“I Wish You Would,” a 1955 single for Vee-Jay Records, exemplified the creative flair of the then 19-year-old blues phenom who recorded and composed the song, Billy Boy Arnold. Its catchy riffs and propulsive rhythmic pattern represented a fresh departure from most Chicago blues of the era, and if it evoked comparisons to Bo Diddley, that was no coincidence: Arnold was playing with Bo when he came up with an early version of the song, and another Bo Diddley band mate, Jody Williams, played guitar on the session. “I Wish You Would” reached wider audiences when recorded by the Yardbirds, David Bowie, Tom Jones, Canned Heat, and other rock and blues acts.
