“Let’s Name the Baby Kielbasa,” is a hit – maybe the biggest polka novelty hit of all time.
OK, maybe not.
But we’re in the running.
And I still expect a Grammy award.
Friday’s world premier debut of the WILK News Radio created tune on “Corbett” brought rave reviews from across a wide spectrum of listeners.
One grandmother called to say she was dancing to the tune in the kitchen with her 3-year-old granddaughter, Jocelyn, who the family already calls Joce Kielbasa – which is pronounced “Jaucey Keelbassy,” by the way.
Another grandmother emailed to say that she too was dancing in the kitchen with her 3-year-old granddaughter.
When it comes to a hot song, dancing to the music in the kitchen is the ultimate barometer of success.
Bill from Moscow called to say that despite a wretched hangover, he, too, was dancing around the house.
I encouraged him to have a beer and try it again.
And he complied, popping the top to his brew on live radio as we screamed “One more time!” and kicked into the rousing battle hymn of the radio that will make us famous across the globe.
At least it will make us famous if we have anything to do with it.
And, of course, we do.
My buddy Jolly Joe, who hails from polka royalty and hosts a polka request show on another station, called Sunday to tell me that he missed the debut because he was out of town but that callers to his show and his brother said the song was pure polka magic.
I’m sending him a CD as soon as possible so he can play the song on his show this Sunday.
And I’m meeting with station management to see how we can make the best of a dandy situation.
Maybe we can press CDs and sell them around the region – the proceeds of which can go to a good cause that will help families, especially women and children.
We are, after all, talking about a joyous moment of birth and beyond – which, although it sounds like a retail outlet store, bodes well for generations to come. The future is, ultimately, what the song is really all about.
Months ago, when I put out a call for a verse contributed from a listener, Rudy Steckle came through after hearing the show at his daughter’s home near Carbondale. The retired music teacher lives across the New York border but visits the coal region to recharge his roots as often as he can.
Rudy wrote a verse about changing times and new languages that caught my eye.
And it dawned on me that the new immigrants – Mexicans and others – are getting heat the same way the old immigrants – Polish, Irish, Italian and others – also got heat.
Voila!
Rudy’s sentiment shows up with my singing the lyrics on the record in my rusty garden gate voice.
My producer Johnny O, also known as Johnny L, also known as John Lucas, weighs in at the end of the tune, yelling a Polish salutation as well as one big “You Better Listen” for the road.
Music guru Ken Brophy put it all together in the studio he operates in the Back Mountain where he produces commercials, jingles and other works of audio art.
When I spoke with Brophy on the air before the premier, I suggested that we contact the nation’s biggest kielbasa company and offer to sell them the song to go with an advertising campaign.
Whatever that company is – and most of us don’t know – would immediately put its name before an adoring public. Even vegetarians – me included – would be able to get a laugh out of the concept.
If nothing else, we had some great laughs Friday.
We’ll have more every time we play the song.
Stay tuned.
Like the grilled kielbasa said to the bratwurst at the church picnic: “We’re on a roll.”
Sue Henry
