Bo Diddley (1962 album). * bonus due to administrative error *
This album caught me unawares. I was expecting more blues that would be a nice listen, but didn't feel that I was going to be getting excited about it. I knew "Hey Bo Diddley" and figured it was going to be a half hour of similar music. Well, I wasn't completely wrong, that is exactly what this album is, but a lot more so. Mr. Diddley has far more depth than I expected. What a pleasant surprise!
He starts with a three minute throwing down of the gauntlet to Nikita Khrushchev, suggesting that Americans needed to stand up to their Soviet rivals. He'd like a few minutes of the Soviet leaders' time, mano-a-mano, to discuss the Cold War. Ostensibly to deliver a South Side Chicago style ass-whooping. I'm sure the sentiment held more water in the days before the winds of change brought down the Iron Curtain back in the nineties. (Scorpions reference intended).
Next up is a track that catches my attention. Called simply "Diddling" it is a groovy riff with some noodling guitar over top. It is superb and has a primitive punk rock feel to my ear. It is not played fast but the attitude is there. You can make your own conclusions about the title of the track, and where he was heading with that. Also, it looks as though this might be the place to mention that Mr. D. was at one time an opening act for The Clash!
"Give Me A Break" charges along with some fast strumming and taunts from Bo Diddley that accent the performance, but there are no real lyrics. "Who May Your Lover Be" is straight ahead blues with a nod to the guttural singing and growling of our old friend Howlin' Wolf. This is what I was expecting when I put this album on, and it is great.
"Bo's Bounce" takes us in a different direction, it is almost a surf guitar being played but with a blues backdrop. You can see this playing at a beach party, but I'm picking up a vibe that a dark side to this music exists. Not overtly, but I'm picking something up that leans me in that direction. Maybe it is a beach party with a lot of alcohol and fist fighting. Whatever it is, the album is more interesting because of it.
The next song is a classic. "You Can't Judge a Book By the Cover" chugs along with his signature beat, but is the only song on the album written by another musician. Any guesses who this may have been? Here is a hint, he also plays bass on the album, which was a blues record recorded in Chicago in 1962. Anyone?
You there in the back, did you say Willie Dixon? Well done! There he is again. I'll wager we haven't seen the last of ol' Mister Dixon either.
"Babes in the Woods" has a Buddy Holly kind of feel to it. Bo Diddley is generally credited with being the bridge between rock and blues. There is ample evidence here that he played whatever he wanted and as a result spanned the genres of the day, and likely broke new ground at the same time. The variety continues with some rockabilly ("Momma Don't Allow No Twistin'"), more surf style ("Sad Sack") and back to the chugging Bo Diddley beat for "You All Green". We finish up with "Bo's Twist". This has a dirty guitar sound and rocks along pretty well. The lead guitar is tasty and it is a nice way to finish up the album.
I have listened to this one several times, and I suppose because of the variety of styles represented in the track listing, I have not gotten bored with it. The only possible downside to the album that I could come up with is the production on some of the songs. Some fade out quite abruptly, giving the feeling that the producer had somewhere to be or other things on his mind. Other than that however the album is great.
Rolling Stone placed this one at ... wait a second, no they didn't. This one didn't make the list.
Hmmm.
It was the 1990 repackaging of the first two Bo Diddley albums that were number 214. Not this album. Although the first album was also called "Bo Diddley". So it was an easy mistake to make. Egg on my face. Don't I feel silly. No! This was a good album, so everyone wins. Well, there you go! A bonus album for us to listen to. Further investigation reveals that I'm missing the first track off of this album as well. So if you can track this one down there will be some uncharted territory for us. Send in a comment to let me know what I missed. I'll have to go now and find the real entry number 214, and now I'm expecting big things from it. Stay tuned!
He starts with a three minute throwing down of the gauntlet to Nikita Khrushchev, suggesting that Americans needed to stand up to their Soviet rivals. He'd like a few minutes of the Soviet leaders' time, mano-a-mano, to discuss the Cold War. Ostensibly to deliver a South Side Chicago style ass-whooping. I'm sure the sentiment held more water in the days before the winds of change brought down the Iron Curtain back in the nineties. (Scorpions reference intended).
Next up is a track that catches my attention. Called simply "Diddling" it is a groovy riff with some noodling guitar over top. It is superb and has a primitive punk rock feel to my ear. It is not played fast but the attitude is there. You can make your own conclusions about the title of the track, and where he was heading with that. Also, it looks as though this might be the place to mention that Mr. D. was at one time an opening act for The Clash!
"Give Me A Break" charges along with some fast strumming and taunts from Bo Diddley that accent the performance, but there are no real lyrics. "Who May Your Lover Be" is straight ahead blues with a nod to the guttural singing and growling of our old friend Howlin' Wolf. This is what I was expecting when I put this album on, and it is great.
"Bo's Bounce" takes us in a different direction, it is almost a surf guitar being played but with a blues backdrop. You can see this playing at a beach party, but I'm picking up a vibe that a dark side to this music exists. Not overtly, but I'm picking something up that leans me in that direction. Maybe it is a beach party with a lot of alcohol and fist fighting. Whatever it is, the album is more interesting because of it.
The next song is a classic. "You Can't Judge a Book By the Cover" chugs along with his signature beat, but is the only song on the album written by another musician. Any guesses who this may have been? Here is a hint, he also plays bass on the album, which was a blues record recorded in Chicago in 1962. Anyone?
You there in the back, did you say Willie Dixon? Well done! There he is again. I'll wager we haven't seen the last of ol' Mister Dixon either.
"Babes in the Woods" has a Buddy Holly kind of feel to it. Bo Diddley is generally credited with being the bridge between rock and blues. There is ample evidence here that he played whatever he wanted and as a result spanned the genres of the day, and likely broke new ground at the same time. The variety continues with some rockabilly ("Momma Don't Allow No Twistin'"), more surf style ("Sad Sack") and back to the chugging Bo Diddley beat for "You All Green". We finish up with "Bo's Twist". This has a dirty guitar sound and rocks along pretty well. The lead guitar is tasty and it is a nice way to finish up the album.
I have listened to this one several times, and I suppose because of the variety of styles represented in the track listing, I have not gotten bored with it. The only possible downside to the album that I could come up with is the production on some of the songs. Some fade out quite abruptly, giving the feeling that the producer had somewhere to be or other things on his mind. Other than that however the album is great.
Rolling Stone placed this one at ... wait a second, no they didn't. This one didn't make the list.
Hmmm.
It was the 1990 repackaging of the first two Bo Diddley albums that were number 214. Not this album. Although the first album was also called "Bo Diddley". So it was an easy mistake to make. Egg on my face. Don't I feel silly. No! This was a good album, so everyone wins. Well, there you go! A bonus album for us to listen to. Further investigation reveals that I'm missing the first track off of this album as well. So if you can track this one down there will be some uncharted territory for us. Send in a comment to let me know what I missed. I'll have to go now and find the real entry number 214, and now I'm expecting big things from it. Stay tuned!
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