Look around: Lin-Manuel Miranda announces 'Weird Al' Yankovic's 'Hamilton Polka'
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Anyone who follows Lin-Manuel Miranda or "Weird Al" Yankovic on Twitter knows that the two are friends and mutual admirers. So it's not a huge surprise to hear that they've announced a collaboration of sorts: Yankovic and his band have recorded "The Hamilton Polka," a five-minute polka-fied distillation of Miranda's hit musical, released as part of the latter's "HamilDrops" series. (Here's another recent entry: The Decemberists' take on the Hamilton outtake "Ben Franklin's Song.")
Yankovic has been doing "Stars On 45"-inspired polka medleys since his second album, In 3-D, all the way back in 1984. They typically incorporate impeccably played, rapid-fire renditions of the biggest hits of the day, with an emphasis on silly (or, better yet, self-important) source material. As for "The Hamilton Polka," it provides what's essentially a CliffsNotes-style run-through of the musical's hooks and highlights — just enough to get the entire musical stuck in your head all over again.
[Disclosure: This article's author wrote the liner notes to a 2009 "Weird Al" Yankovic CD compilation, but did not request or receive payment.]
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.