Jukeboxes and My 10 Favourite Jukebox Hits From the 1950s

The name jukebox is said to be derived from African languages. Some think that Juke comes from the African word jooy which means wicked. Others say that it comes from the word joog which means dance. Without live acts jukeboxes became one of the best things to get people up dancing for nearly a century now. People loved the music to be found on them and anybody who wants to pay for the privilidge is in control of what everybody in the room is listening to. The invention brought them closer to their favorite artists. The ones they like to know their songs by heart.

Jukebox manufacturers were well aware that folk will always love to have the most well known and successful music on jukeboxes. The more successful the artist and his track are the more likely it is for them to be on the playlist and be selected over and over again. Making a jukebox with popular selections more profitable for the bar or cafe owners and for the rental agencies.

Many songs have been played on them over the years, and still lingered in the memories with the help of jukeboxes. Sadly it’s said that their golden era is now over. Yet many public places still have them and you can play the most popular music on them and even sometimes find old favourites like Bohemian Rhapsody or Living On A Prayer.

To pick all time favorites that have been played as jukebox hits is a very difficult task as many songs are in the memories of a lot of people out there. Everybody would have their own personal list and often very different from anybody elses. As full size bold and colourful jukeboxes are the most evocative of the 1950s the following is a list of some of the all time favourites that would have been selected danced, sung to and enjoyed in bars, diners and cafes all over the world during the 1950s .

Picture the guys dressed in jeans and white t shirts with their hair styled with plenty of grease to make a DA or Duck’s Butt and the pony tailed girls wearing bobby sox and poodle skirts. We’ve got the 50s feel so let’s select the tracks that would have been popular on the 50s rock and roll jukebox.

1 – Peggy Sue – Buddy Holly and the Crickets 1957

2 – Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley 1956

3 – Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry 1958

4 – Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On – Jerry Lee Lewis

5 – All I Have to Do Is Dream – The Everly Brothers 1958

6 – Rock Around The Clock – Bill Haley & The Comets 1955

7 – Be Bop A Lu La – Gene Vincent 1956

8 – Blueberry Hill – Fats Domino 1957

9 – To Know Him Is To Love Him – The Teddy Bears 1958

10 – Sea Cruise – Frankie Ford 1959

That wasn’t easy. I’ve had to miss out such as Great Balls Of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis, Pat Boone’s Aint That A Shame, The Great Pretender from the Platters and That’ll Be The Day from Buddy Holly And The Crickets. That’s rock and roll folks!