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Monday Music offers a random Robert track for your listening joyfulness.

Today’s song is a live version of “Win My Trainfare Home”. This one comes from Helsinki, Finland on November 10, 2002. It runs the gamut from smooth to psychedelic to almost trance! Lots of cool scat singing on Robert’s part, too.

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Win My Trainfare Home Win My Trainfare Home

I actually managed to get the year-end wrap up posted before the 31st this time.

Read the 2008 Wrap Up.

Monday Music offers a random Robert track for your listening happiness.

Today’s song is a live version of Rockin’ at Midnight. It was recorded in 1985 at the Birmingham NEC and you can find the track on the remastered version of The Honeydrippers, Vol. 1 as a bonus track.

This was always the track that Robert had intended to be the representative for the Honeydrippers album, but stations kept playing Sea of Love. Prior to the album coming out my local radio station played the song as a contest–you had to guess the singer. I almost wrecked hearing Robert’s voice blasting out of the speakers, but of course no cell phone in those days!

The remastered Honeydrippers album is of course also part of the Nine Lives Box Set. If you don’t have this yet go get it! Especially if you’re just discovering Robert’s solo music.

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Rockin’ at Midnight Rockin’ at Midnight

Added some items to the Members’ Area.

I did a little redesign on the Home page, the Mirth landing page and the Serious landing page. If these pages behave in a way you don’t expect (like clicking takes you to the wrong place), clear your web browser cache to load the proper image map and links

Monday Music offers a random Robert track for your listening amusement.

Today’s track is from the 2004 MAS Records promo. In keeping with Robert’s early trend of not being billed in show listings, this track is credited to “Johnny Volcano”. But some voices are just so disctinctive they can’t be hidden.

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Flames Flames

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This documentary just aired on my local PBS station and as Fats himself said “They did a good job.” The documentary opens up showing the flooding in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans when Katrina hit. The documentary, narrated by John Goodman, talks about how tied to New Orleans Fats Domino is, and has always been. It also explores the idea that the city is, in turn, tied to Fats. He is termed as a “beacon of hope” for the idea of rebuilding the city and getting life there back to normal.

Antoine “Fats” Domino grew up in New Orleans and in the 1940s worked as a ice delivery man. He made sure that his route included plenty of bars and clubs with pianos so that he could play while he was “working”. It was during this time that Domino developed his “imperfect” but distinct style.

Domino has been an influence on many musicians over the years, and had record sales second only to Elvis Presley. One of the people largely influenced by Domino is Alan Toussaint, who wrote “Fortune Teller” which appeared on “Raising Sand”. Toussaint, Dr. John, and writer Keith Spera make up the bulk of the interview segments during this documentary.

Robert’s segments are about halfway into the program. He says of Domino, “his voice was charming and endearing.” He went on to say that “his reading of the songs was very appealing.” There’s a little segment where Robert and Fats are chatting and Robert is expressing his amazement that he was sitting having a beer with a singer he’d been influenced by.

Also in the documentary is a look at Robert recording “Valley of Tears” with the Sowetto Gospel Choir. You see him working out the styling with the Choir as well as rehearsing some of the lyrics.

The highlight and focal point of the documentary is Fats Domino’s appearance at Tipitinas for what many feel was his last concert. According to the documentary, Domino has always been a reluctant “star”, and the ordeal of Katrina took something out of him. Domino looked a bit frail and uncertain arriving at the club, but when he sat down at the piano it was, as one person put it, as if time had no meaning. A smile wreathed his face and he began to play, delighting the crowd. These live performances were interspersed with clips from Domino’s early career.

This documentary is an interesting look into the music of Fats Domino and how it, and he, is related and tied to New Orleans. Check your local PBS listings and make sure to catch this program if it airs in your market.

The benefit CD, Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino referenced in this documentary contains two songs recorded by Robert.

Added a few items to the Members’ Area.

Added a new fan fic.