Bobby Vinton - Beer Barrel Polka
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Topic: Bobby Vinton - Beer Barrel Polka
Posted By: AndrewChouffi
Subject: Bobby Vinton - Beer Barrel Polka
Date Posted: 21 April 2012 at 9:16am
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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 |
Replies:
Posted By: jimct
Date Posted: 21 April 2012 at 9:47am
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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. |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 22 April 2012 at 6:16pm
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. |
jimct wrote:Posted By: JMD1961
Date Posted: 22 April 2012 at 6:46pm
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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 - http://www.allmusic.com/album/heart-of-hearts-r68274 |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 22 April 2012 at 6:47pm
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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 http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
Posted By: jimct
Date Posted: 23 April 2012 at 8:58am
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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..... |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 23 April 2012 at 9:33am
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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 http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 23 April 2012 at 9:33am
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By the way, Hykker & JMD, thanks for the tip! ------------- Aaron Kannowski http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
Posted By: JL328
Date Posted: 23 April 2012 at 9:59am
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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. |
Posted By: AndrewChouffi
Date Posted: 23 April 2012 at 11:04am
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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 |
Posted By: Santi Paradoa
Date Posted: 23 April 2012 at 2:26pm
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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 |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 23 April 2012 at 2:54pm
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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 http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
Posted By: MMathews
Date Posted: 12 March 2016 at 3:42pm
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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 |
Posted By: MMathews
Date Posted: 13 March 2016 at 4:12pm
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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 |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 13 March 2016 at 4:44pm
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Interesting. Was thinking that Mike Curb might have been
involved in the re-sing of the line in the song. |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 13 March 2016 at 7:21pm
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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? |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 13 March 2016 at 8:50pm
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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. |
Posted By: MMathews
Date Posted: 13 March 2016 at 11:40pm
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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 |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 14 March 2016 at 12:44pm
I have a dub of the song from "Heart Of Hearts," and it has the "Polish people" line. ------------- Aaron Kannowski http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |