Who Says Polkas Are Dying???
Mike Surratt
Puke" Tour Slideshow -- take a look and see the age groups we
performed for from late July until early November.
Direct link:
http://www.mikesurratt.com/PUKETOUR.wmv
Now on YouTube as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2i2evRP2KE
Also take a look at The Continentals' website on the "Gallery Page" to
see slideshows from our 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009 slideshows...it's all
about the fun!
MS
jrodg
A really nice collage ---and I know, i.a. from the Kennedy center
video that that you field a wonderful little group. You are very
fortunate to have these great Oktoberfest crowds, and they are very
fortunate to have you---I think, tho, that Oktoberfest is really a
very different animal from the average polka bands' gigs ( It is
really the ultimate beer-drinking funfest, and an offshoot of the
Munich Oktoberfest, the biggest party in the entire world---as such,
it has the support of many , many younger and middle-aged party-minded
people of many ethnic backgrounds, in addition, of course to the solid
support of the German/Austrian/Swiss-American/Canadian ethnic groups
---the kind of ethnic support that the other polka styles just don't
have any more...so "long live Oktoberfest"---but, in spite of this,
the rest of polka music still faces serious problems, which concerned
people ( on polkasunited and throughout the field) are trying to
remedy as we "speak."
Mike Surratt
"Oktoberfests" ...
In our part of the world -- I see younger people coming out to Blob's
Park, and other places I play even some at all "German Society"
performances.
I think the appeal to Oktoberfests and other Germanic type of
functions is that it's NOT just polka/waltz music. We play a bit for
EVERYONE...something that should be encouraged at other ethnic
functions. I've heard that phrase "if it ain't polka it ain't sh*t"
That's funny -- because -- "if it ain't all polka - it ain't dying"
You can keep heritage going many different ways -- I think Polish/
Slovene/Czech Polka bands should do some research and find some
"country of origin"" Rock n Roll to play -- that would be
cool...agreed?
Just a thought - not a sermon
MS
micky
>"Polka Till You Puke"
How does one go about acquiring such a user-friendly name?
Isn't it normally the drinking associated with the polka event that
leads to the latter in your title?
In my days of dancing 6 hours straight without a virtual break, can
never recall wanting to puke from dancing. Of course, since you are a
musician, maybe you meant playing them till you puke.
jrodg
Re "---puke" ----Haha,I was going to comment on that , too : Many
might say ( Wouldn't they?!) that this kind of slogan is bad for the
polka image---but Mike is sort of a musical rebel, an iconoclast ( ?---
If my memory is correct, I think this means somebody who pushes the
boundaries and breaks taboos) --- and apparently it works well for
him, given his great all-age crowds and 31-gig per month Oktoberfest
season schedule -- Evidently this kind of slogan works
pretty well with a younger crowd --- Mike's ideas (above) about ways
of making the music more attractive to the "mainstream" , which he has
had some clear success with, should give us all food for thought
( These ideas should be picked up in the polkasunited discussion on
promoting the music, too)---Clearly he's a thoughtful , clever guy
with some good things going --- and not just a "polka-playin
fool" (LOL) .
micky
>Clearly he's a thoughtful , clever guy
> with some good things going --- and not just a "polka-playin
> fool" (LOL) .
This is all in good polka persiflage
Mike Surratt
> This is all in good polka persiflage>
Absolutely! That's the point -- Polkas are fun, right?
The slogan could have been "polka stimulus package"
ClaudeW
My daughter and neice are not polka enthusiasts but have gone to
(different) polka festivals. When I asked "why", they independently
answered "cheap beer." I don't know what kind of lesson that is but
you can each interpret it as you want.
"We play a bit for EVERYONE...something that should be encouraged at
other ethnic functions."
Actually, I dropped out of the polka biz for decades and was surprised
by the "all polkas" format. When I first played in Chicago 45 years
ago, we always mixed the latest popular songs with polkas and obereks.
My current polka band tries to have no more than 50% polkas and
obereks and 50% "other." Other includes George Gershwin, Carlos
Santana, Dr. John, Prez Prado. Admittedly, we have nothing current
anymore. Our newest stuff is proabably Dr. John. Nevertheless, it is
not all polkas.
Claude
micky
Polka Stimulus Package
and other catchy titles:
Dance Your Pants Off To Polkas
Polka Disco
Polka Tickles
Mike Surratt
And the list could go on and on...I'm off to purge
Jim
ClaudeW <cwiat...@earthlink.net> wrote:
You can't have a dance and play nothing but polka's. You'll wear out the
dancers. A family friend had a recording polka band here going back to the 30's,
and he often has said that they played non-polka sets(That is ballroom, popular,
etc.) to vary the pace. It's the way you do things.
--
Jim
jrodg
> In article <2e5515cb-a103-46c7-9dea-1f3a5012e...@o23g2000vbi.googlegroups.com>,
>
> - Show quoted text -
Here's a ditty inspired by Mike S's recent 30-gigs-in -one month
( or something like that ) "Polka til You Puke" tour. Somehow this
kept going thru my mind today and so I'm trying to "purge" it by
putting it online . If you should want to hear the tune, Mike, or
adapt it in anyway, just contact me---or if somebody else wants to use
it, if Mike doesn't ...Somehow I'm not sure if it would work too well
in Dan Gury's video format ---- Maybe Dan could "sanitize" it,tho:
He's very skillful with these things. ? ---If nobody else does
anything w/it I suppose my friends and I could try to youtube it this
winter, but I suspect this could hurt my rep as a public school
teacher if the kids see it (LOL) , and , yes, some would no doubt say
that it doesn't present the best polka image---Anyway, Mike the
inspiration for this came from you,clearly ( for better or worse) , so
if anybody has major issues with it, please go after Mike, not me
(haha):
POLKA TIL YOU PUKE:
(Chorus/Intro): Polka til you puke,polka til you puke--Whether you are
Polish, German or a Uke
Polka til you puke,polka til you puke :: You get high on polkas,so
polka til you puke!
(1) You can hear the polka all around the land,in the city and the
country played by many a band
In bars and clubs and diners they play it one the juke--and when they
do they polka: Polka til they puke! (Chorus: Polka til you puke,
polka til you puke whether you are Polish,German or a Uke: If you're
German you can yodel,if you're Polish shout HOP CHOOK: You get high on
polkas, so polka til you puke!
2. Down near New York City, not far from New Orleans, people
dancin'polka feel like kings and queens---Out in Arizona, in
Pittsburgh and Dubuque,people do the polka, Polka til they puke!
(Chor.variation: P. til you P, P til you P: If you're Czechoslovak,
Mexican or Uke, just keep doin the polka: Polka til you puke!
3. When the nite is lonely and your problems bother you , then just
think of polkas and what they do for you --Sing or dance a polka ,
you'll forget your pain, and sure enough your troubles will go right
down the drain. (Chorus)
4. If you're feeling sorry or think you've lost the way, polka is the
answer to make it thru the day
Always just remember when you get the urge,just do a happy polka:
that's the way to purge! (Chorus)
5.When the skies are stormy don't give in to your fears--Just do a
happy polka and have a couple beers: Even if you're fired or someone
steals your truck, just go out and polka and shout: "Who gives
a ...hoot !: Chorus : Polka til you puke,etc.
Thanks once again,Mike for the inspiration,The creative process is
really wonderful: As you can plainly see here, one beautiful idea
leads to another.... And now that I've gotten all of that "out of my
system" ,I feel relieved and can watch some tv and go to bed -:)
jrodg
>
> - Show quoted text -
Corrigendum: In line seven it should read "play it on the juke" ( not
"one the juke")
Mike Surratt
>
> - Show quoted text -
It's all rather tame since I did pen anhd record "Hell Yeah!" PLEASE
out this on youtube with the plumbers
jrodg
>
> - Show quoted text -
----But there's more ( and not as tame, this time ^-^ ---awesomely,
too, all of this came to me ---just came "spewing" out, so to speak,
when I woke up this morning: The "process" took about 5 minutes, for
whatever that's worth...)
Polka til you hurl, polka til you hurl, and then twirl your partner,
that lucky boy or girl
Polka til you chuck, polka til you chuck, then do another polka while
they clean up the muck.
( + 2 possible alternate second lines for this verse !?! : (a) If
anybody bitches just tell'em "Suck it up! " ---or "and then shout out
"Na Zdrowie: Best wishes and Good Luck!"
Polka til you spray, polka til you spray: Then shout out "Dzien
dobry!: I'm havin' a great day!"
Polka til you spew, polka til you spew : If anybody asks,then just say
you have the flu.
Polka til you barf, polka til you barf: Then shout out in German, Ein
Prosit, das ist scharf! (translation: "Cheers, this is cool!")
Polka til you toss, polka til you toss--But save some up for Monday to
give it to the boss.
Polka til you're sick, polka til you're sick --If anybody bitches,
yell "I don't give a frick!"
Polka til you throw, polka til you throw: Throw it up and polka until
it's time to go.
Polka til you retch, polka til you retch ( Hope this song gets a
Grammy,but that might be a stretch).
Note that , to be multiculturally inclusive, I included both
German and Polish cultural references in a couple of verses -:)
I believe that with this composition I have succeeded in "pushing
the envelope" and stretching the bounds of polka creativity virtually
to the breaking point ; in fact, this number may even mark the
beginning of a new genre , rather along the lines of the "Extreme
Push" concept, but taking it one step further --- I think you might
call it "Extreme Puke." ^^ --- and you and I Mike, I believe, can
share credit for giving birth to this creation---but now who will
nurture it to maturity , breathe life into the fetus ---and bring it
to the people?!?!? --- I had rather hoped you'd do this , Mike, seeing
that the original concept was of course your creation , and so I
humbly hoped that this song would become your theme song---perhaps
this will be possible now that you see the new, revamped version. --
If not, echoing your previous sentiments ( Great minds/songwriters
clearly think alike ) I , too, would certainly feel flattered and
honored if Lenny Gomulka were to "carry the ball" with this number ---
or Troy/Jody and their group ----- .... or anyone at all, for that
matter ...^^ ...In the worst case, tho, I don't think the polka
world need fear that it will ultimately be deprived of this blast of
invigorating fresh air ( very possibly the dynamic "push" that polkas
in the new milennium have been awaiting) because, as you said, yes, if
all else fails, JOE AND THE PLUMBERS can come to the rescue : As our
name and fame imply, dirty, messy jobs that everyone else has given up
on are our specialty --- Our tools stand ready for use , the plunger
requires only a brief "dusting off" before "plunging" into action ,
and our motto, in the spirit of the new era is : YES, WE CAN! ---but,
being the noble, self-abnegating ( and, admittedly, somewhat lazy)
souls that we are ( plus that nagging concern about possibly losing my
politically correct "day job"---altho, hey, what the heck, I think I'm
retiring next year, anyway) , we'd actually prefer that someone else
do it first --- and get the glory : "Greater love hath no man..." -:)
Mike Surratt
jrodg
> LOL -- I need some pepto
For this problem, Mike , please consult polka net pharmacist Dan
Gury and his youtube instructional video, "Pepto Bismol, Please." That
should help ^^.
Mike Surratt
Dr Gury -- Hurry Hurry...