As far as eccentricity is concerned
the Finns are Europe’s Japanese. This suspicion is once more confirmed by the activities of Dr. Jukka Ammondt, a teacher of literature at Jyväskylä University. Ammondt released several records. His first Latin album – read: Latin, the classical language, not Latin, the South American music style – was “Tango Triste Finnicum” (1993), which the Finnish Foreign Ministry delivered to the Pope, who promptly honoured Ammondt and his Latin translator with the Pope’s medal. The following album “The Legend Lives Forever in Latin” features several Elvis tunes in Latin, amongst others, “I surrender/Nune aeternitatis”, “Its Now Or Never/Nunc hic aut numquam”, “Love me Tender/Tedere me ama”. Ammondt’s ongoing work with Rock’n Roll resulted in the release of “Rocking in Latin” (1997), noted also for its, erm, charming cover.
In January 1999, Ammondt announced releasing an album of Elvis tunes, translated into Sumerian. He seems to have started out with “Blue Suede Shoes”. Since the Sumerians had neither suede nor shoes, Ammondt chose to translate the title somewhat poetically as “Esir Kus Za-gin,” which translates literally as “Sandals of Leather of the Color of a Blue Gem.” I don’t know whether the album has already been released, though this column in today’s issue of the “Sueddeutsche Zeitung” (in German) suggests it has. It also mentions that Ammondt is known to have commented hockey games in Latin, and to wear blue sandals and a loincloth at his concerts.