HEY!
The Strummers Lyrics
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On that farm he had some women (hey Bo Diddley)
Women here, women there (hey Bo Diddley)
Women, women, women everywhere (hey Bo Diddley)
But one little girl lived on a hill (hey Bo Diddley)
She rustled and tussled like Buffalo Bill (hey Bo Diddley)
One day she decided she'd go for a ride (hey Bo Diddley)
She rolled right up to my front door (hey Bo Diddley)
Knocked an' knocked 'til her fist got sore (hey Bo Diddley)
When she turned and walked away (hey Bo Diddley)
All I could hear my baby say (hey Bo Diddley)
Hey Bo Diddley, oh Bo Diddley
Hey Bo Diddley, oh Bo Diddley
Hey Bo Diddley, oh Bo Diddley
Hey Bo Diddley, oh Bo Diddley
Saw my baby run across the field (hey Bo Diddley)
Slippin' and slidin' like an automobile (hey Bo Diddley)
Hollerin', my baby got towed away (hey Bo Diddley)
Slipped on from me like a Cadillac-8 (hey Bo Diddley)
Hey Bo Diddley, oh Bo Diddley
Hey Bo Diddley, oh Bo Diddley
Hey Bo Diddley, oh Bo Diddley
The Strummer's song "Hey!" is a tribute to the late influential blues musician Bo Diddley. The lyrics of the song speak of Bo Diddley's farm that had many women who lived and worked on it. The song mentions a woman who stands out from the rest and who decides to ride out one day with a pistol and sword by her side. She makes her way to the singer's front door, knocking repeatedly until her fists become sore. When she finally leaves, the singer hears their baby saying "Hey Bo Diddley, oh Bo Diddley" in the distance, while their baby's mother runs off like a sports car being driven away.
The lyrics of the song are open to interpretation, but it is possible that the song is an ode to Bo Diddley's wild, unrestrained lifestyle that was emblematic of the blues culture. The women on his farm may be symbolic of the many muses that inspired Bo Diddley's music. The woman on the hill could be a reference to one of the many women Bo Diddley may have been involved with, while the baby in the song may symbolize the lasting legacy of Bo Diddley's music that has influenced generations of musicians.
Line by Line Meaning
Bo Diddley done had a farm (hey Bo Diddley)
Bo Diddley was a farmer and owned a farm
On that farm he had some women (hey Bo Diddley)
Bo Diddley had a lot of women on his farm
Women here, women there (hey Bo Diddley)
There were women all around Bo Diddley's farm
Women, women, women everywhere (hey Bo Diddley)
The farm was surrounded by many women
But one little girl lived on a hill (hey Bo Diddley)
A girl lived on a hill near Bo Diddley's farm
She rustled and tussled like Buffalo Bill (hey Bo Diddley)
The girl was tough like the famous Western icon Buffalo Bill
One day she decided she'd go for a ride (hey Bo Diddley)
The girl decided to take a ride
With a pistol and a sword by her side (hey Bo Diddley)
The girl had weapons with her when she went for the ride
She rolled right up to my front door (hey Bo Diddley)
The girl arrived at the singer's front door
Knocked an' knocked 'til her fist got sore (hey Bo Diddley)
The girl knocked repeatedly until her hand hurt
When she turned and walked away (hey Bo Diddley)
The girl left after being unsuccessful
All I could hear my baby say (hey Bo Diddley)
The singer only heard his baby's voice
Hey Bo Diddley, oh Bo Diddley
The singer repeats Bo Diddley's name as a refrain
Saw my baby run across the field (hey Bo Diddley)
The singer saw his baby running away
Slippin' and slidin' like an automobile (hey Bo Diddley)
The baby was running fast and sliding like a car
Hollerin', my baby got towed away (hey Bo Diddley)
The singer is yelling that his baby was taken away
Slipped on from me like a Cadillac-8 (hey Bo Diddley)
The baby left him fast like a speeding car
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ELLAS MCDANIEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Thanks again John.