BOARDSIES DECIDE: Best Song Ever By Black/Partly Black Music Act.

Curtis Mayfield  Move On Up  3-5 Prince  When Doves Cry
Cameo Word Up 5-3 Michael Jackson Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Stevie Wonder Superstition 1-6 Bill Withers Lean On Me  
Fats Domino Blueberry Hill 1-6 Marvin Gaye I Heard It Through The Grapevine

 Fun Facts

Bo Diddley Bo Diddley
The song “Bo Diddley” was originally titled “Uncle John” and was considered too dirty for the white American record buying public. Leonard Chess insisted it be re-written before he would record it.

The distinctive 5/4 rhythm pattern that became known as “the Bo Diddley beat” can be heard in dozens of other musicians’ songs, including

Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away,”
Johnny Otis’s “Willie and the Hand Jive”
U2’s “Desire”
the Who’s “Magic Bus”
“I Want Candy” (The Strangeloves)
“She’s the One” (Bruce Springsteen)
“Faith” (George Michael)
“Mr. Brownstone” (Guns N’ Roses)
“How Soon is Now” (The Smiths)…

In 1955, he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and was asked to perform the song, “Sixteen Tons”. He agreed, but when he took the stage, he read Sullivan’s cue card which had “Bo Diddley” written on the top, indicating his name. He assumed they had wanted him to perform his hit song, also named Bo Diddley. Sullivan was furious that Bo had not followed his explicit instructions and never asked him to return, but after that performance, Bo was an international sensation.

At his home studio in DC, Diddley recorded some vocals by a young Marvin Gaye, who, at the time, was Bo’s valet (a kind of assistant or errand runner). There is a possibility that Gaye is singing background on some of Diddley’s tracks from that time, as he recorded “Who Do You Love” and several other tracks in that studio.

George Thorogood played pool against Bo Diddley in Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone” music video.

When Diddley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, the members of ZZ Top introduced him.

Curtis Mayfield  Move On Up  3-6 Prince  When Doves Cry
Cameo Word Up 6-3 Michael Jackson Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Stevie Wonder Superstition 1-6 Bill Withers Lean On Me  
Fats Domino Blueberry Hill 1-6 Marvin Gaye I Heard It Through The Grapevine

Round 3
Ray Charles Hit The Road Jack! v The Supremes You Can't Hurry Love



The Drifters Under The Boardwalk v  En Vogue feat. Salt N Pepa Whatta Man  



Chic Le Freak v Muddy Waters Mannish Boy



Soul 2 Soul Back To Life v Lenny Kravitz Fly Away



Ray Charles Hit The Road Jack! v The Supremes You Can't Hurry Love
The Drifters Under The Boardwalk v En Vogue feat. Salt N Pepa Whatta Man
Chic Le Freak v Muddy Waters Mannish Boy
Soul 2 Soul Back To Life v Lenny Kravitz Fly Away

Round 3
Nat King Cole The Christmas Song v  James Brown This is a Man's Man's Man's World



OutKast Ms. Jackson v Jimi Hendrix All Along The Watchtower
   

Round 2
Louis Armstrong  What a Wonderful World  v  Ben E. King Stand By Me



Michael Jackson Beat It v Bill Withers Ain't No Sunshine



Nat King Cole The Christmas Song v  James Brown This is a Man's Man's Man's World
OutKast Ms. Jackson v Jimi Hendrix All Along The Watchtower  
Louis Armstrong  What a Wonderful World  v Ben E. King Stand By Me
Michael Jackson Beat It v  Bill Withers Ain't No Sunshine