Bad to the Bone
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2014) |
| "Bad to the Bone" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US single picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by George Thorogood and the Destroyers | ||||
| from the album Bad to the Bone | ||||
| B-side | "No Particular Place to Go" | |||
| Released | September 17, 1982 | |||
| Recorded | 1982 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:52 3:36 (single edit) | |||
EMI America | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | George Thorogood | |||
| Producer(s) | The Delaware Destroyers | |||
| George Thorogood and the Destroyers singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Bad to the Bone" on YouTube | ||||
"Bad to the Bone" is a song by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released in 1982 on the album of the same name by EMI America Records. The song adapts the hook and lyrics of Muddy Waters' 1955 song "Mannish Boy".[1] While "Bad to the Bone" was not widely popular upon its initial release, its music video made recurrent appearances on MTV, created a year before. Licensing for films, television, and commercials has since made the song more popular. 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".[2]
Music video
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 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.
Personnel
- George Thorogood – vocals and electric guitar
- Ian Stewart – piano
- Hank Carter – saxophone
- Billy Blough – bass
- Jeff Simon – drums
In popular culture
It is currently been used as the Opening Theme tune to the Drivetime programme on the Irish local radio station, Midlands 103
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Film and television
The song has been used in
The song was played in the episode of Who's the Boss?, "The Two Tonys", when Tony Micelli was playing pool against another guy named Tony Petardi (husband of Darlene, Tony Micelli's ex-girlfriend) and tries to beat him.
The song was used many times in
The song was referenced in the episode of
The song was referenced and background music was playing in the episode of Step By Step, "Something Wild" when Mark Foster dressed up for their Halloween party as a rebel to impress the prettiest girl in his school he invited to the part.
The song was played in the episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, "I Bowl Buster", when Will Smith and Carlton Banks go bowling to celebrate Carlton's acceptance to Princeton University and is played through the times Carlton struggles to bowl and causes multiple mishaps and injuries for him and Will.
Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for the episode "Alvin's Oldest Fan" from their TV series. It was also featured in the episode "Endless Summer" of the series Renegade. Almost the entire record can be heard at the beginning of the episode "Nobody Lives Forever" on the TV series Miami Vice. An episode of Disney's TV show 101 Dalmatians: The Series has an episode named after the song.
Rudy Giuliani performed the song in Season 7, Episode 7 of The Masked Singer. His performance led judge Ken Jeong to walk off set.[3]
Uses in film
"Bad to the Bone" has been used in many films, such as:
- Slayground (1983)
- Christine (1983)
- The Color Of Money(1986)
- Lethal Weapon (1987)
- Bull Durham (1988)
- Talk Radio (1988)
- Problem Child (1990)
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- Problem Child 2 (1991)
- Flesh and Bone (1993)
- Major Payne (1995)
- The Parent Trap (1998)
- 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001)
- Joe Dirt (2001)
- Firehouse Dog (2007)
- Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)
- Beautiful Kate (2009)
- Lucky Luke (2009)
- Transylmania (2009)
- Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010)
- Megamind (2010)
- The Muppets (2011)
- It Boy (2013)
- Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015)
- Man Up (2015)
- Huevos: Little Rooster's Egg-cellent Adventure(2015)
- It's For Your Own Good (2017)
Sporting events
The song is used by
The song is also used by 2-Time World Champion Professional bull rider
The song is also used as an
The song is used in the home matches of
) when HIFK acquires a penalty.Other media
On October 7, 2008, the song was released as downloadable content for the
The song has also been used as a theme song for Mr. Bungle.
Talk show host Bill Cunningham uses the song as the opening intro to his afternoon talk show on
Thorogood appeared in a UPS commercial, convincing NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett to race the brown delivery truck, and rewriting the lyrics as "Brown to the Bone", in 2002.
Authorship claim
Chicago area musician James Pobiega, who goes by the stage name "Little Howlin' Wolf", has claimed that he wrote "Bad to the Bone" and that Thorogood stole it from him.[4] The song is influenced by Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy".[5] Thorogood initially offered the song to Waters, who rejected it outright.[6]
References
- ^ Fender.com, Muddy Waters. "Learn How to Play 'Mannish Boy' by Muddy Waters". Fender.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ISBN 9781538116401 p. 79.
- ^ McClure, Kelly. "Rudy Giuliani sings "Bad to the Bone" on "The Masked Singer"". Salon. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ Mehr, Bob (10 November 2005). "Out of the Wilderness". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
- ^ Bad to the Bone. "Rolling Stone Magazine". Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ "George Thorogood Interview 2014". earlofnewt.com. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
