo Kärki
Toivo Pietari Johannes Kärki was a Finnish composer, musician, music producer and arranger. He is especially remembered for his collaboration with Reino Helismaa....
, reluctantly took the beginning lyricist under his wing and taught him for five years, making him at first read Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
's Poetics and learn musical notation
Musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
. During his time at Fazer, Salmi wrote numerous hit songs, including two consecutive winners of the Syksyn sävel song contest for Goodman. In 1974 he also wrote the lyrics for three Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
candidates. The most successful of these songs was "Anna kaikkien kukkien kukkia", composed by Kärki and performed by Markku Aro
Markku Aro
Markku Aro , born as Markku Tuomas Puputti , is a Finnish singer who performed on Eurovision contest in 1971 in Ireland with the pop-duo Koivistolaiset. They appeared with the song "Tie uuteen päivään"...
.
Yleisradio (YLE), the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation, censored or banned several of Goodman's songs, due to lyrics, often written by Salmi, that they considered to be of a "suspicious nature". One of Salmi's songs to be censored was "Ei tippa tapa" ("One Drop Doesn't Kill"), a song which YLE viewed as a glorification of alcohol and drunkenness.
Salmi left Fazer in 1977, after not getting a position as a production manager as he had hoped. He founded a record company, Levytuottajat Oy, and a number of well-known artists recorded for his label. In the 1980s, the label produced several albums that achieved gold records, for artists including Vesa-Matti Loiri
Vesa-Matti Loiri
Vesa-Matti "Vesku" Loiri is a Finnish actor, musician and comedian, best known for his role as Uuno Turhapuro, whom he portrayed in a total of 20 movies between the years 1973 and 2004....
and Jörgen Petersen.
When Irwin Goodman made a successful comeback in 1984, Salmi once again provided lyrics for his songs. In 1988, Goodman's most popular album Rentun ruusu was released. The same year, Salmi also collaborated on Kirka's Surun pyyhit silmistäni, which became the best-selling album in Finland at the time with 210,000 copies sold.
The economic depression of the early 1990s was a difficult time for Salmi and his production companies, both Levytuottajat Oy and his other record company, Flamingo Music, went bankrupt in 1996. Since then, Salmi has made his living as a freelance writer and lyricist, authoring multiple novels, biographies, and a book of poetry.
Popular lyrical works
During his career, Salmi has written and translated lyrics for hundreds of songs, including several popular hits, some of which are listed below.- "Rentun ruusu" (Irwin Goodman)
- "Surun pyyhit silmistäni" (Kirka)
- "Elämän valttikortit" (Ahti Lampi)
- "Ruusu joka vuodesta" (Reijo Taipale)
- "Sydämeeni joulun teen" (Vesa-Matti LoiriVesa-Matti LoiriVesa-Matti "Vesku" Loiri is a Finnish actor, musician and comedian, best known for his role as Uuno Turhapuro, whom he portrayed in a total of 20 movies between the years 1973 and 2004....
) - "Kaduilla tuulee" (Jari SillanpääJari SillanpääJari Sillanpää a Finnish singer. With over 820,000 records sold, he is the fourth-best-selling music artist and best-selling solo artist in Finland....
) - "Ei tippa tapa" (Goodman)
- "St. Pauli ja Reeperbahn" (Goodman)
- "Poing poing poing" (Goodman)
- "Ryysyranta" (Goodman)
- "Lievestuoreen Liisa" (Goodman)
- "HuilumiesHuilumies"Huilumies" was the Finnish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, performed in Finnish by Vesa-Matti Loiri. The song was composed by Aarno Raninen, who also had composed 1977 entry "Lapponia"...
" (Loiri) - "Eviva Espanja" (Marion RungMarion RungMarion Rung is a Finnish pop singer. She is known to have represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1962 and 1973. Her 1962 Eurovision song placed 7th and in 1973, she managed to bring Finland's second best result ever in this contest, placing 6th...
) - "Mahtava peräsin ja pulleat purjeet" (Solistiyhtye Suomi)
- "Vaskikellot" (Antti Huovila)
- "Yksinäinen pitkä tie" (Janne Tulkki)
- "Prinsessa" (Laura VoutilainenLaura VoutilainenSanna Laura Voutilainen , is a Finnish popsinger.-Career:Voutilainen's debut single was called "Muuttanut oon maailman" but her breakthrough came with the 1993 single "Kerran" which reached the Top Ten of the Finnish charts in January 1994...
) - "Asfalttiviidakko" (Anne Mattila)
- "Katson sineen taivaanKatson Sineen Taivaan"Katson sineen taivaan" was the Finnish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979, performed in Finnish by Katri Helena...
" (Katri HelenaKatri HelenaKatri Helena is a Finnish singer who has been performing since the 1960s. She has been married three times and is now living as a single mother....
) - "Nainen, poliisi ja taksi" (Leo Jokela)
- "Kung Fu taistelee" (FrederikFrederikFrederik is a Finnish singer. He is known by his nickname Reetu. During his lengthy career, he has been awarded five gold and three diamond records...
)