Tom Mazzolini, the SF Bay Area Blues impresario, - used his Saturday KPFA
radio show to say he had just learned that Bo Diddley had suffered a heart
attack (apparently this was preceded by a stroke last Spring). Then Tom
played Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?" (below) - a song he wrote in 1953.
Tho I probably heard this song a million times 'back in the day', I was
thunderstruck by the language, let alone the audacity of the voice. Critics
must have a name for this brand of surrealism, it's gothic, southern
graveyard mock Satan/devil rattling bravado. This guy is going to control
the whole street! Let alone happy or terrified "Arlene". It's a wonderful
masterpiece.
May Bo Diddley make it quickly back into play. If not, he leaves more than a
few 'scorchers'.
I walk 47 miles of barbed wire,
I use a cobra-snake for a necktie,
I got a brand new house on the roadside,
Made from rattlesnake hide,
I got a brand new chimney made on top,
Made out of a human skull,
Now come on take a walk with me, arlene,
And tell me, who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Tombstone hand and a graveyard mine,
Just 22 and I dont mind dying.
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
I rode around the town, use a rattlesnake whip,
Take it easy arlene, dont give me no lip,
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Night was dark, but the sky was blue,
Down the alley, the ice-wagon flew,
Heard a bump, and somebody screamed,
You should have heard just what I seen.
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Arlene took me by my hand,
And she said ooowee bo, you know I understand.
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
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