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May 9, 2021

13 of the Strangest Polka Album Covers

The polka is originally a Czech dance and genre of dance music familiar throughout all of Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the nineteenth century in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. The polka remains a popular folk music genre in many European and American countries, and is performed by many folk artists.


Polka is a music and dance style that originated in Europe in the 1830s and came to American society when people immigrated from Eastern Europe. A fast style in 2/4 time, and often associated with the pre–World War II era, polka remains a dynamic “niche” music in America.

While you would never call the polka genre “self-serious”, some musicians have really taken it to the limit. Here’s a selection of 13 of the strangest polka album covers through past eras.

1. James Last – Happy Polka 2 (1972)

James is really selling the whole “Happy” part of the “Happy polka”.

2. Li’l Richard & His Polka All Stars – Wine, Girls and Goodtimes (1976)

The fact that the girls that Li’l Richard (not Little Richard) is canoodling with look as though they are related to him takes this cover from “seedy” to “full on disturbing”.

3. Los Forasteros de Monterrey – Polkas Pa’ Echar Estilo (1975)

This is the only known attempt to combine the allure of a Bond girl, the grit of Fistful of Dollars, and the unabashed goofiness of polka music.

4. Tijuana Sauerkrauts – Happy Polkas Recorded in Munich (1973)

This is a real “You got your braunschweiger in my salsa / You got your salsa in my braunschweiger” situation. Polka goes South of the border!

5. Whoopee John – The Great One

Like Elvis, photographers could only shoot Whoopee John from the waist up, as he was deemed “too suggestive” to young girls.

6. Li’l Wally – Polka A Go-Go With Li’l Wally

Nothing like the exotic sounds of accordion music to bring out the go-go girls. Ladies, please! Li’l Wally is trying to use the phone!

7. Dick Kossins Orchestra – Mellodies of Dick Kossins

Unlike Li’l Wally or Li’l Richard, there’s only one woman for Dick Kossins, and that is his puppeteer wife, Mabel.

8. Eddie Zima and His Orchestra – Circus Polka

This album cover has been designated a “cursed image”.

9. Bob McFadden With Jack Hansen And The Transylvanians ‎– Dracula Cha Cha (1960)

A cha-cha is not a polka, but when you have a horror movie soundtrack single featuring a rockabilly-haired vampire and the sub-title The Transylvania Polka, you can’t leave it off the list.

10. Carl Jularbo – Nudist-Polka (1959)

When Carl sings the “Nudist Polka”, it’s a threat.

11. Eddie Blazonczyk’s Versatones – Polish Party! Adults Only (1975)

Get the kids out of the room! Eddie is singing about his love of giant, bikini-clad women!

12. Paul Kuhn and His Orchestra – Frankfurter Polka (1961)

Can someone tell Paul how to eat a hot dog? This photo wins the award for “Room you feel like you can smell by looking at it”.

13. Quim Barreiros ‎– Recebi Um Convite (À Casa Da Jóquina) (1975)

Somehow this isn’t a still from “Borat”, it’s a real photograph that adults chose to take and put on a record.

(via CLE Weekend)

1 comment:

  1. This site has become the Whoopee John of photo sites. ������

    ReplyDelete




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