This page contains the most popular 50s rock and roll songs you can easily learn on the acoustic guitar. You'll find artists such as Eddie Cochran, The Everly Brothers and more.
There are free demos and chord sheets along with some rhythm tips. If you'd like to purchase the full lesson tutorials for a small fee, check out the prices in the right menu.
Jump menu to quickly access the sections.
Rock Around The Clock was not written by Bill Haley but by Max Freedman and James Myers in 1952. Bill Haley recorded the song in 1954 and it took only two takes combined to make the final version.
And because of a delay arriving at the studio to record the song, Sammy Davis Jr's studio time was delayed while he waited in the hallway as Bill Haley recorded this song. Bill Haley had a #1 with this song and can be found on his album of the same name.
Johnny B Goode was written in 1955 but not recorded and released until 1958. Chuck Berry said later on the song was a reflection of his early days and changed the lyrics country boy from colored boy to ensure the song received radio play. The opening riff was lifted from a song from 1946 entitled
Ain't That Just Like A Woman.
The song peaked at #2 on Billboards R&B chart and #8 on the Hot 10. The song can be found on the "Chuck Berry Is On Top".
Promised Land follows the melody of an old American folk song called Wabash Cannonball. He had just gotten released from prison when this
song was released in Dec 1964 and reached #41 on Billboard a month later. In fact, Berry used a prison Atlas to chart the travels listed in the song.
This song hails from the 1964 album "St Louis To Liverpool". Download the Chuck Berry Promised Land lyrics below.
Runaway was a song written by a guy named Charles Westover who changed his name to Del Shannon, and a keyboard player named Max Crook. Max had built a keyboard with a unique sound and he called it a Musitron.
When their manager persuaded them to record the song they had no idea it would peak at #1 on Billboard in the US and three weeks later top the charts in the UK. The song can be found on the 1961 album "Runaway With Del Shannon".
Hallelujah I Love Her So was never released as a single by Eddie Cochran as he only ever released one album during his short lifetime. That album was in 1957 but did not have any songs that charted.
This number is actually a Ray Charles song which Eddie had recorded but only ended up on an album after his death. You can find this song on the "Eddie Cochran Memorial Album".
Twenty Flight Rock was a single release by Eddie Cochran back in 1957 but the song never charted. Eddie also appeared in the film "The Girl Can't Help It" with Jane Mansfield, where he performed the song in that movie.
The song was written by a lady named Nelda Fairchild
It can be found on the album "Never To Be Forgotten" which was released after his death in 1960.
Blueberry Hill was recorded 6 times in 1940, the same year it was published. The Glenn Miller Orchestra had the biggest hit with the song that year reaching #2 in the US.
Fats Domino had a #1 on the R&B charts and a #2 Pop Hit when he released his version in 1956. Even Russian President Putin covered the song on Dec 10th 2010 in a benefit show for sick kids.
You'll find the Fats Domino track on his album "This Is Fats Domino".
I'm Walkin became a #1 hit on the R&B chart by Fats Domino in 1957. Others covered the song including Ricky Nelson, Nancy Sinatra and Tom Petty.
The song hails from the album "Here Stands Fats Domino".
Whole Lotta Shakin was first recorded by Big Maybelle in 1955, but the 1957 version by Jerry Lee Lewis is the one most people know because he radically changed the vibe.
He said he'd knew it would be a hit when he cut the song at Sun Studios in Feb 1957. It hit #3 on Billboard and #1 on the R&B Charts.
This track can be found on the "Original Hits Vol 1" album from 1969.
We Belong Together ... is a song from 1958 and first recorded by the duo "Robert & Johnny" and was a #12 R&B hit for them. Ritchie Valens recorded the song in 1959 and had success with the song.
Los Lobos, who formed in LA in 1973, were chosen to record a version of the song in 1987 for the movie about Ritchie Valens life called La Bamba.
Come On Let's Go hails from 1958 and was written by Ritchie Valens himself.
It peaked at #42 on Billboard and was one of four singles from his debut album "Ritchie Valens".
A Teenager In Love was first recorded by Dion And The Belmonts and released as a single in 1959, reaching #5 on the Pop charts.
Bob Marley and The Whalers, 10cc and even The Red Hot Chilli Peppers covered this song. But Ricky Nelson also covered the song.
What is strange is that it was never released as a single and I could not find which album the song resides.
Garden Party was written by Ricky Nelson about a concert he was boo-ed at at MSG in NYC. It's believed the boo-ing was due to police action in the crowd, but Nelson thought it was directed at him, so he played one more song and left the building.
The show was a Rocn N Roll Revival show so many 50s artists were there performing also. He never returned for the finale. The song reached #6 in the US, his last top 40.
The song hails from the album of the same name. Download the Garden Party Ricky Nelson lyrics and chords below.
All I Have To Do Is Dream was recorded in two takes back in 1958 and featured Chet Atkins on guitar. This was the only song to be on all Billboard Charts at the same time.
The song was also a #1 in the UK as well as the US and Canada and can be found on their album "The Best Of The Everly Brothers" released in 1958.
Walk Right Back was released as a single back in 1961 reached #1 in the UK, #3 in Canada, #7 in the US and #8 in Australia.
The track can be found on their album "The Golden Hits Of The Everly Brothers".
Thanks for dropping by my 50s rock and roll songs page and I hope you found some of the info here useful.