On This Day in 1991, Alan Jackson Was at No. 1 With a Song He Rerecorded With Alvin & the Chipmunks

On this day (July 10) in 1991, Alan Jackson was in the middle of a three-week run at the top of the Hot Country Songs chart with “Don’t Rock the Jukebox.” Later that year, the song won Single of the Year at the ACM Awards. The LP of the same name took Album of the Year. In 1992, Jackson joined Alvin & the Chipmunks on a rendition of the hit for their album Chipmunks in Low Places.

Jackson released “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” in late April 1991 as the lead single from his sophomore album. It climbed the country chart relatively quickly, beginning its three-week run at the summit in early July. Jackson co-wrote the track with Roger Murrah and Keith Stegall after he and his band’s bassist had a back-and-forth during a break between sets at a small venue in Georgia.

[RELATED: 5 Timeless Alan Jackson Songs That Aren’t “Chattahoochee”]

“It’d been a long night. I took a break and walked over to the jukebox. Roger, my bass player, was already over there reading the records,” Jackson recounts in the official music video. “I leaned up on the corner of it, and one of the legs was broken off,” he added. The jukebox tilted due to its missing leg. Roger then looked at him and spoke the song’s opening line, having no idea he’d just inspired a major hit.

Alan Jackson and Alvin & the Chipmunks Was a Strange Combo

In 1992, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” was one of a handful of country hits that appeared on Chipmunks in Low Places. The LP didn’t just have Alvin and the Chipmunks covering country tunes around a storyline, though. It also included cameos from Billy Ray Cyrus (“Achy Breaky Heart”), Aaron Tippin (“There Ain’t Nothing Wrong with the Radio), Tammy Wynette (“Stand by Your Man”), Charlie Daniels (“Brothers and Old Boots”), Waylon Jennings (“Outlaws”), and Alan Jackson. Despite its title, the album doesn’t feature Garth Brooks or “Friends in Low Places.”

Unfortunately, Jackson doesn’t sing with the vocally talented rodent. Instead, they share some banter before the song starts and after Alvin rocks (and breaks) the jukebox. You can hear the result of the odd collaboration below.

Featured Image by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

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