Updated 2 years ago
This video of a Grease parody, called by some the worst video ever made, of Finnish superstars Danny (Ilkka Johannes Lipsanen) & Armi Aavikko, has been recently remastered.
Contrary to Internet opinion, I think it is the best video on Youtube.
While I really adore the song, it is the story behind it that is really poignant, because it predicted how their intermingled lives would all play out.
The male singer, Danny, has been married to a successful businesswoman for over 40 years. She supported him and gave him a comfortable life. In the 70s he had a long affair with his music partner, the female singer in the video, Armi (1977 Miss Finland), and he kept promising her he’d leave his wife.
But he never did.
Despondent, she entered a long slow slide into depression, and ended up drinking herself to death in 2002.
So her Prince Charming was in actuality a caged bird spoiled by creature comforts. With some poetic license, he was a “pretender” who reneged on everything he promised in this song.
The story behind this song, and the lyrics themselves, are a timeless, and burning indictment of the fickleness of wayward men, and how the ephemeral dream of transitory love and lust gets crushed by the brutal reality of money paired with marriage. A stake in the heart of romantic ideals.
Other songs that have tackled this matter, such as Hank Williams’ Your Cheating Heart or Dolly Parton’s Jolene, didn’t play out over decades, ending in tragedy.
And that’s why I’d call this the greatest song on the Internet.
I love you, I wanna love you tender
You could be my only sweet surrender
I would never bring you any kind of sorrow
You love me, you wanna love me tender
How can I be sure you’re not pretender?
You want me today
But what about tomorrow?
[Hook: Armi]
Oh, you’re absolutely fine
Your lips are taste of wine
I’d like to think you’re mine
And if I could touch your hand
This rock would turn to sand
So this is where we stand
[Verse 2: Danny]
You love me, you wanna love me tender
How can I be sure you’re not pretender?
You want me today
But what about tomorrow?<
[Verse 3: Armi & Danny]
I love you, I wanna love you tender
I just want to be your loving fender
I would like to take you;
I know I can’t deceive you
I love you, I do can be so tender
I can be your only sweet surrender
And if you give your heart
I’ll never ever leave you
[Hook: Armi]
Oh, you’re absolutely fine
Your lips are taste of wine
I’d like to think you’re mine
And if I could touch your hand
This rock would turn to sand
So this is where we stand
[Hook: Danny & Armi]
If we all say ‘Wanna love you tender, “
No-one has to be a great pretender
And this world would be
A better place to live in
[Outro: Danny & Armi]
I love you, I do can be so tender
I can be your only sweet surrender
And if you give your heart
I’ll never ever leave you
If we all say ‘Wanna love you tender, “
No-one has to be a great pretender
And this world would be
A better place to live in
