Kirka - Kirka keikalla (1969)

Kirka - Kirka keikalla (1969)

Tracklist front / back album covers

Kirill "Kirka" Babitzin (22 September 1950 – 31 January 2007) was one of the most commercially successful Finnish musicians. His career spanned from the late 1960s until his death in 2007.

Previously associated with Ilkka Lipsanen's The Islanders band, Kirka went on to record a wide array of rock and pop music. Some of his most famous songs include Hetki Lyö (Beat the Clock), Leijat (Kites) and Varrella virran (Down by the River). His 1988 album Surun Pyyhit Silmistäni (The Sadness in Your Eyes) went on to be one of the best sold records in Finnish history. He also represented Finland in the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest.

Kirill Babitzin was born in Helsinki in 1950 to a Russian family. His father, Leon Babitzin was from St. Petersburg and fled to Finland in the aftermath of the October Revolution. His mother, Elizaveta Babitzin (née Zarubina) was partially of German-Russian descent and was born in Lappeenranta. He first got into music at the age of five when his grandmother gave him an accordion. He won an accordion competition at the age of ten.

Kirka performing at Child in Time 2000 rock musical in Rajamäki, Nurmijärvi, Finland in 1971

His first band was The Creatures, which he joined in 1964 assuming stage name Kirka.

Kirka began attaining fame when he joined the band The Islanders in 1967. Originally led by Ilkka "Danny" Lipsanen, the band became hugely popular. Kirka also recorded with Blues Section. Kirka used his fame to launch into a solo career soon-after. Kirka cited his 1960's breakthrough Hetki lyö (orig. Beat The Clock composed by Gottehrer-Stroll, a 1968 Elfstone B side) with The Islanders as his greatest achievement. Despite his initial success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Kirka suffered from money-troubles through the late 1970s.

Kirka represented Finland in Eurovision Song Contest 1984, finishing a strong ninth with the song Hengaillaan. Four years later, he got his greatest chart success with Surun pyyhit silmistäin, a melancholic pop-schlager. True to his rock'n'roll roots, however, he never fully appreciated this success, repeatedly

Babitzin was awarded the Emma award for best male singer twice, first in 1984 and then in 2000. He died suddenly on 31 January 2007 at his home of undisclosed acute illness. His widow Paula Nummela is a jewellery designer.

Several Babitzin siblings are established musicians in their own right. In 1978, Kirka released a duet album with sister Anna; the next year, another sister Marija ("Muska") joined in.

Kirka's brother was popular rock musician Sammy Babitzin, who was killed in a car crash in 1973. Sammy's signature hit Daada daada tells a story of high-speed automotive cruising.

Kirka Discography Full

Kirka Babitzin released 78 singles and almost 60 albums, including 15 collections. Kirka's album Surun pyyhit silmistäni (1988) became the biggest selling album in Finnish history; it has now been relegated to all-time third place.

Studio albums

1969 Kirka keikalla

1969 Kirka

1971 Saat kaiken

1972 Nykyaikaa

1973 Rautaa ja kettinkiä

1974 Kirkan parhaita

1975 Tiukka linja

1975 Babitzinit konsertissa

1976 Lauantaiyö

1977 Kaksi puolta

1978 Anna & Kirka

1979 Kirkan parhaat

1981 Kirka

1983 Täytyy uskaltaa

1984 Hengaillaan (gold)

1985 Älä sano ei

1985 Isot hitit

1986 R.O.C.K. (gold)

1987 The Spell (gold)

1988 Surun pyyhit silmistäni (quadruple platinum)

1989 Anna käsi (double platinum)

1989 Iskelmäkansio

1990 Parhaat, uudet versiot

1990 Ota lähellesi (double platinum)

1991 Kasvot peilissä (platinum)

1991 Babitzin

1992 Pyydä vain (gold)

1994 Kirka (gold)

1995 Sadness in your Eyes

1996 Tie huomiseen (gold)

1997 Hetki lyö: 1967–1997 (platinum)

1999 Mestarit Areenalla (triple platinum)

2000 Suuri hetki

2002 Sinut siinä nään

2005 Elämääni eksynyt

2006 40 unohtumatonta laulua

2007 The Best of Kirka