Polka-style medleys of cover songs are a distinguishing part of American musician, satirist, parodist, and songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic's catalog. Twelve of his fourteen albums contain them; his self-titled debut and Even Worse omit them.
The medleys are composed of various popular songs, each one reinterpreted as a polka (generally an instrumentation of accordion, banjo, tuba, clarinet, and muted brass interspersed with sound effects) with the choruses or memorable lines of various songs juxtaposed for humorous effect and profane lyrics are covered with cartoon sound effects. Yankovic has been known to say that converting these songs to polka was "...the way God intended". Yankovic said that the medleys were something he did "even before I had a record deal" in live performances, and that many of the songs are included due to not receiving a full parody version - "if there's a song that I think is really ripe for parody but I just can't think of a clever enough idea, sometimes it'll end up in the polka medley." Regarding their popularity, Yankovic has said, "At this point, it's sort of mandatory for me to do a polka medley. Fans would be rioting in the streets, I think, if I didn't do a polka medley." Yankovic has always asked permission from every artist whose songs compose a medley due to royalties issues. He acknowledged some influence of Spike Jones in the medleys, such as the sound effects.
Four of Yankovic's polka medleys"Hooked on Polkas", "Polka Power!", "The Hamilton Polka", and "Polkamania!" 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 while "Polka Face" and "Polkamania!" are the only polkas to have official videos released for them that are not clips of the original songs' music videos.
In each medley, royalties are paid out to original songwriters according to the percentage of the medley directly attributable to them. What remains is then listed as "Ear Booker Polka" or various other titles so that it may be attributed to Yankovic himself.
"Polkas on 45"
"Polkas on 45" is Yankovic's first recorded polka medley. It appears on his second album, In 3-D. This and "The Hot Rocks Polka" are Yankovic's only polka medleys to focus on popular rock songs from the 1960s and 1970s rather than contemporary songs, though "Polkas on 45" includes some of the latter (e.g. Talking Heads and The Police). The song title is a take on the medley-releasing novelty band Stars on 45 and their self-titled 1981 single.
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 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".
Personnel According to the liner notes of The Essential "Weird Al" Yankovic:
"Weird Al" Yankovic – lead & background vocals, accordion, group vocals, hand claps, finger snaps Jim West – group vocals, hand claps, finger snaps Steve Jay – bass guitar, banjo, group vocals, hand claps, finger snaps Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz – drums, sound effects, group vocals, hand claps, finger snaps Warren Luening – trumpet Joel Peskin – clarinet Jim Self – tuba
"Hooked on Polkas"
"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, with I Want a New Duck as the B-side.
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.AllMusic
The following songs are contained in the medley: "Twelfth Street Rag" by Euday L. Bowman "State of Shock" by 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!" 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 included between "Shout" and "Papa Don't Preach. 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.
"The Hot Rocks Polka"
"The Hot Rocks Polka" is the fourth polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appears on his sixth studio album, UHF - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff. All of the songs in "The Hot Rocks Polka" medley are songs by The Rolling Stones, with the addition of Yankovic's "Ear Booker Polka" at the end. The title of the song refers to Hot Rocks 1964-1971, a greatest hits album of The Rolling Stones music.
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" 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 "Tom's Diner" by DNA featuring Suzanne Vega "Love Shack" by the B-52's "Clarinet Polka" "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic "Losing My Religion" by 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" 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 categorizes "Bohemian Polka" as a medley.
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" 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 "Bang and Blame" by R.E.M. "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" by The Smashing Pumpkins "Twelfth Street Rag" by Euday L. Bowman "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. Ask Al: July/August 1996 retrieved on February 14, 2016 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. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
"Polka Power!"
"Polka Power!" is the eighth polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appears on his 1999 album, Running with Scissors. The title of the song is a reference to "Girl Power!" a phrase made popular by the Spice Girls, the first act to be featured in the polka. The song was released as a promotional single in Germany.
The following songs are contained in the medley: "Twelfth Street Rag" by Euday L. Bowman "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" by Pras featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mýa "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" by the Backstreet Boys "Walkin' on the Sun" by Smash Mouth "Intergalactic" by the Beastie Boys "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba "Ray of Light" by 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"
The "Angry White Boy Polka" is the ninth polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It appears on his 2003 album Poodle Hat and consists of Christian metal, nu metal, rap metal, garage rock, and rap tracks performed primarily by white males; however, members from groups System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine and P.O.D. are multiracial and drummers Meg White of The White Stripes and Stefanie Eulinberg of Kid Rock's band are female. Rage Against the Machine would have their style parodied on the 2006 track "I'll Sue Ya" from Straight Outta Lynwood.
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 Notes