Polka In The Eye With A Sharp Stick

The Eddie Forman Orchestra started in 1968, when Eddie was still in high school. They're still going. This album came out in 1985 (I would have guessed it was much earlier). To me (and to many folks that I've played it for) it sounds more like a mariachi band than a polka band. It's probably the two trumpets (the Tijuana Brass lineup) that give it that flavor - video clips on the website of the current band only show one trumpet and that band does not have the obvious mariachi influence/sound. [Yes, I am aware that sources claim mariachi descended from polka.] On this disc the lineup is: Eddie Forman (accordion, piano, vocals), John Nowak (trumpet and vocals), A. J. Lankarge (drums and vocals), Tom Staba (bass and vocals), Dave Soares (trumpet), and Bill Palo (clarinet and sax). This is pretty good - good enough that it deserves better cover art than the generic style that it has.


The Eddie Forman Orchestra - E.F.O.
Tour of Poland Polka 2:39
I Wanna Be Polka 2:54
Life At War Polka 2:41

Young Man Oberek 2:23
I Can't Tell My Heart Polka 1:52
Saxo Polka 3:12
Hot Dogs & Cabbage Polka 2:49
Stop & Think It Over Polka 2:54
Open The Window Polka 2:53
Mary's Cooking Pierogi Oberek 1:53
Girls From Chicago Polka 3:02
Lillian's Polka 1:37