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Road Runner (Bo Diddley song)

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B-side
  
"My Story"

Format
  
7" 45 RPM

Length
  
2:24

Released
  
January 1960 (1960-01)

Genre
  
Rock and roll

Recorded
  
September 1959 in Chicago, Illinois

"Road Runner" is a 12-bar blues song performed by American rock and roll performer Bo Diddley, originally released as a single by Checker Records in January 1960, and later released on the LP record Bo Diddley in the Spotlight. The song reached #20 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart, and #75 on the Hot 100. The song has since been covered by many artists.

Contents

The beep-beep chorus of the song clearly references the Roadrunner animated character with its triumphant beep-beep.

Background and recording

The session(s) for "Road Runner" took place late September 1959 in Chicago, Illinois and backing Diddley (vocals, guitar) were Jerome Green (maracas, backing vocals), Clifton James (drums), guest pianist Otis Spann, Peggy Jones (guitar, backing vocals), and Bobby Baskerville (backing vocals).

The song is often confused with (I'm a) Road Runner, an R & B song wtitten by the songwriting team of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, and Edward Holland, Jr..

Cover versions

The American garage band The Gants released "Road Runner" as a single in 1965 and it made #46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is their only Billboard charter.

Many British Invasion artists have covered "Road Runner":

  • "Road Runner" (as well as "Diddley Daddy") was recorded by The Rolling Stones during one of their first recording sessions at IBC Studios in London, England on March 11, 1963.
  • In 1963, Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders released their version of "Road Runner" as the B-side of "Hello Josephine".
  • In March 1965, The Pretty Things released the song on their eponymous debut album.
  • Also in March 1965, The Zombies released a version on their first album Begin Here.
  • In May 1965, The Animals released the song on their second UK release of Animal Tracks.
  • In June 1979, a medley of "Road Runner", "Join Together", and "My Generation Blues" was released by The Who on the soundtrack to The Kids Are Alright. The track was actually recorded in December 1975 at the Pontiac Silverdome.
  • The Beatles played parts of the song during the concerts which were released as Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962.
  • The Clash were known to cover the song during their sound checks on the London Calling tour, on which Bo Diddely also headlined.

    • Several non-British artists that have covered the song include Aerosmith on Honkin' on Bobo, Hurriganes on the album Roadrunner, and Microwave Dave & The Nukes on their album Goodnight, Dear.

    The song was also covered as a part of the Backbeat soundtrack by a supergroup consisting of Dave Grohl, Dave Pirner, Thurston Moore, Mike Mills, Greg Dulli and Don Fleming.

    Use in media

    Starting in February 2012, the song is being used as the background music in a Mazda car commercial for their SkyActiv technology. A short clip of Diddley singing it is included in the commercial.

    The song appears in the first episode of web series 11.22.63., starring James Franco.

    References

    Road Runner (Bo Diddley song) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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