Bad to the Bone

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.{{Cite web |last=Yates |first=Henry |title=The story behind George Thorogood & The Destroyers' Bad To The Bone |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/george-thorogood-bad-to-the-bone |website=Classic Rock}} Thorogood said "If we don’t write a song called ‘Bad to the Bone,’ somebody else will, so it might as well be us."{{Cite web |last=Fraley |first=Jason |title=George Thorogood ready to rock Wolf Trap with 'Bad to the Bone' hits |url=https://wtop.com/entertainment/2021/08/george-thorogood-ready-to-rock-wolf-trap-with-bad-to-the-bone-hits/ |website=WTOP News}}

Thorogood first wanted Muddy Waters to record the song, but his manager declined the offer.{{Cite web |last=Uitti |first=Jacob |title=The Meaning Behind the Rousing Classic Rock Song "Bad to the Bone" |url=https://americansongwriter.com/the-meaning-behind-the-rousing-classic-rock-song-bad-to-the-bone/ |website=American Songwriter}} He then asked Bo Diddley to record the song,{{Cite web |title=George Thorogood Interview 2014 |url=https://earlofnewt.com/2014/04/03/muddy-waters-didnt-want-thorogoods-bad-to-the-bone-but-bo-diddley-did/ |access-date=2021-01-25 |website=earlofnewt.com}} but he didn't have a recording deal at the time, so the Destroyers ended up recording it instead.

"Bad to the Bone" was written in open G tuning and makes use of a slide.{{Cite web |title=Bad To The Bone by George Thorogood |url=https://guitaralliance.net/bad-bone-george-thorogood/ |website=Guitar Alliance}} The song adapts the hook and lyrics of Muddy Waters' 1955 song "Mannish Boy".{{Cite web |title=Learn How to Play 'Mannish Boy' by Muddy Waters |url=https://www.fender.com/articles/how-to/learn-how-to-play-mannish-boy-by-muddy-waters// |access-date=24 January 2021 |website=Fender.com}}{{Cite web |title=Rolling Stone Magazine |url=https://www.spawnofpossession.com/music/music-news/bad-to-the-bone-69310/ |access-date=2021-01-25}}

The Chicago musician James Pobiega, who goes by the stage name "Little Howlin' Wolf", claimed that he wrote "Bad to the Bone" and that Thorogood stole it from him.{{cite news |last1=Mehr |first1=Bob |date=10 November 2005 |title=Out of the Wilderness |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/out-of-the-wilderness/Content?oid=920464 |access-date=13 June 2014 |work=Chicago Reader}}

Recording of the song took place in the Dimension Sound Studios in Jamaica Plains, Boston in April 1982.{{Cite web |title=George Thorogood & The Destroyers 'Bad to the Bone' Turns (almost) 40 |url=https://rock929rocks.com/listicle/george-thorogood-the-destroyers-bad-to-the-bone-turns-almost-40/ |website=ROCK 92.9}} Rolling Stones keyboardist Ian Stewart helped record, and played piano on the song.

"Bad to the Bone" was first released in 1982 as the title track to their fifth studio album, before being released as a single on September 17. The song peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.{{cite web |title=George Thorogood Awards |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/george-thorogood-mn0000647834/awards |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203033725/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/george-thorogood-mn0000647834/awards |archive-date=December 3, 2012 |access-date=January 16, 2021 |publisher=AllMusic}} Although the single was not widely popular upon its initial release, its music video made recurrent appearances on MTV, created a year before.{{Cite web |last=Rotter |first=Joshua |title=George Thorogood revisits his career-making album 25 years later |url=https://www.recordnet.com/story/entertainment/events/2007/10/04/george-thorogood-revisits-his-career/52778567007/ |website=Recordnet}}

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{{Cite magazine |date=November 20, 1982 |title=Thorogood And Buddies In Video |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1982/CB-1982-11-20.pdf |magazine=Cash Box |page=18 |via=World Radio History}} 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.{{Cite web |title=George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Bad To The Bone (Music Video) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyhJ69mD7xI |website=YouTube}}

The music video was directed and produced by Mark Robinson.

"Bad to the Bone" was received positively by critics. Author Jim Beviglia opined that despite the song not landing on the Hot 100 chart, it "outstrips all other 80s songs in terms of the way it has essentially become cultural shorthand".Jim Beviglia. "'Bad to the Bone' by George Thorogood and the Destroyers." Playing Back the 80s: A Decade of Unstoppable Hits. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018. {{ISBN|9781538116401}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=8YBqDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA79 p. 79]. The song eventually became their signature song, being performed at every concert.{{Cite web |last=McStea |first=Mark |date=December 16, 2022 |title=George Thorogood's Top Five Career-Defining Destroyers Tracks |url=https://www.guitarplayer.com/players/george-thorogoods-top-five-career-defining-destroyers-tracks |website=Guitar Player}}

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

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{{George Thorogood}}

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Category:1982 singles

Category:1982 songs

Category:George Thorogood songs

Category:EMI America Records singles