Story Of Bo Diddley, The (The Very Best Of Bo Diddley) - Bo Diddley

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...The group's debut album was the most uncompromisingly blues/R&B-oriented full-length recording they would ever release. Mostly occupied with covers, this was as hard-core as British R&B ever got; it's raw and ready. But the Stones succeeded in establishing themselves as creative interpreters, putting '50s and early '60s blues, rock, and soul classics (some quite obscure to White audiences) through a younger, more guitar-oriented filter. The record's highlighted by blistering versions of "Route 66," "Carol," the hyper-tempoed "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "I'm a King Bee," and "Walking the Dog." Their Bo Diddleyized version of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" gave them their first British Top Ten hit (and their first small American one). The acoustic ballad "Tell Me" was Jagger-Richards' first good original tune, but the other group... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Good commercial songs
Disadvantages: Dodgy lyrics

.... Of the lesser-known tracks, "A Mind With a Heart of Its Own", has a nice twist on the old Bo Diddley rhythm, and "The Apartment Song" is really simple, but still enjoyable. "Feel a Whole Lot Better", the old Byrds favourite, sounds like a note-for-note carbon copy of the original, but it's such a great song that you can't hear it too often. The only thing that spoils this record is a slapdash attitude to song lyrics - 'She's a good girl, crazy 'bout Elvis/Loves horses and her boyfriend too' sounds like it was dashed off in a taxi on the way to the studio, and I doubt if even Marc Bolan would have tried to get away with 'My sister got lucky, married a yuppie'.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Smooth
Disadvantages: Apart from a couple of songs, it does nothing for me

...getting an idea of how dull I found it? "Africa Bamba" is okay - it sounds like the kind of thing they're always playing in my local Italian restaurant, so it's pleasant enough background music, another song that makes me wish I was on holiday. Still, "Smooth" is a brilliant song, and I love it. I also like "Migra", which sounds very like "I want candy", (the 60s garage song, revived by Bow Wow Wow), or Bo Diddley, so it's a good little singalong. I'm sory, though, two good songs ain't enough to carry a whole album.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful