‘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. The song adapts the hook and lyrics of Muddy Waters' 1955 song "Mannish Boy". 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 wrote 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".
The music video for ‘Bad To The Bone’ intercuts a live performance by Thorogood and his band with his playing a lengthy game of pool with Bo Diddley. Pool player Willie Mosconi is summoned from another room by a spectator (played by Michael Fusco), and he wagers a large sum of money on Diddley. As Thorogood appears to be winning, a group of children outside celebrate while Diddley gets a dirty look from Mosconi. Thorogood smokes a cigar throughout the pool-playing sequence. The video ends with Thorogood making the 8-ball drop into a pocket by flicking a large quantity of cigar ash on the floor, apparently triggering the drop of the ball in the pocket.
The song has been widely used in film-making and television productions, often as a tongue-in-cheek comedic device when a "bad guy" needs to be introduced or identified. The song was used in the bar scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day where the Terminator first is shown in his full leather outfit. The song was used many times in the TV show Married... with Children, when Al Bundy does something fun, usually followed by the line "Let's Rock."
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. The song is influenced by Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy". Thorogood initially offered the song to Waters, who rejected it outright.
Label – EMI AmericaSongwriter – George Thorogood
Producer – The Delaware Destroyers
SONG LYRICS
[Instrumental Intro][Verse 1]
On the day I was born
The nurses all gathered 'round
And they gazed in wide wonder
At the joy they had found
The head nurse spoke up
Said, "Leave this one alone"
She could tell right away
That I was bad to the bone
[Chorus]
Bad to the bone
Bad to the bone
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad
Bad to the bone
[Verse 2]
I broke a thousand hearts
Before I met you
I'll break a thousand more, baby
Before I am through
I wanna be yours pretty baby
Yours and yours alone
I'm here to tell ya honey
That I'm bad to the bone
[Chorus]
Bad to the bone
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad
Bad to the bone
[Instrumental Break]
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3]
I'll make a rich woman beg
And I'll make a good woman steal
I'll make an old woman blush
And I'll make a young girl squeal
I wanna be yours pretty baby
Yours and yours alone
I'm here to tell ya honey
That I'm bad to the bone
[Chorus]
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad
B-b-b-b-b-b-bad
Bad to the bone
[Instrumental Break]
[Saxophone Solo]
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 4]
Now, when I walk the streets
Kings and Queens step aside
Every woman I meet, haha
They all stay satisfied
I wanna tell ya pretty baby
What I see I make my own
And I'm here to tell ya honey
That I'm bad to the bone
[Chorus]
Bad to the bone
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad
B-b-b-b-b-b-bad
B-b-b-b-b-b-bad
Woo! Bad to the bone
[Instrumental Outro]
[Guitar Solo]