Few can do so much with so little, he is the only guitarist with a beat linked to his name, the bo diddley beat, as fundamental to the history of rock as his friend chuck berry s intros. Music of the sixties whats bugging you cracking up bo. Music educator and author michael campbell describes the bo diddley beat as. The small band was augmented in the chess studios by willie dixon, otis spann, little walter, the moonglows and the flamingoes. Bo diddley, dearest darling, hush your mouth, say boss man, diddley daddy, diddy wah diddy, who do you love. Example 121 cd 2 tracks 8 and 9 example 122 cd 2 tracks 10 and 11 title. December 30, 1928 june 2, 2008, known by his stage name bo diddley, was an american rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter usually as ellas mcdaniel, and rock and roll pioneer. The legendary bo diddley beatthe signature that made him famous nearly. Buddy holly s not fade away 1957 and thems mystic eyes 1965 used the beat. When i point this out, he cracks, im smarter than the average bear. In 1944, rum and coca cola, containing the bo diddley beat, was recorded by the andrews sisters.
Bo diddley, who died yesterday at 79, was a swaggering blues belter. He is cited as a key figure in the transition of blues into rock and roll, by introducing more insistent, driving rhythms and a harderedged guitar sound. The penultimate track is the early bo diddley classic crackin up from the go bo diddley album. There was, of course, more to bo diddley than that one rhythm.
Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. The indestructible beat of bo diddley rolling stone. Check out bo diddley s beach party by bo diddley on amazon music. In 1964, the rolling stones made the beat heavier for their version, making it. Crackin up lyrics verse 1 you always holling about wherever i been. One of diddleys bestknown songs was an anthem he composed for himself, he named after himself, and that used a syncopated rhythm that became synonymous with his name. Crackin up is the opening song of go bo diddley, the second album by rock and roll pioneer bo diddley, released in july 1959. Bo diddleys beach party by bo diddley on amazon music. Paul mccartney recorded crackin up in 1987 for inclusion on his choba b cccp album.
How the bo diddley beat influenced decades of rock music. For diddley everything is in the rhythm and the guitar becomes a percussion tool that stays etched in memory. Diddley s hypnotic rhythmic attack and declamatory, boasting vocals stretched back as far as africa for their roots, and looked as far into the future as rap. The bo diddley beat is a syncopated musical rhythm that is widely used in rock and roll and pop music. Vinyl 7 bo diddley crackin up the great grandfather 1959, vinyl discogs. Ellas mcdaniel, known as bo diddley, was an american singer, guitarist, songwriter and music producer who played a key role in the transition from the blues.
A rhythm used in blues and rock and roll music, made famous by bo diddley, the artist for whom it is named. Bo diddley was born ellas mcdaniel in mccomb, mississippi. In this lesson youll learn a famous double time strum made famous by blues guitarist bo diddley. Bo diddley tabs, chords, guitar, bass, ukulele chords, power tabs and guitar pro tabs including im a man, bo diddley, road runner, before you accuse me, who do you love. Crackin up this song is by billy f gibbons and appears on the album the big bad blues. Bo diddley before you accuse me bo diddley bo diddley bo diddley crackin up bo diddley hey bo diddley bo diddley im a man bo diddley mona bo diddley pretty thing bo diddley the story of bo diddley bo diddley who do you love bo diddley. He immortalized the bo diddley beat and was copied by everyone from buddy holly to the rolling stones. Only one song, the protorap novelty tune say man 1959, ever cracked billboards top 20. Turn up the house lights is an amazing live album of his concert at the 1989 trans musicales festival in rennes, france, with fabulous backing band. The legendary bo diddley beat the signature that made him famous. New york seeing bo diddley perform in a small club in 1998 is the. A b e e a b yeah, yeah, you cracking up verse 2 e a b e e a b i do your laundry and your cooking, too e a b e e a b what for a woman, can a man like me.
He is cited as a key figure in the transition of blues into rock and roll, by introducing more. The beat is named after rhythm and blues musician bo diddley, who introduced and popularized the beat with his selftitled debut single, bo diddley, in 1955. Bo diddley, original name ellas bates, later ellas mcdaniel, born december 30, 1928, mccomb, mississippi, u. Named after its mississippiborn creator singerguitarist bo diddley the diddley beat is the most unique of all rocks many bluesbased rhythms. Bo diddley 1958 bo diddley, im a man, bring it to jerome, before you accuse me, hey. Bo diddley live in concert stockholm whats bugging you cracking up. He derived it from earlier rhythmic traditions, in particular caribbean folk songs and cuban rumba dance music in reflection of this influence, a lot of the songs youll hear with this beat use maracas, and a lot of tomtoms, and the similar rhythmic device they sometimes employed known. Read these posts if youd like some background information on my idea. Some of his most famous songs such as crackin up, covered by the rolling stones didnt even use it. The bo diddley beat is prominent in this first song he recorded at chess, with heavilytremeloed. Compilation of various songs built around the cuban time signature called clave, introduced into western popular music i. And i thought that was the funniest word in my life, i just cracked up.
The bo diddley drum beat is the last of the 6 beats that i think can be used to play every one of the most popular rock, pop and country songs over the past 50 years. One night jimmy morrison thought about killing himself, but then bo diddley came on the radio, singing crackin up a jokey song about being nuts. Bo diddleys beach party was released on the pie international label in december 1963 and its code is npl 28032. Maybellene is a country song sped up, says george thorogood, who has. And, of course, the bo diddley beat itself is now probably the most famous. Diddley beat, with dave johnson providing thunderous drumming, nunzio. Ellas otha bates december 30, 1928 june 2, 2008, known by his stage name bo diddley, was an american rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter usually as.
Chuck berry two great guitars full album vintage music songs vintage music songs. The next single crackin up bw the great grandfather was released in may. Bo was brought up by women all around him, and he was. How to play the bo diddley drum beat learn drums now.
Bo diddley, who has died aged 79, was belatedly acknowledged as one of the most widelycopied pioneers of rocknroll music, but he didnt bother to. Just two years after bo diddley, buddy holly reinterpreted the songs rhythm for his hit not fade away. Bo diddley showed up at his funeral, and brother, from that day on it was. Bo diddley, 79, a grandfather of rock music the new york sun.
Hearing the bo diddley beat in everything soundfly. He had the bo diddley type of rhythm, the hambone rhythm on a guitar. He was also known as the originator because of his key role in the transition from the blues to rock. The value of bo diddleys seminal beat to the history of rocknroll is undeniable. Diddley steps up to the washtub bass and begins picking at. In songs like bo diddley, who do you love, mona, crackin up, say, man, ride on josephine and road runner, his booming voice was loaded up with echo and. Bo diddley was born ellas bates on sunday december 30, 1928, on a small farm near the town of mccomb, mississippi, in rural pike county, close to the louisiana border, the only child of ethel wilson and eugene bates, he had three halfbrothers and a halfsister. In fact, this beat has appeared in some of the most memorable popular music of the 20th century. The album was bo s first studio album and his first lp for checker records. Diddley s beat babomps into the 21st century the blues icon died monday at 79, but his signature sound marches on. Go bo diddley was released two months later in july.
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