Fun with accordion covers!

February 5, 2012 3:51 PM

Polka face, Monkey Island, Bohemian rhapsody, When I'm 64, Tetris Theme, Nyan theme, We're not gonna take it, Take on me, Smells like teen spirit.
posted by Tarumba (34 comments total)

I used to have a t-shirt from KFOG in SF back in the 80's that said "Use an accordian, go to Jail." I think that applies here.
posted by aacheson at 5:06 PM on February 5, 2012

Wow, the Monkey Island theme is perfect for the accordion.
posted by Malor at 5:25 PM on February 5, 2012 [3 favorites]

There was a guy in Paris who played Bach's Toccata in D on an accordion. I was impressed.
posted by leotrotsky at 5:25 PM on February 5, 2012

Here's a tube of it.
posted by leotrotsky at 5:26 PM on February 5, 2012 [5 favorites]

Something's missing from that Take on Me cover. Like five North Koreans.
posted by bicyclefish at 5:47 PM on February 5, 2012 [5 favorites]

"When I'm 64" works really well.
posted by kenko at 5:54 PM on February 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

Those Darn Accordions do a pretty good Baba O'Riley. Not as good as their cover of the Perry Mason Theme, but I couldn't find that one.
posted by Bernt Pancreas at 5:59 PM on February 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

Here.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 6:07 PM on February 5, 2012

Wow, that button accordion rawks the Nirvana.
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:18 PM on February 5, 2012

Leotrotsky, that Toccata and Fugue was pretty damn awesome.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 6:18 PM on February 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

I had a semi-rough day and watching the guy rock out to "When I'm 64" made me smile.
posted by book 'em dano at 6:32 PM on February 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'd say that Those Darn Accordions also do an excellent "Devil Went Down to Georgia" cover too, with appropriately modified lyrics, no less.
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:53 PM on February 5, 2012

The kid doing the Bohemian Rhapsody like really gets into it.
posted by KeSetAffinityThread at 7:03 PM on February 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

Pikers.
posted by pjern at 7:08 PM on February 5, 2012 [2 favorites]

Los Colorados. That is all.
posted by ob1quixote at 7:20 PM on February 5, 2012 [9 favorites]

Oh god, now I'm so happy I made this post, ob1quixote! That was so funny and so well made!
posted by Tarumba at 7:25 PM on February 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

It really doesn't get much better than Uwe Steger...It Don't Mean a Thing (if it ain't got that swing.) The accordion is digital, which is why the bellows don't move,
posted by Quasimike at 7:46 PM on February 5, 2012 [2 favorites]

Libertango.

5-row button accordions are the dog's bollocks: I play one myself, though not as well as these guys.
posted by raygirvan at 7:55 PM on February 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

here's a cover of bad romance i always liked.
posted by camdan at 8:12 PM on February 5, 2012 [2 favorites]

Holy crap, Los Colorados. I saw that video once and could never find it again, because I didn't know the name of the band. And moreover, it's beginning to lift me up out of this post-superbowl feeling that society is grotesque and completely unjustifiable and should be wiped from the earth.
posted by Jon_Evil at 8:27 PM on February 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

Camdan: The facial expressions really make that one, along with the little hip shake the accordionist gives near the end. Those are amusing people.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:42 PM on February 5, 2012

Monkey Island theme is one of my favourite pieces of music. Never fails to put a smile on my face.
posted by curious nu at 9:04 PM on February 5, 2012

Most of these are great, but the Poker (Polka) Face one is painful. Jesus, lady, just stick to the original melody.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 9:08 PM on February 5, 2012

ob1quixote, you just made my night.
posted by BungaDunga at 9:24 PM on February 5, 2012

Oh c'mon, a whole post on accordian covers and no link to Joey? He was doing this SECOND man, I tells ya... (First was, of course... the master himself... Weird Al...)

Sigh. Dang kids today - no sense of history. Now get off my lawn, dammit!
posted by jkaczor at 10:11 PM on February 5, 2012

Tetris (remix)
posted by criticalbill at 1:21 AM on February 6, 2012

Super Mario Bros Theme
posted by criticalbill at 1:27 AM on February 6, 2012

Some of these just seem kind of noveltyish to me, but "When I'm 64" is really neat - it sounds like it was made for the accordion.
posted by Flunkie at 2:07 AM on February 6, 2012

Jurassic Park theme on melodica

Yeah, okay, I'll show myself out. (It was a parody of this I imagine.)
posted by Rhomboid at 3:59 AM on February 6, 2012

What, no Boba Fett?

This post is great even though it is tip-of-the-iceberg considering how accordion covers of pop and video game music are blooming on youtube. But I confess I'm just jealous that I didn't make one!
posted by yoHighness at 6:50 AM on February 6, 2012

Missed the best one: l'anarchie pour le uk
posted by evilDoug at 7:27 AM on February 6, 2012

Thank you SO FREAKING MUCH for all of this. Especially Los Colorados!!!!
posted by dorgla at 9:50 AM on February 6, 2012

I was told there would be some Weird Al.
posted by herbplarfegan at 11:54 AM on February 6, 2012

Holy Light (Stratovarius)
posted by ikalliom at 11:59 AM on February 6, 2012