BOB DYLAN JUKEBOX STRIPS

    Jukeboxes are partially automated music-playing devices, usually a coin-operated machine, that plays a patron's selection from self-contained media: a 7" single in the 1960s-1990s. The classic jukebox had buttons, with letters and numbers on them, which, when one of each group entered after each other, were used to select a specific record.
     They were installed in the bars and cafés, allowing patrons to play their own musical choices.
     Apart from the main device, wallboxes, fixed on the walls, were an important and profitable part of any jukebox installation. Serving as a remote control, they enabled to select tunes from a table or booth.
     In 1950 the Seeburg Corporation introduced an all 45 rpm vinyl record jukebox. The records inside the jukebox were most of the time not commercial copies, but specific pressings, sometimes featuring two different artists on one single.

    
Wurlitzer Zodiac 3500 (1971), with its songs strips, and internal workings of the jukebox.

 

     The JUKE BOX STRIPS, made of thick paper, show the name of the artist and song: they were slipped into notches to be easily replaced when the record inside the jukebox was changed. There were jukebox strips in the main device and on each wallbox on the walls.
     They are now rare and quite collectible items.

    Most of the scans below come from searchingforagem.com, the invaluable mine of information for Bob Dylan officially released material. Visit for full details on the jukebox singles.

    Thank you to Jürgen Wasser for the great scans from his collection, and for the idea of this page.

 

USA, March 1962, The Midnight Special (Harry Belafonte), Seeburg

'Little LP' juke box strip and mini picture 1965, USA, 'Bringing it All Back Home, Stereo Little LP', Columbia.
A double page of 20 jukebox strips and six mini pictures of the front sleeve of the album was attached on the cover of this 'Special Coin Operator Release', made available to juke box operators only.
(information searchingforagem.com)

     
May 1965, France, CBS. The strip was part of the back cover of the pic-sleeve single CBS 1904,
and had to be cut off from it.

    In the USA, there were two major printers of Jukebox Strips: Star Title Co., Inc., in Pittsburg, PA, and Sterling Title Strip Co., Inc., in Newark, N.J; The record distributors bough them in bulk to the printers, and they came with the records.
    Star Title's producion had a star before and after the artist's name, most of their strips being orange and black. Sterling Strips generally had arrows pointing inward to the artist's name, and used different colours according to the music style: green for Country Music, blue for Rhythm & Blues, orange for Easy Listening, red for Pop/Rock and lavender for Oldies.
    Today, printing softwares allow to make your own home made Jukebox strips, and many brand new ones are sold on the Internet: they are not presented here. The items below are all vintage, 1960s-1990s.

July 1965, USA, Star Title, variants #1	July 1965, USA, Hit, Sterling Title Strip
July 1965, USA, Star Title, variants #2

September 1965, USA, Star Title

     
October 1965, France. The strip was part of the back cover
of the pic-sleeve single CBS 1962, and had to be cut off from it.

12 November 1965, Italy, Juke Box Service

22 March 1966, USA, Hit, Sterling Title Strip

September 1966, Italy, Juke Box Service

1st July 1969, USA, Sterling Title Strip Columbia 4-44926

      
1st July 1969, USA, Star Title, Columbia 44926
Thank you to Jürgen Wasser

1969, France, C.O.G.E.D.E.P.

19 November 1969, USA, Star Title Thank you to Jürgen Wasser	19 November 1969, USA, Sterling Title Strip, variant purple #1
19 November 1969, USA, Sterling Title Strip, variant purple #2	1969, USA, 'Hit Adult' Sterling Title Strip Thank you to Jürgen Wasser

1970, Italy, with mispelled Wigwam

6 July 1970, USA, Sterling Title Strip

June 1971, USA, Sterling Title Strip

June 1971, USA, Star Title

9 September 1971, Italy, 'Servizio Juke Box'

1971, Italy, 'Servizio Juke Box'

12 November 1971, USA, Sterling Title Strip

1973, USA, Star Title

1973, USA, Sterling Title Strip

1973, USA, Sterling Title Strip 'Hit Pop'

25 April 1973, USA, Hit Oldy, "Hall Of Fame", Sterling Title Strip 

September 1973,  Sterling Title Strip

   
September 1973, USA, Hit Pop, Sterling Title Strip

September 1973, USA, Star Title

1973, Italy, 'Servizio Juke Box'

1973, USA, All Time Hits, Sterling Title Strip (?)

1973, USA Hit Oldy, "Hall Of Fame", Sterling Title Strip

1973, USA Hit Oldy "Hall Of Fame", Sterling Title Strip

1973, USA, Hit Oldy, Sterling Title Strip

1973, USA, Hit Oldy "Hall Of Fame", Sterling Title Strip

1974, USA, Hit Oldy, "Hall Of Fame", Sterling Title Strip

1974, USA, Sterling Title Strip

1974, USA, Sterling Title Strip

1974, USA

1974, Italy, 'Tuttosole'

1974, Italy, Sapar

February 1975, USA, Star Title Strip

November 1975, USA, Sterling Title Strip

November 1975, USA

January 1976, Italy

February 1976, USA, Sterling Title Strip set

November 1976, USA, Star Title

November 1976, USA, Sterling Title Strip

November 1976, USA, Hit Oldy, "Hall Of Fame", Sterling Title Strip

1976, USA, "Hall Of Fame", Sterling Title Strip

   
31 July 1978, USA, Sterling Title Strip

December 1978, Italy, Festival Albar 78, Bob Dylan / Ana Y Johnny

December 1978, Italy, Festival Albar 78, Bob Dylan / The Sunshine Band

1979, France, France Disques

1979, Italy (CIAO 2001)

August 1979, USA, Sterling Title Strip

August 1979, USA, Sterling Title Strip

August 1979, USA, Star Title

March 1980, USA, Sterling Title Strip

September 1980, Italy (CIAO 2001)

September 1981, USA, Sterling Title Strip

1981, France, France Disques

1983, USA, Sterling Title Strip

November 1983, CBS 'The Family Of Music'.
The B side actually plays Isis,
live from the movie RENALDO & CLARA

1st June 1984, USA, Sterling Title Strip

1985, USA, Sterling Title Strip

1985, USA, Sterling Title Strip

1985, Italy, Saint-Vincent, Disco Estate '85

1985, Malaysia

1980s (late), USA, Hit Oldy, Sterling Title Strip

1988, USA, Sterling Title Strip
Thank you to Jürgen Wasser

October 1990, Italy. Unbelievable actually plays Born In Time!

October 1990, Italy

1997, USA, 'Classic Hit', Sterling Title Strip	1997, USA, 'Classic Hit', Sterling Title Strip
1997, USA, 'Classic Hit', Sterling Title Strip	1997, USA, 'Classic Hit', Sterling Title Strip