Crackin' Up

Album: Go Bo Diddley (1959)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Bo Diddley's woman is driving him crazy in this song, so much so that he's crackin' up. He spoiled her long ago, and now she expects royal treatment - he even does her laundry! It's quite a contrast from his 1955 his "I'm A Man."
  • Musicians on this track include Willie Dixon on upright bass and Jerome Greene on maracas.
  • This is a very tricky song to figure out on guitar, according to Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Gibbons, who included it on his second solo album The Big Bad Blues in 2018, told Songfacts: "Bo's upside down/inside out guitar intro required many hours of figuring. When finally accomplished, there was much cause for celebration. You may think you know Bo but you've got to be severely analytical to really know, know, know Bo."
  • Paul McCartney included this on his 1988 covers album CHOBA B CCCP ("Back in the USSR"), which was issued in the Soviet Union. The Rolling Stones included a version performed at a concert in Toronto on their 1977 album Love You Live.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Tomlin

Chris TomlinSongwriter Interviews

The king of Christian worship music explains talks about writing songs for troubled times.

John Kay of Steppenwolf

John Kay of SteppenwolfSongwriter Interviews

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay talks about "Magic Carpet Ride," "Born To Be Wild," and what he values more than awards and accolades.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Sugarland

SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Meet the "sassy basket" with the biggest voice in country music.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."