Today I’m featuring “Blue Monday” by Fats Domino. This song was recently the title of a reverent and intriguing biography of the man, himself. In the 1950s and ’60s, Antoine “Fats” Domino helped usher in rock-’n'-roll with numbers like “Ain’t that a Shame,” “Blueberry Hill,” “Going Home,” and “Lawdy Miss Clawdy.” He added a distinctively swinging sound to the music of his native New Orleans.

A reviewer states, “Take that beat, touch it with “the heartache of the blues and the hope of gospel,” infuse it with lyrics that celebrate a passion for life, and you’ve got a sound that proved to be “ground zero for integration,” writes Coleman. He fully explores rock’s African-American roots, particularly rhythm and blues, call and response, piano triplets and the offbeats that Domino loved.”

The biography ends with how Domino survived Katrina and the destruction of his beloved Ninth Ward; he now lives across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, quietly with family and piano. 

Enjoy the video and if you get a chance, check out the book! :)