Fats Domino - The Complete Imperial Singles (2017)

The most popular exponent of the classic New Orleans R&B sound, Fats Domino sold more records than any other black rock & roll star of the 1950s. His relaxed, lolling boogie-woogie piano style and easygoing, warm vocals anchored a long series of national hits from the mid-'50s to the early '60s. Through it all, his basic approach rarely changed. He may not have been one of early rock's most charismatic, innovative, or threatening figures, but he was certainly one of its most consistent.

Domino's first single, "The Fat Man" (1949), is one of the dozens of tracks that have been consistently singled out as a candidate for the first rock & roll record. As far as Fats was concerned, he was just playing what he'd already been doing in New Orleans for years, and would continue to play and sing in pretty much the same fashion even after his music was dubbed "rock & roll."

The record made number two on the R&B charts, and sold a million copies. Just as important, it established a vital partnership between Fats and Imperial A&R man Dave Bartholomew. Bartholomew, himself a trumpeter, would produce Domino's big hits, co-writing many of them with Fats. He would also usually employ New Orleans session greats like Alvin Tyler on sax and Earl Palmer on drums – musicians who were vital in establishing New Orleans R&B as a distinct entity, playing on many other local recordings as well (including hits made in New Orleans by Georgia native Little Richard).

Domino didn't cross over into the pop charts in a big way until 1955, when "Ain't That a Shame" made the Top Ten. Pat Boone's cover of the song stole some of Fats' thunder, going all the way to number one (Boone was also bowdlerizing Little Richard's early singles for pop hits during this time). Domino's long-range prospects weren't damaged, however; between 1955 and 1963, he racked up an astonishing 35 Top 40 singles. "Blueberry Hill" (1956) was probably his best (and best-remembered) single; "Walking to New Orleans," "Whole Lotta Loving," "I'm Walking," "Blue Monday," and "I'm in Love Again" were also huge successes.

After Fats left Imperial for ABC-Paramount in 1963, he would only enter the Top 40 one more time. The surprise was not that Fats fell out of fashion, but that he'd maintained his popularity so long while the essentials of his style remained unchanged. This was during an era, remember, when most of rock's biggest stars had their careers derailed by death or scandal, or were made to soften up their sound for mainstream consumption. Although an active performer in the ensuing decades, his career as an important artist was essentially over in the mid-'60s. He did stir up a bit of attention in 1968 when he covered the Beatles' "Lady Madonna" single, which had been an obvious homage to Fats' style. ~ Richie Unterberger

Tracklist:

CD 1:
01. The Fat Man (2:35)
02. Detroit City Blues (2:27)
03. Boogie Woogie Baby (2:17)
04. Little Bee (2:30)
05. Hide Away Blues (2:22)
06. She's My Baby (2:43)
07. Brand New Baby (2:34)
08. Hey! La Bas Boogie (2:22)
09. Every Night About This Time (2:09)
10. Korea Blues (2:16)
11. Tired Of Crying (2:13)
12. What's The Matter Baby (2:11)
13. Don't Lie To Me (2:18)
14. Sometimes I Wonder (2:22)
15. No No Baby (2:19)
16. Right From Wrong (2:12)
17. Careless Love (2:18)
18. Rockin' Chair (2:26)
19. You Know I Miss You (2:12)
20. I'll Be Gone (2:17)
21. Goin' Home (1952 Single Version) (2:10)
22. Reeling And Rocking (2:18)
23. Trust In Me (2:47)
24. Poor, Poor Me (2:09)
25. Dreaming (2:18)

CD 2:
01. How Long (2:00)
02. Cheatin' (2:34)
03. Nobody Loves Me (2:12)
04. Going To The River (2:29)
05. Mardi Gras In New Orleans (2:17)
06. Please Don't Leave Me (2:32)
07. The Girl I Love (2:05)
08. You Said You Loved Me (2:33)
09. Rose Mary (Version 2) (2:13)
10. Don't Leave Me This Way (2:18)
11. Something's Wrong (2:39)
12. Little School Girl (2:43)
13. You Done Me Wrong (2:02)
14. Baby Please (1:53)
15. Where Did You Stay (1:57)
16. You Can Pack Your Suitcase (2:18)
17. I Lived My Life (1:58)
18. Don't You Hear Me Calling You (2:08)
19. Love Me (1:53)
20. I Know (2:35)
21. Thinking Of You (2:08)
22. Don't You Know (2:24)
23. Helping Hand (2:08)
24. Ain't That A Shame (2:24)
25. La La (Version 1) (2:06)

CD 3:
01. All By Myself (2:21)
02. Troubles Of My Own (2:13)
03. Poor Me (2:18)
04. I Can't Go On (Rosalie) (2:04)
05. Bo Weevil (2:01)
06. Don't Blame It On Me (2:39)
07. I'm In Love Again (1:51)
08. My Blue Heaven (2:07)
09. When My Dreamboat Comes Home (2:15)
10. So Long (2:10)
11. Blueberry Hill (2:17)
12. Honey Chile (1:46)
13. Blue Monday (Single Version) (2:15)
14. What's The Reason I'm Not Pleasing You (2:06)
15. I'm Walkin' (2:08)
16. I'm In The Mood For Love (2:43)
17. Valley Of Tears (1:52)
18. It's You I Love (2:01)
19. When I See You (2:06)
20. What Will I Tell My Heart (2:24)
21. Wait And See (1:53)
22. I Still Love You (1:57)
23. The Big Beat (1:57)
24. I Want You To Know (1:57)
25. Yes, My Darling (1:57)

CD 4:
01. Don't You Know I Love You (2:08)
02. Sick And Tired (2:32)
03. No, No (The River) (2:07)
04. Little Mary (1:57)
05. The Prisoner's Song (Single Version) (2:38)
06. Young School Girl (1:53)
07. It Must Be Love (2:12)
08. Whole Lotta Loving (1:37)
09. Coquette (2:29)
10. Telling Lies (2:22)
11. When The Saints Go Marching In (2:24)
12. I'm Ready (2:01)
13. Margie (2:15)
14. I Want To Walk You Home (2:19)
15. I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Some Day (2:01)
16. Be My Guest (1:57)
17. I've Been Around (1:55)
18. Country Boy (2:14)
19. If You Need Me (1:46)
20. Tell Me That You Love Me (2:01)
21. Before I Grow Too Old (2:30)
22. Walking To New Orleans (1:55)
23. Don't Come Knockin' (1:54)
24. Three Nights A Week (1:42)

CD 5:
01. Put Your Arms Around Me Honey (1:56)
02. My Girl Josephine (1:56)
03. Natural Born Lover (Single Version) (3:53)
04. Ain't That Just Like A Woman (Single Version) (2:21)
05. What A Price (2:20)
06. Shu Rah (1:44)
07. Fell In Love On Monday (1:56)
08. It Keeps Rainin' (2:42)
09. I Just Cry (2:02)
10. Let The Four Winds Blow (2:02)
11. Good Hearted Man (2:10)
12. What A Party (1:49)
13. Rockin' Bicycle (2:02)
14. Jambalaya (On The Bayou) (2:20)
15. I Hear You Knocking (1:54)
16. Ida Jane (1:59)
17. You Win Again (2:04)
18. My Real Name (2:13)
19. My Heart Is Bleeding (1:43)
20. Dance With Mr. Domino (1:57)
21. Nothing New (Same Old Thing) (2:09)
22. Stop The Clock (Single Version) (1:45)
23. Did You Ever See A Dream Walking (1:41)
24. Won't You Come On Back (2:04)
25. Hands Across The Table (1:56)
26. Those Eyes (2:15)

CD 6:
01. Hum Diddy Doo (1:44)
02. Trouble Blues (2:40)
03. You Always Hurt The One You Love (Single Version) (2:10)
04. Isle Of Capri (2:12)
05. True Confession (2:08)
06. One Night (2:45)
07. I Can't Go On This Way (1:55)
08. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (2:05)
09. Goin' Home (2:13)
10. Your Cheating Heart (2:05)
11. When I Was Young (1:34)