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  • the 1955 Bo Diddley song "Diddley Daddy" was originally called "Diddy Diddy Dum Dum," but the lyrics had to be rewritten in the studio for contractual reasons?

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Updated live from Wikipedia, last check: June 01, 2012 05:53 UTC (37 seconds ago)

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"Diddley Daddy"
Single by Bo Diddley
B-side "She's Fine, She's Mine"
Released June 1956
Format 7" single
Recorded 1955
Genre Rhythm and blues
Length 2:28
Label Checker Records 819[1]
Writer(s) Bo Diddley, Harvey Fuqua
Producer Leonard Chess
Bo Diddley singles chronology
"Bo Diddley"
(1955)		 "Diddley Daddy"
(1955)

"Diddley Daddy" is a song by Bo Diddley written in 1955[2] and issued on Checker Records[3] in June 1956.[1] It was Bo Diddley's second single, and followed on the heels of the success of "Bo Diddley." The song spent four weeks on the Billboard R&B chart in the summer of 1955,[4] peaking at #11.[5]

Contents

Writing and recording

The song was recorded on 10 May 1955 in Chicago. Originally called "Diddy Diddy Dum Dum,"[6] it started out as a Billy Boy Arnold composition, which Leonard Chess, owner of Chess Records (Checkers was a subsidiary label of Chess), had heard Arnold play and wanted Diddley to record. However, Arnold had just signed a contract with Vee-Jay Records, and had recorded the song the day before at Universal Studios. When Chess wanted Arnold to sing the song, the latter realized he had a contract, responding, "I can't do it...I just recorded it for Vee-Jay." Chess responded, "Goddam! Ain't this a bitch!" A solution, however, was found on the spot: Diddley and Harvey Fuqua, who happened to be around, rewrote the lyrics.[7]

As it happened, the harmonica player Little Walter was in the studio, and he asked Billy Boy Arnold for his harp; Walter plays the long solo after the first verse (Arnold plays harmonica on the B-side, "She's Fine, She's Mine"). Also decided at "the spur of the moment" was to have Chicago doo-wop group The Moonglows sing background vocals,[7] singing the words from the original title, "'diddle diddle daddy' and 'diddle diddle dum dum.'"[8]

Critical praise

One of Bo Diddley's signature songs, "Diddley Daddy" evidenced Diddley's maturation process as an artist.[9] It was described as a "terrific nugget"[3] and an "infectuous" "upbeat rocker."[10] The Chicago Sun-Times said it combined "outrageous braggadocio with a beat that resounds like an endless sexual shudder."[11]

Marking Diddley's popularity in England, the Rolling Stones, who early in their career often played Diddley songs live,[12] covered the song (along with Diddley's "Road-Runner") on their first demo, recorded on 11 March 1963.[13][14]

Bo Diddley, Diddley Daddy

The title of the song has come to stand for Bo Diddley himself, as evidenced from articles about Diddley by Val Wilmer[15] and Stuart Colman.[16] After Diddley's death, in 2008, the phrase directly referred to Diddley in various obituaries;[17] the usage reflected Diddley's habit of self-reference[18] as well as the way others talked about him, such as Tom Petty: "Elvis is King. But Diddley is Daddy."[19]

Reissues

A Bo Diddley compilation CD issued in 1988 is also called Diddley Daddy.[20]

Personnel

Notable covers

References

  1. ^ a b c Strong, Martin Charles (2002). The great rock discography. The National Academies. p. 302. ISBN 9781841953120. http://books.google.com/books?id=eyvXOydfVt8C&pg=PT302.  
  2. ^ Braunstein, Bill (1980-01-06). "Do Diddleg, Do Diddley, where you been?". Chicago Tribune: p. G.18. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/622830732.html?dids=622830732:622830732&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jan+06%2C+1980&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Do+Diddleg%2C+Do+Diddley%2C+where+you+been%3F&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-12-10.  
  3. ^ a b Loder, Kurt (1987-02-12). "Bo Diddley: The Rolling Stone Interview". Rolling Stone: p. F.2. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/21023405/bo_diddley_the_rolling_stone_interview/2. Retrieved 2009-12-10.  
  4. ^ Pruter, Robert (1996). Doowop: the Chicago scene. University of Illinois Press. p. 72. ISBN 9780252065064. http://books.google.com/books?id=j06dhDdsgioC&pg=PA1956-IA2&dq=%22Diddley+Daddy%22&cd=9#v=onepage&q=%22Diddley%20Daddy%22&f=false.  
  5. ^ "Bo Diddley: Rhythm 'n' blues guitarist who was a formative influence on the development of rock 'n' roll". The Telegraph. 2008-06-02. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/2066171/Bo-Diddley.html. Retrieved 2009-12-13.  
  6. ^ Living Blues 113-118: 27. 1994.  
  7. ^ a b c Glover, Tony; Scott Dirks, Ward Gaines (2002). Blues with a feeling: the Little Walter story. Routledge. pp. 147-48. ISBN 9780415937115. http://books.google.com/books?id=iAT94AFnA1gC&pg=RA1-PA148.  
  8. ^ Weinraub, Bernard (2003-02-16). "Pioneer of a Beat Is Still Riffing for His Due". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/16/arts/music/16ROCK-MUSIC.html?pagewanted=5. Retrieved 2009-12-13.  
  9. ^ Dalton, David; Lenny Kaye (1999). Rock 100: the greatest stars of rock's golden age. Cooper Square Press. p. 23. ISBN 9780815410171.  
  10. ^ a b Roos, John (1998-06-13). "Better Off Dread: Chris Isaak's Gift Is Pain". Los Angeles Times: p. F.2. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/30170876.html?dids=30170876:30170876&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+13%2C+1998&author=JOHN+ROOS&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=POP+MUSIC+REVIEW%3B+Better+Off+Dread%3A+Chris+Isaak%27s+Gift+Is+Pain&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-12-10.  
  11. ^ Mcleese, Don (1986-09-12). "Diddley Spurs Trip to Heart of Rock Jungle". Chicago Sun-Times: p. 3. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB36D21E77A19BD&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2009-12-10.  
  12. ^ Paytress, Mark (2003). The Rolling Stones: off the record. Omnibus Press. p. 31. ISBN 9780711988699. http://books.google.com/books?id=toSbe1xQxToC&pg=PA31.  
  13. ^ a b Wyman, Bill; Ray Coleman (1997). Bill Wyman, Stone alone: the story of a rock 'n' roll band. Da Capo Press. p. 123. ISBN 9780306807831. http://books.google.com/books?id=Zi79b9a2o0sC&pg=PA123.  
  14. ^ a b Stout, Gene (1986-02-07). "Bo Diddley Keeps Rock Rolling Along Path He Blazed Years Ago". Seattle Post-Intelligencer: p. 9. http://www.seattlepi.com/archives/1986/8601030848.asp. Retrieved 2009-12-10.  
  15. ^ Wilmer, Valerie (1979-05-06). "The Grand Diddley Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll". The Observer.  
  16. ^ Stuart Colman, "Bo Diddley: The Diddley Daddy," in They Kept on Rockin'; The Giants of Rock 'n' Roll. Poole: Blandfort. 1982. pp. 73-82.  
  17. ^ "Diddley Daddy: Rock Pioneer Fathered More Than a Beat". Washington Times. 2008-06-06. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=121263AB7744DD60&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2009-12-10.  
  18. ^ Larkin, Colin (1995). The Guinness encyclopedia of popular music, Volume 2. Guinness. p. 162. ISBN 9781561591763.  
  19. ^ "Rockers mourn Diddley the Daddy". The Standard. 2008-06-04. http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=18&art_id=66740&sid=19190512&con_type=1. Retrieved 2009-12-10.  
  20. ^ Strong 303.
  21. ^ Strong, Martin Charles; John Peel (2004). The great rock discography. Cannongate. p. 743. ISBN 9781841956152. http://books.google.com/books?id=_WoRAPJQ58sC&pg=PA743.  
  22. ^ Strong 841.







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