Myron Floren - Lawrence Welk Presents Myron Floren Polkas (1963)

Here's a treat for you polka lovers! I couldn't resist buying this album when I saw it because I grew up with "The Lawrence Welk Show" and loved Myron Floren. I remember watching the show with my parents and aunt every Saturday evening (the only other option was "Hee Haw" and we definitely were NOT a "Hee Haw" type of family) when I was a little kid in the 1960s and early 1970s. Myron was one of my favorite performers on the show, along with Bobby and Cissy (my very favorites), and the guy with the great tenor voice. My younger cousins, Abel and Sammy, also grew up with the show, and we used to play that we were on "The Lawrence Welk Show". Now, how many of you can say that you used to do that??? I would be Lawrence Welk (after all, I was the oldest and therefore, the boss), and then I would be several of the girl singers (mostly Ana Cani, because she was from Mexico). Abel and Sammy would be the various guy singers, but Abel would be Bobby to my Cissy (Sammy was the youngest and the shortest at the time - he's the tallest now). But the best performer of all that we all wanted to be was Arthur Duncan, the tap dancer. He completely wowed us! I remember we would dance ourselves into complete exhaustion trying to imitate him (none of us knew how to tap dance). Who knew that pretending to be on "The Lawrence Welk Show" could be so much fun? Years later (in the 1980s), my mother got to see Myron Floren at some festival back home. The venue was packed with all the other senior citizens that had arrived before her, so she watched the show from outside one of the windows of the place. She didn't mind - she loved it. After all, it was Myron Floren!

So, there's my trip down memory lane. Back to this album... There are some really fun polkas on this album and you'll recognize most of the tunes. You may even want to play this at your next polka party! After listening to this (and getting my aerobic workout by dancing around the room to it - and scaring my cats), I think that I'll have a polka party after I move into my new house!

Track listing for Lawrence Welk Presents Myron Floren Polkas:

Side 1:
1. Helena Polka
2. Hoop-Dee-Doo
3. Julida Polka
4. Pennsylvania Polka
5. Emilia Polka
6. Beer Barrel Polka

Side 2:
1. Jenny Lind Polka
2. Champagne Polka
3. Strip Polka
4. Happy Norwegian Polka
5. Medley: Little Brown Jug; Skip to My Lou; Polly Wolly Doodle
6. Medley: Tavern in the Town; Hot Time in the Old Town

And here's a video clip of Myron Floren on "The Lawrence Welk Show" playing "Dance of the Comedians":