"Juke Box Saturday Night" is a song written by Al Stillman and Paul McGrane that was recorded by

Glenn Miller Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Arm ...

and his Orchestra in 1942 on

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...

with vocals by Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke, and

The Modernaires The Modernaires was an American vocal group, best known for performing in the 1940s alongside Glenn Miller. Career The Modernaires began in 1934 as "Don Juan, Two and Three," a trio of schoolmates from Lafayette High School in Buffalo, New Y ...

. The song was from the 1942 production ''Stars on Ice''. The Glenn Miller recording peaked at #7 on the ''Billboard'' pop singles chart in 1942.

Background

The song was first recorded on July 15, 1942 in Chicago by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra on RCA Victor. The 78 single was released in October, 1942, peaking at #7 on the ''Billboard'' pop singles chart. The B side was "Sleepy Town Train", recorded the following day. The Stars on Ice cast did the first live performance on July 2, 1942. Glenn Miller was one of the top-selling musical performers of the 1940s whose recordings were in every jukebox in America. "By the early 1940s, a third of all records played on American jukeboxes were Glenn Miller recording." The song highlights three top big band leaders of the era,

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His co ...

, Kay Kyser, and

. There are also tributes to

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

and The Ink Spots, whose styles are invoked.

Cover versions

*"Juke Box Saturday Night" was later covered by

Nino and the Ebb Tides Nino and the Ebb Tides were a doo-wop musical group based in the Bronx, New York, formed in 1956. Their first recording, ''Franny Franny'' (credited to "The Ebb Tides"), was the result of meeting talent scout Murray Jacobs in 1957 and was widel ...

, whose version charted at #57 on Billboard's Top 100 on September 4, 1961. This was an updated version of the 1942 song in a rock and roll style. *

recorded a version in 1946 on

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

featuring Paula Kelly with

Mitchell Ayres Mitchell Ayres (December 24, 1909 – September 5, 1969) was an orchestra leader, music arranger, composer and performer. He is best known for his many years of work with Perry Como on radio, records, and television and as the musical condu ...

. A

soundie Soundies are three-minute American musical films, and each short displays a performance. The shorts were produced between 1940 and 1946 and have been referred to as "precursors to music videos" by UCLA. Soundies exhibited a variety of musical gen ...

was also filmed in 1944 featuring Harriet Clark on vocals with The Modernaires: Tommy Morgan, Hal Dickinson, Fran Scott, and Ralph Brewster."Jukebox Saturday Night". Versions. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
/ref> The Modernaires also released an updated version of the song entitled "New Juke Box Saturday Night" in 1953 on Coral Records with

George Cates George Cates (October 19, 1911 – May 10, 2002) was an American music arranger, conductor, songwriter and record executive known for his work with Lawrence Welk and his orchestra. Biography Born and raised in New York City, New York, United ...

. * Teresa Brewer recorded the song in 1983. * Winifred Atwell recorded the song in 1960. * Carol Burnett performed the song as part of a medley with the cast of '' The Carol Burnett Show'' with Harvey Korman and Vicki Lawrence on show #917 which aired on January 10, 1976 on CBS. * Sha Na Na performed the Nino and the Ebbtides version on their eponymous syndicated TV show Sha Na Na in the 1970s. *In 1985, The Maxwellaires recorded the song.

References

{{authority control Songs about jukeboxes 1942 songs Glenn Miller songs 1940s songs Pop standards