{Bo Diddley 1960s psychedelic poster}


"The Story Of BO DIDDLEY...":

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Enquiries:


Margo Lewis or Faith Fusillo
Co-Managing Partners, The Estate of Bo Diddley
Talent Source Management
105 Shad Row - Second Floor
Piermont, NY 10968
USA

T: 212-730-2701

F: 845-359-4609

E: info@talentsourcemanagement.com

www.talentsourcemanagement.com

You may also contact:

Talent Consultants International (TCI)
email@tciartists.com

www.tciartists.com


BO DIDDLEY - The Originator

A Celebration of his unique contribution to Popular Music.

"Bo Diddley's 16 All Time Greatest Hits..."


In 1964, Checker Records released the LP titled "BO DIDDLEY's 16 All-Time Greatest Hits" (Checker LP 2989). We are very pleased to be able to bring you the lyrics for each of the 16 classic BO DIDDLEY songs on that LP.


Bo Diddley/ Bring It To Jerome/ Hey, Bo Diddley/ Dearest Darling/ I'm A Man/ Diddley Daddy/ Pretty Thing/ She's Alright/ You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover/ Road Runner/ Say Man/ I'm Sorry/ Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger/ I'm Looking For A Woman/ Who Do You Love/ Hush Your Mouth


Track 1. Bo Diddley
(Ellas McDaniel) 1955

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.

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 2. Bring It To Jerome
(Jerome Green) 1956

(BO DIDDLEY): Well, every day I work,
Bringing home my pay,
Come to find out baby,
You've bin giving my money away.

Tell me baby,
What you tryin' to do?
You ain't seen me hummin',
Like you used to do.

Tell me mama,
What's wrong with you?
You know pretty baby,
I'm so crazy 'bout you.

(JEROME GREEN): All you pretty women,
Bring it to my home,
You don't have to worry,
I won't do you no wrong.

Bring it on home,
Bring it to Jerome,
Bring it on home,
Bring it to Jerome.

Look here pretty baby,
This mess I won't stand,
All the other women,
Say you got another man.

Bring it on home,
Bring it to Jerome,
Bring it on home,
Bring it to Jerome.

(c) Arc Music. Corp. (BMI)

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Track 3. Hey, Bo Diddley
(Ellas McDaniel) 1957

Bo Diddley done had a farm,
On that farm he had some women,
Women here, women there,
Women, women, women everywhere.

But one little girl lived on a hill,
She rustled and tustled like Buffalo Bill,
One day she decided she'd go for a ride,
With a pistol and a sword by her side.

She rolled right up to my front door,
Knocked an' knocked 'til her fist got sore,
When she turned and walked away,
All I could hear my baby say:

Hey Bo Diddley, Oh Bo Diddley,
Hey Bo Diddley, Oh Bo Diddley.

Saw my baby run across the field,
Slippin' and slidin' like an automobile,
Hollerin', my baby got towed away,
Slipped on from me like a Cadillac-8.

Hey Bo Diddley, Oh Bo Diddley,
Hey Bo Diddley, Oh Bo Diddley.

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 4. Dearest Darling
(Ellas McDaniel) 1958

Dearest darling,
Dearest darling,
Dearest darling.

Don't you know,
The Lord above,
Created you,
Just for me to love,
Picked you out,
From all the rest,
Because He knew I loved you best.

Dearest darling,
Dearest darling,
Dearest darling, take my hand, take my hand

I once had a heart,
So trill and true,
But now it's gone,
From me to you,
Take care of it,
Like I have done,
For you have two hearts,
And I have none.

Dearest darling,
Dearest darling,
Dearest darling.

If I get to heaven,
Before you do,
I'll try to make a hole,
And pull you thru.

Dearest...dearest...dearest.

If I go to heaven,
And you not there,
I'm gonna write your name,
On the heavenly stair,
If you aren't there,
By Judgement Day,
Then I know baby,
You know the way.

Dearest...dearest...dearest,
O sweet baby, o sweet baby...

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 5. I'm A Man
(Ellas McDaniel) 1955

Now when I was a little boy,
At the age of five,
I had somethin' in my pocket,
Keep a lot of folks alive.

Now I'm a man,
Made twenty-one,
You know baby,
We can have a lot of fun.

I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.

All you pretty women,
Stand in line,
I can make love to you baby,
In an hour's time.

I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.

I goin' back down,
To Kansas to
Bring back the second cousin,
Little John the conqueroo.

I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.

The line I shoot,
Will never miss,
The way I make love to 'em,
They can't resist.

I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 6. Diddley Daddy
(Ellas McDaniel/Harvey Fuqua) 1956

Diddley Diddley daddy,
Diddley Diddley daddy.

I got a baby that's oh so pretty,
I found her right here in the Windy City,
Somebody kissed my baby last night,
My pretty baby cried, you know it wasn't right.

Diddley Diddley daddy,
Diddley Diddley daddy.

My baby started to cry in vain,
Say Bo Diddley, you know you're a natural born man,
I say I love you baby with all my heart,
Please don't never say we'll part.

Diddley Diddley daddy,
Diddley Diddley daddy.

Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley here's our scene,
I want to know if you do love me.

Diddley Diddley daddy,
Diddley Diddley daddy.

(c) Arc Music Corp./Liasion Two Publishing Co. (BMI)

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Track 7. Pretty Thing
(Ellas McDaniel) 1956

You pretty thing,
Let me buy you a wedding ring,
Let me hear the choir sing,
Oh you pretty thing.

You pretty thing,
Let me walk you down the aisle,
Darlin' wear a lover's smile,
Oh you pretty thing.

Let me kiss you again,
Squeeze and hold you tight,
Let me give all my love,
The rest of my life.

You pretty thing,
Let me hold you by my side,
And become my blushing bride,
You pretty thing,
Pretty thing,
Let me dedicate my life,
You will always be my wife,
Oh you pretty thing.

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 8. She's Alright
(Ellas McDaniel) 1959

I wanna tell you about my little girl,
Her name is Millie-Lu,
She's alright...she's alright,
She's alright...she's alright.

Sugar baby...sugar baby,
Sweedy dee...sweedy dee,
Baby, baby, sugar, sugar.

Baby, oh I love you so,
I'll never let you go,
You alright in my room,
You alright at my table,
You alright when we're walkin' down the street,
The love in you and me, just can't be beat.

Baby, baby,
Baby, baby.

Hold it everybody,
I wanna tell ya 'bout this little girl,
I don't think ya getting the message straight,
I wanna tell you, she's alright,
She make me feel.
She make me feel, so good, so good,
Sure 'nuff, sure 'nuff,
Babe, hold my hand,
Babe, hold my hand,
I can't stand up by myself,
I can't stand up without your help.

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 9. You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover
(Willie Dixon) 1962

You can't judge an apple by looking at a tree,
You can't judge honey by looking at the bee,
You can't judge a daughter by looking at the mother,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

Oh can't you see,
Oh you misjudge me,
I look like a farmer,
But I'm a lover,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

Oh come on in closer baby,
Hear what else I gotta say!
You got your radio turned down too low,
Turn it up!

You can't judge sugar by looking at the cane,
You can't judge a woman by looking at her man,
You can't judge a sister by looking at her brother,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

Oh can't you see,
Oh you misjudge me,
I look like a farmer,
But I'm a Lover,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

You can't judge a fish by lookin' in the pond,
You can't judge right from looking at the wrong,
You can't judge one by looking at the other,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

Oh can't you see,
Oh you misjudge me,
I look like a farmer,
But I'm a lover,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

(c) Hoochie Coochie Music (BMI)

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Track 10. Road Runner
(Ellas McDaniel) 1960

I'm a road runner honey,
Beep! Beep!
I'm a road runner honey,
And you can't keep up with me,
I'm a road runner honey,
And you can't keep up with me,
Come on, let's race,
Baby baby, you will see,
Here I come,
Beep! Beep!

Move over honey,
Let me by,
Move over baby,
Let this man by,
I'm gonna show you baby, look out your head,
Gonna put some dirt in your eye,
Here I go!
Oh yea, how am I doin?
Beep! Beep!

Take my hand baby,
I'm gonna prove to you that I'm a road running man,
I wanna show you something,
That I'm the fastest in the land,
Now let me by,
Beep! Beep!

Oh yea, you said you's fast,
But it don't look like you gonna last,
Goodbye! I've got to put you down,
I'll see you some day,
Baby, somewhere hangin' around.

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 11. Say Man
(Ellas McDaniel) 1959

(Alternate lines spoken by BO DIDDLEY and Jerome Green):
Say man,
What's that boy?
I want to tell you 'bout your girlfriend,
What about my girl?
Well, you don't look strong enough to take the message,
I'm strong enough,
I might hurt your feelings,
My feelings are already hurt by being here with you,
Well, I was walking down the street with your girl the other day,
Ah-ha,
And the wind was blowin' real hard,
Is that right?
And the wind blew her hair into my face,
Ah-ha,
You know what else happened?
What happened?
The wind blew her hair into her face,
Yeh?
And we went a little further; you wanna hear the rest of it?
I might as well,
The wind blew her hair into the street!
Ok; since you told me about my girl, I'm gonna tell you about yours. I was walking down the street with your girl,
Yes?
I took her home, for a drink, you know,
Took her home?
Yeh, jus' for a drink,
Oh,
But that chick looked so ugly, she had to sneak up on the glass to get a drink of water!
You've got the nerve to call somebody ugly; why you so ugly the stork that brought you in the world oughta be arrested!
That's alright; my momma didn't have to put a sheet on my head so sleep could slip up on me!
Look-a here!
What's that?
Where are you from?
South America,
What's that?
South America,
You don't look like no South American to me,
I'm still from South America,
What part?
South Texas!
Where are your workin' boots at?
I've got 'em on,
Those aren't no boots you got on; those brogans!
Hey, look-a here!
What's that?
I've bin tryin' to figure out what you is,
I already figured out what YOU is!
What's that?
You that thing I throw peanuts at!
Look-a here!
What's that?
You should be ashamed of yourself,
Why?
Calling people ugly,
I didn't call you ugly,
What you say?
I said you was ruined, that's all!
You know somethin'?
What?
You look like you've bin whooped with a ugly-stick!
Hey! I ain't got nothin' to do with it, but I beat the fellah right...!

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 12. I'm Sorry
(Ellas McDaniel/Harvey Fuqua/Alan Freed) 1958

I'm sorry,
Oh, I'm sorry,
Oh baby, I'm sorry,
For the things I said to you.

You know I love you,
You know I care,
With you, my new heart I want to share,
Darling I need you,
With all your heart and soul,
To know that I want you, and I'll never let you go,
But forgive me,
Please forgive me,
Please forgive me,
For I knew not what I was sayin'.

Come on little baby,
Come on darling,
Give me another chance,
To make up on my wrong,
You know that I love you,
You know I'll put nobody else above you,
Come on, come on,
Say that you'll love me.

I'm sorry,
Oh yes I'm sorry,
Oh I'm sorry,
For the things I said t' you.

(c) Arc Music Corp./Liasion Two Publishing Co. (BMI)

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Track 13. Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger
(Ellas McDaniel) 1960

Bo Diddley's a gunslinger,
Bo Diddley's a gunslinger,
Yeh, ah-ha,
Yeh, ah-ha,
I've got a story I really want to tell,
About Bo Diddley at the O-K Corral,
Now, Bo Diddley didn't stand no mess,
He wore a gun on his hip and a rose on his chest,

Bo Diddley's a gunslinger,
Bo Diddley's a gunslinger,
Yeh, ah-ha (he must be!),
Yeh, ah-ha (sure 'nuff!),

When Bo Diddley come to town,
The streets get empty and the sun go down,
Sheriff's standing in the doorway,
You know he's so scared to say.

Yeh, ah-ha,
Yeh, ah-ha,
Bo Diddley's a gunslinger,
Bo Diddley's a gunslinger.

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 14. I'm Looking For A Woman
(Ellas McDaniel) 1956

I'm looking for a woman,
That will work to set me down,
I'm looking for a woman,
That will work to set me down,
I've bin looking all night long,
She can't be found.

Well I met one last night,
And I told her what I liked,
Well I met one last night,
And I told her what I liked,
She said get away from here country boy,
Go back to your countryside.

Well tell me baby,
What you see wrong with me,
Well tell me baby,
What you see wrong with me,
Well if I had you baby,
You wouldn't be lookin' back at me.

Well so long mama,
Baby bye-bye you bye,
Well so long mama,
Baby bye-bye you bye,
Well now bye-bye baby,
With a tear in your eye.

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 15. Who Do You Love
(Ellas McDaniel) 1956

I walk 47 miles of barbed wire,
I use a cobra-snake for a necktie,
I got a brand new house on the roadside,
Made from rattlesnake hide,
I got a brand new chimney made on top,
Made out of a human skull,
Now come on take a little walk with me, Arlene,
And tell me, who do you love?

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

Tombstone hand and a graveyard mind,
Just 22 and I don't mind dying.

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

I rode a lion to town, use a rattlesnake whip,
Take it easy Arlene, don't give me no lip,

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

Night was dark, but the sky was blue,
Down the alley, the ice-wagon flew,
Hit a bump and somebody screamed,
You should have heard just what I seen.

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

Arlene took me by my hand,
She said "Ooowee Bo, you know I understand".

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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Track 16. Hush Your Mouth
(Ellas McDaniel) 1958

Oh (hush your mouth!)
Oh (hush your mouth!)

Hey little baby don't you cry,
Mama gonna drop around,
Hey little baby don't say a word,
Mama gonna whoop you 'bout somethin' you heard.

Oh (hush your mouth!)
Oh (hush your mouth!)

Mama gonna buy you a diamond ring,
If that diamond ring's brass,
Mama gonna buy a lookin' glass,
If that lookin' glass is broke,
Mama gonna buy a horse and coach,
If that horse and coach turn over,
Mama gonna buy you a dog named Rover.

Oh (hush your mouth!)
Oh (hush your mouth!)
Oh (hush your mouth!)
Oh (Hush your mouth!)

A coonskin alligator hide,
Make into shoes baby, jus' like mine,
Don't be scared to put 'em on your feet,
Scared 'bout me, jus' can't be beat.

Hush your mouth!
Hush your mouth!

(c) Arc Music Corp. (BMI)

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