Can You Name These Famous Jukebox Songs?

ENTERTAINMENT

By: Lauren Lubas

6 Min Quiz

Image: Roberto Muñoz | Pindaro / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Music was different back when you could put a quarter in a jukebox and listen to three songs. The most common jukebox songs were about dancing, having fun and not worrying about the future. They gave you a sense that you were going to be just fine and that it was OK to have fun. 

These songs told stories of people in love and people who loved to dance. They taught you how to step to the beat and inspired people to randomly start dancing in the middle of diners. They broke racial barriers and changed the way we looked at the world (and art for that matter). There were so many great jukebox songs in the '50s and '60s that they are hard to count, but would you be able to identify them? You may need more than lyrics, but we're going to mix it up a bit.

We've selected 35 of the most famous jukebox songs of all time. So put on your poodle skirt or your letter jacket and take this quiz to see if you can name every jukebox classic based on lyrics or random facts about them.

Who was the woman Randy and the Rainbows were so in love with that they had to say her name twice?

1963 was a pretty hectic year. People didn't really feel safe and music became an outlet for those who couldn't watch the news anymore. "Denise" (1963) brought wholesome changes to music at the time.

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What were The Drifters sittin' on?

"Dock of the Bay" by The Drifters was all about relaxing, wasting time and letting the stress of life go ... if only for a moment. It's also about a man trying to figure out his life ... and it doesn't seem to end well ... after all, there's whistling involved.

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According to Bobby Vee, how does the night watch you when he can't?

This song was a little creepy as it was about a man telling his girl that she is being watched by the eyes of the night sky. It was a warning, which is always creepy.

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What '60s jukebox classic about love was sung by Cindy & Sue?

This was a huge hit in the 1960s, and only true jukeboxers know the simplicity of this love song. It was poppy and it was clear someone was in the studio with a fever, the only cure was more tambourine.

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Lesley Gore popularized this bubblegum song whose title is a list of wonderful things. Can you name it?

"Everything that's wonderful is sure to come your way" ... but only if you're in love. This was a great song to dance to with your significant other but only if you were really in love with them.

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Dion begs the question: "Why must I be" what?

This ballad was all about getting mad at the fact that you have no control as a teen. Love was no different back then than it is now, but the yearning in Dion's voice is all about being over love sickness.

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Chubby Checker took Mary Mack to the next level with which song?

It's nearly impossible to listen to this song without snapping your fingers and bobbing your head. Then again, Chubby Checker always had a way to get his fans moving across the dance floor, which made him the perfect jukebox hero.

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Little Richard loved singing about his girls, but which of his jukebox classics is about a girl named Lucinder?

Little Richard liked making songs with a lot of nonsense words that were repetitive and fun to sing. "Bama Lama Bama Loo" (1966) was about a girl named Lucinder who was always playing hard to get.

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What jukebox classic tells daddy to let his mind roll on?

"Walk Right In" by The Moments has been reprised by many artists, but it was all about relaxing and not worrying about what was going on in the world. If you had a long day, this was all about unwinding.

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Can you name the lunar song by The Marcels that begins with a few nonsense words?

If you don't remember this song, it's probably because you haven't heard it in a while. It starts with nonsense words that could be considered rock music's version of scatting, but is probably just a good way to keep a beat.

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This Guy Mitchell song included quite a bit of whistling and the lyrics, "Every day you love me less, each day I love you more." Can you name this song that involves counting?

Another song with whistling, but the beat of this one is a little higher ... even though the topic is a little sad. The lyrics to the song help a man count how many times the same person hurt him. He felt like a fool.

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Which song by The Chiffons contains the refrain, "Shooby dooby dooby dooby doo wa wa" and is about love?

This is a song that is all about longing and love. The singer is clearly talking about the fact that someone doesn't love her and she will be patient enough to wait for the day the love interest comes back along. It's definitely not a girl power song.

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This song was deemed nearly impossible to dance to because the beat was so fast, but people tried anyway. Which song is it?

There weren't a lot of lyrics to this song, but it pumped a lot of people up when they heard the opening and the drum solo was beyond what anyone had heard up to that point.

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What do sad movies do to Sue Thompson?

"Sad Movies Make Me Cry" (1961) is an incredibly sad song about a woman whose husband cancels on a date so she goes to a movie ... where she finds her husband with her best friend. It's kind of a kick in the head.

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"Can I take the time to ask you to speak your mind" are the lyrics to what song by The Turtles?

The Turtles really thought Eleanor was swell and groovy ... they couldn't really even live without her. While they wanted her to speak her mind, they tried to put the words into her mouth. No clue how she responded,​ though.

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American Breed made this "movable" song famous. Can you name it?

While some may think this is a great song, others think it sends the wrong message because it's about changing who you are to get the girl you want. She'll definitely love you if you turn into the man she's looking for ... or not.

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What do The Buckinghams call it "when your baby don't love you"?

I mean, it might be more than "kind of" a drag if your significant other stops loving you while you're in a relationship, but for The Buckinghams, it's only a little bit bad ... after all, there are more fish in the sea.

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"If you wanna know if he loves you so," where is it (according to Betty Everett)?

According to "It's in His Kiss (The Shoop, Shoop Song)," you can learn how much your significant other actually loves you when he kisses you. If it's a bad kiss, something else is on his mind. If it's a good kiss, he's still into you.

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Which attractive girl has Bobby Day been watching?

"Little Bitty Pretty One" was a song that anyone could dance to. It was often found on jukeboxes in establishments that had areas where people could dance. It was the perfect song to ask your crush to dance.

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In what song would you find the characters Hatty and Matty?

While the lyrics to "Wooly Bully" are nearly impossible to understand, you can make out two names distinctly. Remember that "Hatty told Matty about the things she saw" and those things didn't make much sense. No one cared back then, though, because it was a great song to dance to.

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When Bobby Lewis can't sleep, what does he sing?

"Tossin' and Turnin'" isn't just a song that was used in a sleep aid commercial. As a matter of fact, the song is all about the fact that he can't sleep because he's thinking about a girl he likes.

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In what song do The Grass Roots talk about breaking up an engagement?

"Midnight Confessions" is a song about meeting a girl and instantly falling in love ... before you see the ring on her finger, of course. The singer is clearly in distress as he feels as though he has to confess to the world what he feels.

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Which song makes Del Shannon "wa wa wa wa wonder" and think of the person he misses?

"Runaway" is an interesting song about a girl who runs away, but we never know if she ran away from the singer or in general and he just misses her. Either way, it's clear the singer really needs closure here.

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What would The Drifters like you to save?

The message of this song is all about not being controlling. It's totally cool if you dance with others, but "Don't forget who's taking you home" because you may find someone crying in the corner.

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Do you remember which question Jimmy Ruffin asked in the saddest song ever written by anyone ever?

Sometimes you listen to the lyrics of a song and it just hits you. This jukebox classic is one of those songs ... Those lyrics hit anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak and lived to tell the tale.

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When The Box Tops think about the good love you gave them, what do they do?

While this song is pretty upbeat, the lyrics actually tell a different story about heartbreak and mistakes that were made by the singer who regrets losing the perfect thing he had with the recipient of these lyrics.

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Why do The Zombies tell you not to bother trying to find her?

This song is all about a woman who treats men pretty badly. The singer of this song has decided to help those who might want this woman (or perhaps heard rumors about how great she is). He's doing this to help others because no one helped him.

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According to Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs, where can you find espresso coffee that tastes mighty good (and is sweet too)?

If you're from the Midwest, it's not the same Sugar Shack you're thinking of. This one is a coffee house where the singer of this song found the most beautiful woman in the world ... and he has to go back.

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Which jukebox classic has the lyrics, "With all the charms of a woman, you've kept the secret of your youth" right after the first chorus?

If this song came out in 2019, there would probably be a full investigation. It's about a guy who tells a girl to leave him along because she's too young for him and he's having thoughts. He tells her to run.

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Which high school dance song by Sandy Nelson had no lyrics?

This song, much like "Wipe Out," was an intense song to dance to, but it only made you cooler if you could keep up with the beat. It was an intense song that highlighted the drumset, especially the tophat.

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Who does Bobby Darin want so he doesn't have to dream alone?

"Dream Lover" was a song about yearning and imagination. Like many songs of the time, it told of a future that had prospects ... something better ... something to hold onto for the sake of holding on.​

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What did the Ronettes ask of you? (They offered to give you three kisses for every one that you delivered).

The things the Ronettes offered in exchange for this courtship aren't unheard of. They promised to bring happiness to the relationship and do the majority of the work ... all because the relationship would turn heads.

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What "fast girl" did Dion sing about?

Dion was clearly in love, but he warned people of the person who broke his heart. You could date her if you wanted to, but "if you don't want to cry like I do," you should keep away from her because "she goes out with other guys."

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What slow jukebox classic was sung by The Righteous Brothers and seen in the movie, "Ghost" (1990)?

Yes, there are several jukebox classics that are slower. Every once in a while, it's good to slow things down and get close to those you're dancing with. How else do you fall in love on the dance floor?

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Which Peggy March song makes her sound like a stalker?

Well, it's clear that Peggy March really likes this guy she sings about following. Actually, she loves him (times three) and "there isn't an ocean too deep, a mountain so high" that can keep her away from her love.

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