Go Bo Diddley

Background

The b-side to the single "Hush Your Mouth", "Dearest Darling" was released June 1958 and also released on Bo Diddley's self-titled debut album. Bo's next single "Willie and Lillie" was released in November 1958 and then released on this album. Bo's next single "I'm Sorry"/"Oh Yea" was released in February 1959 and reached #17 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart. The next single "Crackin' Up" b/w "The Great Grandfather" was released in May. Go Bo Diddley was released two months later in July. In November 1959 Bo released his most popular single "Say Man"/"The Clock Strikes Twelve" which became a crossover hit making #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The rest of the songs on the album were album-only tracks, including "You Don't Love Me (You Don't Care)" which Little Walter retitled as "Roller Coaster" and released as a single, and is featured on the Bo Diddley compilation album His Best even though it is an album track not a single.

Recording

The original recordings in mono format were recorded with an Ampex-350 tape recorder. The songs "You Don't Love Me (You Don't Care)" and "Little Girl" were from Bo's first session for Chess Records on March 2, 1955.

Track listing

All songs were written by Ellas McDaniel, with "I'm Sorry" made in collaboration with Alan Freed and Harvey Fuqua.

1. "Crackin' Up" – 2:41
2. "I'm Sorry" – 2:30
3. "Bo's Guitar" – 2:38
4. "Willie and Lillie" – 2:34
5. "You Don't Love Me (You Don't Care)" – 2:36
6. "Say Man" – 2:30

1. "The Great Grandfather" – 2:40
2. "Oh Yea" – 2:30
3. "Don't Let It Go" – 2:36
4. "Little Girl" – 2:35
5. "Dearest Darling" – 2:32
6. "The Clock Strikes Twelve" – 2:35

Personnel

Per liner notes

Cover versions

The song "Little Girl" was covered by British R&B group The Yardbirds on their album Five Live Yardbirds and was the first of three Bo Diddley songs released on the album. The Gants released "Crackin' Up" as a single in 1966. Corey Harris recorded a version of the song "Crackin' Up" on A Tribute to Bo Diddley. The song was also covered by Paul McCartney on Снова в СССР, and was also covered by The Rolling Stones. Dutch blues band Livin' Blues covered the song "The great Grandfather" on their 1973 album Ram Jam Josey.

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