A Good Joik: Värttinä and "Raijan Joiku"

Värttinä, a folk group from Finland founded in 1983 by sisters Sari and Mari Kaasinen, provides our random tune for today. In 1983, the sisters formed Värttinä and entered a youth arts contest reading poetry. They made it into the finals that first year, and the next year they switched to music and won the event. They added some male musicians in 1985 and entered the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, becoming known as the group that sings high and loud. In 1987, at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, they were chosen "Ensemble of the Year," and in 1988 they released their first album. In the early 1990s, they moved to Helsinki and began training at the Sibelius Academy and perfecting their skills. The band first performed traditional Finnish folk songs, but in the mid-1990s began playing its own original compositions. Over the years the band has had many forms and lineup changes, and is currently made up of three female vocalists and three acoustic musicians. They have performed worldwide to international acclaim and have released 16 albums, including 3 compilation albums and one live CD. You can find this song, Raijan Joiku, on Värttinä's 2016 album Viena. A joik is a type of personal or spiritual chant associated with the Sami peoples of the Nordic countries.

Texas Pirates: The Corsairs and "Santy Anno"

Aaargh! The Corsairs sail in, once again, and put a shot over our bow! I remember seeing The Corsairs at some festival in San Antonio years ago and purchased their album. This is not the 60s doo wop group, but an American a cappella group that sings sea shanties and pirate songs. I can't find too much on them except that they've released a number of albums, each named after a color - for example, The Red One, The Black One, etc. Apparently a few lovers of all things pirate and the sea think that of all the groups doing pirate songs and sea shanties, The Corsairs are the best. This song, Santy Anno, is from the group's 1998 debut album, The Red One. It's a sea shanty referring to, of all things, General Antonio López de Santa Anna of Mexico - yes, the same one who stormed the Alamo.