The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), an anarchistic trade union in the United States and Canada, had a strong singing tradition, and its Finnish-American groups had many songs in the Finnish language as well.

Many of the IWW members knew little or no English, so it was natural for the union to produce songs in the Finnish language.

The melodies came from here and there, e.g. from Oskar Merikanto, and the Swedish American Joe Hill, whose real name was Joel Hägglund.

[2] The next thing to happen was that Tuovinen suggested to the rap artist Paleface that they should put together a band that would play the Finnish IWW songs.

Paleface had earlier performed songs by Hiski Salomaa and Joe Hill, it did not take much persuasion to get him on the band wagon.

"[3] The melody for "Siispä laulakaa" (‘Sing, therefore’) was taken from the song "My Old Kentucky Home", whereas that of "Säälikää herroja" (‘Have mercy on the fine gentlemen’) is from an old Methodist hymn.

[2] Many of the songs are in major scale, which gives them a joyous feeling, and included are also some rowdy ditties making fun of this or that.