List of "Weird Al" Yankovic polka medleys
The medleys are composed of various
Three of Yankovic's polka medleys—"Hooked on Polkas", "Polka Power!", and "The Hamilton Polka"—have been released as singles (either in international markets or domestically). "Polka Your Eyes Out" and "Polkas on 45" were also the only polkas to appear on a greatest hits album and "Polka Face" is the only polka to have an official video released for it that are not clips of the original songs music videos.
A Yankovic composition, originally titled "Ear Booker Polka" but retitled for later medleys, appears in each medley and is "...[Any] part of the medley that is not directly attributable to another songwriter...".[6]
"Polkas on 45"
"Polkas on 45" | |
---|---|
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |
from the album "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D | |
Released | February 28, 1984 |
Recorded | December 13, 1983[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 4:23 |
Label | Scotti Brothers |
"Polkas on 45" is Yankovic's first recorded polka medley.
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Beer Barrel Polka" by Jaromír Vejvoda
- "Jocko Homo" by Devo
- "Clarinet Polka"
- "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple
- "Sex (I'm a ...)" by Berlin
- "Hey Jude" by The Beatles
- "L.A. Woman" by the Doors
- "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly
- "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix
- "Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads
- "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner
- "Bubbles in the Wine" by Bob Calame (1913–1967), Lawrence Welk's long-standing theme song
- "Every Breath You Take" by The Police
- "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by The Clash
- "Jumpin' Jack Flash" by the Rolling Stones
- "My Generation" by the Who
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic[9]
Notes:
- When performing "Polkas On 45" live before the album version, "Der Kommissar" by After the Fire (originally by Falco) would be played between "Smoke on the Water" and "Sex", "1999" by Prince and "Bad Boys Get Spanked" by The Pretenders would be played instead of "Burning Down the House", and "She Blinded Me with Science" by Thomas Dolby and "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin played instead of "Should I Stay or Should I Go", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", and "My Generation".[10]
"Hooked on Polkas"
"Hooked on Polkas" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by "Weird Al" Yankovic | ||||
from the album Dare to Be Stupid | ||||
Released | June 18, 1985
| (Japan only)
|||
Recorded | March 25, 1985[7] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:51 | |||
Label | Scotti Brothers | |||
"Weird Al" Yankovic singles chronology | ||||
|
"Hooked on Polkas" is the second polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appeared on his third album, Dare to Be Stupid. The song was released as a single in Japan.
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.[11]
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Twelfth Street Rag" by Euday L. Bowman
- "The Jacksons and Mick Jagger
- "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top
- "What's Love Got to Do with It" by Tina Turner
- "Method of Modern Love" by Hall & Oates
- "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes
- "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister
- "99 Luftballons" by Nena
- "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins
- "The Reflex" by Duran Duran
- "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)" by Quiet Riot
- "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Single track listing
- "Hooked on Polkas" – 3:51
- "I Want a New Duck" – 3:01
"Polka Party!"
"Polka Party!" | |
---|---|
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |
from the album Polka Party! | |
Released | October 21, 1986 |
Recorded | August 29, 1986[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 3:15 |
Label | Scotti Brothers |
Songwriter(s) | "Weird Al" Yankovic |
"Polka Party!" is the third polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appears on his fourth album, Polka Party!.
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel
- "Sussudio" by Phil Collins
- "Party All the Time" by Eddie Murphy
- "Say You, Say Me" by Lionel Richie
- "Freeway of Love" by Aretha Franklin
- "What You Need" by INXS
- "Harlem Shuffle" by The Rolling Stones, originally by Bob & Earl
- "Venus" by Bananarama, originally by Shocking Blue
- "Nasty" by Janet Jackson
- "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco
- "Shout" by Tears for Fears
- "Papa Don't Preach" by Madonna
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Notes:
- When performing "Polka Party!" live during the opening for The Monkees tour, "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" by Wang Chung would be interloped between "Shout" and "Papa Don't Preach.[12]
- During the MTV's New Years Eve 1987 Party, the "Papa Don't Preach" segment is replaced with "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" by Wang Chung.[13]
"The Hot Rocks Polka"
"The Hot Rocks Polka" | |
---|---|
UHF | |
Released | July 18, 1989 |
Recorded | May 24, 1989[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 4:50 |
Label | Scotti Brothers |
Songwriter(s) |
"The Hot Rocks Polka" is the fourth polka medley recorded by
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)"
- "Brown Sugar"
- "You Can't Always Get What You Want"
- "Honky Tonk Women"
- "Under My Thumb"
- "Ruby Tuesday"
- "Miss You"
- "Sympathy for the Devil"
- "Get Off of My Cloud"
- "Shattered"
- "Let's Spend the Night Together"
- "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Polka Your Eyes Out"
"Polka Your Eyes Out" | |
---|---|
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |
from the album Off the Deep End | |
Released | April 14, 1992 |
Recorded | January 27, 1992[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 3:50 |
Label | Scotti Brothers |
"Polka Your Eyes Out" is the fifth polka medley by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is included on his 1992 album, Off the Deep End, and also on his Greatest Hits Volume 2 compilation. It was first performed in 1991 at the Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary show.
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Cradle of Love" by Billy Idol
- "DNA featuring Suzanne Vega
- "the B-52's
- "Clarinet Polka" by A. Humpfat
- "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic
- "R.E.M.
- "Unbelievable" by EMF
- "Do Me!" by Bell Biv DeVoe
- "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
- "The Humpty Dance" by Digital Underground
- "Cherry Pie" by Warrant
- "Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson
- "I Touch Myself" by Divinyls
- "Dr. Feelgood" by Mötley Crüe
- "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Bohemian Polka"
"Bohemian Polka" | |
---|---|
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |
from the album Alapalooza | |
Released | October 5, 1993 |
Recorded | July 17, 1993[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 3:39 |
YouTube |
"Bohemian Polka" is a cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", done in Yankovic's traditional polka style. Though it primarily consists of a single song in its entirety, Yankovic's official website has categorized "Bohemian Polka" as a polka medley.[14]
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
"The Alternative Polka"
"The Alternative Polka" | |
---|---|
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |
from the album Bad Hair Day | |
Released | March 12, 1996 |
Recorded | January 3, 1996[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 4:50 |
YouTube |
"The Alternative Polka" is the seventh polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appears on his 1996 album, Bad Hair Day. The medley primarily consists of alternative rock songs, with the title being a reference to the genre.
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Loser" by Beck
- "Sex Type Thing" by Stone Temple Pilots
- "All I Wanna Do" by Sheryl Crow
- "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails
- "R.E.M.
- "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette
- "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" by The Smashing Pumpkins
- "My Friends" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "I'll Stick Around" by Foo Fighters
- "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden
- "Basket Case" by Green Day
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Notes
- "The Alternative Polka" was originally going to have an interpretation of the Weezer song "Buddy Holly" between "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" and "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.[15] Weezer later allowed Yankovic to include their hit "Beverly Hills" in the polka medley from Straight Outta Lynwood. On August 22, 2009, Yankovic released the "unmixed, physically-deleted-from-the-master-tape 'Buddy Holly' polka" on Twitter and later on YouTube.[16][17][18]
"Polka Power!"
"Polka Power!" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by "Weird Al" Yankovic | ||||
from the album Running with Scissors | ||||
Released | September 26, 1999 | (Germany only)|||
Recorded | April 20, 1999[7] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:20 | |||
Label |
| |||
"Weird Al" Yankovic singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Polka Power!" on YouTube |
"Polka Power!" is the eighth polka medley recorded by
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls
- "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger
- "Mýa
- "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" by the Backstreet Boys
- "Walkin' on the Sun" by Smash Mouth
- "Intergalactic" by the Beastie Boys
- "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba
- "Madonna
- "Push" by Matchbox Twenty
- "Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind
- "The Dope Show" by Marilyn Manson
- "MMMBop" by Hanson
- "Sex and Candy" by Marcy Playground
- "Closing Time" by Semisonic
- "W.A.Y. Moby Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Angry White Boy Polka"
"Angry White Boy Polka" | |
---|---|
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |
from the album Poodle Hat | |
Released | May 20, 2003 |
Recorded | March 21, 2003[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 5:04 |
YouTube |
The "Angry White Boy Polka" is the ninth polka medley recorded by
The following are contained in the medley:
- "Last Resort" by Papa Roach
- "Chop Suey!" by System of a Down
- "Get Free" by The Vines
- "Hate to Say I Told You So" by The Hives
- "Fell in Love with a Girl" by The White Stripes
- "Last Nite" by The Strokes
- "Down with the Sickness" by Disturbed
- "Renegades of Funk" by Rage Against the Machine, originally by Afrika Bambaataa
- "My Way" by Limp Bizkit
- "Outside" by Staind
- "Bawitdaba" by Kid Rock
- "Youth of the Nation" by P.O.D.
- "The Real Slim Shady" by Eminem
- "Poodle Hat Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Polkarama!"
"Polkarama!" | |
---|---|
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |
from the album Straight Outta Lynwood | |
Released | September 24, 2006 |
Recorded | April 12, 2006[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 4:17 |
YouTube |
"Polkarama!" is the tenth polka medley by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released on his 2006 album, Straight Outta Lynwood.
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Chicken Dance" by Werner Thomas
- "Let's Get It Started" by Black Eyed Peas
- "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand
- "Beverly Hills" by Weezer
- "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay
- "Float On" by Modest Mouse
- "Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz featuring De La Soul
- "Don't Cha" by The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes
- "Somebody Told Me" by The Killers
- "Slither" by Velvet Revolver
- "Candy Shop" by 50 Cent featuring Olivia
- "Drop It Like It's Hot" by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell Williams
- "Pon de Replay" by Rihanna
- "Gold Digger" by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx
- "The Nina Bobina Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Notes
- "Polkarama!" was used as the set opener for Yankovic's 2007-08 Straight Outta Lynwood tour.[19]
- 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.[20]
"Polka Face"
"Polka Face" | |
---|---|
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |
from the album Alpocalypse | |
Released | June 21, 2011 |
Recorded | May 8, 2010[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 4:47 |
YouTube |
"Polka Face" is the eleventh Weird Al polka medley. It was performed in concert in 2010, and was released on the 2011 album Alpocalypse. The medley consists of then-recent dance-pop, hip hop, and R&B songs.
The following songs are contained in the medley:[21]
- "Liechtensteiner Polka" by Will Glahé
- "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga
- "Womanizer" by Britney Spears
- "Right Round" by Flo Rida ft. Ke$ha
- "Day 'n' Nite" by Kid Cudi
- "Lady Antebellum
- "Baby" by Justin Bieber ft. Ludacris
- "So What" by Pink
- "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry
- "Fireflies" by Owl City
- "Blame It" by Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain
- "Replay" by Iyaz
- "Down" by Jay Sean ft. Lil Wayne
- "Break Your Heart" by Taio Cruz ft. Ludacris
- "The Tick Tock Polka" by Frankie Yankovic
- "Tik Tok" by Kesha
- "Poker Face" (Reprise) by Lady Gaga
- "Whatever's Left Over Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
The title is a reference to
On September 25, 2011, Comedy Central's website Jokes.com premiered an animated music video for this polka medley.[22] The video features a distinctive animation style for each of the segments of the parody. Some are Flash-animated ("Right Round", "Baby", "Blame It", "Break Your Heart", and "I Kissed a Girl"), others contain
Weekly chart positions
Chart (2011) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Comedy Digital Tracks (Billboard)[23] | 6 |
"Now That's What I Call Polka!"
"Now That's What I Call Polka!" | |
---|---|
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |
from the album Mandatory Fun | |
Released | July 15, 2014 |
Recorded | April 15, 2014[7] |
Genre | |
Length | 4:06 |
Label | RCA |
"Now That's What I Call Polka!" is the twelfth polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appears on his 2014 album Mandatory Fun, and the title of the medley is the parody of compilation album series Now That's What I Call Music!
The following songs are included in the medley:[24]
- "Too Fat Polka" by Arthur Godfrey
- "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus
- "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People
- "Best Song Ever" by One Direction
- "Gangnam Style" by Psy
- "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen
- "Scream & Shout" by will.i.am feat. Britney Spears
- "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye feat. Kimbra
- "Timber" by Pitbull feat. Kesha
- "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO
- "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz
- "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams
- "Mandatory Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
On 11 May 2020, a fan-animated music video for the song, known as the #CollAlb, would be released. This features the collaborative works of 14 online animators and was uploaded by Rizatch (the animator who did the Wrecking Ball scene), and as of January 2024, it has amassed almost 10.7 million views. [25]
Weekly chart positions
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Comedy Digital Tracks (Billboard)[26] | 4 |
"The Hamilton Polka"
"The Hamilton Polka" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by "Weird Al" Yankovic | ||||
Released | March 1, 2018 | |||
Recorded | February 13, 2018 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 5:01 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Lin-Manuel Miranda | |||
"Weird Al" Yankovic singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"The Hamilton Polka" on YouTube |
"The Hamilton Polka" is the thirteenth polka medley recorded by
The following songs are included in the medley:
- "Alexander Hamilton"
- "Wait for It"
- "The Schuyler Sisters"
- "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)"
- "Dear Theodosia"
- "You’ll Be Back"
- "The Room Where It Happens"
- "Right Hand Man"
- "Guns and Ships"
- "Washington on Your Side"
- "Helpless"
- "Non-Stop"
- "History Has Its Eyes on You"
- "My Shot"
- "Alexander Hamilton" (reprise version)
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Others
- A polka medley performed at a 1982 Missing Persons concert is considered to be the first official Yankovic polka medley. It included the songs "Jocko Homo" by Devo, "Homosapien" by Pete Shelley, "Sex Junkie" by The Plasmatics, "T.V.O.D." by The Normal, "Bad Boys Get Spanked" by The Pretenders, "TV Party" by Black Flag, "Janitor" by Suburban Lawns, and "People Who Died" by The Jim Carroll Band.[10](Jocko Homo was later re-used in "Polkas On 45".)
- A 1986 television special Weird Al's Guide to the Grammys featured Yankovic and fellow accordionist USA for Africa.[29]
- In 1991, Yankovic appeared on an episode of FOX's "The Sunday Comics" performing a polka medley featuring songs from "Polkas on 45" and "Polka Your Eyes Out". It included "Cradle of Love", "Tom's Diner", "Love Shack", "Clarinet Polka", "Pump Up The Jam", "Hey Jude", "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", "Hey Joe", "Burning Down the House", "The Humpty Dance", "Cherry Pie", "Miss You Much" "Jumpin' Jack Flash", and "My Generation".
- "Polkamon" is one of the ending themes for the English soundtrack.[30]
- In 2018, Yankovic remixed "Feel It Still" and "Live in the Moment" by Portugal. The Man from their album Woodstock, adding a polka backing track and additional vocals.
Reception
Yankovic's polka medleys are often well-received by fans, with some calling them "a staple of his albums" and "often featured as a highlight for fans of his unique musical style and comedic sensibilities."[31] However some polka musicians such as The Dreadnoughts have criticized them, saying that they play into the "dumb euro" stereotype (portraying Slavic and Eastern European people as "goofy" or "unintelligent") and that they "unwittingly [teach] the next two generations that polka is just a mashup comedy style."[32]
See also
References
- )
- ^ MTV Networks. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
- ^ Watercutter, Angela (2011-06-20). "Alpocalypse Now: 'Weird Al' Yankovic Says 'Twitter Saved My Album'". Wired. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
- ^ ""Weird Al" Yankovic: The Ask Al Archive". Weirdal.com. December 1998. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
- ^ ""Weird Al" Yankovic: The Ask Al Archive". Weirdal.com. June 1999. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
- ^ ""Weird Al" Yankovic: The Ask Al Archive". Weirdal.com. August 1999. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Archive of recording dates for Weird Al songs". weirdal.com. Archived from the original on 2010-07-09. Retrieved 2014-07-02.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), October 6, 2014 - )
- )
- ^ a b Yankovic, Weird Al. "Set Lists". "Weird Al" Yankovic. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
- ^ AllMusic
- ^ "Weird Al" Yankovic: The Opening for The Monkees Tour - July 22, 1987 Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Audio), retrieved 2023-07-25
- ^ Weird Al - "Polka Party", retrieved 2023-07-24
- Zomba Recordings LLC. Archived from the originalon 2007-01-13. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
- ^ Ask Al: July/August 1996 retrieved on February 14, 2016
- ^ [1] Archived March 3, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ @alyankovic (November 4, 2010). "... Cut out of "The Alternative Polka" at the last minute due to a misunderstanding with Rivers Cuomo…" (Tweet). Retrieved July 15, 2015 – via Twitter.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: ""Weird Al" Yankovic - Buddy Holly". YouTube.
- ^ ""Weird Al" Yankovic: Concert Set Lists". Weirdal.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
- ^ "Ask Al June 6, 2007". Retrieved 2016-02-14.
- ^ "Live performance of 2010 polka medley". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
- ^ [2] Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Comedy Digital Tracks: July 7, 2014". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
- Sony Music Entertainment. 2014.
- ^ #COLLALB - Now That's What I Call Polka Animated Collab, retrieved January 23, 2024
- ^ "Comedy Digital Tracks: August 2, 2014". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
- Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
- ^ Miranda, Lin-Manuel. "Hamilton's Hamildrops". Hamildrops. Archived from the original on March 5, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
- ^ "Weird Al's Guide to the Grammys". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
- ^ "Polkamon". Bulbapedia. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ "'Weird Al' Yankovic: Now That's What I Call Polka (Music Video 2020) - Plot". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
- ^ Dreadnoughts, The (2022-02-21). "Polka Might Actually Die". Roll And Go: Dreadnoughts Blog. Retrieved 2023-10-24.