Who Do You Love Get A Haircut If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave) George Thorogood

Who Do You Love? Album: Move It On Over (1978)
Get A Haircut Album: Haircut (1993)
If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave) Album: Boogie People (1991)
by George Thorogood And The Destroyers

"Who Do You Love?" was written and originally recorded by Bo Diddley in 1956. George Thorogood is a huge Bo Diddley fan and paid tribute by recording the song.

Diddley is known for his signature beat - "da da da da da... da da da" - but his version of "Who Do You Love?" doesn't use it. Thorogood, though, used it in his cover version, widely associating the song with the "Bo Diddley beat." He wasn't the first to do so: Earlier cover versions by Tom Rush and Quicksilver Messenger Service both brought Diddley's beat into the song.

"Who Do You Love?" is part of George Thorogood's second album, Move It On Over, released in 1978. He wasn't well established at this time, so the song didn't chart. Thorogood kept it in his setlist though, and when he landed some hits in the '80s ("Bad To The Bone," "I Drink Alone" and got on MTV, many of his new fans dug into his back catalog and learned about "Who Do You Love?" In the '90s, the song was big on Classic Rock radio.

Thorogood discovered Bo Diddley through The Rolling Stones, who often talked up didn't and used the Bo Diddley beat in some of their early songs, including "I Need You Baby (Mona)" and "Not Fade Away." Thorogood bought the album Bo Diddley's 16 All-Time Greatest Hits, which includes "Who Do You Love?" and played it constantly.

Another song that uses the Bo Diddley beat is "Willie And The Hand Jive," first recorded by Johnny Otis in 1958. When George Thorogood covered that song in 1985, he changed the lyric to include Diddley:

A doctor, a lawyer and an Indian Chief
They all dig that Diddley beat

That same year, Thorogood played Live Aid, where he brought Diddley on as a guest to perform "Who Do You Love?"

Who Do You Love?

I walked forty-seven miles of barbed wire
I got a cobra snake for a necktie
A brand new house on the road side
And it's a-made out of rattlesnake hide
Got a band new chimney, baby, I put on top
And it's a-made out of human skull
Come on take a little walk with me baby
And tell me who do you love?
Who do you love?

Now around the town I use a rattlesnake whip
Take it easy baby don't you give me no lip
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

I've got a tombstone hand and a graveyard mind
I'm just twenty-two and I don't mind dying
Who do you love?
Yeah, who do you love?
Ah, who do you love?

Now Arlene took a-me by my hand
She said "Lonesome George you don't understand
Who do you love? "
The night were dark and the sky were blue
Down the alleyway a ice wagon flew
Hit a bump and somebody screamed
You should've heard what I'd seen
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Yeah, who do you love?
Ah, who do you love?

Yeah, I've got a tombstone hand, a graveyard mine
Just twenty-two, baby, I don't mind dying
Snake skin shoes and baby put them on your feet
Got the goodtime music with the Bo Diddley beat
Yeah, who do you love?
Hoo! Who do you love?

I walked forty-seven miles of barbed wire
I got a cobra snake for a necktie
A brand new house on the road side
And it's made out of rattlesnake hide
Got a band new chimney, my momma, I put on top
And it's made out of human skull
Come on take a little walk with me child
Tell me who do you love?
Yeah, who do you love?
Hoo! Who do you love?

Who do you love?
Ah hoowoo

"Get A Haircut"

I was a rebel from the day i left school
Grew my hair long and broke all the rules
I'd sit and listen to my records all day
With big ambitions of where i could play

My parents taught me what life was about
So i grew up the type they warned me about
They said my friends were just an unruly mob
And i should get a haircut and get a real job

Get a haircut and get a real job
Clean your act up and don't be a slob
Get it together like your big brother bob
Why don't you get a haircut and get a real job

I even tried that 9 to 5 scene
I told myself that it was all a bad dream
I found a band and some good songs to play
And now I party all night, I sleep all day

I met this chick she was my No.1 fan
She took me home to meet her mommy and dad
They took one look at me and said ("oh my god")
Get a haircut and get a real job

Get a real job, why don't you get a real job
Get a real job, why don't you get a real job

I hit the big time with my rock 'n' roll band
The future's brighter now than I'd ever planned
I'm ten times richer than my big brother bob
And he, he's got a haircut he's got a real job

Why don't you get a haircut and get a real job

I even tried that 9 to 5 scene

"If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave)"

I'm tired of putting up
With your sober ways
Tired of looking at you
Through an alcoholic haze
You better change
I'm begging you please
'cause if you don't start drinkin'
I'm gonna leave

I wake up in the morning
I'm under the roof
But I get no sympathy
Baby you're too aloof
You better change
Yes, I'm begging you please
'cause if you don't start drinkin'
I'm gonna leave

Budweiser, Budweiser, Miller Lite
Take a little nip baby it's alright
All a fellow wants is company
Come on baby have a taste with me

Yeah, you say it's alright baby
You don't care
But as soon as I indulge
I get that icy stare
You better change
I'm begging you please
'cause if you don't start drinkin'

I'm gonna leave

Don't give me no lectures
'Bout stress and strife
So-ber-i-ety
Just ain't my way of life
You better change
Yes, I'm begging you please
'cause if you don't start drinkin'
I'm gonna leave

Yeah, Budweiser, Budweiser, Miller Lite
Take a little nip baby it's alright
All a fellow wants is company
Come on baby have some fun with me

Yeah, you say it's alright baby
You don't care
But as soon as I indulge
I get that icy stare
You better change
I'm begging you please
'cause if you don't start drinkin'
I'm gonna leave

Well, if you don't start drinkin'
I'm gonna leave
Yes, if you don't start drinkin'
I'm gonna leave