Background
"Ievan Polkka" is a song written in the 1930's, set to a traditional Finnish melody. After falling from popularity it was revived by Finnish band Loituma in the 1990's, and in 2007 a cover by Otomania was released, voiced by Hatsune Miku and accompanied by a video illustrated by Tamago.
At the time there was a popular internet meme called Leekspin, which was based on an animation of Orihime Inoue from the Japanese manga Bleach twirling a negi to an infinite loop of the 5th stanza of "Ievan Polkka". Riding on the popularity of the meme, Hatsune Miku's cover of "Ievan Polkka" became her first popular work. Since then the song has been covered countless more times by other Vocaloids; numerous versions exist, including solos, duets and even a quartet mimicking the original.
The accompanying video to Miku's cover of "Ievan Polkka" features Hachune Miku (はちゅねミク), a blank-eyed doll-like chibi version of Miku. In the video, she waves a negi (also called a Welsh onion or spring onion) in time to the music, establishing the negi as Miku's signature item. Many Vocaloid fans mistake the negi for a leek; however, although a negi does resemble a leek, they are two entirely different vegetables.
Many mistake the title for Levan Polkka, thinking the capital "i" is a lowercase "l".
Succeeding versions
![[nn]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/vocaloid/images/1/16/Favicon-nn.png/revision/latest?cb=20131115031623){kind=small}
![[yt]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/vocaloid/images/1/16/Favicon-yt.png/revision/latest?cb=20221005233455){kind=small}
| Featuring | |
|---|---|
| Producers | Otomania
|
| Categories | Self-cover; VOCALOID cover |
| Description | One of the first songs sung by Rin and Len, made by Otomania after their release.
|
Lyrics
| Original Version
Nuapurista kuulu se polokan tahti |
Note: Miku only "sings" one of the meaningless scat sections. Ratsatsaa ja ripidabi dilla
Hra-tsa-tsa, ia ripi-dapi dilla barits tad dillan deh lando. |
Derivatives
| Featuring | |
|---|---|
| Producers | Otomania
|
| Categories | VOCALOID cover |
| Description | Len's cover by Orebanana-P is unique in that he sings the entire song rather than just the 5th stanza, setting the trend for future interpretations.
|
| Featuring | |
|---|---|
| Producers | |
| Categories | VOCALOID cover |
| Description | Miron-P's Luka cover sports a different instrumental than the other Ievan Polkka covers, giving a different feel to the song.
|
| Featuring | |
|---|---|
| Producers | |
| Categories | VOCALOID cover |
| Description | KAITO's version is a full rendition of the original song, much like Len's.
|
| Featuring | Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin, KAITO, MEIKO
|
|---|---|
| Producers | Chorus-P
|
| Categories | VOCALOID cover |
| Description | KAITO's version is a full rendition of the original song, much like Len's.
|
| Featuring | |
|---|---|
| Producers | SadisticLilBrother
|
| Categories | VOCALOID cover |
| Description | Rearrangement mix featuring SeeU, sporting a Korean accent.
|
| Featuring | |
|---|---|
| Producers | Shikamaru-P
|
| Categories | VOCALOID cover |
| Description | An arrange cover with space-like vibes.
|
| Featuring | |
|---|---|
| Producers | honomi (cover), Acapella-P (MIDI), 緒方久乃 (illust)
|
| Categories | VOCALOID cover |
| Featuring | |
|---|---|
| Producers | Clone Soldier
|
| Categories | UTAU Cover |
![[sc]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/vocaloid/images/c/c7/Favicon-sc.png/revision/latest?cb=20131113151344){kind=small}
| Featuring | Hatsune Miku
|
|---|---|
| Producers | SHO!
|
| Categories | Arrangement |
| Featuring | Hatsune Miku
|
|---|---|
| Producers | Kumazo
|
| Categories | Fanmade PV |
| Description | An early but popular 3D PV with over 700,000 views.
|
| Featuring | Hatsune Miku
|
|---|---|
| Producers | Benerisu
|
| Categories | Fanmade PV |
| Description | A popular MMD PV from 2009 with over 100,000 views.
|
Other media appearances
Commercials
Parts of the song was featured in a commercial for the LG G5 smartphone.
Songs
Parts of Miku's lyrics are sampled in the song Bellacoso by Puerto Rican artists Residente and Bad Bunny.
Discography
This song was featured in the following compilation albums:
- Hatsune Miku 1st Song Album
- VOCALOID2 MAXI Single Vol. 1 ～みっくみくCDにしてやんよ～
- 初耳
- 初音ミク-Project DIVA-F Complete Collection
Concerts
This song was featured in the following concerts:
Video games
This song was featured in the following video games:
- Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA-
- Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- Arcade
- Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- 2nd
- Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- extend
- Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- f
- Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- Arcade Future Tone
- Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- F 2nd
- Just Dance 2016
"Ievan Polkka" is traditionally the tutorial song in the Project DIVA games.
Trivia
- The original Leekspin animation, and as a result, when viewers spotted the Leekspin reference in the Phineas and Ferb special episode Summer Belongs To You!, was credited as a reference to Miku and not Orihime Inoue.