Ain't That a Shame
"Ain't That a Shame" is a song written by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew. Domino's recording of the song, originally stated as "Ain't It a Shame", released by Imperial Records in 1955,[1][2] was a hit, eventually selling a million copies. It reached number 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 10 on the pop chart.[3] The song is ranked number 438[4] on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
For the album by Pat Boone, see Ain't That a Shame (album)."Ain't It a Shame"
"La-La"
April 14, 1955
March 15, 1955
Master Recorders, 535 North Fairfax Avenue, Hollywood, California, U.S.
2:24
This recording was included in the debut Fats Domino album Rock and Rollin' with Fats Domino (1956) and next in the compilation Fats Domino Swings (12,000,000 Records) (1958).[5] Later in 1963 the recording has been overdubbed by vocal chorus for the album Let's Dance with Domino (1963).[6] In 1983 Fats Domino re-recorded the song; this recording was included in his last album Alive and Kickin' (2006)[7] under the title "Ain't That a Shame 2000".
The song gained national fame after being covered by Pat Boone.[8] Domino's version soon became more popular, bringing his music to the mass market a half-dozen years after his first recording, "The Fat Man".[9] After "Ain't That a Shame", mainstream artists began covering Domino's songs. Teresa Brewer, for instance, performed Domino's version of the folk song "Bo Weevil".
The song has also been covered by The Four Seasons (1963), John Lennon (1975), Paul McCartney (1988) and most notably, Cheap Trick (1978), among others.
"Ain't That a Shame"
"Tennessee Saturday Night"
26 May 1955
May 1955
Universal Recording Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
2:23
July 1979
April 1978
5:10 (album) 3:08 (single)
Cheap Trick
Other cover versions[edit]
A version of the song by the Four Seasons reached number 22 on the Billboard charts in 1963.[20] It was included in their 1963 studio album Ain't That A Shame and 11 Others. Cash Box described it as "a raunchy, medium-paced, multi-dance romancer."[21]
Other artists to have covered Domino's original version include Hank Williams, Jr. with the Mike Curb Congregation (1971).[22] It reached #16 in Canada.[23] It was also covered by Tanya Tucker on Lovin' and Learnin' (1976), Brownsville Station on their eponymous 1977 album, and Mud on their 1982 album Mud featuring Les Gray. On the other hand, Pat Torpey covered the Cheap Trick version on Odd Man Out: Y2K (1999).