Leevi and the Leavings - Suuteleminen kielletty (Kissing Forbidden) (1980)

Leevi and the Leavings - Suuteleminen kielletty (Kissing Forbidden) (1980)

Tracklist front / back album covers

Leevi and the Leavings was a Finnish rock band that operated from 1978 to 2003.

The band consisted of Gösta Sundqvist, Risto Paananen, Juha Karastie and Niklas Nylund. Sundqvist was the leader of the band, he composed and wrote all the band's songs as well as being the vocalist. Sundqvist was a very private person who rarely gave interviews or appeared on television, but for several years he wrote and hosted radio comedy programs for YLE in which he appeared as himself together with fictitious characters.

The band's music had a distinctive sound of smooth multilayered synth-pop arrangements often featuring acoustic guitar, with an occasional lead guitar. It was based around Sundqvist's tragicomic lyrics and catchy choruses. Sundqvist's lyrics often deal with the humiliated aspirations and crushed hopes of "little people", as in the song "Teuvo, maanteiden kuningas" ("Teuvo, king of the highways"), which tells the story of a reckless boy with dreams of becoming a rally champion, or "Itkisitkö onnesta" ("Would You Cry Tears of Joy?"). Another recurring theme is bittersweet memories of lost romance, as in the songs "Rin Tin Tin" and "Mitä kuuluu Marja-Leena" (How Are You Doing, Marja-Leena?"). Sexual themes, considered from somewhat unconventional points of view, figure in many Leevi hits such as "Sopivasti lihava" ("Suitably Fat"), "Kyllikki" and "Unelmia ja toimistohommia" ("Dreams and office work"). Sundqvist sympathized with sexual minorities in the song "Poika nimeltä Päivi" (Boy called Päivi) which is written from the point of view of a character of ambiguous gender and sexuality trying to escape an oppressive small town atmosphere. Other hits include "Pohjois-Karjala" ("North Karelia"), and "Vasara ja nauloja" ("Hammer and Nails"). The instrumental "Tuhannen markan seteli" ("Thousand Mark Note") from album "Suuteleminen kielletty" was for many years the theme song of "Urheiluruutu", a major sporting news program, on Finnish television.

Many people rate Sundqvist's work among the best rock lyrics written in Finnish. A television play based on the characters in his songs was produced and broadcast by Finnish TV.

The band was extremely popular, and many of their songs are sung by Finns in karaoke bars. The band was also famous for never performing live. On August 15, 2003, Sundqvist died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 46, and the band decided to break up. Surviving band members later formed band named Leavings-Orkesteri releasing their first album "Arpapeliä" in 2011.

Leevi and the Leavings Discography Full

Leevi and the Leavings have released 16 albums:

1980 Suuteleminen kielletty (Kissing Forbidden)

1981 Mies, joka toi rock 'n' rollin Suomeen (The Man, who Brought Rock 'n' Roll into Finland)

1982 Kadonnut laakso (The Lost Valley)

1985 Raha ja rakkaus (Money and Love)

1986 Perjantai, 14. päivä (Friday the 14th)

1988 Häntä koipien välissä (Tail Between Legs)

1989 Musiikkiluokka (Music Class)

1990 Varasteleva joulupukki (Thieving Santa Claus)

1991 Raparperitaivas (Rhubarb Heaven)

1993 Turkmenialainen tyttöystävä (Girlfriend from Turkmenia)

1995 Rakkauden planeetta (Planet of Love)

1996 Käärmenäyttely (Snake Exhibition)

1998 Kerran elämässä (Once in a Lifetime)

2000 Bulebule

2002 Onnen avaimet (The Keys to Happiness)

2003 Hopeahääpäivä (Silver Wedding Anniversary)

Compilations

12 Compilation albums:

1983 Leevi And The Leavings

1986 Salaiset numerot (Secret Numbers)

1989 Unelmia ja toiveita (Dreams and Wishes)

1992 Menestyksen salaisuus (The Secret to Success)

1994 Leevi and the Leavings (Suomen parhaat) (Best Of Finland)

1994Lauluja rakastamisen vaikeudesta (Songs About the Difficulty of Loving)

1997 Itkisitkö onnesta / 20 suosikkia (Would You Cry of Happiness / 20 Favorites)

1997 Keskiviikko... 40 ensimmäistä hittiä (Wednesday... 40 First Hits) (1997) - peaked at number 2 in the 2001 Finnish charts and was in the charts for 134 weeks

2001 Torstai... 40 seuraavaa hittiä (Thursday... 40 Next Hits)

2001 Stereogramofoni (Stereo Gramophone)

2004 Keskeneräinen Sinfonia (Unfinished Symphony)

2008 Matkamuistoja – kaikki singlet 1978–2003 (Travel Memories - All the Singles 1978-2003)