Monday, June 02, 2008

Rest in peace: Bo Diddley, 1928 - 2008


Bo Diddley
Originally uploaded by Da Nes
Walked 47 miles of barbed wire,
Used a cobra snake for a neck tie.
Got a brand new house on the roadside,
Made out of rattlesnake hide.
I got a brand new chimney made on top,
Made out of human skulls.
Now come on darling let's take a little walk, tell me,
Who do you love,
Who do you love, Who do you love, Who do you love.

Arlene took me by the hand,
And said oooh eeeh daddy I understand.
Who do you love,
Who do you love, Who do you love, Who do you love.
The night was black and the night was blue,
And around the corner an ice wagon flew.
A bump was a hittin' lord and somebody screamed,
You should have heard just what I seen.
Who do you love, Who do you love, Who do you love, Who do you love.

Arleen took me by my hand, she said Ooo-ee Bo you know I understand
I got a tombstone hand and a graveyard mind,
I lived long enough and I ain't scared of dying.

1 comment:

Robert E Trudeau said...

Writes Bruce Flett in his Bluebirds newsletter:

"I don't know, but I've been told, Bo Diddley put the ROCK in Rock n Roll.

The Bluebirds had the honor of backing up Bo at the ol' Cowboys club about 1990. Buddy and his Nashville 'Birds backed him up at BB Kings club in Memphis in 1992. A great guy, friendly, always had this "cool" about him that was kind of ..comical, but cool.

AND when you rehearsed with him, he would be on DRUMS playing the beat he wanted, and damdest thing, it WASN"t the "Bo Diddley" beat, more of a straight rock backbeat.....the GUITAR rhythm (that he played during the SHOW) was the famous "BEAT" . Don't forget Jerome's contribution to the early Bo Diddley Band...he was the maracca player and dancer upfront; Mick Jagger was influenced by him. Bo on Ed Sullivan and early tv shows was Bo, Jerome, and a drummer.

When Creedence played Hirsch here about 1971 BO opened up. There were no chairs on the floor; everybody danced. Some idiot threw a beer bottle at him, and that was the end of his set. Then Creedence comes on - a 3 piece - and John Fogerty and the Creedence rhythm section kept everybody dancing.

Bo Diddley songs recorded by others:
Before You Accuse Me.......Eric Clapton, CCR
I'm a Man........the Yardbirds(jeff Beck on guitar)
Can't Judge a Book by lookin at the cover.......Rolling Stones
Not Fade Away....written by Buddy Holly w/a Bo Diddley beat, the Stones' first hit and it sounded even more BoDiddleyish. Jagger on morrocas, Brian Jones on harmonica.
Who Do You Love George Thorogood, Quicksilver messinger Service
Hey Bo Diddley the Animals..........thats a great one......great 'rap' by Eric Burdon in it.
I'm a Road Runner Jerry Beach, Microwave Dave, countless bar bands
(Hey)Mona Rolling Stones."