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AndrewChouffi MusicFan
Joined: 24 September 2005
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Posted: 21 April 2012 at 9:16am | IP Logged
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Anyone know a good source of the hit version of "Beer Barrel Polka" by Bobby Vinton?
I have a version on my drive that sounds nearly identical but does not have the lyrics "...and a lot of Polish people" in the first verse; I have no idea where I obtained it.
Was it even on an album when it came out in '75?) The charted flip "Dick And Jane" was on his previous LP.
Imports, vinyl sources, downloads are all acceptable answers...
Andy
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jimct MusicFan
Joined: 07 April 2006 Location: United States
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Posted: 21 April 2012 at 9:47am | IP Logged
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Andy, "Beer Barrel Polka" was never included on any 1974/75 ABC Bobby
Vinton album. ABC didn't seem to think a strong enough follow-up 45
existed on "Melodies Of Love" (although "Dick & Jane" was culled from it for
the B-side; my local Top 40 actually did give both sides some early '75
airplay). ABC opted to again try to exploit the left-field, "ethnic-themed
success" of "My Melody Of Love", by quickly cranking out this pop polka, 45-
only release. All stock 45s I've ever seen were on styrene, but my promo 45
for it is on nice vinyl. It's my best source audio for it, and is the only place
I've *ever* seen the hit version appear on vinyl, to this very day. Hope this
helps.
Edited by jimct on 21 April 2012 at 9:47am
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Hykker MusicFan
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Posted: 22 April 2012 at 6:16pm | IP Logged
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jimct wrote:
Andy, "Beer Barrel Polka" was never included on any 1974/75 ABC Bobby
Vinton album. |
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Are you sure about this? I'm 99% sure I had this on a BV album I grabbed from the throwaway pile at the station I was at in 1975....ISTR the album having the word "heart" in the title. I don't seem to have the LP anymore...must have gotten culled out during one of my collection thinnings. I definitely used his version of the song on a mix tape I produced for my parents' 50th anniversary (which would have been in the late 90s), and I never had it on a single.
We actually played this song for a couple weeks in the spring of '75, I don't know why...there wasn't a particularly large Polish population in the city we were in.
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JMD1961 MusicFan
Joined: 29 March 2005 Location: United States
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Posted: 22 April 2012 at 6:46pm | IP Logged
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I was sure that I had it on a LP way back when, but couldn't remember the title. So I did a little looking on All Music Guide. And I found it:
http://www.allmusic.com/album/heart-of-hearts-r68274
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aaronk Admin Group
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Posted: 22 April 2012 at 6:47pm | IP Logged
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Yeah, there's a copy of the LP on eBay called "Heart of Hearts," and "Beer Barrel Polka" is listed as the last song on it.
__________________ Aaron Kannowski
Uptown Sound
91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop
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jimct MusicFan
Joined: 07 April 2006 Location: United States
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Posted: 23 April 2012 at 8:58am | IP Logged
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Man, over many years, I must've gone through eight gazillion Bobby Vinton
LP sections, searching for one with "Beer Barrel Polka" on it and I had never
seen one titled "Heart Of Hearts". You guys are both correct. Thanks a million
for the correct info, JMD and Aaron. Sorry to be "off my game" a little this
weekend. Man, I'm gonna have to start giving my brain a 24-48 "cooling off
period" after I do a batch of new 45 timings, 'coz I sure wasn't makin' much
sense on Sunday.....
Edited by jimct on 23 April 2012 at 9:22am
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aaronk Admin Group
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Posted: 23 April 2012 at 9:33am | IP Logged
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Don't feel bad, Jim. Several years ago, I also searched many Bobby Vinton LPs looking for "Beer Barrel Polka," and I also came up with nothing.
__________________ Aaron Kannowski
Uptown Sound
91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop
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aaronk Admin Group
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Posted: 23 April 2012 at 9:33am | IP Logged
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By the way, Hykker & JMD, thanks for the tip!
__________________ Aaron Kannowski
Uptown Sound
91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop
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JL328 MusicFan
Joined: 06 May 2011 Location: United States
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Posted: 23 April 2012 at 9:59am | IP Logged
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Andrew,
In your version, is the lyric "a lot of Polish people" replaced with "a lot of sweet romancing?" If so, your version is probably from the 1981 Album "Greatest Polka Hits of All-Time," which is available on CD but, unfortunately, has a re-recorded version.
I too have been looking for the original version of this song for some time. Never seen it on an import.
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AndrewChouffi MusicFan
Joined: 24 September 2005
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Posted: 23 April 2012 at 11:04am | IP Logged
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To JL328:
You're probably right. But if it's a re-recorded version it's damn close, because I was able to synch up part of my mp3 of it with a re-broadcast of the hit version on 'American Top-40' (this past weekend).
Andy
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Santi Paradoa MusicFan
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Posted: 23 April 2012 at 2:26pm | IP Logged
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I wonder where the master tapes are for this song (or are we stuck with another needle drop for eternity)?
__________________ Santi Paradoa
Miami, Florida
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aaronk Admin Group
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Posted: 23 April 2012 at 2:54pm | IP Logged
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Well, considering that it's kind of a novelty song that only went to #33, I'm sure it's not much of a priority for UMG to pull out of the vaults.
__________________ Aaron Kannowski
Uptown Sound
91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop
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MMathews MusicFan
Joined: 18 August 2005 Location: United States
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Posted: 12 March 2016 at 3:42pm | IP Logged
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For whatever reason, even though his mid-70s recordings
were on ABC, of all this material is now owned
exclusively by Curb.
I have "Beer Barrel Polka" from the Curb CD "All Time
Greatest Polka Hits" mentioned above and I never
questioned it was the hit version. I never saw this
thread so I didn't know about the lyric change.
So, I just did a sync comparison with the 45. This
version IS the hit recording. The music tracks are
identical. The vocal track is identical in every place
except the one line "and lots of sweet romancing."
It runs 2:41 because the fade is 10 secs longer than the
ABC 45.
Now, do I think Curb remixed this for the CD issue? Not
a chance. They pulled a tape that was already there. No
way they took the trouble and expense to remix it. It was
mentioned above that this version appeared on a 1981
vinyl album of same name. It's much more likely they did
remix it in '81 and had Bobby dub the alternate line
then.
OR .. I did notice that 45cat shows a promo 45 that was
released just after the commercial one. Could this be
the DJ 45 version?
If that's NOT the case, then I would describe this
version as (remixed with alternate "lots of sweet
romancing" lyric)
MM
Edited by MMathews on 12 March 2016 at 3:52pm
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MMathews MusicFan
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Posted: 13 March 2016 at 4:12pm | IP Logged
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Ed sent me a dub of the promo 45 version, and that has the
original "a lot of Polish People" lyric and matches the
commercial 45 mix.
I also tried locating the above mentioned 1981 LP
"Greatest Polka Hits Of All Time" but I can't find any
listing for that title o vinyl, only the Curb CD from
1991.
Well, it's also possible the alternate mix appeared on the
original ABC LP "Heart Of Hearts". If I ever come across
the album I'll post what version is on it.
MM
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eriejwg MusicFan
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Posted: 13 March 2016 at 4:44pm | IP Logged
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Interesting. Was thinking that Mike Curb might have been
involved in the re-sing of the line in the song.
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eriejwg MusicFan
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Posted: 13 March 2016 at 7:21pm | IP Logged
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There's several videos of the "...Polish people" version
on YouTube. Comparing that with a dub of Ed's 45's, they
all match. The 1991 Curb release seems to be a bit
narrower than the YouTube videos and E d's 45's.
Anyone agree?
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eriejwg MusicFan
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Posted: 13 March 2016 at 8:50pm | IP Logged
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Comparing the 2 versions again, I hear double-tracked
vocals in the "polish people" version vs. single-tracked
vocal at the :42 mark.
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MMathews MusicFan
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Posted: 13 March 2016 at 11:40pm | IP Logged
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Yes, I caught that mix difference as well on the CD
version. And while the panning is similar, some
instruments are placed differently in the stereo field.
Bottom line, the ABC 45 was a dedicated mix like so many
others on that label.
I doubt Curb was involved in changing that lyric. By the
time that CD was made, Bobby's voice would have sounded
different.
Another thought occurred to me. If that line was altered
intentionally, what the heck is wrong with "lots of
Polish people"...in a polka?
MM
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aaronk Admin Group
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Posted: 14 March 2016 at 12:44pm | IP Logged
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MMathews wrote:
Well, it's also possible the alternate mix appeared on the
original ABC LP "Heart Of Hearts". If I ever come across
the album I'll post what version is on it.
MM |
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I have a dub of the song from "Heart Of Hearts," and it has the "Polish people" line.
__________________ Aaron Kannowski
Uptown Sound
91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop
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