Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino

Dr. John

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2007)
• Original Release Date: September 25, 2007
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Vanguard Records
• ASIN: B000SUKPH0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,941 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It wasn't until Fats Domino's New Orleans house was heavily damaged in Hurricane Katrina that many people realized the great R&B pioneer was still alive. Now 79 and fairly reclusive, Domino had a tremendous influence on '50s popular music, his infectious boogie-woogie and triplet-based piano style forming much of the DNA of rock, and influencing scores of artists from Elvis Presley to the Beatles and beyond. To show their appreciation, a plethora of luminaries from rock, jazz, R&B, country, folk, and blues have united for this two-disc, 30-track valentine to Domino, which features modern takes on his timeless music. "United" is a literal term here--while some performers appear solo (Elton John on "Blueberry Hill," Corinne Bailey Rae on the scorching live cut, "One Night (of Sin)"), many of the tracks offer unexpected gumbo-like "mixtures," i.e., Joss Stone teaming with Buddy Guy and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band on "Every Night about this Time." Occasionally, things stray remarkably far from Domino's blueprint (jazz great Herbie Hancock churns it up with George Porter, Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste, and Renard Poche on "I'm Gonna be a Wheel Someday"), while Paul McCartney goes the other route, offering a too-worshipful vocal impersonation ("I Want to Walk You Home"), with fellow legend Allen Toussaint on piano. Still, fine performances abound, especially Neil Young's "Walking to New Orleans," which seethes with political anger, Lucinda Williams' roots-romance of "Honey Chile," and Robbie Robertson and Galactic's visionary "Going to the River." Almost secondarily, the collection serves as an eye-opening look at the thematic span of Domino's recorded output, and, like his Greatest Hits: Walking to New Orleans, released in August 2007, it should bring renewed awareness of his legacy. The iconic musician suffered more than damage to his house in Katrina--looters stole many of his possessions, including his '50s gold records. Here's hoping Goin' Home… will yield a replacement. --Alanna Nash

Product Description

Icons from the world of rock, blues, reggae, pop and country music have joined together to salute the genius of legendary piano man FATS DOMINO for the upcoming double CD set, Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino. Goin' Home is set for a September 25th release on Vanguard Records. This stellar tribute to one of the cornerstones of rock n roll music will help raise desperately needed funds specifically earmarked for instruments to be donated to New Orleans public school children. Monies raised from the sales of Goin Home will also go toward the rebuilding of Fats Domino's home and to create a community center in the Crescent City's still ravaged Lower 9th Ward. Proceeds of Goin Home will fund additional community related programs. The Tipitina's Foundation, a 501 ©(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to preserving the cultural legacy of New Orleans through music education for the youth and providing programs that support working musicians of New Orleans and the Gulf Region, conceived and executive produced Goin Home. The roster of music royalty contributing their interpretations of classic Fats Domino songs include: Sir Elton John (Blueberry Hill), Sir Paul McCartney (I Want To Walk You Home), Tom Petty (I'm Walkin ), Robert Plant (It Keeps Rainin' ), Willie Nelson (I Hear You Knockin ), B.B. King (Goin' Home) and Neil Young (Walkin' To New Orleans). Goin Home will also feature the late John Lennon's version of Fats most popular song, Ain't That A Shame. In addition, some of modern music's most prolific artists have contributed their time and talent including Lenny Kravitz, Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Ben Harper with The Skatalites, Toots and The Maytals, Taj Mahal, Herbie Hancock and Bonnie Raitt.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Orleans Living, Walking Legend , September 25, 2007

By	prisrob "pris," (New EnglandUSA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

"For lack of a better way of putting it," Irma Thomas, known as the Soul Queen of New Orleans, said recently, "he's a living, walking legend among us in New Orleans. Between him and Louis Armstrong, they were the first big names to put us on the musical map." Nate Chinen

'Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino,' is one of those CD's where one listen convinces you this is a CD worth its weight in gold. The Tipitina Foundation is sponsoring this CD, which in itself is dedicated to preserving Louisiana's musical culture, will dedicate a portion of the proceeds to the renovation of Mr. Domino's publishing offices. The talent that is found on this tribute CD is memorable with a cross of rock, blues, jazz and New Orleans roots that include B. B. King, Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and Norah Jones. And they were indeed fortunate that New Orleans legends like Dr. John and Allen Toussaint joined them.

There are thirty tracks on this 2 CD series and as tribute albums go some songs are great, others are fabulous. Some of the best are:

The opening song by John Lennon 'Ain't That A Shame' is an appropriate old rendition and Yoko Ono gave her blessing at the beginning of the project.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers give a rousing rendition to 'I'm Walkin' and it is one of my favorites.

BB King with Ivan Neville brings the NOLA sound to 'Goin Home'.

'Blueberry Hill' with Elton John brings rockin' blues to that song.

Taj Mahal and The New Orleans Social Club are the soul of NOLA with 'My Girl Josephine'.

Paul McCartney and Alan Toussaint's 'I'm Going To Walk You Home' is one of the best covers of the CD.

Dr John, the original New Orleans man, sings a bluesy rendition of 'Don't Leave Me This Way' and he once again lets us know why he is the best. "Woke up early this mornin'...Then I got on my knees all you could hear me say is. Don't leave me this way. Don't leave me this way. Don't leave me this way. Don't leave me this way...Tears runnin' from my eyes and all I could do is cry. Don't leave me this way. Don't leave me this way".

Bonnie Raitt and Jon Cleary bring their rockin sound to 'I'm In Love Again' and 'All By Myself'.

Randy Newman's 'Blue Monday' is the absolute best song on this CD. His voice convinces us that his feelings are true.

'Walking To New Orleans' with Neil Young has the country/rock of NOLA and is perfecto.

Nora Jones sings 'My Blue Heaven' in the old fashioned tradition.

Lucinda Williams makes 'Honey Chile' her own and convinces me that this song was written for her.

'I Hear You Knockin' with Willie Nelson is one of the better renditions I have heard.

Irma Thomas and Marcia Ball, the grand old dames of New Orleans, sing 'I Just Can't Get New Orleans Off My Mind' and we know how true this is.

'When The Saints Go Marchin' In' is the last song with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the finale as it should be done.

"A concert will be held Saturday, September 29 at Tipitina's in honor of Fats Domino. Doors open at 8:00 PM with the the show starting promptly at 9:00 p.m. "Fats" Domino emerged as a poster boy for post-Katrina New Orleans. His plight has come to symbolize the storm's vast personal tragedy as well as the threat to the city's immense cultural legacy."
The Times-Picayune

This tribute CD to Fats Domino has the star power, the songs and the best New Orleans sounds. A tribute to a founding father of rock n'roll, blues and New Orleans,

Highly Recommended. prisrob 09-25-07

Greatest Hits: Walking To New Orleans

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I wanted to give it 5 stars, but........, October 1, 2007

By	Paul Bellocq "pmbellocq" (Slidell, LA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I grew up within a few blocks from Tipitina's and was influenced by New Orleans music like the great Fats Domino. I had tremendous anticipation for this release, updated interpretations of these classic songs. Fats could even make a blues number sound happy, but somehow the times seemed to have lost sight of that with all of the angst in music today.

As any music fan knows, when another singer covers an older song, it is supposed to be done as an interpreter. My main pet peave with this collection is that someone told quite a few of these singers to try and sound like Fats as much as possible. There are just too many instances of this to be accidental. Why, oh why, I ask?!!! No one sounds like Fats, and the wisest ones won't even try to sound like him. If I were to let someone listen to this collection without knowing who is singing, I defy anyone to guess most of them right.

Once I got over this initial shock, I graded each song objectively. There are 15 songs or half of this set that I would rate as 4 stars or better. Not bad at all! However, there are enough songs whereby I want to jump up and hit the next track button so as to be an annoyance. Out of respect for all artists who gave their all for this worthy cause, I won't differentiate between the good tracks and the bad ones. However, someone with opposite musical tastes from me would probably come up with similar numbers. For the record, the first CD got a 3.8 rating and the second CD got a 2.7 rating. My girlfriend said that I was being too nice on the second CD.

There is some really great music here and it is all for a great cause, but don't expect a solid 5-star product just because of all the major stars here. Now if they redid it and told all of the singers to just be themselves, then that would be a timeless classic!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Talent, Uneven Result, October 4, 2007

By	Rob. Charlton (Elanora Heights, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

Given the quality of the song writing and the great collection of artists who have contributed to this double album, the result is disappointingly uneven. Some contributors just can't help but add their own, fresh and distinctive interpretations of Fats Domino's music. Bonnie Raitt, Tom Petty, Robbie Robertson, Norah Jones and Robert Plant (especially with the Soweto Gospel Choir) contribute excellently. Taj Mahal, Art Neville, Corinne Bailey Rae and Willie Nelson are in good form, although their tracks are professional rather than inspiring. The inclusion of John Lennon's version of "Ain't That a Shame" is a nice touch. However, the album is let down by a very ordinary version of 'Blueberry Hill" from Elton John and a grab bag of other tracks that range from mediocre to poor.

Having said that, proceeds from sales of the album will help restore areas of New Orleans most severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Since the US Government's almost total inaction in cleaning up the damage and re-establishing the city is shameful, buy the album, enjoy the reasonable number of very good to outstanding tracks, and help those many US citizens abandoned by their own government. I'm Australian and I was happy to buy the album just to help Fats' home town.