Bo Diddley beat takes its name from Bo Diddley and his eponymous song

The Bo Diddley beat is a syncopated musical rhythm that is widely used in rock and roll and pop music.[1][2][3] The beat is named after rhythm and blues musician Bo Diddley, who introduced and popularized the beat with his self-titled debut single, "Bo Diddley", in 1955. The beat has been described as essentially the Afro-Cuban clave rhythm[4] or based on the clave[5][6] or a variation thereof.[7][8]

Music educator and author Michael Campbell explains that it "shows the relationship between Afro-Cuban music, Americanized Latin rhythms, and rock rhythm ... [The beats] are more active and complicated than a simple rock rhythm, but less complex than a real Afro-Cuban rhythm.[8]

History and composition

Bo Diddley beat[9] Play.

The Bo Diddley beat is a variation of the 3-2 clave, one of the most common bell patterns found in Afro-Cuban music that has been traced to sub-Saharan African music traditions.[10] It is also akin to the rhythmic pattern known as "shave and a haircut, two bits", that has been linked to Yoruba drumming from West Africa.[11] A folk tradition called "hambone", a style used by street performers who play out the beat by slapping and patting their arms, legs, chest, and cheeks while chanting rhymes has also been suggested.[12]

According to musician and author Ned Sublette, "In the context of the time, and especially those maracas [heard on the record], 'Bo Diddley' has to be understood as a Latin-tinged record. A rejected cut recorded at the same session was titled only 'Rhumba' on the track sheets."[13] Bo Diddley employed maracas, a percussion instrument used in Caribbean and Latin music, as a basic component of the sound.[11] Jerome Green was the maraca player on Diddley's early records, initially using the instrument as a more portable alternative to a drum set.[14] When asked how he began to use this rhythm, Bo Diddley gave many different accounts. In a 2005 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he said that he came up with the beat after listening to gospel music in church when he was twelve years old.[14]

Use by other artists

Prior to Bo Diddley's self-titled song, the rhythm occurred in 13 rhythm and blues songs recorded between 1944 and 1955, including two by Johnny Otis from 1948.[15] In 1944, "Rum and Coca Cola", containing the beat, was recorded by the Andrews Sisters[9] and in 1952, a song with similar syncopation, "Hambone", was recorded by Red Saunders' Orchestra with the Hambone Kids.

Later, the beat was included in many songs composed by artists other than Bo Diddley:

References

  1. Brown, Jonathan (June 3, 2008). "Bo Diddley, Guitarist Who Inspired the Beatles and the Stones, Dies Aged 79". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  2. "Bo Diddley". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
  3. "Bo Diddley". Rollingstone.com. 2001. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  4. Thomakos, John (2010). "Bo Diddley Beat". The Drum Set Styles Encyclopedia. Mel Bay Publications. p. 67. ISBN 978-1610652193. The heart of this [Bo Diddley beat] trademark groove is essentially a 3-2 clave rhythm, played with a strong swing.
  5. Martin, Andrew R.; Mihalka, Matthew (2020). Music Around the World: A Global Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 179. ISBN 978-1610694995. Bo Diddley's 1955 self-titled track featuring the 'Bo Diddley Beat' that was based on the clave rhythm.
  6. Roscetti, Ed (2008). Stuff! Good Drummers Should Know: An A to Z Guide to Getting Better. Hal Leonard. p. 16. the Bo Diddley beat, based on the rumba or clave rhythm
  7. Horne, Greg (2000). Intermediate Acoustic Guitar. Alfred Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 0-7390-0426-3. The Bo Diddley Beat  This is a variation of the clave made famous by Bo Diddley.
  8. 1 2 Campbell, Michael (2009). Popular Music in America: And the Beat Goes On (3rd ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-495-50530-3.
  9. 1 2 3 Hicks, Michael (2000). Sixties Rock. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-252-06915-4.
  10. Peñalosa, David (2010). The Clave Matrix; Afro-Cuban Rhythm: Its Principles and African Origins. Redway, California: Bembe Books. p. 244. ISBN 1-886502-80-3.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 McDonald, Sam (September 7, 2005). "CHUNKA  CHUNKA  CHUNK A  CHUNK–CHUNK". Dailypress.com. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  12. Roscetti, Ed (2008). Stuff! Good Drummers Should Know. Hal Leonard. p. 16. ISBN 1-4234-2848-X.
  13. Sublette, Ned (2007). The Kingsmen and the Cha-Cha-Chá. Duke University Press. p. 83. ISBN 0822340410.
  14. 1 2 Strauss, Neil (August 25, 2005). "The Indestructible Beat of Bo Diddley". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  15. Tamlyn, Garry Neville (March 1998). The Big Beat: Origins and Development of Snare Backbeat and other Accompanimental Rhythms in Rock'n'Roll (PDF) (Thesis). University of Liverpool. p. 284. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  16. Rosen, Steven (March 16, 2011). "Behind the Song: 'Not Fade Away'". Americansongwriter.com. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dean, Bill (June 2, 2008). "Rock Pioneer Bo Diddley Dies". Gainesville.com. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Kot, Greg (June 2, 2008). "Bo Diddley Dead at 79". Chicagotribune.com. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Allen, Jim (February 1, 2022). "Tracing the Bo Diddley Beat". Uiscovermusic.com. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Ratliff, Ben (June 3, 2008). "Bo Diddley: The Beat That Will Go On". Nytimes.com. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  21. Aquila, Richard (2016). Let's Rock!: How 1950s America Created Elvis and the Rock and Roll Craze. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 232. ISBN 978-1442269378.
  22. Unterberger, Richie. "The Rolling Stones: Flowers – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  23. Fremer, Michael (December 26, 2021). "Love's 'Forever Changes' Finally Gets Long Deserved First Class Vinyl Reissue". Analogplanet.com. Archived from the original on 2012-12-30. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  24. Greenwald, Matthew. "Jefferson Airplane: 'She Has Funny Cars' – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  25. Barton, Geoff (September 24, 2016). "The Story Behind The Song: Ace Frehley's New York Groove – Classic Rock". Teamrock.com. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  26. Planer, Lindsay. "Elton John: Rock of the Westies – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  27. 1 2 Harris, John (2010). Hail! Hail! Rock'n'Roll: The Ultimate Guide to the Music, the Myths and the Madness. Hachette. p. 149. ISBN 0748114866. Retrieved July 5, 2012 via Google.com.
  28. Pareles, Jon. "RECORDINGS; Talking Heads Confronts the Modern World". nytimes.com. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  29. Swanson, Dave. "When Primal Scream Created Their Own World With "Screamadelica"". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  30. Eder, Bruce. "Allman Brothers Band: "Where It All Begins" – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  31. Cunnigham, Jen. "10 Times 'Weird Al' Parodied Pre-1980s Hits (And Was Awesome): 10) 'Party at the Leper Colony' (2003)". Rebeatmag.com. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  32. Jack, Malcolm (February 13, 2014). "Ezra Furman – Review". Theguardian.com. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  33. Hann, Michael (March 18, 2014). "Tune-Yards Comes Back with Water Fountain". Theguardian.com. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
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