Unto Mononen

Unto Mononen (October 23 1930 Muolaa – June 28 1968 Somero) was Finnish songwriter and musician. He is known of his numerous tango compositions including the most well known Finnish tango song, "Satumaa". His first name was originally Uuno.

Usually Somero is mentioned as Mononen's town of origin but actually he was from Muolaa and did not arrive to Somero until the Second World War was over and Muolaa was conquered by Soviet Union. Mononen studied church music in the University of Turku. He quitted these studies since he felt he did not learn anything important. As a composer he was self-taught. Mononen began his musical career by singing with local dance groups while he was under 20. A failed adenoids operation damaged his voice and after that Mononen started to make his first compositions.

In 1950 Mononen succeed selling his songs for a record company for the first time. The first recorded song was "Pieni laulu" ("a small song") which was a waltz sung by Pentti Halme. In 1955 Henry Theel recorded the famous "Satumaa" which was already then a small scale success, but it took still seven more years until Reijo Taipale recorded it in 1962. This recording cemented song's status.

Other famous tango songs by Mononen include "Tähdet meren yllä" ("Stars above the Sea"), "Lapin Tango ("The Tango of Lappland"), "Erottamattomat" ("Inseparables"), "Kangastus" ("The Mirage"), "Kaipuuni Tango" ("The Tango of my Longing"), "Kohtalon Tango" ("The Tango of Destiny") and "Yön Hiljaisuudessa" ("In the Silence of Night"). Last two mentioned have become known from recordings of another famous musician from Somero, singer Rauli "Badding" Somerjoki. Another notable singer who recorded Mononen's songs was Esko Rahkonen who worked with the composer in the 1960s.

One of the most well known figures in the Finnish popular culture, provocative entertainer M. A. Numminen had played drums on Mononen's band. Later Numminen asked Mononen to compose a humorous tango for his lyrics. Mononen had answered that for you I would make a tango even to the words of telephone book and thus the song "Naiseni kanssa eduskuntatalon puistossa" ("With my Woman at the Park of the Parliament House") was born.

It has been said that Mononen's songs were notable of their self-reflexive nature. He wrote lyrics from his experiences. During his latter years Mononen suffered of alcoholism and eventually he shot himself with a pistol in June 28, 1968. He was 37 years old.