Have Guitar, Will Travel

AMG Review of Have Guitar, Will Travel

Bruce Eder
All Music Guide

Amazingly, Bo Diddley's third album -- containing classics such as "Cops and Robbers," "Run Diddley Daddy," and "Mona (I Need You Baby)" -- has only been reissued on vinyl, and even that's out of print. More than one British Invasion band learned what they needed to know about American rock & roll from the songs on this record (the Stones cut "Cops and Robbers" at their earliest recording session, and later released a killer version of "Mona," though the most interesting British version of the latter was done by an all-girl band with an attitude called the Liverbirds). This record is every bit as raunchy as Diddley's first two albums (the guitars may even be crunchier, and the singing shows more range), and has more than enough to recommend it to collectors and fans. This is the album that began the funny cover photos on Diddley's records.