Polka Party

[weird user]

I've been listening to this album quite a bit lately, and it is a shame it wasn't very successful. I'd put it among my top five favorite Al albums (though I just made that statement without thinking of the other four). Out of all Al's albums Polka Party sounds, to me, the most like a 1980s album. I wish Don't Wear Those Shoes was a bigger hit.

This album had the smallest number of songs for any of Weird Al's albums. I wonder if he ever considered doing another song cover like he did on his previous and next albums (heck, Dare to be Stupid had a song cover and two songs written before that album).

[Way_Moby]

I think the album's main problem was that it didn't have a good lead single. I mean, I love "Living With a Hernia" but it isn't super funny.

The one thing I wish is that the CD re-issue would've featured the original vinyl's back artwork. Now THAT'S funny.

On a related note, I got the Polka Party promo and it didn't have a lyrics sheet. Should there have been one, or am I worrying for nothing?

[TMBJon]

Polka Party was Al's fourth album in as many years, and at the time that represented his entire recorded output. I think we can all agree that of those four albums, there were a handful of - shall we say -- duds. Al got really lucky early on with Eat It and Like A Surgeon back to back. It was only a matter of time before Al had a mediocre lead single and this was it. I believe this is the point where he would have gone with "When Spuds Fry" but couldn't get the permission (so that turned into Addicted to Spuds). Living With A Hernia is on par with many of Al's album parodies and maybe a second single (given that the video is actually surprisingly funny). But it didn't carry the album and for Al that is the bottom line. That's why we should be glad nowadays Al is fine with waiting a while to come up with a great lead single rather than rushing to get something out due to label pressures.

[Wizzerkat]

I like the originals on this album-definitely better than the parodies. Overall the parodies are weaker.

[joseyklein]

agreed, One Of Those Days is one of my all time favorites

[JCM]

I loved Living With a Hernia, but that's probably because I was a devout fan of James Brown when I heard it.

[Way_Moby]

The video for Living With a Hernia is hysterical, and because I'm a fan, I think the song is pretty funny, but compared to Al's other stuff, its just not that great.

[JCM]

I guess that's true, but because of the pure nostalgia associated with the song, it'll remain a favorite.

[Yankomaniac]

Why don't they do One of Those Days live? Would be so awesome to hear more 80's stuff! Dog Eat Dog was such an awesome song to have on the Poodle Hat Tour, why isn't there anything from that album being played these days?

[joseyklein]

I'd like to hear Christmas At Ground Zero live