About the Music

1. Pennsylvania Polka

Pennsylvania Polka is one of the most immediately recognizable American polkas, becoming a 1942 hit for The Andrews Sisters shortly after its publication by Lester Lee and Zeke Manners. Others may recognize it from Frankie Yankovic's version, as the anthem for the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers, or from its prominent placement in the movies Groundhog Day and The Polka King.

Our version was arranged by prolific euphonist, composer, and pedagogue Gail Robertson, and vocals are provided by bandleader Niko Schroeder (with perhaps a little inspiration taken from Jack Black's Polka King rendition).

2. Okey Dokey Polka

The Okey Dokey Polka comes from the Six Fat Dutchmen, for whom the "Dutchmen" style of polka and dance music was named — the style that most often includes the tuba and that "oompah" sound. (Despite being German Americans, they were called Dutchmen, like where we get the term Pennsylvania Dutch.) Lawrence Welk is another great example of the style, with one member of the Dutchmen later appearing as a regular on Welk's show.

The Dutchmen hailed from New Ulm, Minnesota, known in the 1930s and '40s as the Polka Capital of the Nation for churning out acts like the Dutchmen and other polka luminaries such as Whoopee John Wilfahrt. Today, they still host a Bavarian Blast festival every summer.

Our version's vocal stylings feature the one and only Matty Pizzazz. This is one of the tracks whose history means the most to the band — a deep cut from Upper Midwestern, German American, Dutchmen Style lore!

3. Beer Barrel Polka

Originally written as the Modřanská polka or Škoda lásky ("Wasted Love"), the Beer Barrel Polka was composed in 1927 by Czech musician Jaromir Vejvoda. Also known as Rosumunde, it soon became popular in the US with the English words we know and love written by Lew Brown and Wladimir Timm. After recordings by The Andrews Sisters, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, and more, it has largely remained the most recognizable polka in America (and worldwide).

The Bierkeller Boys' version was arranged by Mike Forbes. Mike is a renowned tubist soloist, fixture of the Wisconsin music scene, and longtime member of the acclaimed Sotto Voce tuba quartet.

4. Strauss Waltzes

Born in 1825 to Johann Strauss I and Maria Anna Streim, Johann Strauss II quickly became known for his prolific output of Viennese light music — waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other dances — as well as operettas and a ballet. Known as "the Waltz King," he was largely responsible for the popularity of the Waltz in nineteenth-century Vienna.

The Strauss Waltzes Medley is arranged by Norlan Bewley — a low brass performer, educator, and composer probably best known for his arrangements in the Carols for a Merry TubaChristmas book.

5. Colonel Bogey

You might know Colonel Bogey, also arranged by Norlan Bewley, as that whistling march from the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai. Written in 1914 by FJ Ricketts (aka Kenneth J Alford), it is popularly understood to be written about a British military officer who, rather than yelling fore, would whistle a descending minor third before teeing off. It is this minor third that is heard at the beginning of the march and throughout the melody. It is also this supposed British military officer where we get the golf term bogey, meaning one over par.

Words were added as a rallying song for the British during World War II. As Niko says at our gigs — you can look that one up yourself.

6. Einmal am Rhein

"Who hasn't ever been on the Rhine, on a warm summer night with a glass of wine?" Einmal am Rhein is an ode to the Heimat (homeland) of Rhinelander Willi Ostermann, best known for composing and crooning popular Heimat and Karnival songs in his local Kölscher (Cologne) dialect. The song first appeared in the 1933 German film "Der Traum vom Rhein", not to be confused with the 1952 German film "Einmal am Rhein" of the same name.

The vocal solo is performed by Julia, who was the only one of us brave enough to take on an entire song in a regional German dialect.

7. Do-Re-Mi

Do-Re-Mi! (Or "C wie Cellophanpapier" for you Vienna Volksoper fans.) Five Tony Awards and five Oscars for the original Sound of Music productions... somehow our version was overlooked for the Grammy Award for Tuba Quartet Cover of the Year. Regardless, our version has taken off on streaming sites recently, garnering 2-3x more listeners than even Beer Barrel Polka.

8. Hofbrau Haus Medley: In ein Hofbrauhaus / Augustin / Du, Du Liegst Mir im Herzen

Our Hofbrau Haus Medley is a collection of traditional German and Austrian songs, expertly arranged for tuba quartet by Norlan Bewley.

In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus ("In Munich There's a Hofbräuhaus") was written in 1935 and remains one of the best-known German drinking songs. Participating drinkers sing along as they swing their glasses — "oans, zwoa, g'suffa" or "eins, zwei, g'suffa!" ("One, two, drink!")

O du lieber Augustin ("Oh, you dear Augustin") is a popular Viennese song from around 1800 telling the story of balladeer Marx Augustin's brush with death during the 1679 Great Plague of Vienna. Americans may recognize the tune as the children's song "The More We Get Together" or other English adaptations.

Du, du liegst mir im Herzen ("You, you are in my heart") is a traditional North German folk song from around 1820 about unrequited love. Once again, the crowd joins with a rousing "ja, ja, ja, ja" ("yes, yes, yes, yes") during the chorus.

9. Tavern in the Town

"There is a Tavern in the Town" (perhaps better known as the melody for "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes") first appeared in the 1883 edition of William H. Hill's "Student Songs" as the college anthem of Trinity University College. It was widely popularized by Rudy Vallée's 1934 recording labeled as "The Drunkard Song".

Our version was arranged by Norlan Bewley with vocals provided by Lukas Schroeder.

10. When It's Springtime in the Rockies

When It's Springtime in the Rockies was created after Mary Hale Woolsey sent the lyrics — inspired by Utah Lake and Provo Canyon — to Robert Sauer, a leader of a German band and band director at Brigham Young University. The song is heard in 1937 and 1942 films, both titled Springtime in the Rockies, with the 1937 version containing one of the most well-known recordings featuring Gene Autry. Another popular version can be heard by Donald Fauntleroy Duck in the 1938 animated short, Mickey's Trailer.

This tune is near and dear to the 'Boys hearts, commemorating our first tour from Michigan to Denver, CO and marking the first time we experimented with three- and four-part harmony.

11. Old Comrades / Alte Kameraden

The Old Comrades/Alte Kameraden march was written around 1889 by popular German military march composer, Carl Teike. It gained international popularity, including a performance during the 1937 coronation of English King George VI and, apparently, becoming the unofficial anthem for Finnish amateur photography after "Kameraden" was mistranslated to "cameramen" in Finnish.

One of our favorite German American bands from Milwaukee, the The Freistadt Alte Kameraden, take their name from the piece. The group's roots trace back to the Pomeranian Lutheran immigrants that settled in the area, including some of our own Schroeder twins' family. 

Our version was arranged by low brass sensation Norlan Bewley.

12. Ein Prosit

Our final track (phew!) is Ein Prosit. As the traditional toast at Oktoberfests worldwide, do we need to say much more? So raise your glasses and sing along to our version, arranged by Niko Schroeder:

"Ein Prosit, ein Prosit,
Der Gemütlichkeit.
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit,
Der Gemütlichkeit!"

"A toast, a toast,
To cheer and good times.
A toast, a toast,
To cheer and good times!"