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Inducted 2002
♫ Greatest All-
www.polkafame.com © National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, 605 East 222nd Street, Euclid, OH 44123, USA.
2002 GREATEST ALL-
“FLOWER OF LOVE WALTZ”
Music: Slovenian Folk Song
Lyrics: Anna Vadnal, Art Yaspan
Hit Recording:
Johnny Vadnal Orchestra
Vocals: Vadnal Trio and Carroll Sisters-
78 rpm, single
RCA Victor 25-
Time: 2:53
Other Recordings:
Johnny Vadnal -
Bob Kravos -
Key of C and G
Musicians on Hit Recording:
Johnny Vadnal -
Frank Vadnal -
Tony Vadnal -
Ed (Slejko) Slagle -
Earl Newman -
Joe Stradiot -
The "Flower of Love" waltz is synonymous with Johnny Vadnal. He learned the song from his mother, Anna. It was the Slovenian folk song "Tam U Dolu Roza Raste," on which the waltz is based. Johnny recalls that his mother translated the Slovenian words into English. The Vadnal family band, which included his sister Valeria, played the song for the first time in 1937, at the Great Lakes Exposition in Cleveland.
The Johnny Vadnal orchestra recorded "Flower of Love," with English lyrics, initially in 1949, on its sixth single for the RCA Victor label. The other side of the record was the polka "Oh! Jeanette." The band released another version of the waltz in 1964, on the album "Polka Specials," adding the Slovenian lyrics.
The familiar sound of Tony and Frankie, with Ed Slejko, is hear on the vocal, as the trio sings alternate lines of the lyrics with the Carroll Sisters. The RCA Victor recording lists the composer and lyricists as being Al Russ, Art Yaspan, and Johnny Vadnal. Johnny said Al and Art were songwriters with whom he collaborated on his early recordings and song publishing.
In a garden, in a bower, You may find this magic flower,
Blooms a strange, enchanted flower. In some far off happy hour.
Casts its spell with magic power. In a garden, in a bower,
Search your heart, you'll find it there. Blooms a flower of love divine.