Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger [EXTRA TRACKS] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Bo Diddley

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 13, 2004)
• Original Release Date: April 13, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Chess
• ASIN: B0001XAQSW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #125,190 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid album of bedrock rock 'n' roll, April 14, 2004

By	hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Diddley's fifth album, originally issued in 1961, didn't really expand on his formula - Diddley beat, propulsive rhythm guitar and maracas, and boastful lyrics - but it's such a bedrock sound, he didn't really need to. In addition to the title track's toast-worthy brag and the well-known "Ride On Josephine," the album is filled with treats. Diddley's bluesy recitation of "Sixteen Tons" has a darkness that (unsurprisingly) eluded Tennessee Ernie Ford, "Do What I Say" has a hypnotically twangy rhythm-lead, and though "Do the Crawdaddy" may never have caught on as a national dance craze, it's a fine tune, with Diddley's guitar forming a virtual wall-of-sound.

Diddley's music is more carnal than that of labelmates like Chuck Berry, fueled more by the beat and the energy of the reverb than by clever stories or characters. Most of the album keeps the beat cranked, but even when it pauses for ballads like "Somewhere" and "No More Lovin'" there's a raw edge that leaps out. The melodies may be reminiscent of standard '50s rock ballads, but Diddley's singing and the production are incredibly electric.

Bonus tracks include a loose take of "Prisoner of Love" that sounds as if it was arranged by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, the stompin' novelty "Googlia Moo," and Little Walter's (or Lightnin' Hopkins') "Better Watch Yourself." The latter two help flesh out other sides of Diddley's musical background.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bonus Tracks!!, July 22, 2004

By	R. Serpico "rserp" (St. Paul, MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A must-have for Bo Diddley fans! The song "Better Watch Yourself" is worth the price alone. Think - "I'm A Man" part 2. Blues Bo Diddley-Style! I give it 4 stars because most of the songs don't have the "Bo Diddley Beat" that we all love. Still a great cd and a good buy!

3.0 out of 5 stars Bonus tracks are much better than the original album, August 7, 2009

By	kireviewer (Sunnyvale, Ca United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is Bo Diddley's fifth album. The original album is 10 tracks and about 24 minutes long. Most songs were done during one recording session in February, 1960. There are 5 bonus tracks recorded during that session (2 were on an earlier CD release and the other 3 have never been released).

I'm not a big fan of the original album. It all seems like watered down Bo Diddely in search of a hit. There is a lot of the popish do wop sound that was driving rock in those days. This is like one of those albums where the record company told the artist what to do. I also think the cover is pretty embarassing.

The sound quality of the original album is poor. It does not sound very professional and is not up to the standards of rock music from that period from people like Elvis, Holly, or Berry. The sound is thin and tinny. The mix is poor. In some cases the background singers can just barely be heard. Recordings from the 1940s have been better.

The bonus tracks are another story. The bonus tracks are lively driving songs with with the Bo Diddley beat. It is like they were left off the album because they were not mainstream enough.

The sound quality of the bonus tracks is so much better than that on the originally released songs. The bonus tracks have a nice rich sound with the perfect mix. This is strange since all songs were recorded at the same time. Maybe the original mix was used on the original tracks, while the bonus tracks were mixed recently???

I would give the original album about 2 stars and the bonus tracks 5 stars.