Mona (I Need You Baby)

"Mona (I Need You Baby)" is a song written by Elias McDaniel (real name of 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".

Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2's version

"Mona"
File:Mona Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2.jpg
Single by Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2
from the album Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2
B-side	"I Don't Mind"
Released	April 1990 (1990-04)
Format	CD single cassingle
Genre	Pop, SynthPop
Length	3:40
Label	CBS
Writer(s)	Elias McDaniel
Producer(s)	Garth Porter
Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2 singles chronology
"Rock the Rock" (1989) "Mona" (1990) "Amanda" (1990)

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 UK. It was the highest selling single by an Australian artist in 1990.

Track listing

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

Charts

"Mona" peaked at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, behind Elton John's "Sacrifice" in the week commencing 21 July 1990.

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	3
Austrian Singles Chart	44
Belgian Singles Chart	8
German Singles Chart	44
Dutch Singles Charts MegaCharts	26
New Zealand Singles Chart	16
UK Singles Chart	2

End of year chart (1990)	Position
Australian Singles Chart	15

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)	Platinum	70,000
*sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Awards

Year	Recipient/Nominated work	Award	Result
1991	"Mona"	ARIA Award for Highest Selling Single of the Year	Won

Cover versions

The song "Mona (I Need You Baby)" has been covered by many artists including;

• The Rolling Stones for their debut album in 1964.
• The Troggs on their Trogglodynamite album in 1967.
• Quicksilver Messenger Service for their second album Happy Trails in 1969. It was ranked number 88 on the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone.
• Grateful Dead performed the song twice. The 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 of the 1970s.