Bo Diddley: dead on the 2nd

[JoeHova]

I just heard Bo Diddley died yesterday. I know Bo was old, but the news still makes me sad. Apropos to the discussion we had in the "Amen Break" thread, Bo was heavily influenced by artists who preceded him, but his influence on those who came later is pretty much incalculable. A lot of people may know him best from his funny role in the Bo Jackson "Bo Knows" campaign, but he was so much more than that.

 

Bo's first album (which came out in 1957), appropriately titled "Bo Diddley", is an album in the 50s and early 60s sense: a collection of a couple years worth of singles. However, all 12 songs are excellent. The first track is "Bo Diddley", one of the most influential songs ever, featuring a "shave and a haircut" style rhythm. If you haven't heard this song, you've got to get onto iTunes or Amazon and download it. The 2nd song on the album is "I'm A Man", which is perhaps the tune most people think of when they think of the blues. The song was influenced by Muddy Waters' songs "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" and "She Moves Me", but was subsequently covered by Muddy himself. He altered it a bit to be a response to Bo's version. George Thorogood and AC/DC both recorded very popular songs that are basically the same, but feature different lyrics.

 

Those 2 songs were the a-side and b-side of Bo's first single, released in March 1955. I feel that it is arguably the strongest single of all-time, though it failed to chart on the main Billboard chart.

 

The other 10 songs on Bo's debut are also excellent. The album as a whole is very strong, likely better than any (non-greatest hits) album by fellow rock progenitors like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, etc. (though "Chuck Berry Is On Top" would have a case). The highlight among the other 10 is probably "Who Do You Love", another much covered classic.

 

Bo's 2nd album, "Go Bo Diddley", followed the next year and featured his only Top 40 hit, "Say Man". The Journal Sentinel (in their obituary) claimed he had no top 40 hits, but that is incorrect as far as I know. I believe it charted at #20 sometime in 1959. "Say Man" is a spoken word piece that features Bo and his maraca player (Jerome Green) insulting each other in a playful manner (sometimes called ranking, snaps, the dozens, etc.). The background music is impeccable, of course, and the song is very enjoyable, as is the rest of the album.

 

another of Bo's most important songs is "Road Runner" (also known as "Roadrunner"), which appeared in 1960 on his 4th album, "Bo Diddley in the Spotlight". This song influenced everyone from Jonathan Richman to Jr. Walker to The Who. Richman and Walker didn't record direct covers, but there versions were clearly influenced thematically, lyrically and musically by Bo's version.

 

Bo also recorded some serviceable comeback material in the '90s. I'm partial to "That Mule" from "A Man Amongst Men".

 

Bo is a guy who, like James Brown, despite being old when he died, I still felt a lot of sadness about his passing. They had a quote in the JS from one of Bo's old compatriots that I thought summed things up nicely: "A guy like Bo, you think he's eternal. And, of course, his music is." I think some people really seem almost immortal because of their influence and when they die, no matter how old they are, it is a blow. Bo was one of those guys for me. I've been listening to his songs non-stop since I heard that he died. I recommend that anybody else who has one (or more) of his records play it, and play it loud, as a small tribute to Bo.

[craigharmann]

Say it ain't so!!!! Rest in peace, Bo. One of the best blues guitarists to ever grace this planet. Heck, one of the best guitarists ever to grace this planet. The world is a lesser place without him.

[Teatoe993]

I heard the news yesterday as well. Don't know what to say other than I was a huge fan of Bo's music. And I am really glad to be able to say that I saw this legend perform in the flesh. Looks like I'll be listening to the Chess Box today. Maybe I'll even tune down my guitar to G too.

[homer]

He had a bit part in Trading Places too.

[TooLiveBrew]

Those 2 songs were the a-side and b-side of Bo's first single, released in March 1955. I feel that it is arguably the strongest single of all-time, though it failed to chart on the main Billboard chart.

 

Probably didn't have anything to do with his skin color.

Sorry to post late, but this is indeed sad news. Don't know what else to say... the man is a legend.

[Fatter than Joey]

Probably didn't have anything to do with his skin color.

 

It didn't -- People in 1955 were stupid and listened to crappy music. The charts were dominated by the "Sisters" groups, and orchestrated songs by Mitch Miller.

There were coma inducing groups like the Platters that charted well in the mid 50s and were African-American.

 

Early rock was classified as R&B, and was dominated by Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Bo Diddley.