List of "Weird Al" Yankovic polka medleys
-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 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." 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.
Three of Yankovic's polka medleys"Hooked on Polkas", "Polka Power!", and "The Hamilton Polka"have been released as singles. "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.
"Polkas on 45"
"Polkas on 45" is Yankovic's first 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. 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
- "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple
- "Sex " 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, 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
"Hooked on Polkas"
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.
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 " 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!"
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
"The Hot Rocks Polka"
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "It's Only Rock 'n Roll "
- "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"
- " Satisfaction"
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Polka Your Eyes Out"
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" by A. Humpfat
- "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"
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
- "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
"The Alternative Polka"
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
- "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
- "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. retrieved on February 14, 2016 Weezer later allowed Al to include their hit "Beverly Hills" in the polka medley from Straight Outta Lynwood. On August 22, 2009, Al released the "unmixed, physically-deleted-from-the-master-tape 'Buddy Holly' polka" on Twitter and later on YouTube.
"Polka Power!"
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls
- "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger
- "Ghetto Supastar " by Pras featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mýa
- "Everybody " 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 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!"
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "Chicken Dance" by Werner Thomas
- "Let's Get It Started" by The 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 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
- "Pon de Replay" by Rihanna
- "Gold Digger" by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx
- "The Nina Bobina Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- "Polkarama!" was used as the set opener for Yankovic's 2007-08 Straight Outta Lynwood tour.
- 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.
"Polka Face"
The following songs are contained in the medley:
- "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
- "Need You Now" by 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" by Lady Gaga
- "Whatever's Left Over Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
On September 25, 2011, Comedy Central's website Jokes.com premiered an animated music video for this polka medley.
The video features a distinctive animation style for each of the segments of the parody. some are flash-animated, others contain cut-out, hand-drawn and experimental scribbling animation, while only one used stop-motion animation.
Weekly chart positions
"NOW That's What I Call Polka!"
"NOW That's What I Call Polka!" is the eleventh 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:
- "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
Weekly chart positions
"The Hamilton Polka"
"The Hamilton Polka" is the twelfth polka medley recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released on March 1, 2018 as a digital single and is composed entirely of songs from the Broadway musical Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The song was released as part of Miranda's "Hamildrop" series. It also marks the first song by Yankovic to feature profanity, as in previous Polka medleys, profane lyrics were covered with cartoon sound effects.The following songs are included in the medley:
- "Alexander Hamilton"
- "Wait for It"
- "The Schuyler Sisters"
- "Yorktown "
- "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"
Others
- A 1986 television special "Weird Al's Guide to the Grammys" featured Al and fellow accordionist Frankie Yankovic performing a short polka medley of Grammy nominees. It included the songs "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen, "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits, "The Boys of Summer" by Don Henley, "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News and "We Are the World" by USA for Africa.
- "Patterns" is a polka song and video made in 1991 for Square One Television.
- "Polkamon" is the tenth track on the soundtrack, though instead of being a medley, Al just lists off Pokémon names during its two-minute duration.
- "The North Korea Polka" is a live polka performance on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which was in response to the nuclear tensions that were escalating between the United States and North Korea in 2017.