Bo Diddley

Album: Bo Diddley Box Set (1955)
Play Video
  • Bo diddley bought his babe a diamond ring
    If that diamond ring don't shine
    He gonna take it to a private eye
    If that private eye can't see
    He'd better not take the ring from me

    Bo diddley caught a nanny goat
    To make his pretty baby a Sunday coat
    Bo diddley caught a bear cat
    To make his pretty baby a Sunday hat

    Mojo come to my house, ya black cat bone
    Take my baby away from home
    Ugly ole mojo, where ya bin
    Up your house, and gone again

    Bo diddley, bo diddley have you heard?
    My pretty baby said she wasn't for it Writer/s: Ellas McDaniel
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 17

  • Michael Bostick from Hobbs NmI saw bo diddly in Lubbock tx in1957; he was great perfor I am 81 years young and still listen to his beat
  • Patrick Spencer from Eastwood, Nottinghamthis was one of the first records I ever bought in 1963 . I thought it was marvelous then and i still do at the age of 72 .
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 29th 1963, a package tour with headliners the Everly Brothers, Little Richard, & Bo Diddley began a 36 day U.K. tour at the New Victoria Theatre in London, England...
    The opening act was five lads going by the name, The Rolling Stones, and this was their debut nationwide tour...
    At the time Bo Diddley's self-titled album was at #17 on the U.K. Top Albums chart; and fifteen days later on October 13th his single "Pretty Thing" would peak at #34 on the U.K. Singles chart...
    Earlier in 1963 on July 7th Buddy Holly's covered version of "Bo Diddley" would peak at #4 {for 1 week} on the U.K. Singles chart.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 16th 1975, Bo Diddley performed "Bo Diddley" on the NBC-TV program 'The Midnight Special'*...
    Exactly twenty years earlier on May 16th, 1955 the song was at #3 on Billboard's R&B Best Sellers in Stores chart; the following week it would peak at #2 {for 1 week}, the week it was at #2 the #1 record was "Unchained Melody" by Roy Hamilton...
    On the same 'TMS' show he also performed "Crackin' Up"; in 1959 it would peak at #62 on the Top 100 and stay on the chart for 5 weeks...
    Bo Diddley, born Ellas Otha Bates, passed away on June 2nd, 2008 at the age of 79...
    May he R.I.P.
    * The show's theme for this episode was a 'retro tribute' to pop acts of the late 1950s and early 1960s; but Mr. Diddley was certainly no pop act.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyAs stated above, Mr. Diddley was supposed to perform "Sixteen Tons"; as a result an angered Mr. Sullivan banned him from future appearances on the show...
    On the same Sullivan show, LaVern Baker performed "Tweedlee Dee" {it reached #14 on the Top 100}, and the Five Keys did "Ling Ting Tong" {which peaked at #5 on the R&B chart}.
  • Mark from Los Angeles, Ca"Let's Take A Walk" (1960) by the Crescendos of "Oh Julie" fame also utilized a Bo Diddley beat along with chorus singing a la the Crickets' "Not Fade Away". It got some regional airplay in New York that year.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyBruce Springsteen performed the song in concert on 9-2-1995 in Cleveland, Ohio...
  • Glenn from Mentor, OhThe 1960's british R&B band The Pretty Things used this riff on many songs, most notably "Get Yourself Home". They named themselves after the tune "Pretty Thing", composed by Willie Dixon but popularized by Bo Diddley.
  • Ralph from Newton, MaI shook his hand once as he was returning to the stage for his encore. It was some time in the early 90's at "House of Blues" in Boston. I ran to the head after he left the stage for the first time. He was coming in the back door, band and entourage following, and I stuck out my hand and said "great show." He kept his head down and didn't say anything but shook my hand and kept walking. Great show. Great rocker.

    Bo is the balls.
  • Irishcougar from Chicago , IlJust as a side note about this awesome man, Bo Diddley has a small appearance in the movie "Trading Places", which starred Eddie Murphy and Dan Ackrowyd. There's a scene where after they've been switched, Dan's character, the rich white guy, gets desperate and goes into a pawn shop to sell his very pricey watch. He gets $50 bucks for it and ends up also buying a gun.....and the highly suspcious pawn shop owner is none other than Bo Diddley! Check out the credits! He's actually pretty funny. He says more with his raised eyebrows than 2 pages of dialogue.
  • Don from Newmarket, CanadaThe Who's Magic Bus also uses the Bo Beat.
  • Rick from San Juan, United StatesEllie Greenwich and Jeff Barry used the Bo Diddley beat in the instrumental bridge of The Raindrops' 1963 hit "The Kind Of Boy You Can't Forget".
  • Rick from San Juan, United StatesPaul Simon also used the Bo Diddley beat for his 1962 Tico & The Triumphs single "Wild Flower" on Amy 835.
  • Kevin from Canada, CanadaTo name a song after yourself and invent a beat to use is amazing. Bo Diddly was the first scary Balck man that parents feared would corrupt their children.
  • Jude from Thomasville, GaI knew that Brian May built his own guitar, but I didn't know Bo Diddley did. I think that's awesome, to care that much about the music. I also know Brian's guitar is electric, because his dad is an electrical engineer and he helped build it. Is Bo Diddley's guitar acoustic or electric? I'd really like to know.
  • Tommy from Balen, BelgiumU2's Desire and The Stooges' 1969 are also based on the Bo Diddley Riff
  • Roddy from Southampton, EnglandBo Diddley, as well as Brian May from Queen, used guitars that they'd made themselves.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.

Eagles Lyrics Quiz

Eagles Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

Lots of life lessons in these Eagles lyrics - can you match them to the correct song?

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?Fact or Fiction

Bradley Cooper, Michael J. Fox, Rami Malek, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and George Clooney: Which actors really sang in their movies?

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.