Bo Diddley's A Violin Player Now

Introduction

This was getting some traction on Seven Days In, and Bo Didley is a favourite of mine, so I checked it out and found out that "Clock Strikes Twelve" features him playing violin rather than guitar.

It was part of a Life In Numbers project that I did on my blog that you can check out here if you should so wish:

🎵Before ever picking up a guitar, young Bo was a talented violinist. An 8-year-old Diddley saw a boy playing the violin and begged his adoptive mother, Gussie McDaniel, to buy him one. However, McDaniel couldn't afford the expensive instrument. Instead, McDaniel's church, Ebenezer Missionary Baptist, located on Chicago's South Side, began a collection to buy Diddley a violin and pay for lessons. Under the tutelage of teacher O.W. Frederick, Diddley quickly developed an aptitude for the instrument and eventually wrote two violin concertos.

Bo Diddley's A Violin Player Now

For this one, I was thinking of a cut from Spirit's classic "The Twelve Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus", the title always intrigued me but but Spirit were never an "in" band in my teens for some reason. Eventually, when I realised that I could listen to whatever I wanted, I bought it and realised that I had been missing some amazing stuff, and in fact, my all time favourite album "Future Games" is by them.

But I recalled a Bo Diddley instrumental called "Clock Strikes Twelve" for its great reverb drum sound, "I'm A Man" riff vibe and distinctly original guitar sound. Well, no wonder that guitar sound is original because that guitar is, in fact, a violin. Did you know Bo Diddley played violin? Until reading up on the song, I didn't, hardly an instrument you associate with blues or rock, except as part of an orchestral backing.

I've always loved Bo Diddley's songs and playing and was amazed to find a band who you can see playing small venues, the wonderful Lord Rochester, who play a lot of Bo Diddley songs, affect the rectangular guitar and are one of the best live bands you will see. They describe themselves as Scotland’s Top Rock' n’ Roll combo. I wouldn't disagree. I've included a video I took of them at The Schooner a couple of years back playing "Layla".

I am enjoying writing this series because it does enable me to talk about my favourite music, although I know the coming weeks will be a lot harder, I do have a few mapped out ready to slot in, often classic by major artists, although I didn't think I could fit Thousand Yard Stare in then I saw the number 45 in one of their song titles so they will be on the list though that's 33 songs and posts away.

Anyway, enjoy the rest of this summery sunny Sunday, my friends, and enjoy "Clock Strikes 12", it's another song I love.

Conclusion

I love unusual unexpected music examples and this is certainly one of those. I love that my blog continues to throw up unexpected things, which I would have forgotten had I not recorded them when I did.

I suppose Bo Diddley's violin is a little like Pink Floyd's "Household Objects" project, and The Bonzo Dog Band had their Trouser Press:

On Uriah Heep's "The Wizard," the high-pitched whistling you hear throughout the song is a boiling kettle. I saw it on Top Of The Pops but cannot find that particular performance on YouTube.

Thank you for reading and I hope you found something you liked it here. I do like "Clock Strikes Twelve".