So farewell then Bo Diddley – the gaiety of nations suffers a subtraction. He seemed to be around forever with his black bedecked hat and his rectangular guitar. He was a seminal figure in the history of rock. Without him we’d hardly have had the Rolling Stones and he was a major influence on Buddy Holly. You’d imagine that “Not Fade Away” was a Bo Diddley song but in fact Holly wrote it – inspired by the Bo Diddley sound. Holly also, of course recorded the song “Bo Diddley”.
It’s curious Bo Diddley also wrote the plangent “Love is Strange” – recorded by the Everly Brothers and Paul Macartney among many. He was best in small doses singing stuff like “Mona” (also recorded by the Stones), “Roadrunner” and “Who Do You Love”.
