{{Infobox song | name = Diddley Daddy | cover = Diddley daddy.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Bo Diddley | album = | B-side = She's Fine, She's Mine | released = {{Start date|1955|06}}<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine | date = June 11, 1955 | title = Reviews of New R&B Records | magazine = Billboard | page = 47 | accessdate = December 18, 2010 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=iRwEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Diddley+Daddy%22&pg=PA47 }}</ref> | recorded = May 15, 1955<ref name="best">{{cite AV media notes |title=His Best |title-link=His Best (Bo Diddley album) |others=Bo Diddley |year=1997|type=CD liner |publisher=Chess Records/MCA Records |id=CHD-9373 |location=United States}}</ref> | studio = Universal Recording Corp. (Chicago) | venue = | genre = Rhythm and blues | length = {{Duration|m=2|s=28}} | label = Checker 819<ref name="Billboard" /> | writer = Ellas McDaniel, Harvey Fuqua | producer = Leonard Chess, Phil Chess, Bo Diddley<ref name="best" /> | prev_title = Bo Diddley | prev_year = 1955 | next_title = Pretty Thing | next_year = 1956 }}
"'''Diddley Daddy'''" is a song by Bo Diddley. The song was issued as a single on Checker Records in June 1955.<ref name="Billboard" /> His second single, it followed on the heels of the success of the eponymous "Bo Diddley". The song spent four weeks on the Billboard R&B chart in the summer of 1955,<ref>{{Cite book | last = Pruter | first = Robert | title = Doowop: the Chicago scene | publisher = University of Illinois Press | year = 1996 | page = 72 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=j06dhDdsgioC&q=%22Diddley+Daddy%22&pg=PA1956-IA2 | isbn = 978-0-252-06506-4}}</ref> peaking at No. 11.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Bo Diddley: Rhythm 'n' blues guitarist who was a formative influence on the development of rock 'n' roll | newspaper = The Daily Telegraph | date = 2008-06-02 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/2066171/Bo-Diddley.html | accessdate = 2009-12-13}}</ref>
==Writing and recording== The song was recorded on May 15, 1955, in Chicago. Originally called "Diddy Diddy Dum Dum",<ref>{{Cite journal | journal = Living Blues | title = Diddley Daddy | volume = 113–118 | page = 27 | year = 1994}}</ref> it started out as a Billy Boy Arnold composition, which Leonard Chess, owner of Chess Records (Checkers was a subsidiary label of Chess), had heard Arnold play and wanted Diddley to record. However, Arnold had just signed a contract with Vee-Jay Records, and had recorded the song the day before at Universal Recording Corporation. When Chess wanted Arnold to sing the song, the latter realized he had a contract, responding, "I can't do it...I just recorded it for Vee-Jay." Chess responded, "Goddam! Ain't this a bitch!" A solution, however, was found on the spot: Diddley and Harvey Fuqua, who happened to be around, rewrote the lyrics.<ref name="walter">{{Cite book | last = Glover | first = Tony | author2 = Scott Dirks | author3 = Ward Gaines | title = Blues with a feeling: the Little Walter story | publisher = Routledge | year = 2002 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/blueswithfeeling00glov/page/147 147–48] | isbn = 978-0-415-93711-5 | url = https://archive.org/details/blueswithfeeling00glov/page/147 }}</ref>
As it happened, the harmonica player Little Walter was in the studio, and he asked Billy Boy Arnold for his harp; Walter plays the long solo after the first verse (Arnold plays harmonica on the B-side, "She's Fine, She's Mine"). Also decided at "the spur of the moment" was to have Chicago doo-wop group The Moonglows sing background vocals.<ref name="walter"/>
==Critical praise== One of Bo Diddley's signature songs, "Diddley Daddy" evidenced Diddley's maturation process as an artist.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Dalton | first = David | author2 = Lenny Kaye | title = Rock 100: the greatest stars of rock's golden age | publisher = Cooper Square Press | year = 1999 | page = [https://archive.org/details/rock10000davi/page/23 23] | isbn = 978-0-8154-1017-1 | url = https://archive.org/details/rock10000davi/page/23 }}</ref> It was described as a "terrific nugget"<ref name="loder">{{Cite magazine | last = Loder | first = Kurt | date = February 12, 1987 | title = Bo Diddley: The Rolling Stone Interview | magazine = Rolling Stone | page = F.2 | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/21023405/bo_diddley_the_rolling_stone_interview/2 | accessdate = 2009-12-10 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080606011121/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/21023405/bo_diddley_the_rolling_stone_interview/2 | archive-date=June 6, 2008}}</ref> and an "infectious" "upbeat rocker".<ref name="pain">{{Cite news | last = Roos | first = John | title = Better Off Dread: Chris Isaak's Gift Is Pain | newspaper =Los Angeles Times | page = F.2 | date = 1998-06-13 | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/30170876.html?dids=30170876:30170876&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+13%2C+1998&author=JOHN+ROOS&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=POP+MUSIC+REVIEW%3B+Better+Off+Dread%3A+Chris+Isaak%27s+Gift+Is+Pain&pqatl=google | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130131165603/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/30170876.html?dids=30170876:30170876&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+13,+1998&author=JOHN+ROOS&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=POP+MUSIC+REVIEW;+Better+Off+Dread:+Chris+Isaak's+Gift+Is+Pain&pqatl=google | url-status = dead | archive-date = January 31, 2013 | accessdate = 2009-12-10}}</ref> The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' said it combined "outrageous braggadocio with a beat that resounds like an endless sexual shudder."<ref>{{Cite news | last = Mcleese | first = Don | title = Diddley Spurs Trip to Heart of Rock Jungle | newspaper = Chicago Sun-Times | page = 3 | date = 1986-09-12 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB36D21E77A19BD&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | accessdate = 2009-12-10}}</ref>
Marking Diddley's popularity in England, the Rolling Stones, who early in their career often played Diddley songs live,<ref>{{Cite book | last = Paytress | first = Mark | title = The Rolling Stones: off the record | publisher = Omnibus Press | year = 2003 | page = 31 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=toSbe1xQxToC&pg=PA31 | isbn = 978-0-7119-8869-9}}</ref> covered the song (along with Diddley's "Road Runner") on their first demo, recorded on March 11, 1963.<ref name="wyman">{{Cite book | last = Wyman | first = Bill | author-link = Bill Wyman | author2 = Ray Coleman | title = Bill Wyman, Stone alone: the story of a rock 'n' roll band | publisher = Da Capo Press | year = 1997 | page = 123 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Zi79b9a2o0sC&pg=PA123 | isbn = 978-0-306-80783-1 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="stout">{{Cite news |last=Stout |first=Gene |title=Bo Diddley Keeps Rock Rolling Along Path He Blazed Years Ago |newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |page=9 |date=1986-02-07 |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/archives/1986/8601030848.asp |accessdate=2009-12-10 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Brian Jones would later borrow Diddley's guitar figure from the song for the band's 1965 single "19th Nervous Breakdown".
==Bo Diddley, Diddley Daddy== The title of the song has come to stand for Bo Diddley himself, as evidenced from articles about Diddley by Val Wilmer<ref>{{Cite news | last = Wilmer | first = Valerie | title = The Grand Diddley Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll | newspaper = The Observer | date = 1979-05-06}}</ref> and Stuart Colman.<ref>Stuart Colman, "Bo Diddley: The Diddley Daddy," in {{Cite news | title = They Kept on Rockin'; The Giants of Rock 'n' Roll | publisher = Blandfort | year = 1982 | location = Poole | pages = 73–82}}</ref> After Diddley's death, in 2008, the phrase directly referred to Diddley in various obituaries;<ref>{{Cite news | title = Diddley Daddy: Rock Pioneer Fathered More Than a Beat | newspaper = The Washington Times | date = 2008-06-06 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=121263AB7744DD60&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | accessdate = 2009-12-10}}</ref> the usage reflected Diddley's habit of self-reference<ref>{{Cite book | last = Larkin | first = Colin | title = The Guinness encyclopedia of popular music, Volume 2 | publisher = Guinness | year = 1995 | page = 162 | isbn = 978-1-56159-176-3 | url = https://archive.org/details/guinnessencyclop06lark }}</ref> as well as the way others talked about him, such as Tom Petty: "Elvis is King. But Diddley is Daddy."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Rockers mourn Diddley the Daddy |newspaper=The Standard |date=2008-06-04 |url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=18&art_id=66740&sid=19190512&con_type=1 |accessdate=2009-12-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604143450/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=18&art_id=66740&sid=19190512&con_type=1 |archive-date=2011-06-04 }}</ref>
==Reissues== A Bo Diddley compilation CD issued in 1988 is also called ''Diddley Daddy''.<ref>Strong 303.</ref> The song is featured on many greatest hits albums by Bo Diddley including ''16 All-Time Greatest Hits'' and ''His Best''.
==Personnel== *Bo Diddley – lead vocals, lead guitar *Little Walter – harmonica<ref name="walter"/> *Jerome Green – maracas *Clifton James – drums *The Moonglows – backing vocals<ref name="walter"/>
==Notable covers== *Rolling Stones, first demo<ref name="wyman"/><ref name="stout"/> *The Liverbirds, a British all-female beat group, recorded the song for a 1965 single. Their version reached No. 5 on the German Singles Chart. *Dutch Mason, Canadian blues musician. The song was a staple of his band's live set. *The Super Super Blues Band (1968), Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley trio recorded it together as part of album "The Super Super Blues Band" for Chess Records. *Chris Isaak, on ''Heart Shaped World'' (1989)<ref name="pain"/><ref>{{Cite book | last = Strong | first = Martin Charles |author2=John Peel | title = The great rock discography | publisher = Canongate | year = 2004 | page = 743 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_WoRAPJQ58sC&pg=PA743 | isbn = 978-1-84195-615-2}}</ref> *The Pretty Things & Yardbirds Blues Band, on ''Chicago Blues Jam 1991'' and ''Wine, Women & Whiskey'' (1994)<ref>Strong 841.</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
{{Bo Diddley}}
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Category:1955 singles Category:Bo Diddley songs Category:Songs written by Bo Diddley Category:Checker Records singles Category:The Rolling Stones songs Category:Songs written by Harvey Fuqua Category:1955 songs