Few artists embodied the innocent liberation and ecstasy of early rock ‘n’ roll as well as Fats Domino. It was the first piano virtuoso of this music direction and had an enormous influence on generations of musicians. From other icons of the 50s such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard about future soul stars from New Orleans like Dr. John and Allen Toussaint up to pianists from the rockaira like Billy Joel and Elton John.
“This innocence can be felt in his music,” wrote Dr. John in a homage, as Rolling Stone Fats Domino to one of the 100 greatest artists of all time Kürte.
“Fats Domino is a good person and people react to this kindness.” The effortless, light -footed freedom of songs such as “Whole Lotta Loving”, “I’m Walkin ‘” and “Blueberry Hill”, the tickling intimacy of “I want to walk you home” and the cool heartache of’ Ain’t that a shame ‘more than 60 years after your hits. Although his chart successes dried up in the 1960s, Fats Domino was still smiling and full of energy in the center of everything that American pop music makes so open and entertaining.
“The Fat Man” (1950)
These exuberant two minutes and 37 seconds exploded from New Orleans as a mixture of delta blues melody and boogie-woogie piano. From sexual energy and freely floating, jazzy vocal passages. From Domino’s hard piano rhythm and the steady backbeat of the young Earl Palmer. Essentially one of the first rock ‘n’ roll panels ever existed. As Langdon Winner writes in “The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll”, this song recorded in 1949 is a “poorly disguised version of the old Barrelhouse standards ‘Junker’s Blues'”. Domino, however, gives her a quick rhythm and lascivious texts that transform the lawsuit about the dependence on drugs into a radiant, libidinous boast. The domino on its first 10-inch single makes the original “overweight lover”.
“Goin ‘Home” (1952)
Domino landed his first R&B number one hit with this melancholic song, a farewell greeting to a difficult lover that he had written together with Alvin E. Young. “Goin ‘Home Tomorrow/Can’t Stand Your Evil Ways,” he sings into a hard swinging Halftime Blues-Groove. “When you’Re around me/i’m full of misery all day.” The song was later made by Little Richard, Dr. John and Percy Sledge covered.
“Ain’t that a shame” (1955)
In the summer of 1955, “Ain’t that a shame” became the first pop hit after a series of R&B hits Domino. Pat Bones mainstream cover (the boone supposedly wanted to call “Isn’t That A Shame”) achieved first place, but as Jerry Wexler put it: “Fats Domino is still the greatest. Who is already interested in this type with the white hing shoes?”
“Blueberry Hill” (1956)
“Blueberry Hill” was first recorded by several artists in 1940. Among them genes Autry and Glenn Miller. But Domino resorted to the version of Louis Armstrong from 1949 when he went out the material during a session. Producer Dave Bartholomew thought that was a bad idea, but lost the discussion. Fortunately, because it became Domino’s biggest hit. And expanded his audience once and for all. Carl Perkins later said: “In the white Honky-Tonks in which I played, ‘Blueberry Hill’ was played up and down. And white people danced to Fats Domino.”
“I’m in Love Again” (1956)
When “Ain’t that a shame” made Fats Domino known, “I’m in Love Again” secured its place in the charts. The two -minute declaration of love, accompanied by a springs of saxophone melody and dominos bluesy piano playing, was the singer’s first big hit. He stayed in the charts for 18 weeks in the spring of 1956 and made it to third place. The cheerful melody and the warm text (“Yes, it’s me and i’m in love again/had no lovin ‘since you know when”) were very well received in the rock’ n ‘roll scene. And were covered by Bill Haley and his Comets, the upseters (with Little Richard) and Ricky Nelson. Even in the 2000s, the song was even an integral part of Domino’s concerts.
“Blue Monday” (1956)
Domino sings the blues of the worker in “Blue Monday”. A song that was written by Domino’s frequent collaborator Dave Bartholomew for Smiley Lewis. Domino’s version remains true to the original. But his charming interpretation makes the R&B song look even more youthful and solemn. Especially at the end when the protagonist leaves the working week behind to go “out on the stand to play”. Domino made the song a hit. And thus paved the way for R&B plates into the mainstream popcharts. He played it in the same year in which he was published in the film classic “The Girl Can’t Help It”. According to Domino’s biographer Rick Coleman, “Blue Monday” was the singer’s favorite song.
“My Blue Heaven” (1956)
The B-side of “I’m in Love Again” was a peppy interpretation of the pop hit “My Blue Heaven”, which was originally a number 1 hit for Gene Austin in 1927. But while the original was a loose love song with a little piano and clarinet, Fats Domino turned up the pace. He added a backbeat and sang it with optimistic happiness. The importance of Domino’s interpretation – which stayed in the charts for 13 weeks and reached 1956 place – becomes clear in Frank Sinatra’s recordings of the song. In 1950 Sinatra sang the song as a swinging jazz number. But when he re -absorbed him in 1960, it was not a rocker. But with his quick pace he came to a backbeat as close as no other Sinatra song.
“I’m Walkin ‘” (1957)
Fats Domino was at the height of his commercial career when he recorded “I’m Walkin ‘” with the drummer Earl Palmer, bass player Frank Fields and the saxophonist Herb Hardesty on January 3., 1957. “Blueberry Hill” and “Blue Monday” were still on the charts. And ran up and down on the radio. Domino wrote the song together with his long -time colleague Dave Bartholomew. But he had more country flair than his previous hits.
Bartholomew said he knew that the song would be a hit when he brought a few children from the street to play the song in the studio. They started dancing immediately. “The only record that I was really convinced that she would be a big hit was ‘I’m Walkin’,” said Bartholomew. “You add the clarinet. And you already have traditional jazz. You have Dixieland.” The song was a huge success. And experienced a comeback at the end of the year when Ricky Nelson played him in the series “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet” and thus introduced a very new audience. This also started his own career as a teen rock star.
“Whole Lotta Loving” (1958)
Fats had to cool off. And he didn’t do any things. Apart from a title that was later stolen by a certain British hard rock band for a decade, this catchy tune, written by Domino, offers pure hand gossip joy and kissing noises in the chorus. It sounds effortlessly, which it apparently was. A reporter of a newspaper from New Orleans happened to see how Domino and his band under the direction of his long -time employee Dave Bartholomew recorded “Whole Lotta Loving” on a November day in six quick take. “If everything goes well,” said Domino immediately afterwards, “I can record records all day.”
“I want to walk you home” (1959)
Domino was-like Buddy Holly-a rock pioneer who knew how to add some sugar to his rhythmic fire. The innocence and dedication of this song, a piano -wearing ballad over a walk, which made it to eighth place on the charts, is absolutely overwhelming. How devoted is the singer? He doesn’t just want to accompany the woman in the song. He hopes that he can lead her to the altar. After a minute, Fats formulates its request so easily and universally that you can impossible reject it. “I want to hold your hand.” On the other side of the Atlantic, Lennon and McCartney made notes.
“Walking to New Orleans” (1960)
The songwriter Bobby Charles from Louisiana grew up in Abbeville, Louisiana. He revered Fats Domino since he had heard one of his songs as a teenager for the first time. According to a possibly apocryphen history that Charles liked to tell, he hit Domino when he came into the city. And the pianist invited him to New Orleans.
Charles told him that he couldn’t get there because he had no car. “Well,” Domino supposedly said sadly, “then prefer to start running.” From this idea, Charles wrote “Walking to New Orleans” in just about 15 minutes. Dave Bartholomew added a lush string section when Domino recorded the song. And thus helped him to a big hit. It has been covered many times over the years. But the most emotional interpretation delivered Neil Young 2005 at the React Now Benefiz event for the victims of the Hurrican Katrina.
“Jambalaya” (1961)
This song by Hank Williams immediately became the standard. After Williams took him to first place in 1952, Jo Stafford quickly followed with a kitschy pop version that made it to third place. Jerry Lee Lewis mixed him up in 1956. But only when Fats took him in November 1961 did someone who was actually connected to New Orleans interpreted him correctly.
In his hands, a Novelty song becomes a deeply felt description of a fulfilled life. One could say that Fats Domino dedicated his entire career to the great fun of the Bayou. Above a swelling and driving wind section, Fats puts an even rhythm that creates space for one of its most relaxed chants, which almost borders on crooning. As a B-side of “I Hear You Knocking”, his cover made it to 30th place. The following year Ray Charles’ “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music”. But Fats was there at first.