Mona (I Need You Baby)
Song written by Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley)
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"Mona (I Need You Baby)" is a song written by Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley) that appeared as the B-side to his 1957 single "Hey! Bo Diddley". According to Diddley's obituary in The New York Times, "Mona" was a song of praise he wrote for a 45-year-old exotic dancer who worked at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit. The song also became the template for the Crickets's "Not Fade Away".[1]

Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2 version
| "Mona" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2 | ||||
| from the album Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 | ||||
| B-side | "I Don't Mind" | |||
| Released | April 30, 1990[2] | |||
| Length | 3:40 | |||
| Label | CBS | |||
| Songwriter | Ellas McDaniel | |||
| Producer | Garth Porter | |||
| Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2 singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In April 1990, Australian actor and musician Craig McLachlan released a version with his band, Check 1–2, as the second single from their 1990 debut album, Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2. It was a commercial success, peaking at No. 3 in Australia and No. 2 in the United Kingdom. In Australia, it was the highest-selling single by a native artist in 1990.[3] At the ARIA Music Awards of 1991 it won ARIA Award for Highest-Selling Single.[4]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mona" (7-inch version) | Ellas McDaniel | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Mona" (extended remix) | Ellas McDaniel | 6:52 |
| 3. | "I Don't Mind" | Craig McLachlan | 3:19 |
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[2] | 3 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] | 14 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] | 8 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[7] | 3 |
| Germany (GfK)[8] | 44 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[9] | 5 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] | 21 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] | 26 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] | 16 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 2 |
Year-end charts
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[3] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Other cover versions
- The Rolling Stones for their debut album in 1964 in the UK and on the US album The Rolling Stones, Now! in 1965.
- T. C. Atlantic with a regional hit single in 1966.[18]
- The Troggs on their 1967 album Trogglodynamite.
- Quicksilver Messenger Service for their second album, 1969's Happy Trails. It was ranked number 88 on the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone.[19]
- Grateful Dead performed the song twice – first with Bo Diddley on 25 March 1972 (released on Dick's Picks Volume 30) and then again on 27 October 1991 with guests Gary Duncan and Carlos Santana.
- The Roosters on their 1980 self-titled debut album.
- Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush covered "Mona" on their 1980 album What’s Next.
- Bruce Springsteen often interpolated "Mona" as an introduction to his "She's the One" on the Born to Run tours and Darkness Tour in the 1970s.
- Bo Diddley performed "Mona" with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on March 28, 1999, at the Fillmore West.