Grateful Dead Family Discography: Say Boss Man

Say Boss Man

Composer: Ellas McDaniel

Say Boss Man was performed once by the Grateful Dead with Bo Diddley on 25th March 1972. On Grateful Dead set lists and tapes the song is often listed as Eighteen Children.

On the original 78 rpm single release of this song the title on the record label is Say! (Boss Man). On the sleeve of the 1957 Bo Diddley LP the title appears as Say Bossman. On the Got My Own Bag Of Tricks compilation the title is Hey, Boss Man. On most other releases the title is given as Say Boss Man.

Bo Diddley was born Ellas Otha Bates but assumed the surname McDaniel during childhood. Writing credits on recordings of Say Boss Man are usually McDaniel or Diddley.

Bo Diddley

no info Single (Say! (Boss Man) / Before You Accuse Me (Take A Look At Yourself)), Bo Diddley, 1957 (Checker 878)
Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley, 1957
Boss Man, Bo Diddley, 1967
Got My Own Bag Of Tricks, Bo Diddley, 1972
no info Chess Masters, Vol. 2, Bo Diddley, 1982
no info Road Runner, Bo Diddley, 1984
Bo Diddley / Go Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley, 1986
The Chess Box, Bo Diddley, 1990
The Chess Years, Bo Diddley, 1993
no info Bo Diddley (comp), Bo Diddley, 1993
no info Mona, Bo Diddley, 1996
no info Raw Blues, Vol. 2, Various Artists (Bo Diddley), 2002
The Story of Bo Diddley: The Very Best of Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley, 2006
I'm a Man: The Chess Masters, 1955-1958, Bo Diddley, 2007
no info I'm Bad!, Bo Diddley, 2008
Gold, Bo Diddley, 2008

Other recordings

no info Single (Say Boss Man / Done Somebody Wrong), David Clayton-Thomas, 1969
David Clayton-Thomas, David Clayton-Thomas, 1969
no info Arkansas Rockpile, Ronnie Hawkins, 1970
no info Arkansas Rockpile/Mojo Man, Ronnie Hawkins, 2008