Popular 1950s Guitar Songs You’ll Love Playing

These are the tracks that filled jukeboxes, packed dance halls, and launched the careers of music legends like Little Richard, Ritchie Valens, and Eddie Cochran.

On this page, you’ll find guitar lessons for popular 50s songs that every player should know — complete with chords, strumming patterns, and full demos.

If you’ve ever wanted to bring the energy of top 1950s hits to your own playing, this is the perfect place to start.

I Remember is a touching ballad that Eddie Cochran recorded in 1959, just a year before his untimely death.

The song is notable for its tender lyrics, which reflect on past memories of love and loss. Cochran's emotive vocals are backed by a simple arrangement featuring acoustic guitar, bass, and drums, which allows the poignant lyrics to take center stage.

Although "I Remember" was not a major commercial success at the time of its release, it has since become a fan favorite and is widely regarded as one of Cochran's most heartfelt recordings.

Looking for more Eddie Cochran? Check out the song Hallelujah I Love Her So on my 50s Love Songs On Guitar page.

Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie is a high-energy rock 'n' roll song that Eddie Cochran recorded in 1958. The track features a driving rhythm section and a catchy guitar riff that is instantly recognizable. Cochran's vocals are infused with a sense of playful energy, and his lyrics tell the story of a girl who has caught his eye.

Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie peaked at #98 in the US and  after his death it was released again in the UK in 1961 and reached #33. It can be found on an album called "Legendary Masters Series". The Stray Cats also covered this number.

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.

Twenty Flight Rock also gained notoriety for its role in the history of rock 'n' roll, as it was famously performed by a young Paul McCartney during his audition for John Lennon and the Quarrymen, which led to his eventual inclusion in the Beatles.

The song was written by a lady named Nelda Fairchild and can be found on the album "Never To Be Forgotten", which was released after Eddie's death in 1960.

Venus came out in in 1959 and became Frankie Avalon’s biggest hit and later appeared on his album Frankie Avalon’s Greatest Hits. Issued as a single, it soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also reached No. 10 on the R&B chart.

Although no music video existed, Avalon performed it on numerous teen-music TV shows, which helped make him one of the era’s top teen idols. “Venus” was re-recorded in 1976 as a disco version that briefly returned him to the Billboard charts.

Avalon originally wanted to record a more upbeat track, but his producer insisted he try this ballad — which became his signature song.

Just Dropped In was considered a psychedelic rock song written Mickey Newbury. Jerry Lee Lewis first recorded the song in May of 1967. But it was Kenny Rogers and The First Edition who released their version later that year and scored a #5 hit.

I don't believe Jerry Lee Lewis released his version as a single but it can be found on the album "Soul My Way".

Looking for more Jerry Lee Lewis? Check out the song Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On on my Songs From The 50s page.

Good Golly Miss Molly hit the airwaves in  in 1958 but was recorded two years prior in 1956 and appeared on Little Richard’s album Here’s Little Richard and became one of rock ’n’ roll’s foundational singles.

The track reached No. 4 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 10 on the pop chart. No video was produced, but Richard’s wild TV performances became legendary. Dozens of artists later covered it, including Creedence Clearwater Revival on their 1969 album Bayou Country.

The opening piano intro was inspired by Ike Turner’s playing style, which Little Richard openly admired.

The Blues Don't Mean A Thing released in the late 1950s, is one of Melvin Endsley’s lesser-known recordings and did not chart nationally.

It appeared on various country compilations featuring his songwriting work. With no music video, the song circulated mainly through radio play and Endsley’s live performances.

Very few recorded covers exist, making it more of a deep-catalog track.

Endsley wrote over 400 songs despite spending most of his life in a wheelchair due to polio — a fact that adds emotional weight to many of his performances.

Shama Lama Ding Dong is a fun song from the 1978 movie National Lampoon's Animal House. Mark Davis wrote it, and it was performed by a fictional band called Otis Day and the Knights. Although DeWayne Jessie played Otis Day in the film, the vocals were actually sung by Lloyd G. Williams, with Melvin Britt and Sidney Juston doing backing vocals.

The song was popular and won an award in 1995. John Mellencamp covered it in 1987, and it's also played by the band Goose. It's been recorded by different groups like the University of California Men's Octet and the Dartmouth Aires.

Let's Go hails to us from 1958 and later included on the posthumous 1959 album Ritchie. Although not released as a major U.S. single, it became popular with fans after Valens’ death and showcased his energetic rock-and-roll style.

No music video exists, but live clips of Valens performing upbeat numbers like this have helped preserve its appeal. Some garage-rock bands in the ’60s later covered the tune for regional releases.

Valens wrote the song during downtime on the Winter Dance Party tour, intending it as a lively concert piece.

Check out the song Donna on my 50s Love Songs On Guitar page.

It Was I was released in 1959 and became Skip & Flip’s breakout hit that appeared on later compilation albums since they never released a full studio LP during their chart years.

The single reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the charts for 15 weeks. No music video existed, though the duo appeared on several TV programs.

The song has been covered occasionally, including by Linda Ronstadt early in her career. Skip & Flip were actually college friends Gary Paxton and Clyde Battin — both later went on to influential careers, with Battin joining The Byrds in the 1970s.

Gee was released in 1953 and is considered one of the first true rock ’n’ roll records, predating Elvis by several years. The single reached No. 14 on the Billboard pop chart and No. 2 on the R&B chart, an impressive crossover for its time.

It was issued before albums were common for teenage acts, so it wasn’t tied to a studio LP. No video exists, but the song became a staple of doo-wop compilations and inspired covers by The Hollywood Flames and The Delltones.

The Crows were a neighborhood group from Harlem who recorded “Gee” almost as a joke — and it unexpectedly became one of the decade’s most influential records.