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

Today we have Morning Dew from September 1999 with Priory of Brion. Written by Bonnie Dobson and subsequently recorded by Tim Rose, Morning Dew became a staple in the Greatful Dead repitoire. The Priory version of Morning Dew is a moody, jazzy piece played slow. In contrast, the song as played during the Dreamland tour was much faster. I think I prefer the Strange Sensation version, but this one has a lot of merit, too.

Click the triangle to start the player, click again to stop it.

Morning Dew Morning Dew

By now we’re all used to hearing Alison Krauss sing with Robert Plant, but you may not have heard her singing Plant before Raising Sand. In 2004, she appeared on her brother Viktor Krauss’ Far from Enough album singing “Big Log”. You’ve heard Alison mention her brother in several interviews for Raising Sand over the last year.

I’m not generally a fan of other people doing Robert’s songs unless Robert is also singing along, but I do like this version of Big Log. Alison and Viktor do a pretty close rendition of the song. Big Log is a wistful, lonesome song to begin with, but Alison’s vocals make it seem more so.

To listen to Big Log click the little triangle. To stop it, click again.

Big Log Big Log

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.