fats comes home

Clean living keeps me in shape. Righteous thoughts are my secret. And New Orleans home cooking.
-- Fats Domino

well, fats domino made it back to his ninth ward compound thursday to assess the damage from katrina. he was accompanied by a local news crew that filmed his reactions, which, considering the devastation, was pretty upbeat. there is about a foot of muck covering the floors and everything else is laced with mold. his cadillac couch and white piano are ruined, but his favorite shirt seems to have made it through, and he said he is never gonna leave new orleans and is already planning to rebuild.


after katrina hit fats was thought to be missing. for a few days rumors were rampant about him being lost in the flood that washed out most of the neighborhood where he lived. thousands were relieved when the news broke that the 77 year old pianist had been rescued and was taking shelter in the apartment of l.s.u.'s quarterback jamarcus russell.


as he walked around his house w/ his son-in-law fats was smiling and pointing out the various items damaged in his once beautiful home to the reporter. later he stood outside and chatted with fans who took pictures with him in front of a spray-painted message on his house mourning his exagerated death. the fatman said he felt as though he had gotten off better than many others, and with a laugh he exclaimed,“I’m still here, thank God. I’m alive and kicking.”

the fats domino compound on st. claude is famous around the world. many tourist would venture out daily from the french quarter to pass by in the hopes of seeing him sitting on his porch. in september 1964 the beatles played at city park stadium and they made a special trip to the ninth ward to pay a visit to fats in his house. afterward paul mccartney told the press, "fats domino we admired. we met him in new orleans. he had a very big diamond watch in the shape of a star, which was very impressive." george harrison added, "he was sweet. just like a little boy."


in 1968 the beatles released 'lady madonna', a throwback rocker that recalled the best of the fatman, and later that year recorded 'birthday' in one session after being inspired by a group viewing of 'the girl can't help it', which starred many of the early rock-n-rollers; fats, little richard, eddie cochran and gene vincent (among others, and oh yeah, the voluptuous jane mansfield).

fats reciprocated later that year by releasing singles of 'lady madonna', the wild and crazy 'everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey' and sgt. pepper's 'lovely rita', (now out on the album 'sweet patootie') and all of which fit the mold he had created over a decade before.
fats has been a major influence in rock-n-roll for the past 5 decades and says he has plans to release a new song soon called 'alive and kicking'... and we sure are glad he is!

fats goes home (a photo set)

fats and the rock-n-roll connection

from the mississippi to the mersy

...here's a few fats domino tunes (mp3s via yousendit):
everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey
lady madonna
do you know what it means to miss new orleans

... and the beatles thinkin' 'bout the fatman!
lady madonna (anthology mix)
birthday (alternate mix)

buy fats domino and the beatles!