Search - Bobby Vinton :: Greatest Polka Hits Of All Time

A Great Party Album

05/10/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bobby Vinton's association with the polka began in 1974 with the realease of "My Melody of Love" a song written by Vinton and sung partially in Polish. The song went to number one and relaunched Vinton's career as "The Polish Prince" His follow-up song "The Beer Barrel Polka" a top forty 1975 release is included here although touched up from its original version. Listen close and you'll hear "A lot of sweet romancin'" replacing "a lot of Polish people" from the '75 version. Also included here is a lot of material from the 1976 release "Bobby Vinton Party Music" which was released on Bobby's own Rexford label and sold through television and retail. Bobby recieved his Platinum album award on his TV show that same year, and the album remains his best selling of all time. A couple of new songs round out the set "Polka Radio" was a hit on the Polka circuit and "Polka Memories" is great for those strong enough to survive a seven minute polka. This album brings a happy contemporary flair to its material and is a great party CD."

And I thought he was Italian!

10/16/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Went to Warsaw and bought this cd in a second hand store. I couldn't figure out why Bobby Vinton is doing polkas. Until a Polish friend told me that this singer of italianesque songs like "Roses are red" etc. is actually Polish. Well, this stuff is not quite up to Frankie Yankovich (nothing is), but it's great to hear a popular singer stay true to his roots. And "Beer barrel polka" is as always an invigorating piece of music. If you want a light introduction to this genre, start right here."

Invigorating polkas from The Polish Prince !!!

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 01/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bobby Vinton wasn't called The Polish Prince for nothing! He sang beautifully and made his Polish countrymen so proud that he was recently traveled to Poland as a guest of the Polish government. This budget priced album gives us eleven of Bobby's polka hits and there's hardly a dud in the bunch!



"The Pennsylvania Polka" sounds very energetic and Booby never misses a beat! The upbeat polka melody helps to make this number charming; and the lyrics rhyme at just the right times. "Tic-Tock Polka" is a similar number but it has its own beauty; Bobby's backup vocalists help to make this number memorable and the like the musical interlude very much. Love how Bobby cries out "woo woo!" during the musical interlude!



Listen also for "Just Because;" Bobby sings a beautiful song about how he can't stand his girlfriend any longer "just because." Bobby uses this number to celebrate his character's joy at being free of a woman who never appreciated him. There is another awesome musical interlude that blows me away with its energy and the high quality control of the number.



"That's Amore" features Bobby with a female backup chorus singing "That's Amore" to the beat of a rich polka melody; Dean Martin would be proud! This excellent, creative rendition of "That's Amore" scores a huge goal in my book. I think you'll like it, too.



The "Beer Barrel Polka" is more of a classic polka but it sounds fresh and exciting as ever when Bobby sings this in both English and Polish; the percussion adds to the arrangement and the melody is quite catchy as always with a well written polka. The "Hoop-Dee-Doo Polka" is a number that was performed earlier by the great Perry Como; but when Bobby sings this he puts his own stamp on this number with his singularly fine interpretation of the lyrics. "Hoop-Dee-Doo Polka" uses the percussion much more than Perry's version did; and this works well for this number.



The album ends nicely with "Polka Memories Medley." Bobby sings this to perfection without a superfluous note. I love that polka sound!



Overall, if you want some great, invigorating polka numbers to enjoy and maybe even dance to, you can't go wrong with this CD. Diehard polka fans will want more albums from the huge names in polka music; nevertheless I still highly recommend this album for polka fans. People who appreciate Bobby Vinton will be thrilled with this CD.

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