Fleck, who is named after famous Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, was drawn to the banjo when he first heard Earl Scruggs play the theme song for the television show Beverly Hillbillies. He received his first banjo at age fifteen from his grandfather (1973). Later, Fleck would enroll in New York City's High School of Music and Art where he studied French horn. Almost immediately after high school, Fleck traveled to Boston to play with Jack Tottle and Mark Schatz in Tasty Licks. It is with Tasty Licks that Fleck played on his first major album. During this period, Fleck released his first solo album (1979) "Crossing the Tracks". It was Fleck's first foray into progressive bluegrass composition.
Fleck would play on the streets of Boston with bassist Mark Schatz until the two formed Spectrum: the Band in 1981. Fleck toured with Spectrum until 1981. That year, Fleck was asked by Sam Bush and company to join New Grass Revival. Fleck performed with New Grass Revival for nine years. During this time, Fleck recorded another solo album, "Drive." It was nominated for a Grammy Award in the then first-time category of Best Bluegrass Album (1988).
After a 1988 phone call with bassist Victor Wooten, Fleck and Wooten formed Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, rounded out with harmonica player Howard Levy and Wooten's percussionist brother Roy "Future Man" Wooten, who plays synthesizer-based percussion. Saxophonist Jeff Coffin joined the group with the album "Left of Cool".
With the Flecktones, Fleck has been nominated for and won several Grammy awards. Fleck has shared Grammy wins with Asleep at the Wheel, Alison Brown, and Edgar Meyer. He has been nominated in more categories than any other musician, namely country, pop, jazz, bluegrass, classical, folk, and spoken word, as well as composition and arranging.
Polka on the Banjo
Béla Fleck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I like to kiss.
Listen folks and hear me.
She's not my only love.
I have another love
And she'll just have to share me.
But she's five foot tall,
But she already knows
She has some competition
In a composition
Called the Polka on an Old Banjo.
Polka on the Banjo
Make that five-string hot.
Polka on the Banjo
Give it all you've got.
Polka on the Banjo
Watch them fingers go.
Of all the songs I guess
The one that I love best
Is the Polka on an old Banjo.
And you start to bend
She takes you by the hand
And I begin to swing her
She knows I'd never miss
A chance to steal a kiss
Or dance the polka with her.
But I don't speak a word
Once I have heard
The one thing I love so.
She's caught in the middle,
Playing second fiddle
To a Polka on an Old banjo.
Polka on the Banjo
Make that five-string hot.
Polka on the Banjo
Give it all you've got.
Polka on the Banjo
Watch them fingers go.
Of all the songs I guess
The one that I love best
Is the Polka on an old Banjo.
Polka on the Banjo
Make that five-string hot.
Polka on the Banjo
Is that all you've got?
Polka on the Banjo
Watch them fingers go.
Of all the songs I guess
The one that I love best
Is the Polka on an old Banjo.
The lyrics to Béla Fleck's song "Polka on the Banjo" speak about a man who is in love with two different women. He sings about a "sweet young miss" who he likes to kiss but admits to having another love who will just have to share him. The man describes his other love as a five-foot-tall woman wearing work boots who has some competition when he plays his banjo. The woman is caught in the middle, playing second fiddle to the Polka on an Old Banjo, which he loves the most.
The song itself is an upbeat instrumental that showcases Fleck's amazing skill on the banjo. The lyrics add to the playful and enjoyable nature of the music, as the man sings about his love for two different women and the way his banjo playing can make them dance and forget everything else. The Polka on the Banjo is described as having "hot" and fast fingers and is the one song that the man loves the most. Overall, the song is a fun and light-hearted tribute to the banjo and the joy that can come from playing it.
Line by Line Meaning
Now there's a sweet young miss
I have an attractive female companion
That I like to kiss.
I enjoy physical affection with her
Listen folks and hear me.
Please pay attention to what I'm saying
She's not my only love.
I am involved with other romantic partners as well
I have another love
I am in love with someone else
And she'll just have to share me.
Both women will have to accept that they are not my exclusive partner
But she's five foot tall,
However, my current companion is short
Work boots and all.
She is not particularly fashionable
But she already knows
Nevertheless, she is aware
She has some competition
She is competing with my other romantic partner
In a composition
In terms of a musical piece
Called the Polka on an Old Banjo.
Specifically, the song 'Polka on the Banjo'
Polka on the Banjo
The song 'Polka on the Banjo'
Make that five-string hot.
Play it impressively
Give it all you've got.
Put forth maximum effort
Watch them fingers go.
Observe how fast and skillfully the fingers move on the strings
Of all the songs I guess
Out of all the tunes I know
The one that I love best
The one I have the greatest affection for
Is the Polka on an old Banjo.
It is 'Polka on the Banjo'
And you start to bend
As the music plays, I begin to move
She takes you by the hand
My companion escorts me
And I begin to swing her
We dance together
She knows I'd never miss
My companion is aware that I would never miss this opportunity
A chance to steal a kiss
To kiss her briefly
Or dance the polka with her.
Or to perform this particular dance with her
But I don't speak a word
I don't talk while the song is playing
Once I have heard
As soon as I start to listen to
The one thing I love so.
My favorite instrument
She's caught in the middle,
My companion is caught between priorities
Playing second fiddle
She is not as important as something else
To a Polka on an Old banjo.
To 'Polka on the Banjo'
Is that all you've got?
Is that the best you have to offer?
Lyrics © SURE - FIRE MUSIC COMPANY
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