As a foreigner, the funniest thing about Käärijä being so unproblematic is that his music doesn't sound unproblematic.
Looking up lyrics of Yhtä vailla, I was bracing myself for 5 slurs and being told to go make him a sandwich. Meanwhile Yhtä vailla:
Yeah!! Also, Yhtä vailla is first and foremost about his relationship with gambling that apparently got a little out of hand when he was younger. To me the aggressive tone of the song perfectly embodies the kind of manic frustration you feel when you're left one (number/hit/strike etc) short from the jackpot, the kind that drowns the disappointment under the overwhelming urge to play one more round. It's such a unique approach from someone who got his artist name from one day's lucky streak with slot machines - it plays straight the ecstatic side of gambling whilst reminding the listener that after the highs and lows you'll just be left with an empty wallet. He problematizes the issue without being the slightest bit judgmental.
Aight since I got started on Käärijä's lyrical talent, let me use this excise to list and summarize some of my other favorites from his discography that also have surprising layers of depth, relatability, or straight up hilarity:
Z: The beginning fools you into thinking that the song is Käärijä's apology to his life partner waiting for him to come home after a long workday, but as the song progresses it's revealed through a dramatized dialogue that the real reason he's late is because he was fucking around on the commuter train with his friends and got busted trying to travel with a kid's ticket. Insanely fun song, made me howl with laughter in public the first time I heard it.
Kiertävä sirkus: Title translates as 'traveling circus', makes fun of the smoke and mirrors of the music industry (and Käärijä himself as a cog in that machine, because what's a Käärijä song where he doesn't make fun of himself) as well as the flexing culture of the rap scene. It's also a lovely homage to the working class, which Käärijä humbly puts above his own career in show business. Fun and introspective song.
Mic Mac: a love song to a wild and unruly but overall safe childhood spent in the nineties (as well as the rap scene that was huge among kids at the time). An absolutely heartwarming song for anyone of this generation, and the lyrics and the beat are tons of fun by themselves.
Viulunkieli: Title translates as 'violin string'. Another relatable af story about trying to have a fun night at the pub with your friends but the general mood is kind of eh and people are tired and tense and awkward. I feel like everyone with even a bit of history in nightlife has had that experience at least once.
Paidaton riehuja: Translates as 'shirtless maniac' or 'shirtless rampager', tho both of those are a bit off as the word riehuja refers to someone who behaves in an unruly manner but is typically harmless. A weird and fun body positivity song that can be summarized like this:
Käärijä: *takes his shirt off in public*
Disapproving bystander: umm can you put your shirt back on please
Käärijä: NO!!!! >:(
(The frowny face isn't included in the lyrics but it sure as hell comes through.)
Klo23: Translates as 11 PM, this is another fun one. It's about throwing an apocalypse-level house rave in your stamp-sized apartment (the same one Käärijä STILL lives in btw) that has to end precisely at 11 PM because you'd promised your neighbors it would be quiet by then. The contrast between wanting to live like a rock star and getting hit by low income realities is amazingly hilarious and sympathetic. Classic Käärijä vibes.
Hirttää kiinni: Hard to translate in a satisfying way but it's a slang term derived from car mechanics referring to that short circuit thing that you feel in your brain when your patience is being tested. It's about getting increasingly pissed over the most miniscule things on a bad day. This one is prolly my favorite (if we don't count Cha Cha Cha).
Uhhh anyway Käärijä's music good, sorry for hijacking this post etc etc 😅 Got a bit carried off there haha but I needed to get this out of my system
