Five months before Elvis would shake things up with his appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, Bo Diddley appeared on this day in 1955 (click here.)
Bo was supposed to do Ernie Ford’s 16 Tons but crossed everyone up by doing – what else? Bo Diddley! The tune is one of rock’s seminal rifs but has its roots in the Shave and a Haircut – Two Bits tune that Bo sped up. To this day, I can not hear mention of Bo without mentality going duh, da, da, da, da – da da!