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“I’m a Man” is a rock and roll song written and recorded by Bo Diddley in 1955. A moderately slow blues with a stop-time figure, it was inspired by an earlier blues song and became a number one U.S. R&B chart hit. “I’m a Man” has been recorded by a variety of artists, including The Yardbirds who had a number seventeen pop hit in the U.S. in 1965.
“I’m a Man” was released as the B-side of “Bo Diddley“, his first single in April 1955. The single became a two-sided hit and reached number 1 in the Billboard R&B chart. “I’m a Man” was inspired by Muddy Waters‘ 1954 song “Hoochie Coochie Man“, written by Willie Dixon. After Diddley’s release, Waters recorded an “answer song” to “I’m a Man” in May 1955, titled “Mannish Boy“, a play on words on Bo Diddley’s younger age as it related to the primary theme of the song.
Trivia
- Bo Diddley recounts that the song took a long time to record because of confusion regarding the timing of the “M…A…N” part.
- Bo Diddley’s original “I’m a Man” is ranked number 369 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.
- In 1987 he was inducted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
- In 1998 he recieved Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
- In 2012, the song along with the self-named A-side song “Bo Diddley” was added to the Library of Congress‘s National Recording Registry list of “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important” American sound recordings.
Total classic, deeply rooted in blues quite clearly here but with the new rock n roll directness and brevity. Dude could play too!
You’re right, this is such a classic. It’s THAT riff! This has been paid homage to, parodied and just plain ripped off so many times.
Great track. Love the rectangular guitar.