Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame (1956) 4K

Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame (1956) 4K...
Imperial Records had the engineers compress Fats' vocals and speed up the song a bit to make the song sound less bluesy and give it more mainstream appeal, making it more difficult for other artists to cover the song.

This was the first song to crossover from the R&B charts to the mostly white pop charts of the day. Like several other songs previously heard exclusively in black bars or nightclubs, it was covered by the crooning Pat Boone. Concerned about how educated, upper-class whites would respond to the title, he originally wanted it changed to "Isn't That a Shame," but the producers realized the original title would sell better and kept it.

This was a favorite songwriting trick of Domino's, as he looked for a good, simple section to start a song. Even though songs like this one were often attached to melancholy lyrics, it was the sound that Domino felt was important - if he could make it sound happy, it would evoke pleasant memories. "Ain't That A Shame" is a heartache song about a breakup that was the other partner's fault. Domino wrote it with Dave Bartholomew, who worked on most of Domino's hits.

Fats Domino was an American pianist and singer-songwriter, known for his pioneering work in the R&B and rock and roll genres. He was one of the first African-American artists to gain popularity with white audiences and helped pave the way for future black musicians. His music was heavily influenced by the New Orleans sound and he was one of the key figures in the city's music scene in the 1950s and 60s...