Day 191: Fats Domino – This is Fats
Today is another instance of one of my unofficial features, Kat Learns Music History. I’ll be covering Fats Domino, who I absolutely do not know enough about.
Album cover courtesy of Imperial Records
Antoine Caliste Domino Jr., or Fats Domino, was an American singer-songwriter and pianist from Louisiana. He started playing piano at ten years old when his brother-in-law, jazz guitarist Harrison Verrett, started teaching him. Four years later, he was already performing in New Orleans bars. He was signed to Imperial Records at 21 years old. He released his single “The Fat Man” less than a year later, and it became the first rock and roll record to sell more than a million copies.
Apparently they originally called him Fats Domino because he played like Fats Waller and Fats Pichon, but that was later used to refer to his size. It was apparently a big thing back then in jazz circles to call fat people or skinny people “Fats”. Back then, they would have called me Fats Kat, or maybe Fat Kats. If I ever become a jazz musician, at least I have a name ready, I just need the talent but whatever, that’s less important.
The thing about old rock and roll is that these days, unless it’s actually exceptional, it just doesn’t sound all too impressive to me. Back in the day, it must’ve been like experiencing the second coming, but having heard everything that came as a result of it, mostly I think old rock and roll is fine. Despite this, I find This is Fats to be incredibly charming. You can really hear how he influenced artists who came after him, like the Beatles or especially Elvis, who once said he’s uncomfortable with the title of the King since for him, the king is Fats Domino.
The top of the album are the songs Fats Domino wrote with the man who discovered him, Dave Bartholomew. The love songs, like “Love Me” and “It’s You I Love”, are so sweet that I absolutely don’t doubt what he says in his debut single “The Fat Man”: “All the girls, they love me / 'Cause I know my way around”. I also liked the slightly sadder “Thinking of You”, but it suffers a bit from the quality of the album. In many ways, I wish it was just a bit sharper.
I like the album as a first step into listening to Fats Domino, but the kicker will be looking at his other work I think, as this one feels quite cobbled together. The fuzziness of the recording can occasionally be overlooked as something that maybe sounds like you’re there with him in a crowded room, but on other songs it’s just overpowering. 7/10.