I'm a Man (Bo Diddley song)
| "I'm a Man" | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Single by Bo Diddley | |
| A-side | "Bo Diddley" |
| Released | April 1955 |
| Format | 10" 78 rpm & 7" 45 rpm records |
| Recorded | Chicago, March 2, 1955 |
| Genre | Rhythm and blues |
| Length | 2:59 |
| Label | Checker (no. 814) |
| Writer(s) | Ellas McDaniel a.k.a. Bo Diddley |
| Producer(s) | Leonard Chess, Phil Chess, Bo Diddley |
| "I'm a Man" | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Single by The Yardbirds | |
| from the album Having a Rave Up | |
| B-side | "Still I'm Sad" |
| Released | October 6, 1965 (U.S.) |
| Format | 7" 45 rpm |
| Recorded |
Chess Records Studios, Chicago September 21–22, 1965 |
| Genre | Blues rock |
| Length | 2:37 |
| Label | Epic (no. 5-9857) |
| Writer(s) | Ellas McDaniel a.k.a. Bo Diddley |
| Producer(s) | Giorgio Gomelsky |
"I'm a Man" is a rhythm and blues song written and recorded by Bo Diddley in 1955. A moderately slow number 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 17 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.
Backing Diddley (vocals and guitar) are Billy Boy Arnold (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Jerome Green (maracas), Willie Dixon (double bass), and either Frank Kirkland or Clifton James (drums). In a Rolling Stone magazine interview, Bo Diddley recounts that the song took a long time to record because of confusion regarding the timing of the "M ... A ... N" vocal chorus. The song is included on several of his compilation albums, including Bo Diddley (1958) and His Best (1997). He also recorded it with Muddy Waters and Little Walter for the 1967 Super Blues album.
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