George Thorogood & The Destroyers – Bad To The Bone

“Bad to the Bone” Single by George Thorogood and the Destroyers from the album Bad to the Bone
B-side “No Particular Place to Go (Live)”
Released September 17, 1982
Recorded April, 1982
LabelEMI America
Songwriter George Thorogood
Producer The Delaware Destroyers”Bad to the Bone”

Charted No.27 in US (Mainstream Rock Chart)

This is based on the Bo Diddley blues song “I’m A Man.” Thorogood is influenced by the blues, and Diddley is one of his heroes. Thorogood’s version has a much heavier guitar sound, which replaces the harmonica in Diddley’s recording. Both songs are full of swagger, with the singers exuding lots of testosterone.

George Thorogood wrote “Bad to the Bone” sometime during their 50/50 tour. It took “a few months” for Thorogood to write the song, while the lyrics took longer to write. Thorogood said “If we don’t write a song called ‘Bad to the Bone,’ somebody else will, so it might as well be us.”

Thorogood first wanted Muddy Waters to record the song, but his manager declined the offer. He then asked Bo Diddley to record the song, but he didn’t have a recording deal at the time, so the Destroyers ended up recording it instead.

The video intercuts a live performance by Thorogood and his band with footage of him entering a pool hall and challenging Bo Diddley to a game. Word of the challenge quickly spreads throughout the neighborhood, and a spectator brings pool player Willie Mosconi] from an adjoining boxing gym where he is watching a fight. Mosconi wagers a large sum of money on Diddley, and the game lasts several hours, with Thorogood gaining the advantage.

As the video ends, Thorogood attempts to sink the 8-ball but leaves it sitting at the edge of a pocket. He grins and flicks ashes onto the floor from a cigar he has been smoking throughout the game, causing just enough of a disturbance to sink the ball, and the children gathered outside the pool hall celebrate his victory

George Thorogood – vocals and electric guitar
Ian Stewart – piano
Hank Carter – saxophone
Billy Blough – bass
Jeff Simon – drums