Minnesota Finnish communities often include "Jos voisin laulaa" (If I Could Sing) in celebrations of the festival of Midsummer (Juhannus). Joyce E. Hakala, in Th"e Rowan Tree: The Lifework of Marjorie Edgar, Girl Scout Pioneer and Folklorist," includes the song and describes Edgar’s work of collecting folk music, tales, proverbs and traditions from Finnish people on the Minnesota Iron Range. This song was sung for Edgar in Ely in 1930 and in Duluth in 1931, by various singers. Johnson’s arrangement seeks to capture the enchanting mood of many Finnish folk songs.
