An evil musical idea has just resurfaced...wanna help?

[thatcrazycajun]

Some of you have, no doubt, heard of my all-time favorite musical artist, Alfred Matthew Yankovic, better known as "Weird Al" Yankovic. (And if by some remote chance you haven't, what in heaven's name have you been waiting for? Get thee at once to weirdal.com and discover for thyself the twisted genius that is Al.) You may also be familiar with his habit of performing and recording medleys of the most popular hits of the day, from pop, rock, rap/hip-hop and alternative genres...in polka style, complete with accordion and full-on beerhall-style arrangements. (See "Polka Power!," "Polka Your Eyes Out," "The Alternative Polka," etc., etc.) It's become more or less a tradition that every time he releases a new studio album on vinyl, CD or tape, at least one of these demented medleys is always included.

So, a few years ago, I wondered...What would such a medley sound like conflated from the most popular classics of the filk music world? Sadly, I lack the instrumental skills to make it happen by myself, so it kind of sank back into the muck of my brain for the nonce. Well, guess what? That nonce is long over, and the idea came bobbing back up to the surface again today like an insufficiently drowned zombie. (Just thought I'd show cadhla some love there.)

I can already hear two or three of filk's more serious hits in there: a verse or two each of "Horsetamer's Daughter" and "The Hand of God" by jecklar, "Hope Eyrie" by Leslie Fish, and "Harbors" by Anne Passovoy just for starters. What other songs from the past few decades of filk would you desecrate toss into the mix? C'mon, haven't you always wanted to know what Julia's "Phoenix" or Mary Jean Holmes' "Everyman" would sound like in polka time? "And my wings are made of tungsten / My flesh is made of steel..." Everybody sing along, now!

Comments

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

Good timing--there was that bit at OVFF's closing jam, where filk classics got conflated with the old kids' song Threw It Out The Window (http://www.songsforteaching.com/nurseryrhymes/outthewindow.htm).

"When we pulled into Argo Port in need of R&R, in all the joints and bars we went they threw us out the window!"

And so on. batyatoon came up with the best verse: "My father was a horse-tamer on the edge of Hali Plain/This song would take too long to sing and you'd throw me out the window!"

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

At some point in the not-too-distant past, smallship1 did something similar with instrumental themes from UK filk classics. I'm sure I have an MP3 around somewhere (just in terms of medley; he didn't do anything in polka).

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

I also seem to recall someone (I think it was Frank Hayes) doing something called "The Mary O'Meara Polka." Haven't actually heard it, but would love to, as I have heard the original song.

[trektone.livejournal.com]

I vaguely remember that! It had bits of "The Hallelujah Chorus" in it, I think.

[netpositive.livejournal.com]

Shades of "Shai Bluegrass" from Moonwulf's concert at OVFF this year. (Before you protest that you weren't there, you can see/hear it as one of 5 clips of the concert as posted on YouTube courtesy of LJ user blackpaladin. Search for "Longcor" should get you to it, I think.)

Honestly, just about everything sounds better medleyed up in bluegrass, klezmer, and/or polka style. It's that whole cheerful uptempo thing, maybe? :)

[katrinb.livejournal.com]

"March of Cambreath." Can't you just polka to that already?

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Little Fuzzy Windowbreakers...

[trektone.livejournal.com]

Actually, I did lead a group sing of "Horsetamer's Daughter" with someone else playing accordian, ten or fifteen years or so ago. It was a fast tempo, but not a polka rhythm.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

what a brilliant idea :)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]