The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Editorials

June 9, 2008

Our View: What's wrong with polka?

They’re practically fightin’ words.

Some church leaders in northern Minnesota reportedly said they didn’t want a polka mass because it wasn’t dignified enough.

You might as well make fun of Mom’s apple pie and beer in cans while you’re at it if you take a swipe at polka.

When signs surface that a cultural mainstay is under attack, it’s time to gather the tubas and circle the concertinas.

Even if you don’t like polka music, it deserves respect. Polka came to the United States with the European immigrants who not only made the music commercially successful for a long time, but used it to engineer grand social functions. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, Friday nights, Saturday nights — if there was a social gathering, a polka dance was happening.

And not only did the adults turn out, but they brought their families. Kids were expected to be on the dance floor, not only sliding around in their socks and tights, but dancing the polka with cousin Jim or grandma.

The owner of a Nebraska ballroom quoted in The New York Times laments that the decline of polka’s popularity is tied to the fact her generation made the mistake of getting baby sitters when they went to dances.

It’s true that children today aren’t exposed to polka the way they were years ago and that adult interest is waning, but that doesn’t mean the genre is dead. A trip to New Ulm provides plenty of proof. Festivals are still designed around old-time music, including the ever-popular Octoberfest. Mankato TV station KEYC has broadcast the polka music show “Bandwagon” since the ’60s. KNUJ Radio in New Ulm regularly features polka music. About 50 members belong to the Sleepy Eye Concertina Club.

Polka always will run into music snobs who refuse to recognize distinctions in polka bands’ style and skill and think the music is corny. But enough polka strongholds exist out there to preserve it for awhile. Jimmy Sturr, who has won multiple Grammys for his polka music, plays 160 concerts a year across the country and says he can draw 18,000 people in Texas.

And we say “Woo-who-whooo” to that.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Editorials