This gives a better summary of his career with Chess than His Best. As a result it is a better display of his rather astounding diversity (for a first wave rock and roller).

The problem is twofold:

1. For one thing his diversity has its downside, as much of the music omitted from His Best is way too similar to the novelty “Say Man.”
2. The other problem is that, like so many other originators of rock and roll, Diddley ignored Bob Dylan. So there is really no lyrical progress from “Bo Diddley” to Bo Diddley 1969.”

Though this is a great set, most people are better off getting His Best, which focuses mostly on his earlier stuff.

9/10

Disc 1: 1955 To 1959

1. “Bo Diddley” (1955)
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Harmonica – Lester Davenport
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Piano – Otis Spann
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:43
2. “I’m A Man” (1955)
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Harmonica – Lester Davenport
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Piano – Henry Gray
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:55
3. “You Don’t Love Me” (1955)
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Harmonica – Lester Davenport
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Piano – Otis Spann
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:50
4. “Diddley Daddy” (1955)
   • Backing Vocals – The Moonglows
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Harmonica – Billy Boy Arnold
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel-Harvey Faqua
   • 2:26
5. “Pretty Thing” (1955)
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Harmonica – Billy Boy Arnold
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Written-By – Willie Dixon
   • 2:48
6. “Bring It To Jerome” (Alternate Take) (1955)
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Harmonica – Billy Boy Arnold
   • Vocals [Co-lead] – Jerome Green
   • WrittenBy – Jerome Green
   • 2:38
7. “Bring It To Jerome” (Master) (1955)
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Harmonica – Billy Boy Arnold
   • Vocals [Co-lead] – Jerome Green
   • Written By – Jerome Green
   • 2:27
8. “Diddy Wah Diddy” (1955)
   • Backing Vocals – The Moonglows
   • Bass – Willie Dixon
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Harmonica – Little Willie Smith
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel-Willie Dixon
   • 2:30
9. “I’m Looking For A Woman” (1955)
   • Bass – Willie Dixon
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Guitar – Jody Williams
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:30
10. “Who Do You Love?” (1956)
    • Drums – Frank Kirkland
    • Guitar – Unknown Artist
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:27
11. “Down Home Special” (1956)
    • Bass – Willie Dixon
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Harmonica – Billy Boy Arnold
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 3:10
12. “Hey Bo Diddley” (1957)
    • Backing Vocals – Unknown Artist
    • Bass – Willie Dixon
    • Drums – Frank Kirkland
    • Guitar – Jody Williams
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Piano – Otis Spann
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:09
13. “Mona (I Need You Baby)” (1957)
    • Bass – Willie Dixon
    • Drums – Frank Kirkland
    • Guitar – Jody Williams
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Piano – Otis Spann
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:19
14. “Say Boss Man” (1957)
    • Backing Vocals – Unknown Artist
    • Bass – Willie Dixon
    • Drums – Frank Kirkland
    • Guitar – Jody Williams
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:29
15. “Before You Accuse Me” (1957)
    • Bass – Willie Dixon
    • Drums – Frank Kirkland
    • Guitar – Jody Williams
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 3:03
16. “Say Man” (1958)
    • Drums – Frank Kirkland
    • Maracas, Vocals [Co-lead] – Jerome Green
    • Piano – Lafayette Leake
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 3:10
17. “Hush Your Mouth” (Alternate Take) (1958)
    • Drums – Frank Kirkland
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Piano – Lafayette Leake
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 3:02
18. “The Clock Strikes Twelve” (1958)
    • Drums – Frank Kirkland
    • Harmonica – Unknown Artist
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Piano – Lafayette Leake
    • Violin – Bo Diddley
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:57
19. “Dearest Darling” (Alternate Take) (1958)
    • Drums – Frank Kirkland
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Piano – Lafayette Leake
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 3:14
20. “Crackin’ Up” (1958 Or 1959)
    • Backing Vocals – The Carnations
    • Bass [Possibly] – Willie Dixon
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Piano [Possibly] – Otis Spann
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:03
21. “Don’t Let It Go (Hold On To What You Got)” (1958 Or 1959)
    • Backing Vocals – The Carnations
    • Bass [Possibly] – Willie Dixon
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Piano [Possibly] – Otis Spann
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:42
22. “I’m Sorry” (1958 Or 1959)
    • Backing Vocals – The Carnations
    • Bass [Possibly] – Willie Dixon
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Piano [Possibly] – Otis Spann
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel-Harvey Faqua-Alan Freed
    • 2:24
23. “Mumblin’ Guitar” (1959)
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:47
24. “The Story Of Bo Diddley” (1959)
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Piano – Otis Spann
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:50

Disc 2: 1959 To 1969

1.   “She’s Alright” (1959)
   • Backing Vocals – Unknown Artist
   • Drums – Clifton James
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Piano – Otis Spann
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 4:01
2. “Say Man, Back Again” (Alternate Take) (1959)
   • Drums – Clifton James
   • Maracas, Vocals [Co-lead] – Jerome Green
   • Piano – Otis Spann
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 3:01
3. “Road Runner” (1959)
   • Backing Vocals – Unknown Artist
   • Drums – Clifton James
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Piano [Probably] – Otis Spann
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:46
4. “Spend My Life With You” (1959)
   • Backing Vocals – Unknown Artist
   • Drums – Clifton James
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Piano [Probably] – Lafayette Leake
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:34
5. “Cadillac” (1960)
   • Backing Vocals – Unknown Artist
   • Bass – Unknown Artist
   • Drums – Frank Kirkland
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Saxophone [Tenor] – Unknown Artist
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:44
6. “Signifying Blues” (Extended Version) (1960)
   • Bass – Unknown Artist
   • Drums [Probably] – Clifton James
   • Maracas, Vocals [Co-lead] – Jerome Green
   • Piano – Lafayette Leake
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 4:25
7. “Deed And Deed I Do” (1960)
   • Backing Vocals – Unknown Artist
   • Bass – Unknown Artist
   • Drums [Probably] – Clifton James
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Piano – Lafayette Leake
   • Written-By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:19
8. “You Know I Love You” (1960)
   • Backing Vocals – The Flamingos
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:52
9. “Look At My Baby” (1960)
   • Maracas – Jerome Green
   • Piano [Probably] – Lafayette Leake
   • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
   • 2:27
10. “Ride On Josephine” (1960)
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:59
11. “Aztec” (1961)
    • Bass – Unknown Artist
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:25
12. “Back Home” (1961)
    • Backing Vocals – Unknown Artist
    • Bass – Unknown Artist
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:26
13. “Pills” (1961)
    • Bass – Unknown Artist
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:47
14. “Untitled Instrumental” (1961)
    • Bass – Unknown Artist
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:20
15. “I Can Tell” (1962)
    • Bass – Unknown Artist
    • Drums [Probably] – Frank Kirkland
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Samuel Smith
    • 4:24
16. “You Can’t Judge A Book By It’s Cover” (1962)
    • Bass – Unknown Artist
    • Drums [Probably] – Frank Kirkland
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Willie Dixon
    • 3:12
17. “Who May Your Lover Be” (1962)
    • Bass – Unknown Artist
    • Drums [Probably] – Frank Kirkland
    • Maracas – Jerome Green
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:51
18. “The Greatest Lover In The World” (1963) written by  Terry Vail-Maurice McAllister; 2:39
19. “500% More Man” (1965) written by  Ellas McDaniel-T. McMatthew; 2:52
20. “Ooh Baby” (1966)
    • Bass – Chester Lindsay
    • Drums – Clifton James
    • Tambourine, Maracas – Cornelia Redmond
    • Violin [Electronic] – Edward Drennon
    • Written By – Ellas McDaniel
    • 2:46
21. “Bo Diddley 1969” (1968) written by  Ritchie Cordell-Layng Martine, Jr.; 2:35