Diddley Daddy

The first time Diddley Daddy was heard was in June 1955, as a single released by Checker Records. This song came shortly after the success of the track bearing the artist's name, Bo Diddley, and remained on the Billboard R&B charts for four weeks, reaching number 11. It was recorded on May 15, 1955, in a Chicago studio. Interestingly, the original idea was called Diddy Diddy Dum Dum and was a composition by Billy Boy Arnold. Leonard Chess, owner of Chess Records and its subsidiary Checker Records, wanted Bo Diddley to record it after hearing Arnold perform it. However, Arnold had already signed with Vee-Jay Records and had recorded it the day before. When Chess asked him to sing the song, Arnold was unable to due to his contract. Out of frustration, a quick solution was found: Bo Diddley and Harvey Fuqua, who were present, rewrote the lyrics on the spot.

During that same recording session, harmonica player Little Walter, who was in the studio, borrowed Arnold's harmonica. Walter is the one who performs the extended solo after the first verse, while Arnold participates with the harmonica on the B-side of the single, She's Fine, She's Mine. Another decision made on the fly was to invite the Chicago doo-wop group, The Moonglows, to provide backing vocals. Diddley Daddy became one of Bo Diddley's signature songs, showcasing his evolution as an artist. It was described as a vibrant and catchy piece, an energetic rocker that, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, combined a swaggering bravado with a rhythm that evoked a sense of continuous motion. Years later, in England, The Rolling Stones, who used to perform Bo Diddley's songs early in their career, recorded a version of Diddley Daddy on their first demo tape, on March 11, 1963. Even Brian Jones would borrow a guitar pattern from this song for the band's 1965 single, 19th Nervous Breakdown. The song's title itself became synonymous with Bo Diddley, being used in articles and obituaries after his passing in 2008, reflecting both his way of referring to himself and how others spoke of him. In 1988, a compilation by Bo Diddley also bore the title Diddley Daddy.