I'm a Man (Bo Diddley)
| I'm a man | |
|---|---|
| Bo Diddley | |
| publication | 1955 |
| length | 2:59 |
| Genre (s) | Blues , Chicago blues , rock 'n' roll |
| Author (s) | Bo Diddley |
| Award (s) | Rolling Stone Magazine 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (No. 378) Inclusion in the National Recording Registry in 2011 |
I'm a Man is a blues song by Bo Diddley , which was first released in April 1955 on the Checker Records label and was then the B-side of the single Bo Diddley . It is the musician's debut single. Over time, the piece became a classic of blues music, but also of rock 'n' roll .
Music and recordings
The song was influenced by Muddy Waters' song Hoochie Coochie Man , which was written by Willie Dixon . Both pieces use a simple, often repeated riff as a leitmotif and thus propel the piece forward. Diddley's I'm a Man has both chorus and solo play ; Waters' song lacks the solo.
I'm a Man's leitmotif consists of four simple notes: G, C, B, and G. The song stays in the same key throughout . Later cover versions of the piece often included a brief return on G in the middle of the riff, as in the response song Mannish Boy, played shortly after by Muddy Waters .
In addition to Diddley (vocals, guitar), Billy Boy Arnold (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Jerome Green (maracas), Willie Dixon (bass) and Frank Kirkland or Clifton James made music in the Chicago studios of Checker Records on March 2, 1955 on the drums.
Chart placement and text
Shortly after the single was released, it was a mutual success in the American rhythm and blues charts of Billboard magazine and even took first place after some time.
The text is an almost aggressive statement on topics such as youth and old age, friendship and love, but superficially it is about the discovery of sexuality .
Cover versions
Of I'm a Man , there are countless cover versions and response songs that make use of the distinctive riffs. It wasn't until 2012 that Bob Dylan released the song Early Roman Kings on his 35th studio album Tempest , which makes use of the riff. Other well-known examples are Mannish Boy from Muddy Waters or Bad to the Bone from George Thorogood .
A well-known and successful cover comes from the band The Yardbirds . Also, The Who and many more bands and solo artists took the piece, including Royal Guardsmen , Dr. Feelgood and Dickless . Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers often played I'm a Man at concerts.
reception
I'm a Man is one of Bo Diddley's best-known plays and has been used as part of the soundtrack in films such as More American Graffiti and television series such as The Sopranos and The Simpsons .
In Rolling Stone's list of the 500 best songs of all time, the work ranks 378th.
Individual evidence
- ^ Entry in the Rolling Stone list
- ^ The National Recording Registry 2011
- ↑ His Best (CD Liner Notes). Bo Diddley. United States: Chess Records / MCA Records. 1997. CHD-9373 .
- ↑ I'm a Man reached number 11 on the R&B jockey charts, A-side Bo Diddley was # 1 in the juke box charts, # 2 in the best seller charts and # 3 in the Jockey charts. Joel Whitburn: Top 40 R&B and Hip-Hop Hits. 1942-2004 . New York, NY: Billboard Books, 2006, p. 145