Don't Rock the Jukebox (song)
Encyclopedia
"Don't Rock the Jukebox" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American
country music
artist Alan Jackson
. It was released in April 1991 as the lead single from the album of the same name, Don't Rock the Jukebox
. It was his second consecutive Number One single on the U.S. Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.
The song also received an ASCAP award for Country Song of the Year in 1992. That same year, the song was covered by Alvin and the Chipmunks
, featuring commentary by Alan Jackson himself, for their 1992 album Chipmunks in Low Places
.
to ease his heartbreak. As such, he tells the other patrons in the bar, "don't rock the jukebox" (i.e. play country instead of rock
).
Alan wrote about the inspiration for the song in the liner notes from The Greatest Hits Collection
: "I got the idea for this song from a little incident that happened on the road a few years ago when me and my band, The Strayhorns, were playing this little truck stop lounge in Virginia
called Geraldine's. We'd been there for four or five nights playing those dance sets. It'd been a long night, so I took a break and walked over to the Jukebox. Roger, my bass player, was already over there reading the records. I leaned on the corner of it and one of the legs was broken off - the jukebox was kind of wobbling around. Roger looked over at me and said..."
, consists of Jackson playing his guitar and singing the song while standing in front of a jukebox. As he does this, a seated figure in the shadows nods his head and taps the table to the beat. Several people come and dance in front of the jukebox during the song, while some people who come up to the jukebox shake it around angrily (thus prompting Jackson to sing the title line of the song). At the end of the video, the seated figure is revealed to be none other than George Jones
(who is mentioned in the song's lyrics several times).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
. It was released in April 1991 as the lead single from the album of the same name, Don't Rock the Jukebox
Don't Rock The Jukebox
-Track listing:# "Don't Rock the Jukebox" – 2:52# "That's All I Need to Know" – 3:47# "Dallas" – 2:45# "Midnight in Montgomery" – 3:46...
. It was his second consecutive Number One single on the U.S. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.
The song also received an ASCAP award for Country Song of the Year in 1992. That same year, the song was covered by Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
, featuring commentary by Alan Jackson himself, for their 1992 album Chipmunks in Low Places
Chipmunks in Low Places
- Musicians and vocalists :* Alvin Chipmunk – vocals* Simon Chipmunk – vocals* Theodore Chipmunk – vocals* Brittany Miller – vocals* Jeanette Miller – vocals* Eleanor Miller – vocals* B. James Lowry – guitar* Roy Huskey, Jr...
.
Background and writing
The song is sung from the perspective of a heartbroken bar patron he wishes to hear country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
to ease his heartbreak. As such, he tells the other patrons in the bar, "don't rock the jukebox" (i.e. play country instead of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
).
Alan wrote about the inspiration for the song in the liner notes from The Greatest Hits Collection
The Greatest Hits Collection (Alan Jackson album)
The Greatest Hits Collection is the first greatest hits album by American country music artist Alan Jackson. Released on October 24, 1995, it includes the greatest hits from his first four studio albums, as well as an album cut from his 1989 debut Here in the Real World and two new tracks — "Tall,...
: "I got the idea for this song from a little incident that happened on the road a few years ago when me and my band, The Strayhorns, were playing this little truck stop lounge in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
called Geraldine's. We'd been there for four or five nights playing those dance sets. It'd been a long night, so I took a break and walked over to the Jukebox. Roger, my bass player, was already over there reading the records. I leaned on the corner of it and one of the legs was broken off - the jukebox was kind of wobbling around. Roger looked over at me and said..."
Music video
The music video for the song, directed by Julien TempleJulien Temple
Julien Temple is an English film, documentary and music video director. He began his career with short films featuring the Sex Pistols, and has continued with various off-beat projects, including The Great Rock And Roll Swindle, Absolute Beginners and a documentary film about Glastonbury.-Temple...
, consists of Jackson playing his guitar and singing the song while standing in front of a jukebox. As he does this, a seated figure in the shadows nods his head and taps the table to the beat. Several people come and dance in front of the jukebox during the song, while some people who come up to the jukebox shake it around angrily (thus prompting Jackson to sing the title line of the song). At the end of the video, the seated figure is revealed to be none other than George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
(who is mentioned in the song's lyrics several times).
Chart positions
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |