Eddie Blazonczyk Sr.
1941 - 2012
Eddie Blazonczyk, was "The Nation's Number #1 Polka Man" He was a friend to all polka fans around the world. In 1972 I went to my first weekend festival. It was Labor Day in Erie PA. The song that has been my favorite all these years since I first heard it was Girls, Girls Girls by Eddie B. I fell in love with his music and followed him ever since then. Back in 1991 Jay & I got married the first Saturday in May with our reception at Blob's Park in Jessup, MD. Eddie & The Versatones played for our reception and we received so many compliments from our non-polka friends who attended the wedding, saying how much they enjoyed the music and the band. For nine years after that we always celebrated our anniversary at Blob's Park with Eddie B. on the first Saturday in May.
The following is a story I wrote about Eddie B. This story is my tribute to one of the greatest polka musicians ever. If you are a true Versatones fan you'll notice that the 167 "Italicized" words are Song and Album Titles that Eddie recorded through the years. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. The picture below the story shows the placque I presented to Tony Blazonczyk September 15, 2012 at Polkamotion.
Eddie Blazonczyk had a typical Musicians Life, traveling down Polka Road. He played in the Happy Tappy, all the Polka Lounges in Chicago and At The Tavern in other cities including Brighton Park. For many musicians It's A Great Life for Bandleaders. He traveled on a Sea Cruise, Far Away From Home. He went All Around The World, even Going To Poland. During his Visit to Poland, he met the Boy From Krakow, the Polish Highlander, The Village Girls and the Goral as he listened to the Mountain Yodel and Mountaineer Music. This was Four Miles From Warsaw, In Zakopane his Home Away From Home In The Old Country.
His friends may have told him Don't Get Married, stay a Happy Bachelor. Others said Why Don't You Get Married. So Ed said I'm Happy Today, I Met A Girl, A Lovely Girl Looking For A Boyfriend. He later said I Have A Wife. I Got Married to my Cajun Polka Queen with the Pretty Polish Blue Eyes. She's my Polish Girlfriend, The Girl Of My Dreams in the White Blouse, Blue Skirt and Red Shoes,. Her name is Tish and I told her I'll Never Let You Go because You're The Only World I Know and We Were Made For Each Other. The Birds Were Singing on The Day Of The Wedding and I bet they made a lovely Bride And Groom.
I am Lovesick for What's Cooking Under The Oak Tree In The Woods. Everybody's Reachin' Out For Someone, Foolin' Around saying Come On Honey Cuddle Up To Me, we are Alone Again. If It's Alright, Can I Have A Kiss? You're Looking Pretty and I'm Crazy About You, Sweet Rosie. I Wanna Live with that Sunshine Feeling and Sweet Memories Of You. Keep On Smiling, In The Fields as the Meadowlark and Singing Birds whistle A Sweet Melody. That Summer In Your Eyes, It Sure Looks Good On You, so I think I'll Give You A Kiss as we Dance Around The Christmas Tree at Christmas Time.
Oh Me Oh My Please May I Go in my Automobile to the Polka Dance Tonight at the Ballroom? Mama Please Tell Me. I Wanna Wanna because I'd Like To Polka and Dance And Sing to the Music Music Music of Eddie Blazonczyk and The Versatones. When I Hear The Music I want to Sing A Long with Loddy Lo. I know it's going to be a Polka Celebration with Popcorn, Potato Chips and Pretzels to snack on. Maybe even some Apples Peaches, Pumpkin Pie. When The Band Plays A Polka, What Should I Do? Raz Dwa Trzy, Na Lewo, Na Prawa when they play Accordion A Go Go, Clarinet, Fiddler's, or A Tribute To The Band: The Versatones Greatest Hits.
Ed would always say: Hello Everybody, Let's Go, Everybody Polka, Let's Have A Party, Let's Celebrate Again. The crowd would shout Let's Hear A Polka. Let's Dance and Let's All Have A Good Time, Just Like All The Other Times At The Square In Chicagotown where The Stars Were Shining amid the Raindrops. I Remember all the Happy Summer parties at Seven Springs Ed would always greet us by saying , Hi, Hello How Are You? It's Four In The Morning Near The Shore in Ocean City or Wildwood, but we all yell, Play Musicians, Play. Play Me An Oberek, It's Polkatime. again. Let's Give A Hand To The Band for all the Good Times and Good Ol' Days we've had.
At The Dance you would see all you friends, Johnnie, Casey, Marek, Jake and Josephine. All The Girls, The Pretty Girls. Angie, Betty, Wanda, Judy, Margaret, Rebecca, Rose Marie, Julida, Roseanne, Sweet Charlotte Ann or the Chicago Girls. When I Leave I wish I could have Five Minutes More to dance with The Boys From Chicago.
Eddie was Polish and Proud Of It. He is our Polka Hero and his Polka Music Is Here To Stay. It's A Blue Blue Day as we say Farewell and Goodbye forever. We can't help Crying Over You. Saying Goodbye is hard and it's going to be a Lonely World without you. If Eddie could tell us something right now he would say Remember Me and my family when you Say A Prayer Tonight.
Ed, We Like Polka Music and even though It's All Over, I Know That You Know That I Love You. I Will Love You Forever. As Life Rolls On, and AsThe Years Pass by, I'll Never Forget You and I Won't Forget your music. Let's Be Happy, Always Forever And A Day that Eddie Blazonczyk enriched all of our lives with his music and memories.
Written by Janice Lochner May 2012