At first glance, you might not think that music from the 1950s would make for good karaoke playlists, but that’s where you’d be wrong. Traveling back in time into the decade, you see there are actually a number of tracks from the era that are great for singing along to and for revving up your favorite dive.
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Here below, that’s just what we wanted to look into. We wanted to highlight three one-hit wonders from the 1950s that make for perfect sing-along tracks. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the year 1958 that are tailor-made for karaoke jams.
“Short Shorts” by The Royal Teens (Single, 1958)
Perhaps more than any song from the entire 1950s, “Short Shorts” by The Royal Teens should put a smile on the faces of your fellow patrons in your favorite dive bar. Singing excitedly about short shorts is just funny. The phrase is funny, the lyrics are funny, and the fact that this song hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 is funny. So, sing it and have fun!
“Lollipop” by Ronald & Ruby (Single, 1958)
Speaking of fun things to sing about, lollipops are right up at the top of the list. Add to that the fact that this song sounds very 1950s—meaning, that familiar lo-fi proto-rock sound—that singing this tune in a karaoke bar offers your audience the two things that they could ever want: joy and nostalgia. Try it! “Lollipop” by Ronald & Ruby is a fun jam from start to finish.
“Tequila” by The Champs from ‘Go, Champs, Go!’ (1958)
As Pee-wee Herman showed in his famed debut film, this largely instrumental track is a fun one to perform. Sure, there may not be a ton of words, but thanks to Pee-wee, you have a blueprint on how to sing and dance to this tune in your favorite dive (or motorcycle) bar. Then, when the chorus hits, everyone can take a shot of… TEQUILA! As a matter of fact, “Tequila” by The Champs is already considered a karaoke go-to for those who don’t want to put a lot of effort into it.
Photo of The Royal Teens (1958) via YouTube screenshot
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