Whether you think of it as the quintessntial Bo Diddley riff, or the basis for “Willie and the Hand Jive,” or the Strangeloves’ “I Want Candy,” that “Bum-badum-badum—badum-bum” riff was recycled by a lot of rock bands. I’m interested in creating a mashup of as many songs using that riff as I can find.
Knowing the awesome resources of the SDMB, I’m hoping a few of the resident music mavens can help me fill out my list…
Well, George Thorogood covered “Who Do You Love.”
Steve Hillage makes good use of the “Bo Diddley Beat” on the song “Not Fade Away” (yes I know it’s a cover, I just like this version better) on the album “Motivation Radio”.
Unclviny
I’m not sure if it is exactly that riff but Danzig uses its likeness in the decidely bluesy song “I’m the one”…Very uncharacteristic and stands apart from all of their other hellmetal.
The Doors “Love me two times”? I really am not sure.
or maybe it’s the Doors “Roadhouse”…??
Great song - actually, most of “lucifuge” has that stripped-down blues rock vibe (but some of it’s heavy instead of acoustic). Great record, great song.
From 42fish (aka Fish 42) 10/14/04.
I’ll see those 6 and raise…[ul]
[li]George Michael’s Faith[/li][li]U2’s Desire[/li][li]The Who’s Magic Bus[/li][li]The Boss’s She’s the One[/li][li]John Kay’s Magic Carpet Ride[/li]Iggy’s 1969[/ul]
The Moody Blues’ “Veteran Cosmic Rocker”
Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” (The Stones’ version made the Diddley sound more explicit.)
A lot of Buddy Holly songs have a Bo Diddley riff. Holly idolized Bo Diddley.
No One to Run With, the Allman Brothers Band.
Another song by Bo Diddley himself and also covered by the Stones: Mona.
Mona, Mona, watcha gonna do
bah buh dah buh dah - Dah Dah
Haj
Panic In Detroit by David Bowie
I’d just like to point out what a musical dunce I am. I never noticed the similarity in all these songs.
“How Soon is Now?” is a great song, but it’s not a Bo Diddly riff. I think that stuttering guitar is caused by an old-fashioned tremelo with the “depth” turned all the way up. It is not caused by the characteristic Bo Diddly strumming pattern.
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Mona *** - Great song! Great guitar!***
Billy Bones and the White Bird by Elton John
Get Up and Go by the Go-Go’s
Wow! Thanks to everyone. I didn’t know more than a third of those songs (predicatably, as an aging Boomer, the newer stuff was unfamiliar.)
Any more out there?
Ditto.