I'm A Man

This classic blues song is filled with Diddley's swagger. He sings about his sexual prowess, literally spelling out that he is indeed a man. The song is famous for its riff, which was used by many blues and rock musicians, notably George Thorogood on "Bad to the Bone."

This was influenced by a 1951 Muddy Waters song called "She Moves Me." Later in 1955, Waters released "Mannish Boy," which was essentially a rewrite of this song.

Many British bands have covered this song, including The Who, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and The Yarbirds, who hit #17 in the US with their 1965 version. For The Yardbirds, whose hit version came when Clapton was in the band, it was a live favorite and helped establish them as one of Britain's top bands.