The 10 Best Bo Diddley songs of all-time
Bo Diddley was a professional singer and songwriter born Ellas McDaniel from McComb, Mississippi. His legacy is that of a cross-cultural pioneer, and along with his music, he was a significant influence on several generations of musicians. Diddley’s achievements were recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. His genre of music was Rock and roll and blues, and he composed different inspirational songs.
Here are the best Bo Diddley songs of all time.
10. You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover
The song was recorded and released in 1962. It is a live song about a man trying to convince a woman to love him. The woman seems to judge the man by the way he appears, but he is more than what he looks, and that is a lover. According to Blues Rock Review, the song was an instant hit and ranked among the highest of Bo Diddley’s songs.
It was number one on the R&B Charts and three on the Billboard pop charts in 1962. The song was featured in the film ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’ and has also been covered by The Strypes and Patti LaBelle.
9. Who Do You Love?
The song was released in 1992 and featured in the album super Blues. Bo Diddley featured other artists like Little Walter and Muddy Waters. The song is about one woman that every man wants to know. Now the writer wants the woman to say who she loves. It gained popularity and ranked number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song is also a hit in Europe. It was used as a soundtrack in movies and films like The Mask, Runaway Bride, Wild Things, and Scarface. Many artists, including Elise LeGrow and Grateful Dead, covered the song.
8. I Can Tell
This song was released as a single in 1962and became an instant hit. The song is about a man who is painting that his lover doesn’t love him anymore. There are subtle things in the song; you can see that she is trying to avoid him, but the man can tell. He is ready to do anything to win her back.
The song was so popular that it ranked number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 2 on both R&B and Pop Charts. The Searchers and Dr. Feelgood have covered the song. It was used as a soundtrack in films and movies such as U-571, Grown Ups, Nancy Drew, and American History X.
7. Hey! Bo Diddley
This song was released in 1955 as a single that earned him a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. The song is about love, where Diddley is doing special things to his lover in the song. He is going to his limits to ensure his lover is happy. The song was so popular that it ranked number 5 on Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on both R&B and Pop charts.
Buddy Holly and Bob Seger did a cover of the song. It was a soundtrack for different movies and films like Goodfellas, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and The Replacements.
6. Diddley Daddy
The song was released in 1955 as a single. It’s a funny love song where he found his lover in this town. He is not happy with her behavior which he thinks is demeaning. The singer finds it good but wants to make it different. According to Live About, the song ranked number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 11 on both R&B and Pop Charts.
Other top artists like The Rolling Stones and Chris Isaak have made a cover of the song. Films such as The Great Escape, The Joker, Dirty Dancing, and The Sweetest Thing have used the song as a soundtrack.
5. Before You Accuse Me
The song was released in 1958 as a major track in the album Bo Diddley. It is a song about a man in a rocky relationship. His lover is accusing him of using his money on the woman, yet she is cheating on him. Now the man is pleading with the woman to give their love a second chance.
This song became famous and ranked at number 35 on R&B and number 14 on the Pop charts. It was also played in films and was a number 4 hit in the UK. The song was used as a soundtrack in movies such as Straw Dogs, The Blues Brothers, and Dirty Dancing.
4. I’m Looking For A Woman
The song was released in 1958 as a single that became an instant hit. The song is about a man who is looking for a woman who he can love. When he was about to give up, he found one, but she didn’t love him back. He is pained, but he is still looking for the woman, and that is his love. It was a famous song that reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the R&B Charts. Movies such as The Way We Were, Aforementioned, and Angel Heart used the song as a soundtrack.
3. I’m a Man
It was released in 1955 as a single and gained a huge fan base. It is about a man proudly talking about his love life since his young life. Now that he is a grown man, he can have any woman he wants, and they cannot resist him. He is not afraid of his age, even if he is not young. The song reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the R&B Charts. The song was a soundtrack in movies such as The Blair Witch Project and Blue Eyes. Black Strobe and others have done a cover of the song.
2. Say, Boss Man
The song was released in 1959 as a single. This song is a back-to-back song of two men, each talking about the other’s girlfriends. The argument gets heated, and they end up calling each other names. According to Guitars Exchange, the song is hilarious and ranked number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also ranked 20 on R&B and three on Pop Charts. It was used as a soundtrack in movies and films like Sleeping Beauty and Compulsion, among others.
1. Our Love Will Never Go
Released in 1962, Our Love Will Never Go is a song about a man who is reassuring his lover that their relationship is strong and will not crumble. It is a beautiful romantic song that many people who are in love can relate to. The song was received well by the fans reaching number thirty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Rock and Roll charts. It has been featured as a soundtrack in several movies and films like The Longest Day and The Music Man, among many others.
