“Suvi” means summer in Estonian. This is the time for which Northern people yearn and to which they dedicate songs. “Suvi ei jää” (“Summer Doesn’t Stay”) is a little known song from Heidy Tamme’s repertoire. The song is a rendition of Roberta Flack’s song “What a Woman Really Means” which was given new lyrics, which eloquently describe the summer season and its brevity, from one of the most prolific Estonian lyricist Heldur Karmo.

Heidy Tamme is a well-known and beloved Estonian pop singer. Her repertoire can be divided into two groups. Firstly, there are the pop songs which Estonians have loved and enjoyed on radio, television and vinyl for years but she has also recorded chamber-like music with blues and soul influences which is closer to her own heart. The soul song “Suvi ei jää” with its mellow jazz arrangement fits well into the latter more timeless category of her oeuvre.

Heidy Tamme initiated the recording of this song herself but the arrangement was created by the jazz guitarist Tiit Paulus. Paulus worked in the Estonian Radio orchestra like many other jazz musicians, and pop singers who recorded in the radio studio often asked for their help. As a guitarist, Paulus might be known for playing jazzfunk on the 7” singles by Jaan Kuman’s instrumental ensemble or for his later more pensive jazz recordings, like on his LP “Tiit Paulus ja sõbrad” from 1979. “Selle suve laul” (“This Summer’s Song”) is a song which Tiit Paulus is very proud of and the song has been recorded several times with different line-ups. The solo recording from 1987 would have been lost in the annals of history if Tiit hadn’t mentioned it to a music aficionado decades later. Paulus apparently recorded some songs on radio with his new guitar but he wasn’t satisfied with the results and asked the tapes to be destroyed. The sound engineer, however, didn’t do as he was told.

A-side: Heidy Tamme „Suvi ei jää“

Written by R. MacDonald, W. Salter
Estonian lyrics by Heldur Karmo
Arranged by Tiit Paulus
Ensemble: Tiit Pauluse ansambel
Recorded in 1982

B-side: Tiit Paulus „Selle suve laul“

Written by Tiit Paulus
Guitar: Tiit Paulus
Recorded in 1987

Mastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery

Photo by: E. Kask
Layout by Bassein

P Eesti Rahvusringhääling 1982, 1987
C Frotee 2015