Mona (I Need You Baby)

"Mona"
"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
Recorded	1989
Length	3:40
Label	CBS
Songwriter(s)	Ellas McDaniel
Producer(s)	Garth Porter
Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2 singles chronology

"Mona (I Need You Baby)" is a song written by Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley) and was 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 Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away".^[1]

Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2 version[]

In 1990, Australian actor/musician Craig McLachlan released a version with his band "Check 1–2". It was their second single from their 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.^[2]

Track listing[]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mona (7" Version)"	Ellas McDaniel	3:40
2.	"Mona (Extended Remix)"	Ellas McDaniel	6:52
3.	"I Don't Mind"	Craig McLachlan	3:19

Awards[]


Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
1991	"Mona"	ARIA Award for Highest Selling Single of the Year^[3]	Won

Chart performance[]

"Mona" peaked at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, behind Elton John's "Sacrifice", on the week commencing July 15, 1990.^[4]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[5]	3
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[6]	14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[7]	8
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[8]	3
Germany (Official German Charts)^[9]	44
Ireland (IRMA)^[10]	5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[11]	21
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[12]	26
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[13]	16
UK Singles (OCC)^[14]	2

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1990)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[2]	15
Belgium (Ultratop)^[15]	65
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[16]	86
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[17]	35
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[18]	22

Certifications[]


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[2]	Platinum	70,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions[]

"Mona (I Need You Baby)" has been covered by many artists, including:

The Rolling Stones for their debut album in 1964 in the UK and on the US album The Rolling Stones, Now! in 1965.
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 performed an interpretation of the song as an introduction to "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.

References[]

^ Ratliff, Ben (June 3, 2008). "Bo Diddley, Who Gave Rock His Beat, Dies at 79". The New York Times. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "1990 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Winners By Year – 27th ARIA Awards 2013". ariaawards.com.au. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
^ "1990-07-21 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive". Official Charts Company. July 15, 1990. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
^ "Australian-charts.com – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Austriancharts.at – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Ultratop.be – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7 no. 30. July 28, 1990. p. IV. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Mona". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Charts.nz – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Jaaroverzichten 1990" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7 no. 51. December 22, 1990. p. 36. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "End of Year Charts 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. March 2, 1991. p. 41.
^ "Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time – Stereogum". stereogum.com. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[1] Ratliff, Ben (June 3, 2008). "Bo Diddley, Who Gave Rock His Beat, Dies at 79". The New York Times. Retrieved June 21, 2014.

[ausye-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "1990 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[3] "Winners By Year – 27th ARIA Awards 2013". ariaawards.com.au. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 23, 2014.

[4] "1990-07-21 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive". Official Charts Company. July 15, 1990. Retrieved July 23, 2014.

[sc_Australia_Craig_McLachlan_&_Check_1-2-5] "Australian-charts.com – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[sc_Austria_Craig_McLachlan_&_Check_1-2-6] "Austriancharts.at – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[sc_Flanders_Craig_McLachlan_&_Check_1-2-7] "Ultratop.be – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[8] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7 no. 30. July 28, 1990. p. IV. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[sc_Germany_Craig_McLachlan_&_Check_1-2-9] "Offiziellecharts.de – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[sc_Ireland2_Craig_Mc_Lachlan-10] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Mona". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[sc_Dutch40_-11] "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[sc_Dutch100_Craig_McLachlan_&_Check_1-2-12] "Dutchcharts.nl – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[sc_New_Zealand_Craig_McLachlan_&_Check_1-2-13] "Charts.nz – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – Mona". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[sc_UK_-14] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[15] "Jaaroverzichten 1990" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[16] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7 no. 51. December 22, 1990. p. 36. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[17] "End of Year Charts 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

[18] "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. March 2, 1991. p. 41.

[19] "Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time – Stereogum". stereogum.com. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

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