“Kenny at the Corner” (1976) – Hurriganes * Written by Remu Aaltonen and Cisse Häkkinen * Produced by Hurriganes * LP: Hot Wheels * Label: Love
Hurriganes were the rockabilly figureheads of Finland, that permanently ’50s-crazed nation, but they’re also linguistically fascinating in that they shone the spotlight on — and celebrated — their shaky grasp of English. During the tankeros ’70s, such a quirk had marketing magic. Their band name spelling replaced what Finns heard as a weak K sound in the English word “hurricanes” with a G, and drummer/vocalist Remu Aaltonen barked confidently on every song, using any word combo, regardless of sequitur status, that raced through his mind. The song “Kenny on the Corner” from their 1976 Hot Wheels album is a worthy example, among many.