Where Have All The Accordions Gone?

[Marshwheeling]

Definition of a gentleman: someone who knows how to play the accordion, but refrains from doing so.

Conchita bought me a pretty nice accordion for Christmas a few years back, a Titano. I figured I ought to learn how to play it, so I took lessons for about a year. Then I slammed my dirt bike down in Arkansas and tore a rotator cuff. I had not really mastered the accordion by then, and I never picked it back up.

If I have one regret in life, it is that I will never get to play "Liechtensteiner" wearing a wife-beater and with my hair bleached blond, like Dick Contino.

 

[rog8732]

Sorry to say I was never a fan of Welk, nor the accordion. However, I have an authentic Lawrence Welk autograph in my home. I know it is "authentic" because, well,...why would anyone "fake" one.

As for the accordion. There is a family owned Italian restaurant in Myrtle Beach SC named,Villa Romana. The matriarch, looks to be near 90 years young now, but on certain evenings will still come out and check on everybody's food and service.

The real treat is the son, (or grandson) who strolls around playing the accordion. He, no doubt is very good at it when he is serious, but seldom is. Serious I mean.

He will play "Amazing Grace" with such soul, you wonder why it was adapted to the "pipes" at all; not a dry eye in the place, (among us elders).
Then,at our table, where he no doubt perceived us as a bunch of happy-go-lucky fun lovers; he will launch into "Lady of Spain", (with such gusto you lay down your fork and spoon), all the while he is "slinking" up behind the most classy looking lady at the table, and suddenly that air box explodes with the most raucous fart noise you ever heard !

He follows the deathly quiet with hand thrown to his brow, as though he is about to faint, saying, "OOH, I can't PERFORM, if you are going to be doing THAT !

Now, I know who put him up to that stunt, but I'm not telling.

Anyways, I am not saying the only "good" sound that comes out of said instrument is fart gas; I'm just saying it is about the only one I ever enjoyed.

 

[bill2000]

How about a little new-age punk Irish accordion to get the blood moving this morning?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4v6aNjGFFk

 

[Pop's2]

with Flaco Jiminez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYyg21lRAs8&x-yt-cl=84411374&x-yt-ts=1421828030#t=52

 

[Walter Rego]

My dad rocked on the accordion. Here's a pic taken shortly after he came from his WWII service. I understand he was popular with the dames back then too so don't you guys make any more comments about accordion players !

 

[rog8732]

My dad rocked on the accordion. Here's a pic taken shortly after he came from his WWII service. I understand he was popular with the dames back then too so don't you guys make any more comments about accordion players !

Your Dad was the twin brother of the famous Bobby Darin???
And played the accordion too ???

 

[Jim NNN]

I remember a while back that a nice new accordian would cost $1200, while a similar used one in good shape would often sell for under 100 bucks. Kind of indicative of the accordian's (lack of) popularity. I don't know if things ave changed since then, or not, but I have come to appreciate the accordian, and it's cultural associations. I took my kids the our state's Czech festival, but they weren't into it. I'm not Czech, German or Slavic, but I loved it.

 

[Otreb]

Gone to grunge rock, everyone

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FRFgFBfa1v4

 

[DeathGrip]

I forgot about this pic from Germany. It was at an old logging camp that is preserved in So. Germany.

 

[JohnSW]

A 2011 article:

Texas Gets The Accordion Bug And Never Looks Back : NPR

In the not too distant past, I recall hearing Hispanic accordion music on television.

A random tune I found on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJq8zHW-jJw

 

[Kinman]

My grandma played the accordian and yes "Lady of Spain" without the second chorus was one of her favorites. I have only known one adult male that still plays the accordian and this guy couldn't get layed if he was the last living male on earth. You have to admit that even back in the 50's there wasn't much about the accordian that could be considered attractive, Oh sure old Myrin Florin could squeeze out a tune while occaisonally lookin up at the camera but its basically a very unattractive kind of instrument, sort of on the order of a piano you play on your lap, the steel guitar is another one that just isn't very sexy to operate. I had an old buddy that was the editor of "Steel" magazine, he had the personality of a toilet seat and once again usually went home alone with his steel guitar.

 

[DeathGrip]

All things aside, Think about the Accordian.

It's a marvel of engineering and artfully done.

Whoda thunk it?

 

[venomballistics]

All things aside, Think about the Accordian.

It's a marvel of engineering and artfully done.

Whoda thunk it?

It is a marvel in its complexity. No argument there.
But the question is not so much "who'd have thunk it" but rather ... why

 

[vito]

Many years ago, as an "ice breaker" at a management retreat, each of us was asked to share something with the group that we thought no one already knew about us. I shared that I had a brief meeting with then Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson, but one of my fellow managers made the terrible mistake of sharing that as a child he had learned to play the accordion. From that date on, until this gentleman left the company several years later, not a meeting or event would go by without someone asked Jack to play "Lady of Spain". I had to introduce him at a large gathering, and I could not resist, when giving his name and title, adding that he was an accomplished accordion player. It brought the house down!

 

[hangnoose]

WHAT'S THE STORY WITH LADY OF SPAIN?

Have you EVER met ANYONE that played the accordion & did NOT play Lady of Spain? Going off topic a bit, No instrument gets me to the bone like the bag pipes. Living on Northport harbor (N.Y.) growing up, there was a pipes player that would row his dinghy to the middle of the harbor on still windless evenings and serenade the sun down. Sounds can sure travel over water and the memories of those pipes and halyards slapping against masts are sounds I will never forget, sure miss and would love to hear again someday.

 

[5Wire]

Stairway to Mozart

World class accordionist!

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Where have all the accordions gone, hopefully the land fill with the bagpipes!

 

[5Wire]

And banjos are only good for starting accordion fires. Pipers are always marching to get away from the sound...

 

[rwsmith]

Concertinas

Accordions can do things other instruments can't but all in all I prefer concertinas and for some reason Evangeline accordions moreso than the typical. However for something like the Beer Barrel Polka you can't beat an accordion.

 

[finesse_r]

Most string instruments were easy to electrify and amply for acid rock and roll, but they just never could get the wiring right on those squeeze boxes to compete with performers like Jimmy Hendrix or to back up performers like Janis Joplin during that period in time.

Just imagine old Jimmy up there on the stage, fire and light flashing out of his red eyes, and him trying to play that squeeze box with his teeth! I mean the things just did not fit with the times and the changes of that period.

Or better yet as Janice goes on one of her tears, some guy flapping his wings trying to keep up with her. No, it was the times that kilt that wondrous instrument. Like the dinosaurs before it, the squeeze box was kilt off by changing times, or the ice age of the acid rock era. And I for one thank God for it.