The Chess Box

He's celebrated for the syncopated beat bearing his name that has spanned rock & roll's entire history. Unfortunately, his namesake also gets him mislabeled as a one-trick pony. This two-disc set does much to remedy the situation, tracking 1955 through 1968 and featuring all the hits. However, The Chess Box also displays Diddley's rock and blues versatility, from the reggae-ish (before there was reggae) "Crackin' Up" and the Who's onstage hard-rock anthem "Roadrunner" to the wonderful formerly U.K.-only "Greatest Lover in the World" and rock's first song about a junkie ("Pills," later revived by the New York Dolls). Most surprising is Diddley's beautiful yet previously unreleased doo-wop classic, "You Know I Love You." The excellent liner notes by MCA's primo compiler, Andy McKaie (with Diddley himself), and the late Robert Palmer add extra value to the package. --Bill Holdship