Asymmetric Music

The Chess Box

When people discuss Bo Diddley's music, as many did after his death earler this year, they either talk about his influence on later artists or the influence on him of African and Cuban music. Bo Diddley's output, however, is wonderful in its own right; distinctive, with several all-time Rock and Roll songs such as I'm a Man and You Can't Judge a Book by it's Cover and some gems with which few casual Rock and Roll fans, tragically, are familiar.

From the pre-soul period, and, therefore not much influenced by gospel, but not quite blues, all of his songs combine great guitar playing, clever and original song writing, and vastly under-rated vocals full of personality. That his songs are personality-driven may be why Bo Diddley isn't as well known as other Rock pioneers, for, like Otis Redding, few big, mainstream acts have dared to remake his songs (Please don't bring up the awful George Thorogood.). Or, maybe 60 years after first on the scene, the music is still too original for a mainstream audience.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Dearest Darling. His most impassioned and serious song.**

2. I'm a Man. What a lovely thought. Sort of my theme song.

3. Mona. Strait to the point.

4. Bring it to Jerome. Another blast of confident manhood.

5. Who do you Love? More sophisticated than people realize. "Hoodoo" or "Who do?"

6. Say Boss Man. I love the man's resignation, his matter-of-fact approach to his plight. Compare the familial obligation this man feels to the urge to be somewhere else of many men-especially those most needed in the home- today. That one kid without shoes is simultaneously hilarious and sad.

7. The Story of Bo Diddley. Upward mobility, blues style.

8. Road Runner. Great intro.

9. You can't Judge a Book by its Cover. One of Bo Diddley's "normal-sounding" songs, but still plenty funny. You have your computer turned down too low- click on that little speaker in your system tray!

10. Crackin' Up. "What more woman can a man like me do?" Priceless! and funny if it weren't so painfully true.

Bonus songs:

11. Before You Accuse Me. Appeal to fairness. This never works.

12. Bo Diddley. Since it's the most played and popular, I never listen to it.

And that's not all. Here's a Cuban song with the "diddley beat." It's Antonio Machin with Vacilando. The "d-beat" is kept by two wooden sticks called claves, .

Ese Soy Yo by antonio machin

**Notice that Diddley'd do anything to pull her from purgatory (Saints pray for us and the souls in purgatory.), however, if, at "journey's end," she's "not there," he'll assume that she went to Hell. A more theologically frivolous man would say that he'd follow her there, but Diddley proves that his is a disciplined mind. He reasons thusly: If Hell is a place that guarantees regret and sadness, their reunion wouldn't bring their condemned souls happiness- it would be a useless, prideful sacrifice worthy of Lucifer himself. Much more profound than John Lennon's Imagine.

Tags: best bo diddley songs, bo didly, didley, who is bo diddley?