Uploaded May 2015 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
"Bo Diddley" is a R&B/R&R song by the legendary Bo Diddley from 1955. It was his first recording, and immediately became a #1 hit on the R&B charts in the U.S. He originally titled the demo version "Uncle John", but the lyrics were considered "too dirty" by the record company for the white American record-buying public so Diddley re-wrote the lyrics and also re-named the song after himself. He added an "e" to the title and to his stage name which he adapted from a one-stringed Deep South instrument called the Diddley Bow. The released version is lyrically similar to a traditional lullaby "Hush Little Baby". The song was placed at #62 on Rolling Stone magazine's list The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is also on of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that shaped Rock and Roll list. In 1998 the song was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998. Diddley was also known as The Originator due to his key role in the transition from Rhythm & Blues to Rock & Roll, and Rock. He influenced a host of artists that include Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, The Animals, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, The Yardbirds, Eric Clapton, and The Beatles to name a few. Bo Diddley left a legacy best stated by the Voice of America radio service: "his influence was so widespread that it is hard to imagine what rock and roll would have sounded like without him".
"Bo Diddley" is a R&B/R&R song by the legendary Bo Diddley from 1955. It was his first recording, and immediately became a #1 hit on the R&B charts in the U.S. He originally titled the demo version "Uncle John", but the lyrics were considered "too dirty" by the record company for the white American record-buying public so Diddley re-wrote the lyrics and also re-named the song after himself. He added an "e" to the title and to his stage name which he adapted from a one-stringed Deep South instrument called the Diddley Bow. The released version is lyrically similar to a traditional lullaby "Hush Little Baby". The song was placed at #62 on Rolling Stone magazine's list The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is also on of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that shaped Rock and Roll list. In 1998 the song was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998. Diddley was also known as The Originator due to his key role in the transition from Rhythm & Blues to Rock & Roll, and Rock. He influenced a host of artists that include Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, The Animals, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, The Yardbirds, Eric Clapton, and The Beatles to name a few. Bo Diddley left a legacy best stated by the Voice of America radio service: "his influence was so widespread that it is hard to imagine what rock and roll would have sounded like without him".
