From Polkas to Classics

Have you ever been curious about how a polka melody becomes a timeless, classic song?

The music makers will show you how in this week's Lawrence Welk Show episode from 1967!

Here are some of the highlights in living color!

Bobby teaches Cissy how to fly....

The animals are now in charge of the Toledo Zoo....

....and Dick Dale secretly switches Peggy Lennon's regular coffee with Folgers Crystals

FROM POLKAS TO CLASSICS - November 25, 1967

1. THE PENNSYLVANIA POLKA - Kathy, Dick, Bobby, Cissy, Janet, Jimmy, Andra & Dick with Myron Floren on accordion
2. STRANGE MUSIC - Norma Zimmer
3. FIREFLY SERENADE - the orchestra
4. SERENADE OF THE BELLS - Kathy, Janet, Peggy and Dee Dee Lennon
5. SUGAR - Frank Scott at the piano, Richard Maloof on bass, Neil Levang on guitar and Johnny Klein on drums

 
6. GOLDEN DAYS - Jimmy Roberts with the string section
7. YOU MEAN ALL THE WORLD TO ME - Lynn Anderson with the Lennon Sisters
8. THE BREEZE AND I - danced by Bobby Burgess and Cissy King
9. MARIA - Natalie Nevins
10. THE ROSE OF TRALEE - Joe Feeney

11. BRAZILIAN SAMBA - Myron Floren on accordion
12. LET US OUT, LET US OUT (WHAT IS NEW AT THE ZOO) - Bobby Burgess, Jack Imel, Arthur Duncan and Cissy King
13. TALK TO THE ANIMALS - The Lennon Sisters with Bobby, Jack, Arthur and Cissy
14. YOURS - Andra Willis
15. WABASH CANNONBALL - the orchestra featuring Neil Levang on guitar, Frank Scott on harpsichord and Dick Cathcart on trumpet

16. SAY IT ISN'T SO - The Curt Ramsey Quintet featuring Steve Smith with Charlie Paralto, Norma Zimmer, Curt Ramsey and Dick Cathcart
17. STOPTIME - danced by Arthur Duncan
18. GET ALONG HOME, CINDY, CINDY - Dick Dale with the Lennon Sisters
19. WHEN THE ORGAN PLAYED AT TWILIGHT - Bob Ralston at the Thomas Organ
20. HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY GAL?/BABY FACE/AIN'T SHE SWEET? - Bob Lido, Lynn, Norma, Joe, Steve, Jimmy, Bobby, Dick (Dale), Andra, Kathy, Janet, Dee Dee, Natalie, Cissy and Larry Hooper at the piano

It was a very fun episode, a great selection of songs....even though only a handful of them were polkas. (I don't recall Let Us Out, Let Us Out ever played as a polka)

Jo Ann Castle does not appear in this episode, at the time she was most likely on the road doing one of her personal appearances on stage.

This was only Andra Willis' second appearance on the Welk show, you can tell that her way of singing has been well accepted by the audience. She's also one in a lineage of talented Music Makers that sing Spanish songs such as 1940s Champagne Lady Jayne Walton and Anacani.

And as always, I never tire of listening to the orchestra's instrumental of Wabash Cannonball....Dick Cathcart was truly one of the world's finest trumpet man, Frank Scott knows how to master the harpsichord and of course Neil Levang's excellent guitar work brings it all together.

So until the next new episode, which is two weeks from now....keep a song in your heart and remember that you can talk to the animals but don't feed the animals.