List of "Weird Al" Yankovic polka medleys

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Polka Medleys are the trademark of American singer, musician, satirist, parodist, songwriter, and accordionist "Weird Al" Yankovic. They have appeared on nine of his twelve albums. Only his debut album "Weird Al" Yankovic, Even Worse, and Alapalooza do not contain a true medley (although the latter contains a polka version of "Bohemian Rhapsody"). The medleys are composed of various songs, each one reinterpreted as a polka, with the choruses or memorable lines of various songs juxtaposed for humorous effect. Yankovic has been known to say that converting these songs to polka was "...the way God intended." Because the polkas have become a staple of Yankovic's albums, he has said he tries to include one on each album because "fans would be rioting in the streets, I think, if I didn't do a polka medley."

Yankovic always asks permission to every artist in the medley, especially due to royalties issues, [1] and acknowledged some influence of Spike Jones in the medleys, such as the sound effects. [2]

Contents

[edit] Polkas on 45

“Polkas on 45”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D
Released February 28, 1984
Format Cassette, CD, Vinyl (12")
Recorded December 13, 1983
Genre Comedy
Length 4:23
Label Scotti Brothers

Polkas on 45 was the first polka medley ever recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appeared on his second album "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D. Its title is a reference to Dutch novelty medley act Stars on 45. It was based on an earlier medley he performed in 1982 while promoting his debut album, "Weird Al" Yankovic. (See "Other Medleys" for more)

"Polkas on 45" includes the following songs:

[edit] Notes

  • A pre-album version of Polkas on 45, from a concert in 1983, included "Der Komissar" between "Smoke On The Water" and "Sex (I'm A...)", "1999" by Prince and "Bad Boys Get Spanked" in place of "Burning Down the House", and of course "She Blinded Me With Science" and "Stairway To Heaven" in place of "Should I stay or Should I Go", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", and "My Generation".
  • The intro that segues into "Jocko Homo" is an up-tempo version of the "Beer Barrel Polka".

[edit] Hooked on Polkas

“Hooked on Polkas”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album Dare to Be Stupid
Released June 18, 1985
Format Cassette, CD, Vinyl (12")
Recorded March 25, 1985
Genre Comedy
Length 3:51
Label Scotti Brothers

Hooked on Polkas was the second polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appeared on his third album, Dare to Be Stupid.

Its title is a reference to the 1981 record Hooked on Classics, in which very recognizable extracts from classical music pieces were played over a continuous, more disco-style beat. This is the first polka medley to use "Shave and a Haircut", which was heard at the end of "Ear Booker Polka". (Other Yankovic polka medleys that have used "Shave and a Haircut" include "The Alternative Polka", "Polka Power!", and "Polkarama!")

The following songs are contained in the medley:

[edit] Polka Party!

“Polka Party!”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album Polka Party!
Released October 21, 1986
Format Cassette, CD, Vinyl (12")
Recorded August 28, 1986
Genre Comedy
Length 3:15
Label Scotti Brothers

Polka Party! was the third polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appeared on his fourth album, Polka Party!. Due to the fact that Polka Party! (the album) was a commercial failure, "Polka Party!" (the song) is one of Yankovic's least known medleys.

Polka Party! is one of three Polka medleys, as well as one of three of Yankovic's songs to have a punctuation at the end. (Others include "Polka Power!" and "Polkarama!")

The following songs are on "Polka Party!":

[edit] The Hot Rocks Polka

“The Hot Rocks Polka”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album UHF
Released July 18, 1989
Format Cassette, CD, Vinyl (12" & 7")
Recorded May 25, 1989
Genre Comedy
Length 4:50
Label Scotti Brothers

The Hot Rocks Polka is the fourth polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appeared on his sixth studio album, UHF - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff.

All of the songs on "The Hot Rocks Polka" are by The Rolling Stones, arranged with some new music by Weird Al. The name of the song refers to Hot Rocks 1964-1971, a greatest hits album of the Stones.

The following songs are contained in the medley:

[edit] Polka Your Eyes Out

“Polka Your Eyes Out”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album Off the Deep End
Released April, 1992
Format Cassette, CD
Recorded January 27, 1992
Genre Comedy
Length 3:50
Label Scotti Brothers

Polka Your Eyes Out is the fifth polka medley by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was included on his 1992 album, Off the Deep End. It is the only polka medley to date which appears on one of Al's greatest hits albums. It is also Weird Al's polka medley with the most songs included in it. It was originally performed in 1991 on the Dr. Demento show. "Polka Your Eyes Out" is Yankovic's first polka medley to begin with the beginning song's ("Cradle of Love" in this case) regular opening (i.e. not a polka).

The following songs are contained in the medley:

[edit] Bohemian Polka

“Bohemian Polka”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album Alapalooza
Released October 5, 1993
Format Cassette, CD
Recorded July 17, 1993
Genre Comedy
Length 3:39
Label Scotti Brothers

Bohemian Polka is a polka rendition of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"; at the time of the album's production, "Rhapsody"'s use in the comedy movie Wayne's World (as well as the recent death of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury) had returned the song to popularity. As "Bohemian Polka" contains only one (main) song , it is technically not one of Yankovic's polka medleys.

"Bohemian Polka" does, however, contain elements of Yankovic's previous polka medleys, and ends with the "Ear Booker Polka" which has appeared on the end of every other polka medley by "Weird Al" Yankovic.

The following songs are contained in the 'remix':

[edit] Notes

  • As stated above, "Bohemian Polka" has a touch of Yankovic's previous Polka Medleys including gun-shots, breaking glass, shoots, screams, and clapping.
  • A minor debate has been aroused due to the nature of this song; whether it is a polka medley or a 'remix' (although, the definition of the word 'remix' would negate the entire argument). Yankovic's official site has "Bohemian Polka" categorized under polka medley, however.

[edit] The Alternative Polka

“The Alternative Polka”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album Bad Hair Day
Released March 12, 1996
Format Cassette, CD
Recorded January 3, 1996
Genre Comedy
Length 4:50
Label Scotti Brothers

The Alternative Polka is the sixth polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appeared on his 1996 album, Bad Hair Day. The medley is entirely made up of alternative rock songs. It is the second of Yankovic's polka medleys to open with the first song's ("Loser" in this case) regular opening (i.e. not a polka), and also the second to use "Shave and a Haircut" as the song's conclusion. The title is a take on The Alternative Rock, also reference to the fact that the medley has only alternative rock parodies.

The following songs are contained in the medley:

[edit] Notes

  • "The Alternative Polka" was originally going to have an interpolation of the Weezer song "Buddy Holly" between "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" & "My Friends". However, Rivers Cuomo decided against the idea at the last minute, forcing Yankovic to edit the song out of the medley. Weezer, however, was thanked in the liner notes since the layout had been prepared beforehand. [3] Weezer later allowed Al to include their hit "Beverly Hills" in the polka medley from Straight Outta Lynwood.
  • The "Closer" section of the polka was censored using humorous sound effects. The first line is "I wanna (poink) you like an animal" and the second is "I wanna (bong) you like an animal".

[edit] Polka Power!

“Polka Power!”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album Running with Scissors
Released June 29, 1999
Format Cassette, CD
Recorded April 20, 1999
Genre Comedy/Rock
Length 4:21
Label Volcano

Polka Power! is the seventh polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appeared on his 1999 album, Running with Scissors. It is the second of three polka medleys (or any of Yankovic's songs for that matter) whose title ends with a punctuation mark, and the third polka medley that has been concluded with "Shave and a Haircut". The title is a take on Girl Power.

The following songs are contained in the medley:

[edit] Angry White Boy Polka

“Angry White Boy Polka”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album Poodle Hat
Released May 20 2003
Format Cassette, CD
Recorded March 21, 2003
Genre Comedy
Length 5:04
Label Volcano

The Angry White Boy Polka is the eighth polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appeared on his 2003 album, Poodle Hat.

It is almost entirely comprised of nu metal and alternative rock, capped off with a polka-fied version of rapper Eminem's song "The Real Slim Shady"; the parody of Eminem's Lose Yourself song, "Couch Potato" also appears on this album.

The following songs are contained in the medley:

Note that during the Down with the Sickness segment the word "fucker" is replaced with a short silence then "Get up!".

[edit] Polkarama!

“Polkarama!”
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album Straight Outta Lynwood
Released September 24, 2006
Format Cassette, CD
Recorded April 12, 2006
Genre Comedy
Length 4:17
Label Volcano

Polkarama! is the ninth, and to this date, latest polka medley by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released on his 2006 album Straight Outta Lynwood. It is the fourth polka medley to conclude with "Shave and a Haircut". The following songs are contained in the medley:

[edit] Notes

  • Yankovic initially wanted to include a verse of "Photograph" by Nickelback, and even got the band's permission. However since he was unable "to find a way to incorporate the song into Polkarama where it didn't sound wedged in or tacked on", Yankovic decided not to use it, but still thanked Nickelback in the liner notes for the album. [4]
  • Yankovic includes the radio edit of "Gold Digger," singing the line "she ain't messing with no broke, broke," rather than the unedited "she ain't messing with no broke niggas," line.
  • "Polkarama!" has been the first song of the opening set for each appearance on Yankovic's tour promoting the Lynwood album; thus, the first lyric sung by Yankovic at each show is, appropriately enough, "Let's get it started".[citation needed]

[edit] Other Polka Medleys

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ask Al: December 1998
  2. ^ Ask Al: June 1998
  3. ^ Ask Al: July/August 1996;retrieved on September 15, 2007
  4. ^ Ask Al June 9, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
v • d • e
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Band members
EPs
Studio albums
Compilations
Singles
"My Bologna" · "Another One Rides the Bus" · "Ricky" · "I Love Rocky Road" · "Eat It" · "King of Suede" · "I Lost on Jeopardy" · "This Is the Life" · "Like a Surgeon" · "I Want a New Duck" · "One More Minute" · "Dare to Be Stupid" · "Living with a Hernia" · "Christmas at Ground Zero" · "Fat" · "Lasagna" · "I Think I'm a Clone Now" · "UHF" · "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*" · "Isle Thing" · "Smells Like Nirvana" · "You Don't Love Me Anymore" · "Taco Grande" · "Jurassic Park" · "Bedrock Anthem" · "Achy Breaky Song" · "Headline News" · "Amish Paradise" · "Gump" · "Germs" • "Spy Hard" · "The Night Santa Went Crazy" · "The Saga Begins" · "It's All about the Pentiums" · "Don't Download This Song" · "Ode to a Superhero" • "White & Nerdy" · "Canadian Idiot" · "eBay"
Filmography
Related articles
Discography · Songs · List of "Weird Al" Yankovic polka medleys · Dr. Demento · Parody musicians · Comedy musicians · Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!