Search - Fats Domino :: Here Comes Fats Domino

His best studio album?

p. silverman | USA | 08/25/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Antoine "Fats Domino" recorded for Imperial for close to 13 years and ofcourse the product speaks for itself: an almost unbroken string of hit singles. Research suggests, however, that during that stay, no sessions were earmarked for an album. It appears that it took a lable switch - to ABC Paramount for such an effort, and in 1963 "Here Comes Fats Domino" was released.
Beside the change in format (which did yield some moderate chart-makers) the change in production was apparent, though not overwhelming. The vocal and instrumental performance of the Fat Man, the tunes themselves, the rhythm section, the horns were all Crescent City. The *vocal group* was all Nashville Pop. Now this was no detriment - the sides were very well mixed, meaning that the voices were understated. Yes, the sound borders on "bubble gum" on occasion, but it never detracts.
The l.p. opener is "When I'm Walking", an obvious reference to "I'm Walkin'", but the chord changes are unusual. The melody foreshadows "Crippled Inside" by John Lennon. A light, but bright statement. "I've Got A Right To Cry" is a great ballad, featuring classic triplet playing, a successful New Orleans - Nashville mix. "There Goes My Heart Again" is uptempo, and once again we have a '60s track which could have been a smash in the '50s. The pop-flavored chorus is effective here. (By the way, it became a modest Pop hit). "Red Sails In The Sunset" was Fats' biggest ABC-Paramount hit. They took the "Blueberry Hill" approach, but punched it up a bit, and got a track that Fats has been known to perform in concert. [To my knowledge, the only other ABC cut found on other labels in other versions is Track #18 here: "Man, That's All" (aka "Another Mule"), found on the double live album on Tomato and on the rarer than rare second Reprise album called "Fats")].
"Land of 1,000 Dances", written by Fats and Chris Kenner, appears to be the premiere of the funky classic. Considering it's status as a Rock and Soul smash, it's amazing that it wasn't at least Top 40 for Domino. The loping, soulful ballad closer, "Tell Me The Truth, Baby" is a masterpiece; absolutely one of his best vocals, too.
This edition adds *10* additional studio cuts, some from the nearly impossible-to-find fourth ABC Paramount album, "The Best of Fats Domino". "Lazy Lady" and "Sally Was A Good Old Girl" are hip dancers from that '66 issue, very well mixed on this release.
From his third release in the series we have the entertaining uptempo "Wigs", which, to this reviewer, bears some resemblance to the Beatles' "Taxman".
The final six entries are from a familiar live recording from the late '70s. The most interesting of these is "Red Sails In The Sunset"."