1989 Finland: Anneli Saaristo - La dolce vita (7th place at Eurovision Song Contest in Lausanne)

Details

Description

Performed by: Anneli Saaristo
Music by: Matti Puurtinen
Lyrics by: Turkka Mali
Conductor: Ossi Runne
Language: Finnish
Placing: 7th (76 points)
Other versions: English

"La dolce vita" ("The good life") was the Finnish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1989, performed in Finnish (despite the Italian of the title) by Anneli Saaristo. The song was conducted by Ossi Runne, who retired after this Contest (conducting 22 Finnish entries).

The song was performed 14th on the night, following Austria's Thomas Forstner with "Nur ein Lied" and preceding France's Nathalie Pâque with "J'ai volé la vie". At the close of voting, it had received 76 points, placing 7th in a field of 22, Finland's best result in the Contest since 1975, and one which would not be bettered until 2006.

The song is sung from the perspective of a person looking back at her life and coming to the conclusion that she has lived well and has no regrets. Saaristo also recorded the song in English under the same title; "La Dolce Vita". Listen to it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h5CgBZil6s

Saaristo first entered the Finnish Eurovision selection in 1978 with the song "Sinun kanssasi, sinua ilman", which finished fourth. A second attempt in 1984 with "Sä liian paljon vaadit" ended in third place. Saaristo finally got her chance in 1989, when "La dolce vita" was chosen as the Finnish entry for the 34th Eurovision Song Contest, held in Lausanne, Switzerland on 6 May. A song with a distinctly Mediterranean sound and arrangement, "La dolce vita" finished in seventh place of 22 entries, representing Finland's best Eurovision placing for 14 years and making it at the time the country's joint second-highest placement. There was some degree of wry amusement in Finland that this had been achieved with such an un-Finnish sounding song.

Later career
Saaristo maintained her popularity in Finland and since 1980 has released 18 albums, most recently Uskalla Rakastaa in 2009. In 2005, she appeared in the historical film Shadow of the Eagle with Mikko Leppilampi, Helena Vierikko and fellow Eurovision veteran Vesa-Matti Loiri.

Lyrics:

La dolce vita
Sointu viimeinen lapsuuden laulun
Taivaanrantaan kun soimaan nyt jää
Niin en hahmoa enkelitaulun
Enää turvana vierelläin nää
Silti ylitse tuhannen tuulen
Kuulen laulu soi niin huoleton
Ja sen mukana laulaa voi onnellinen:
Lapsi kesän ja auringon

La dolce vita
On ollut kaikki tuo suloista niin
La dolce vita
Ei aihetta kyyneliin
Minä sammutin elämän janoa vaan
Minä osasin onnea anoa vaan
Jälkeen kaiken nyt saatan sen sanoa vaan
La dolce vita

Joskus mieleni valtaa taas kaipuu
Seuraan valkoisten enkelien
Sateenkaari kun taivaalla taipuu
Enkä löytänyt juurelle sen
Vaan kun kulkee tuo hetkien nauha on
Rauha sielussa rikkomaton
Ja teille nyt laulaa voi onnellinen:
Lapsi kesän ja auringon

La dolce vita
On ollut kaikki tuo suloista niin
La dolce vita
Ei aihetta kyyneliin
Minä sammutin elämän janoa vaan
Minä osasin onnea anoa vaan
Jälkeen kaiken nyt saatan sen sanoa vaan
La dolce vita

La dolce vita
On ollut kaikki tuo suloista niin
La dolce vita
Ei aihetta kyyneliin
Minä sammutin elämän janoa vaan
Minä osasin onnea anoa vaan
Jälkeen kaiken nyt saatan sen sanoa vaan
La dolce vita
La dolce vita

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:


The good life
The last chord of my childhood's song
Keeps on playing in the horizon
I won't see the figure of the angel painting
By my side to protect me anymore
Yet over a thousand winds
I can hear a carefree song playing
And with it can sing a happy one:
The child of summer and sun

The good life
It has all been so sweet
The good life
No need for tears
I was just quenching life's thirst
I knew how to plead for happiness
After everything all I can say is:
The good life

Sometimes my mind is filled
With yearning to be with the white angels
When the rainbow bends in the sky
And I can't find my way to the bottom of it
But when the ribbon of the moments goes on
There's an unbroken peace in the soul
And to you can sing a happy one:
The child of summer and sun

The good life
It has all been so sweet
The good life
No need for tears
I was just quenching life's thirst
I knew how to plead for happiness
After everything all I can say is:
The good life

The good life
It has all been so sweet
The good life
No need for tears
I was just quenching life's thirst
I knew how to plead for happiness
After everything all I can say is:
The good life
The good life