“Weird Al” Yankovic is renowned for his humorous songs and parodies, but a signature element of his albums that fans eagerly anticipate is the polka medley. These energetic tracks transform popular hits from various genres into rapid-fire polka tunes, showcasing Al’s musical versatility and comedic timing. For decades, these polkas have been a staple, and here we present a comprehensive, chronological list of every polka medley “Weird Al” Yankovic has officially released on his studio albums. Dive into the world of “Songs By Weird Al” and explore this unique facet of his discography!
“Polkas on 45” (Weird Al Yankovic In 3-D, 1984)
This was the first foray into polka medleys for “Weird Al”, setting a precedent for albums to come. “Polkas on 45” is a high-energy blast through popular songs of the time, given the signature polka treatment.
- Jocko Homo (Devo)
- Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple)
- Sex (I’m A…) (Berlin)
- Hey Jude (The Beatles)
- L.A. Woman (The Doors)
- In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (Iron Butterfly)
- Hey Joe (Jimi Hendrix)
- Burning Down The House (Talking Heads)
- Hot Blooded (Foreigner)
- Bubbles In The Wine (Lawrence Welk)
- Every Breath You Take (The Police)
- Should I Stay Or Should I Go? (The Clash)
- Jumpin’ Jack Flash (The Rolling Stones)
- My Generation (The Who)
“Hooked on Polkas” (Dare to Be Stupid, 1985)
Building on the success of the first medley, “Hooked on Polkas” arrived the following year, continuing the tradition of polka-fying chart-topping hits.
- 12th Street Rag (Pee Wee Hunt)
- State of Shock (The Jacksons w/ Mick Jagger)
- Sharp Dressed Man (ZZ Top)
- What’s Love Got To Do With It? (Tina Turner)
- Method Of Modern Love (Hall & Oates)
- Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Yes)
- We’re Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister)
- 99 Luftballons (Nena)
- Footloose (Kenny Loggins)
- The Reflex (Duran Duran)
- Metal Health (Bang Your Head) (Quiet Riot)
- Relax (Frankie Goes To Hollywood)
“Polka Party!” (Polka Party!, 1986)
Fittingly titled for an album named Polka Party!, this medley further cemented the polka’s place in “Weird Al” albums.
- Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel)
- Sussudio (Phil Collins)
- Party All The Time (Eddie Murphy)
- Say You, Say Me (Lionel Richie)
- Freeway Of Love (Aretha Franklin)
- What You Need (INXS)
- Harlem Shuffle (The Rolling Stones)
- Venus (Bananarama)
- Nasty (Janet Jackson)
- Rock Me Amadeus (Falco)
- Shout (Tears For Fears)
- Papa Don’t Preach (Madonna)
“Hot Rocks Polka” (UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff, 1989)
“Hot Rocks Polka” takes a slightly different approach, focusing exclusively on the Rolling Stones, transforming classic rock anthems into a polka frenzy.
- It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It) (The Rolling Stones)
- Brown Sugar (The Rolling Stones)
- You Can’t Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones)
- Honky Tonk Women (The Rolling Stones)
- Under My Thumb (The Rolling Stones)
- Ruby Tuesday (The Rolling Stones)
- Miss You (The Rolling Stones)
- Sympathy For The Devil (The Rolling Stones)
- Get Off Of My Cloud (The Rolling Stones)
- Shattered (The Rolling Stones)
- Let’s Spend The Night Together (The Rolling Stones)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones)
“Polka Your Eyes Out” (Off the Deep End, 1992)
Known for its pun-filled title, “Polka Your Eyes Out” continues the tradition with a diverse selection of early 90s hits.
- Cradle Of Love (Billy Idol)
- Tom’s Diner (Suzanne Vega)
- Love Shack (The B-52s)
- Pump Up The Jam (Technotronic)
- Losing My Religion (R.E.M.)
- Unbelievable (EMF)
- Do Me! (Bel Biv Devoe)
- Enter Sandman (Metallica)
- The Humpty Dance (Digital Underground)
- Cherry Pie (Warrant)
- Miss You Much (Janet Jackson)
- I Touch Myself (Divinyls)
- Dr. Feelgood (Motley Crue)
- Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice)
“Bohemian Polka” (Alapalooza, 1993)
A unique entry, “Bohemian Polka” is a full polka rendition of just one song: Queen’s epic “Bohemian Rhapsody”. It’s a testament to Al’s ability to polka-fy even the most complex songs.
- Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
“The Alternative Polka” (Bad Hair Day, 1996)
“The Alternative Polka” dives into the alternative rock scene of the mid-90s, giving the polka treatment to grunge and alternative anthems.
- Loser (Beck)
- Sex Type Thing (Stone Temple Pilots)
- All I Wanna Do (Sheryl Crow)
- Closer (Nine Inch Nails)
- Bang and Blame (R.E.M.)
- You Oughta Know (Alanis Morissette)
- Bullet With Butterfly Wings (Smashing Pumpkins)
- My Friends (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
- I’ll Stick Around (Foo Fighters)
- Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden)
- Basket Case (Green Day)
“Polka Power!” (Running with Scissors, 1999)
Another aptly named medley, “Polka Power!” showcases the pop and rock hits as the millennium approached.
- Wannabe (Spice Girls)
- Flagpole Sitta (Harvey Danger)
- Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are) (Pras Michel w/ Ol’ Dirty Bastard & Mya)
- Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) (Backstreet Boys)
- Walkin’ On The Sun (Smash Mouth)
- Intergalactic (Beastie Boys)
- Tubthumping (Chumbawamba)
- Ray Of Light (Madonna)
- Push (Matchbox 20)
- Semi-Charmed Life (Third Eye Blind)
- The Dope Show (Marilyn Manson)
- Mmmbop (Hanson)
- Sex and Candy (Marcy Playground)
- Closing Time (Semisonic)
“Angry White Boy Polka” (Poodle Hat, 2003)
“Angry White Boy Polka” leans into the angst-ridden rock and rap of the early 2000s, creating a humorous juxtaposition with the upbeat polka style.
- Last Resort (Papa Roach)
- Chop Suey! (System of a Down)
- Get Free (The Vines)
- Hate to Say I Told You So (The Hives)
- Fell In Love With a Girl (The White Stripes)
- Last Nite (The Strokes)
- Down With the Sickness (Disturbed)
- Renegades of Funk (Rage Against the Machine)
- My Way (Limp Bizkit)
- Outside (Staind)
- Bawitdaba (Kid Rock)
- Youth of the Nation (P.O.D.)
- The Real Slim Shady (Eminem)
“Polkarama!” (Straight Outta Lynwood, 2006)
“Polkarama!” continues the tradition, blending pop, rock, and even dance hits into a polka frenzy.
- The Chicken Dance
- Let’s Get It Started (The Black Eyed Peas)
- Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand)
- Beverly Hills (Weezer)
- Speed Of Sound (Coldplay)
- Float On (Modest Mouse)
- Feel Good Inc. (Gorillaz)
- Don’t Cha (The Pussycat Dolls)
- Somebody Told Me (The Killers)
- Slither (Velvet Revolver)
- Candy Shop (50 Cent)
- Drop It Like It’s Hot (Snoop Dogg)
- Pon De Replay (Rihanna)
- Gold Digger (Kanye West)
“Polka Face” (Alpocalypse, 2011)
“Polka Face” takes on the late 2000s and early 2010s pop explosion, polka-fying some of the biggest hits of that era.
- Poker Face (Lady Gaga)
- Womanizer (Britney Spears)
- Right Round (Flo Rida)
- Day ‘n’ Nite (Kid Cudi)
- Need You Now (Lady Antebellum)
- Baby (Justin Bieber)
- So What (Pink)
- I Kissed A Girl (Katy Perry)
- Fireflies (Owl City)
- Blame It (Jamie Foxx)
- Replay (Iyaz)
- Down (Jay Sean)
- Break Your Heart (Taio Cruz)
- Tik Tok (Ke$ha)
“Now That’s What I Call Polka!” (Mandatory Fun, 2014)
As of now, the most recent polka medley, “Now That’s What I Call Polka!”, keeps up with contemporary hits from pop and beyond.
- Too Fat Polka (Arthur Godfrey)
- Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus)
- Pumped Up Kicks (Foster The People)
- Best Song Ever (One Direction)
- Gangnam Style (Psy)
- Call Me Maybe (Carly Rae Jepsen)
- Scream & Shout (will.i.am & Britney Spears)
- Somebody That I Used To Know (Gotye)
- Timber (Pitbull ft. Ke$ha)
- Sexy And I Know It (LMFAO)
- Thrift Shop (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)
- Get Lucky (Daft Punk)
In conclusion, “Weird Al” Yankovic’s polka medleys are more than just a fun gimmick; they are a testament to his musical talent and comedic genius. They offer a unique way to appreciate popular “songs by weird al” and see them in a completely new, polka-infused light. For fans and newcomers alike, exploring these medleys is an essential part of understanding and enjoying the multifaceted artistry of “Weird Al” Yankovic.
