George Thorogood, the frontman of George Thorogood and the Destroyers, has shared the story behind his iconic song 'Bad to the Bone,' revealing how it became a male fantasy anthem and a staple of classic rock radio.
From Obscure Blues to Original Hit
Before 'Bad to the Bone,' Thorogood and his band focused on playing obscure blues songs from the archives. However, after touring with the Rolling Stones, he realized the need for an original song with a catchy intro. 'I noticed the reaction to their Start Me Up. I said: "Man, we'd better hurry up and write an original song with a catchy intro or, five years from now, people will go, "Oh yeah, George Thorogood – wasn't he good at playing Chuck Berry or something?"'
The Birth of a Male Fantasy
Thorogood describes 'Bad to the Bone' as a male fantasy. 'Let's face it: every guy wants to be bad. We were raised on Hollywood movies and all those tough guys, like Bernardo from West Side Story, or Howlin' Wolf – we opened for him in 1974 and he had a ferocious reputation.' The song's lyrics were inspired by Johnny Cash's advice to write down rhyming words and work around them. Thorogood started with 'bone' and recalled that in his neighborhood, 'bad' meant 'cool.' 'Steve McQueen was cool, but James Bond was bad, y'know?'
Rejection and Recording
The band first offered the song to Muddy Waters, but his manager refused, saying Muddy would never record a blues song by a white guy. Thorogood dismissed this as 'a bunch of horse manure,' noting that if Eric Clapton or Keith Richards had written it, they would have recorded it immediately. 'But me being a nobody from Delaware, they turned us down.' To save money in the studio, the band rehearsed the song extensively. The stutter in the vocal came naturally to Thorogood, following a tradition in rock 'n' roll: 'In 1965, there was "talking about my g-g-g-generation." A decade later, there was "b-b-b-baby you just ain't seen nothing yet." Every 10 years in rock'n'roll, something is up for grabs.'
Rise to Fame and Terminator 2
Thorogood had no expectations for the song, but classic rock radio stations embraced it, playing it alongside Led Zeppelin, Steve Miller, and the Stones. 'The young people listening just figured: "Well, Bad to the Bone is a classic."' The song's big break came when it was featured in 'Terminator 2.' Arnold Schwarzenegger personally called Thorogood, using his Terminator voice: 'Your song. Give it to me. Now.' The song was perfect for the biker and bar fight scenes. 'There was a bit of violence, but it was tongue-in-cheek.'
Band Member's Perspective
Drummer Jeff Simon recalls being at Thorogood's house when he was working on the song. 'He hadn't done a lot of writing before that, but at some point you have to make that step, because material is everything.' Simon notes that the song's hook was not entirely original: 'We're equal-opportunities thieves: we steal from everybody. And everybody does it. You take your influences and make them your own.' He didn't plan his drum part, just played what felt right. Later, jazz great Joey DeFrancesco told him the intro reminded him of Elvin Jones. 'I thought: "Well, that's the only time our names will be said in the same sentence."'
Live Performances and Legacy
The band's shows were known for heavy drinking and fighting. 'We would break records for beer sales everywhere we played,' Simon says. One memorable incident involved Hells Angels demanding 'Born to be Wild,' which the band didn't know. The most memorable performance of 'Bad to the Bone' was at Universal Studios in 1996 for the opening of the Terminator ride, with Arnold Schwarzenegger descending from a helicopter. Thorogood reflects on the song's enduring appeal: 'None of us in the band are tough guys. Bad to the Bone brings out the lion in the mouse, but it's not to be taken that seriously. It's an over-masculine chuckle.' The band's album 'The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live' was released on 12 June, with UK performances on 29 and 30 June.
