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Bo Diddley the song...why it never charted?

S

Starbucks

Since Bo sadly passed away, I've always had a question why his self titled song never charted. As far as the Pop chart is concerned. It always received recognition and alot airplay on all the oldies stations. Was he like the Grateful Dead of his day ...where he sold alot of concerts, but not many hit records?
 
Bo also recorded a beautiful ballad entitled "I'm Sorry" which also should have charted. "Bo Diddley" the song charted in a different way, You can hear alot of Bo's influence in Buddy Hollys' music ("Not Fade Away"), who in turn influenced the Beatles.
 
palalwanabe said:
You can hear alot of Bo's influence in Buddy Hollys' music ("Not Fade Away"), who in turn influenced the Beatles.
Click to expand...


And The Rolling Stones. They recorded "Not Fade Away" and released it on an album.
 
Starbucks said:
Since Bo sadly passed away, I've always had a question why his self titled song never charted. As far as the Pop chart is concerned. It always received recognition and alot airplay on all the oldies stations. Was he like the Grateful Dead of his day ...where he sold alot of concerts, but not many hit records?
Click to expand...


The song "Bo Diddley" reached #1 on the R&B charts in 1955. Mainstream "Pop" radio was not playing R&B songs at that time. Four R&B songs did reach #1 on the Pop charts in 1955, but they were covers by Pop artists. I guess no one was able to cover Bo.
 
That might be a minor reason.....but songs like "Sixty Minute Man" - Dominos , "Gee" - Crows, 5 Keys, "Ling Ting Tong" were mainstream charters going back to '51. And they did get airplay back then on both Pop & R&B.
But "Bo Diddley" the song seem to get more airplay on oldies formats more than the ones mentioned above.
 
Starbucks said:
That might be a minor reason.....but songs like "Sixty Minute Man" - Dominos , "Gee" - Crows, 5 Keys, "Ling Ting Tong" were mainstream charters going back to '51. And they did get airplay back then on both Pop & R&B.
But "Bo Diddley" the song seem to get more airplay on oldies formats more than the ones mentioned above.
Click to expand...


Well, we've been told many times by the radio experts on this board that Oldies radio playlists and the Billboard charts aren't related. The playlists, we were told, are developed through "research" and "testing". So I guess we'll have to ask those who were "researched" and "tested" why they like "Bo Diddley" today, but didn't like it in 1955.
 
TheFonz said:
Starbucks said:
That might be a minor reason.....but songs like "Sixty Minute Man" - Dominos , "Gee" - Crows, 5 Keys, "Ling Ting Tong" were mainstream charters going back to '51. And they did get airplay back then on both Pop & R&B.
But "Bo Diddley" the song seem to get more airplay on oldies formats more than the ones mentioned above.
Click to expand...


Well, we've been told many times by the radio experts on this board that Oldies radio playlists and the Billboard charts aren't related. The playlists, we were told, are developed through "research" and "testing". So I guess we'll have to ask those who were "researched" and "tested" why they like "Bo Diddley" today, but didn't like it in 1955.
Click to expand...
Bo, in a 1975 interview at his home in Valencia County, New Mexico, stated that he wanted to be remembered for his talent, even though many in the industry wouldn’t grant him that. “The American people do not recognize their own talent that’s right under their noses. My problem was, in the beginning, I was running around opening up doors and everyone run through it and I ended up back there holding the knob.”
 
TheFonz said:
Well, we've been told many times by the radio experts on this board that Oldies radio playlists and the Billboard charts aren't related. The playlists, we were told, are developed through "research" and "testing". So I guess we'll have to ask those who were "researched" and "tested" why they like "Bo Diddley" today, but didn't like it in 1955.
Click to expand...

I'm the "freak" for programming my station this way, but I mostly go by the billboard charts myself...

Also there is a stereo version of "Bo Diddley" out there which is a sync-up of a staging tape I believe, sounds pretty neat for 1955 stereo :)
 
Bo was ahead of his time back when (white) saniitized commercial radio didn't know diddley! Fifty years later it STILL don't know diddley! Bo had a huge following worldwide and he was virtually ignored by rock radio and leter MTV...yet he was The Originator!

He's now doin' the "shave...hair-cut...two-bits-and-shave...hair-cut...two-bits" rhythm with the angels way up yonder.

Peace be with 'ya Bo!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Diddley
 
I want to find the lyrics to Bo Diddley's ......."Say Man"..what is a good website that has all the 50's-70's songs? Thanks in advance

Pal Al Wannabe
 
Hey Fonz, thanks, the interview video is quite Cool, I'm from New Mexico and had the pleasure of seeing Bo a couple of times, as recently as three, maybe four years ago at the El Rey In Abq. Thanks again.
 
palalwanabe said:
I want to find the lyrics to Bo Diddley's ......."Say Man"..what is a good website that has all the 50's-70's songs? Thanks in advance

Pal Al Wannabe
Click to expand...
Try:
http://lyricsfly.com/
I entered artist "Bo Diddley" and got lyrics for 52 Bo tunes.
 
Caramba!!!!!!!!! lyric fly.com is loaded!!!! wow!!!!!

Thanks all of you
 
TheFonz said:
Starbucks said:
Since Bo sadly passed away, I've always had a question why his self titled song never charted. As far as the Pop chart is concerned. It always received recognition and alot airplay on all the oldies stations. Was he like the Grateful Dead of his day ...where he sold alot of concerts, but not many hit records?
Click to expand...


The song "Bo Diddley" reached #1 on the R&B charts in 1955. Mainstream "Pop" radio was not playing R&B songs at that time. Four R&B songs did reach #1 on the Pop charts in 1955, but they were covers by Pop artists. I guess no one was able to cover Bo.
Click to expand...
You are quite correct, Fonz. Back in those days, radio was still backwards when it came to playing records that "didn't sound right" for their audience!(we all know what that meant). Why do you think Pat Boone cover Fats Domino? Georgia Gibbs covered LaVern Baker? Record companies of that day encouraged those kinds of covers to help generate sales for their artists, & at the same time appeal to the teens who liked the R&B originals, but couldn't hear them on "regular" radio.
 
palalwanabe said:
Bo also recorded a beautiful ballad entitled "I'm Sorry" which also should have charted. "Bo Diddley" the song charted in a different way, You can hear alot of Bo's influence in Buddy Hollys' music ("Not Fade Away"), who in turn influenced the Beatles.
Click to expand...

Buddy Holly covered "Bo Diddley" which serves to explain that pop stations of that decade snubbed what was then referred to as "race records" particularly in the deep south. Holly eventually did "The Originator "a big favor though since he was influenced by him.
 
kirkiefan said:
palalwanabe said:
Bo also recorded a beautiful ballad entitled "I'm Sorry" which also should have charted. "Bo Diddley" the song charted in a different way, You can hear alot of Bo's influence in Buddy Hollys' music ("Not Fade Away"), who in turn influenced the Beatles.
Click to expand...

Buddy Holly covered "Bo Diddley" which serves to explain that pop stations of that decade snubbed what was then referred to as "race records" particularly in the deep south. Holly eventually did "The Originator "a big favor though since he was influenced by him.
Click to expand...


Buddy was believed to have recorded "Bo Diddley" on a home recorder in late 1956. The song wasn't released until 1963 when it was overdubbed with The Fireballs.
 
Yes indeed Fonzie! You are correct and the undubbed version by Buddy Holly IS available if you can find it, there is also a practice version out there as well. Buddy loved Bo Diddley and loved playing his songs too. Buddy Holly rules, Bo Diddley rules! The 50s rule!

What do you all think? Does that about cover it? ;D
 
The Atrium said:
Yes indeed Fonzie! You are correct and the undubbed version by Buddy Holly IS available if you can find it, there is also a practice version out there as well. Buddy loved Bo Diddley and loved playing his songs too. Buddy Holly rules, Bo Diddley rules! The 50s rule!

What do you all think? Does that about cover it? ;D
Click to expand...


You've said it all, Atrium. There's a bootleg box set called "The Buddy I Knew" that contains the undubbed version.
 
The really good oldies stations still play this song. I just heard it on WYAY-FM True Oldies 106.7 yesterday!
 
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